Liphistius birmanicus Thorell, 1897

Xu, Xin, Yu, Li, Aung, Khin Pyae Pyae, Yu, Long, Liu, Fengxiang, Lwin, Wai Wai, Sang, Men Zing & Li, Daiqin, 2021, A new species of Liphistius from Myanmar and description of the actual male of L. birmanicus Thorell, 1897 (Araneae, Mesothelae, Liphistiidae), ZooKeys 1031, pp. 41-58 : 41

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1031.59102
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:78C9CC2B-6D4E-4665-B2BD-E5CB05D09552
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/8A0D34CB-54B3-5000-B1B7-0FC20925A208
treatment provided by	ZooKeys by Pensoft
scientific name	Liphistius birmanicus Thorell, 1897
status

Treatment

Liphistius birmanicus Thorell, 1897 Figs 2 View Figure 2 , 8 View Figure 8 , 9 View Figure 9 , 10 View Figure 10

Liphistius birmanicus Thorell, 1897: 162 (♀, from Yadò, Kayin State, Myanmar; alt. 1200-1300 m; 1885-1889, collected by L. Fea; deposited in MCSNG, examined); Pocock, 1900: 156; Bristowe, 1933: 1029; Haupt, 1983: 280.

Material examined.

Mynamar · 7♀♀; Kayin State , Than Taung township , Yadò; 19.33°N, 96.81°E; alt. 1062-1090 m; ARAMYN-496, 497, 498, 501, 504, 505, 506; 2♂♂, 3♀♀; Kayin State , Kalekho Atet township; 19.31°N, 96.75°E; alt. 554-564 m; 15 November 2018; D. Li and L. Yu leg.; ARAMYN-090, 091, 092, 095, 096. Other material: Mynamar · 1♀ (lectotype); Kayin State (formerly Kayah State: Platnick and Sedgwick 1984; Karen State: Schwendinger 1990), Yadò, Mt. Chebà; alt. 1200-1300 m; 1885-1889; L. Fea leg. (MCSNG; examined) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis.

Males of L. birmanicus can be distinguished from those of L. pyinoolwin sp. nov. by the lack of the lateral process of the paracymbium (Fig. 8A-C View Figure 8 ), the cumulus slightly raised (Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ); the wider paraembolic plate (Fig. 8B, C, F View Figure 8 ), the narrower, longer contrategular process (Fig. 8D-F View Figure 8 ), and the slightly smaller tibial apophysis (Fig. 8A-C View Figure 8 ); differ from those of L. pinlaung by the larger tibial apophysis (Fig. 8A-C View Figure 8 ), and by the raised cumulus with shorter setae (Fig. 8A, B View Figure 8 ); from those of L. lahu by the larger paraembolic plate and the cumulus with shorter setae (Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ); from those of L. lordae by the wider tibial apophysis at base (Fig. 8A, B View Figure 8 ), and the raised cumulus with shorter, less regularly arranged setae (Fig. 8B View Figure 8 ); Females of L. birmanicus resemble those of L. hpruso , L. pinlaung and L. pyinoolwin sp. nov. by the poreplate with two pair of lobes but can be distinguished from those of L. hpruso and L. pyinoolwin sp. nov. by the broad posterior stalk and the poreplate slightly longer than wide (Figs 9D-I View Figure 9 , 10C-G View Figure 10 ); from those of L. pinlaung by the broader, axe-blade-shaped posterior stalk and the smaller anterolateral lobes of the poreplate (Figs 9C-I View Figure 9 , 10E, F View Figure 10 ); from those of the other Liphistius by the poreplate with four anterior lobes (Figs 9G-I View Figure 9 , 10E-F View Figure 10 ).

Description.

