Leptonetela xianwu, Zhu & Li, 2021

Zhu, Wenhui & Li, Shuqiang, 2021, Five new leptonetid spiders from China (Araneae: Leptonetidae), Zootaxa 4984 (1), pp. 281-299 : 289-296

Leptonetela xianwu spec. nov.

Figs 5–6 , 12A , 14

Type material. CHINA. Hubei: Holotype: male, Enshi, Xuanen County, Zhushan Town , Xiejiaba Village , Xianwu Cave , 29°57’03.67”N, 109°29’29.69”E, ca. 850 m elevation, Yunchun Li & Zhigang Chen leg. 14.12.2014 (IZCAS- Ar42306) . Paratype: 1 female, with same data as for holotype (IZCAS-Ar42307) .

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

Diagnosis. This species can be distinguished from L. xianren Wang & Li, 2017 (see Wang et al. 2017: 379, figs 42–43, 97) by the presence of six eyes. Males of L. xianwu spec. nov. resemble L. xianren by having a triangular embolus, but they can be distinguished by the presence of four spines on the retrolateral surface of the palpal tibia ( Fig. 5D ) (vs five spines in L. xianren ), and by having a bifurcate median apophysis (vs triangular in L. xianren , Fig. 12B ) on the palpal bulb.

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 1.60 ( Fig. 5A ). Carapace 0.60 long, 0.55 wide. Opisthosoma 1.00 long, 0.75 wide. Carapace yellowish. Ocular area with 3 long setae. Six eyes. Eye sizes: ALE 0.07, PLE 0.07, PME 0.05. Distance between eyes: ALE-PME 0.10, PLE-PLE 0.07, PLE-PME 0.02. Median groove, cervical grooves, and radial furrows distinct. Clypeus 0.45 high. Opisthosoma grey, ovoid. Leg measurements: I 6.16 (1.76, 0.41, 2.11, 1.53, 0.35); II 4.70 (1.44, 0.25, 1.27, 1.44, 0.30); III 2.84 (1.26, 0.25, 1.02, 0.91, 0.45); IV – (1.52, 0.30, 1.07, –, –). Male palp ( Figs 5C–D ): basal part of tibia swollen slightly, tibia with 2 setae and 4 spines retrolaterally, with spine I absent and spines II and III of equal length. Cymbium constricted medially, earlobe-shaped process absent. Embolus triangular, prolateral lobe rectangular. Median apophysis small and bifurcated. Conductor semicircular in ventral view ( Figs 5B , 12A ).

Female (paratype): Similar to male in colour and general features but larger and with shorter legs. Total length 1.75 ( Figs 6A–B ). Carapace 0.75 long, 0.75 wide. Opisthosoma 1.00 long, 0.70 wide. Clypeus 0.55 high. Six eyes. Eye sizes: ALE 0.07, PLE 0.07, PME 0.06. Distance between eyes:ALE-PME 0.11, PLE-PLE 0.07, PLE-PME 0.03. Leg measurements: I 5.30 (1.41, 0.25, 1.62, 1.26, 0.76); II 3.84 (1.12, 0.25, 1.00, 0.81, 0.66); III 3.12 (0.93, 0.30, 0.83, 0.62, 0.44); IV 4.40 (1.24, 0.25, 1.18, 1.02, 0.71). Vulva ( Fig. 6C ): spermathecae coiled, atrium fusiform.

Distribution. Hubei, China ( Fig. 14 ).

Figures

FIGURES 5A–D. Leptonetela xianwu spec. nov., holotype male. A Habitus, dorsal. B Palpal bulb, ventral. C–D Left palp (C prolateral, D retrolateral). C—conductor, E—embolus, MA—median apophysis, PL—prolateral lobe.

FIGURES 6A–C. Leptonetela xianwu spec. nov., paratype female. A–B Habitus (A dorsal, B ventral). C Internal genitalia, dorsal. At—atrium, SP—spermathecae. SS—stalk of spermathecae.

FIGURES 12A–D. Leptonetela spp., male palpal bulb, ventral (A L. xianwu spec. nov., B L. xianren, C L. xinglong spec. nov., D L. liangfeng). C—conductor, E—embolus, MA—median apophysis, PL—prolateral lobe.

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.