Songthela tianzhu, Chen & Li & Li & Xu, 2021

Chen, Zhaoyang, Li, Dengqing, Li, Daiqin & Xu, Xin, 2021, Three new species of the primitively segmented spider genus Songthela (Araneae, Mesothelae) from Guizhou Province, China, ZooKeys 1037, pp. 57-71 : 57

Songthela tianzhu sp. nov. Figure 4

Type material.

Holotype: China · 1 ♂; Guizhou Province, Qiandongnan Autonomous Prefecture, Tianzhu County, Qinxiang Village; 26.92°N, 109.26°E; alt. 380 m; 16 August 2018; D. Li, F.X. Liu, X. Xu, D.Q. Li and L. Yu leg.; XUX-2018-340A (matured on 10 September 2019 at HNU). Paratypes: China · 10 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; XUX-2018-336, 336A, 337, 338, 339, 340, 340B, 341, 345, 345A · 17 ♀♀; Guizhou Province, Qiandongnan Autonomous Prefecture, Tianzhu County, Mixi Village; 26.94°N, 109.08°E; alt. 543-552 m; 16 August 2018; D. Li, F.X. Liu, X. Xu, D.Q. Li and L. Yu leg.; XUX-2018-346, 346A, 347, 348, 349, 350, 351, 352, 353, 354, 354A, 354B, 355, 356, 356A, 357, 357A.

Diagnosis.

Male of S. tianzhu sp. nov. resembles that of S. ciliensis , but can be distinguished from the latter by the apical spine of the conductor with a spinule basally (Fig. 4D, E ), and by the embolus with a curved margin ventrally (Fig. 4B, E, G ); from those of other Songthela species by the smooth conductor with an apical spine, and the apical spine with a spinule basally (Fig. 4D, E ). Females of S. tianzhu sp. nov. resemble those of S. pluma and S. yuping sp. nov., but can be distinguished from those of S. pluma by the stalks of the median pair receptacular clusters fused together basally (Fig. 4H-K ); from those of S. yuping sp. nov. by the trapeziform genital area and the shallower depressions (Fig. 4H-O ); from those of other Songthela species by two pairs of receptacular clusters situated on the dorsal wall of the bursa copulatrix (Fig. 4H-O ).

Description.

Male (holotype). Carapace yellow brown; opisthosoma light brown, with 12 dark brown tergites, close to each other, 2-6 larger than others, and the 4th largest; sternum narrow, much longer than wide; a few pointed hairs running over ocular area; chelicerae robust with promargin of cheliceral groove with 9 denticles of variable size; legs with sturdy hairs and spines; 7 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 12.16, CL 5.77, CW 5.02, OL 5.56, OW 3.50; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 18.02 (5.11 + 2.28 + 3.73 + 4.57 + 2.33), leg II 17.09 (4.63 + 1.88 + 3.18 + 5.08 + 2.32), leg III 19.40 (4.59 + 1.96 + 3.90 + 5.76 + 3.19), leg IV 25.91 (6.29 + 2.50 + 5.23 + 8.05 + 3.84).

Palp. Paracymbium unpigmented and unsclerotized in prolateral view, with several setae and spines on the tip (Fig. 4A-C ). Contrategulum with a distinct apophysis on the proximal portion and a regular dentate edge (Fig. 4D, E ). Tegulum with a slightly dentate marginal apophysis and the dorsal extension of the terminal apophysis, and with a thumb-like terminal tegular apophysis retrolaterally (Fig. 4F, G ). Conductor with a wide base and fused with embolus, the distal portion gradually narrow to a long apical spine with a spinule basally (Fig. 4D, E ). Embolus with a flat opening distally, numerous ribbed ridges in middle and distal portion, and with a curved margin ventrally (Fig. 4B-G ).