Male (ARAMYN-096, Fig. 2J View Figure 2 ). Total length, excluding chelicerae, 19.90. Carapace 9.50 long and 9.45 wide, black, furnished with few short, scattered bristles. ALE>PLE>PME>AME, eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.14, ALE 0.91, PME 0.33, PLE 0.62, AME-AME 0.11, AME-ALE 0.16, PME-PME 0.09, PME-PLE 0.15, ALE-PLE 0.09, ALE-ALE 0.18, PLE-PLE 0.45, AME-PME 0.06. Chelicerae robust, promargin of chelicerae groove with 11 denticles of variable size. Labium 1.01 long and 1.38 wide, wider than long, fused with sternum. Sternum 4.82 long and 1.12 wide, longer than wide, and strong spined, elongated anterior and posterior tip. Opisthosoma 9.67 long and 7.39 wide, with 12 black tergites, the fifth largest, 8 spinnerets. Legs with strong hairs and spines. Measurements: leg I 16.99 (4.32 + 2.55 + 3.55 + 4.66 + 1.92), leg II 18.06 (4.32 + 2.41 + 3.74 + 5.18 + 2.41), leg III 18.46 (4.44 + 1.85 + 2.83 + 6.68 + 2.66), leg IV 20.40 (3.56 + 1.52 + 4.25 + 8.46 + 2.63).

Palp: Tibial apophysis with four long setae with different lengths (Fig. 8B, C View Figure 8 ), paracymbium large, wide, with many setae at the tip and several tapering spines on the slightly raised cumulus (Fig. 8A-C View Figure 8 ); subtegular apophysis well developed (Fig. 8C, F View Figure 8 ); contrategulum with a triangular process, distal edge widely arched, with a smooth sharp projection (Fig. 8D, E, F View Figure 8 ); tegulum small, terminal apophysis with finely dentated margin (Fig. 8C, F, G View Figure 8 ); paraembolic plate base wide with a curved margin (Fig. 8D, G View Figure 8 ); embolus long and conical, basally sclerotized, with 7 longitudinal ridges that reach the tip, embolic parts adjacent (Fig. 8D-G View Figure 8 ).

Female (ARAMYN-091). Total length, excluding chelicerae, 22.50. Carapace 11.88 long and 11.06 wide, reddish black, furnished with few short, scattered bristles. Eight eyes on darkened ocular tubercle, ALE> PLE> PME> AME, eye size and interdistances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.92, PME 0.38, PLE 0.71, AME-AME 0.13, AME-ALE 0.18, PME-PME 0.15, PME-PLE 0.12, ALE-PLE 0.09, ALE-ALE 0.20, PLE-PLE 0.68, AME-PME 0.13. Chelicerae proximally glabrous, robust, reddish black; promargin of chelicerae groove with 11 strong denticles of variable size. Labium 1.40 long, 2.01 wide. Sternum 4.42 long, 1.68 wide, strong spined, elongated posterior tip. Opisthosoma 10.46 long, 8.31 wide, black, with 12 tergites, the fifth largest, and 8 spinnerets (Fig. 2I View Figure 2 ). Legs reddish black with strong hairs and spines, long and short black sparse setae, legs each with three tarsal claws. Measurements: palp 16.92 (6.17 + 2.32 + 4.82 + 3.61), leg I 23.27 (7.81 + 2.78 + 5.38 + 4.65 + 2.65), leg II 24.41 (7.85 + 2.85 + 5.57 + 5.32 + 2.82), leg III 26.88 (7.82 + 3.01 + 5.97 + 6.52 + 3.56), leg IV 35.45 (10.11 + 2.13 + 7.85 + 10.82 + 4.54).

Female genitalia: Posterior margin of genital sternite slightly curved (Figs 9A-C View Figure 9 , 10A, H View Figure 10 ); poreplate almost squared, with a pair of large anterior lobes and a pair of small anterolateral lobes (Figs 9G-I View Figure 9 , 10E, F View Figure 10 ); anterior and anterolateral lobes well separated (Figs 9G-I View Figure 9 , 10E, F View Figure 10 ); indistinct transition between the poreplate and posterior stalk (Figs 9D-I View Figure 9 , 10D View Figure 10 ); posterior stalk broad, large, constricted at base, axe-blade-shaped (Figs 9D-I View Figure 9 , 10C-G View Figure 10 ); racemose receptacular cluster large (Figs 9G-I View Figure 9 , 10E, F View Figure 10 ); central dorsal opening small, spheric (Figs 9D-F View Figure 9 , 10C, D, F View Figure 10 ).

Distribution.

Myanmar (Than Taung and Kalekho Atet townships, Kayin State).

Variation.

