Leptonetela taixu, Zhu & Li, 2021

Zhu, Wenhui & Li, Shuqiang, 2021, Five new leptonetid spiders from China (Araneae: Leptonetidae), Zootaxa 4984 (1), pp. 281-299 : 289

Leptonetela taixu spec. nov.

Figs 3–4 , 11C , 14

Type material. CHINA: Guizhou: Holotype: male, Shiqian County, Tongren, Taixu Cave , 27°29’43.50”N, 108°12’33.18”E, ca. 640 m elevation, Huifeng Zhao leg. 12.8.2012 (IZCAS-Ar42303) . Paratypes: 2 females, with same data as for holotype (IZCAS-Ar42304–Ar42305) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality and is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The male of this species resembles L. chenjia Wang & Li, 2017 (see Wang et al. 2017: 340, figs 12– 13, 97) by having a similarly shaped embolus and by the absence of a median apophysis, but it can be distinguished by the presence of six spines on the retrolateral surface of the palpal tibia, with the strongest spine bifurcated distally ( Fig. 3D ) (vs five spines in L. chenjia ), by having a broad, semicircular conductor (vs reduced in L. xianren , Fig. 11D ), and the cymbium is 1.5 times the length of the bulb ( Figs 3C–D ) (vs twice the length in L. chenjia ). Females can be distinguished from L. chenjia by the presence of six eyes.

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 2.25 ( Fig. 3A ). Carapace 1.00 long, 0.80 wide. Opisthosoma 1.25 long, 0.80 wide. Carapace yellowish. Ocular area with a pair of long setae. Six eyes. Eye sizes: ALE 0.09, PLE 0.08, PME 0.07. Distance between eyes: ALE-PME 0.09, PLE-PLE 0.09, PLE-PME 0.07. Median groove needle shaped, cervical grooves and radial furrows distinct. Clypeus 0.60 high. Opisthosoma grey, ovoid. Leg measurements: I 7.86 (2.30, 0.41, 2.15, 1.75, 1.25); II 6.22 (1.81, 0.30, 1.75, 1.35, 1.01); III – (1.51, 0.30, –, –, –); IV – (2.01, 0.35, –, –, –). Male palp ( Figs 3C–D ): basal part of tibia swollen slightly, tibia with 1 seta and 5 spines retrolaterally, with spine I strongest, asymmetrically bifurcated and located at the base of tibia, spines I and II of equal length. Cymbium constricted medially, attached to a small, earlobe-shaped process retrolaterally. Embolus triangular, prolateral lobe oval. Median apophysis absent. Conductor broad, semicircular in ventral view ( Figs 3B , 11C ).

Female (paratype, IZCAS-Ar42304): Similar to male in colour and general features but larger and with shorter legs. Total length 2.45 ( Figs 4A–B ). Carapace 1.15 long, 0.80 wide. Opisthosoma 1.30 long, 0.95 wide. Clypeus 0.75 high. Six eyes. Eye sizes: ALE 0.07, PLE 0.07, PME 0.03. Distance between eyes: ALE-PME 0.11, PLE-PLE 0.07, PLE-PME 0.09. Leg measurements: I 7.77 (2.10, 0.40, 2.21, 1.74, 1.32); II 5.98 (1.75, 0.40, 1.63, 1.31, 0.89); III 5.22 (1.51, 0.35, 1.36, 1.22, 0.78); IV 6.83 (2.06, 0.40, 1.96, 1.51, 0.90). Vulva ( Fig. 4C ): spermathecae coiled, atrium trapezoidal.

Distribution. Guizhou, China ( Fig. 14 ).

Figures

FIGURES 3A–D. Leptonetela taixu spec. nov., holotype male. A Habitus, dorsal. B Palpal bulb, ventral. C–D Left palp (C prolateral, D retrolateral). C—conductor, E—embolus, PL—prolateral lobe.

FIGURES 4A–C. Leptonetela taixu spec. nov., paratype female.A–B Habitus (A dorsal, B ventral). C Internal genitalia, dorsal. At—atrium, SP—spermathecae. SS—stalk of spermathecae.

FIGURES 11A–D. Leptonetela spp., male palpal bulb, ventral (A L. martensi spec. nov., B L. dao, C L. taixu spec. nov., D L. chenjia). C—conductor, E—embolus, MA—median apophysis.

FIGURE 14. Distribution records of five new species and their relatives of leptonetid spiders from China. 1 Leptonetela martensi spec. nov., 2 L. dao, 3 L. taixu spec. nov., 4 L. chenjia, 5 L. xianwu spec. nov., 6 L. xianren, 7 L. xinglong spec. nov., 8 L. liangfeng, 9 Rhyssoleptoneta aosen spec. nov., 10 R. latitarsa.