Female (XUX-2018-339; Fig. 1I ). Carapace dark reddish brown; opisthosoma light brown, with 12 dark brown tergites, close to each other, 2-6 larger than others, and the 4th largest; sternum narrow, much longer than wide; a few pointed hairs running over ocular area; chelicerae robust with promargin of cheliceral groove with 10 denticles of variable size; legs with sturdy hairs and spines; 7 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 11.68, CL 5.52, CW 4.81, OL 5.40, OW 4.33; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 10.32 (3.45 + 1.74 + 2.19 + 2.66), leg I 11.28 (3.62 + 1.98 + 2.20 + 2.03 + 1.45), leg II 10.90 (3.62 + 1.98 + 2.20 + 2.03 + 1.45), leg III 12.09 (3.55 + 2.09 + 2.22 + 2.47 + 1.76), leg IV 17.92 (5.02 + 2.52 + 3.53 + 4.53 + 2.32).

Female genitalia. Two pairs of ovoid receptacular clusters with tubular stalks, situated on the dorsal wall of the bursa copulatrix. The median pair slightly larger than (Fig. 4H, I, K ) or similar to (Fig. 4J ) the lateral ones, and the bases of the middle stalks fused together (Fig. 4H-K ).

Variation.

Females vary in body size. The range of measurements as follows (N = 27): BL 10-13.82, CL 4.57-6.94, CW 4.14-6.10, OL 4.54-6.57, OW 3.77-6.00. The number of promargin of cheliceral groove varies from 10-13 (N = 27). There are 7 or 8 spinnerets. In addition, female genitalia show somewhat intraspecific variation: there is an additional receptacular cluster situated at the middle of the median pair (Fig. 4I, M ); the genitalia stalks of the median pair are fused together basally (Fig. 4H, I, K ) or the middle receptacular clusters are fused together (Fig. 4J ); some specimens have slightly longer middle genital stalks than others (Fig. 4K ).

Etymology.

The species epithet, a noun in apposition, refers to the type locality.

Distribution.

Guizhou (Tianzhu), China.

GenBank accession number.

Holotype, XUX-2018-340A: MW450988; Paratypes, XUX-2018-336: MW809006; XUX-2018-337: MW809007; XUX-2018-338: MW809008; XUX-2018-339: MW809009; XUX-2018-340: MW809010; XUX-2018-341: MW809011; XUX-2018-342: MW809012; XUX-2018-343: MW809013; XUX-2018-345: MW809014; XUX-2018-346: MW809015; XUX-2018-347: MW809016; XUX-2018-348: MW809017; XUX-2018-349: MW809018; XUX-2018-350: MW809019; XUX-2018-352: MW809020; XUX-2018-353: MW809021; XUX-2018-354: MW809022; XUX-2018-355: MW809023; XUX-2018-356: MW809024; XUX-2018-357: MW809025.

Remarks.

The intraspecific genetic distances of the new species and the interspecific genetic distances between the new species and the other two new species and five known species are shown in Table 1 .

Figures

Figure 1. Microhabitat and general somatic morphology of three new Songthela species A-E Songthela liui sp. nov.: D XUX- 2018 - 381, female E XUX- 2018 - 375 A, male F-I Songthela tianzhu sp. nov.: I XUX- 2018 - 339, female J-N Songthela yuping sp. nov.: M XUX- 2018 - 380, female N XUX- 2018 - 380 A, male A, F, J microhabitat B, C, G, H, K, L the trapdoor with the door closed and open D, E, I, M, N dorsal view. Scale bars: 3 mm (D, E, I, M, N).

Figure 4. Male and female genital anatomy of Songthela tianzhu sp. nov. A, D palp prolateral view B, E palp ventral view C, F palp retrolateral view G palp distal view H-K vulva dorsal view L-O vulva ventral view A-G XUX- 2018 - 340 A (holotype) H, L XUX- 2018 - 339 I, M XUX- 2018 - 338 J, N XUX- 2018 - 340 K, O XUX- 2018 - 341. Scale bars: 0.3 mm.