Body size: males (N =2): BL 18.58-19.90, CL 9.05-9.50, CW 8.01-9.45, OL 9.08-9.67, OW 6.95-7.39; females (N =10): BL 14.45-25.95, CL 6.41-12.26, CW 5.45-12.71, OL 7.65-17.09, OW 6.47-14.76; in ventral view, the shape of the transition between poreplate and posterior stalk is different between the specimens ARAMYN-497, 501, 506 (Fig. 9 View Figure 9 ) and ARAMYN-091, 095 (Fig. 10C-F View Figure 10 ); anterior lobes larger and close to each other (ARAMYN-501, Fig. 9E, H View Figure 9 ) compared to other specimens (Figs 9G, I View Figure 9 , 10E, F View Figure 10 ); the size and shape of the receptacular cluster are different (Figs 9G-I View Figure 9 , 10E, F View Figure 10 ); and the shape of central dorsal opening is also variable (Figs 9D-F View Figure 9 , 10C, D, G View Figure 10 ).

Remarks.

Only 4 specimens were collected from Myanmar before 1984, all of them identified as L. birmanicus in the literature. One female and two juvenile specimens were collected from Yadò and Biapò by Leonardo Fea, most likely in the years of 1887-1888 ( Fea 1888) during his expedition to Karen Hills or Kayah-Karen Mountains ( Bolotov et al. 2019). These 3 specimens were deposited in MCSNG, Italy. The adult female used to be described as L. birmanicus by Thorell in 1897, then redescribed by Pocock (1990), Bristowe (1932), and illustrated by Haupt (1983). Two juvenile specimens were only mentioned in Thorell’s description (1897) and have never been mentioned since then. The fourth specimen, an immature male collected from Mawlamyine, was first mentioned by Gravely (1915), and considered as L. birmanicus by Bristowe (1938). However, Schwendinger (1990) questioned its status, as do we, because the geographic locality is very far from the type locality, Yadò, and it is immature. Nevertheless, new specimens from Mawlamyine are needed to resolve this issue in the future.

One specimen collected outside Myanmar was identified as L. birmanicus , but it is actually not a Liphistius . Berlard (1932: figure 443) illustrated and assigned a male to L. birmanicus , which was collected from the forest of Kha-16, Tonkin, in the district of Song-Luc-Nam, Vietnam. It is obviously not a Liphistius since it lacks a palpal tibial apophysis. Simon (1908) first identified it as L. birmanicus , but Bristowe (1933) described it as a distinct species, L. tonkinensis , presently Vinathela tonkinensis (Bristowe, 1933) ( Xu et al. 2015a; World Spider Catalog 2021).

Platnick and Sedgwick (1984) provided illustrations and detailed descriptions of L. birmanicus after examining the lectotype from Yadò (deposited in MCSNG). Their descriptions of male and female were based on the specimens collected from Pyin Oo Lwin by W. Sedgwick instead of the lectotype. Schwendinger (1990) also provided illustrations and assigned those Pyin Oo Lwin specimens to L. birmanicus . As they had noticed, compared to Pyin Oo Lwin females, the female lectotype is much larger ( Platnick and Sedgwick 1984; Schwendinger 1990), although the body size is not usually used for identifying a species. Moreover, the poreplate of the lectotype possesses relatively smaller anterior lobes and a much wider posterior stalk as illustrated in Haupt (1983). Thus, we treated the Pyin Oo Lwin specimens as a distinct species, here described as L. pyinoolwin sp. nov..

Relationships.

Liphistius pyinoolwin sp. nov. belongs to the Liphistius birmanicus -group that currently contains L. birmanicus , L. hpruso , L. lordae , L. lahu , and L. pinlaung based on the male and female genital morphology. Since Schwendinger (1998) provided a detailed discussion about the shared characters among the group members, we give two additional characters within the group here. The Liphistius birmanicus -group can be divided into two types, one including L. birmanicus , L. hpruso , L. pinlaung , and L. pyinoolwin sp. nov., the other including L. lahu and L. lordae , based on the following synapomorphies: female poreplate of the former four species has four anterior lobes, while female poreplate of the latter two species has only two anterior lobes (Figs 5 View Figure 5 , 6 View Figure 6 , 7 View Figure 7 , 9 View Figure 9 , 10 View Figure 10 ); the male palp of the former four species has shorter, less regularly arranged setae on the cumulus, and a wider tibial apophysis at base compared with the latter two species (Figs 3A, B View Figure 3 , 8A, B View Figure 8 ).