Liphistius hatyai Zhan & Xu, 2022

Zhan, Yi, Sivayyapram, Varat, Liu, Fengxiang, Li, Daiqin & Xu, Xin, 2022, Three new species of the spider genus Liphistius (Araneae, Mesothelae, Liphistiidae) from Thailand, ZooKeys 1104, pp. 115-128 : 115

Liphistius hatyai Zhan & Xu sp. nov.

Fig. 3

Type material.

Holotype: Thailand • 1 ♂; Songkhla Province, Hat Yai District, Kho Hong, 7.04°N, 100.50°E; alt. 25 m; 13 November 2016; N. Warrit, V. Sivayyapram, N. Chatthanabun, P. Traiyasut leg.; XUX-2017-492. Paratype: Thailand • 1 ♀, same data as for the holotype; XUX-2017-493.

Diagnosis.

The male of L. hatyai sp. nov. resembles males of L. albipes Schwendinger, 1995 and L. yangae Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984 in having a rounded, scale-like paraembolic plate (Fig. 3A, E ) but can be distinguished in having the tegulum with three transverse ridges in retrolateral view, while the latter two species have only one transverse ridge (Fig. 3C, G ); from males of L. bicoloripes Ono, 1988, L. castaneus Schwendinger, 1995, and L. niphanae Ono, 1988 in having the cumulus slightly elevated (Fig. 3A-C ); from the male of L. inthanon sp. nov. in having the tibial apophysis with fewer and longer setae (Fig. 3A-C ), the cumulus slightly elevated (Fig. 3A-C ), the subtegular apophysis absent (Fig. 3A, F ), and the embolic parts detached (Fig. 3A-G ); from the male of L. keeratikiati sp. nov. in having the sclerotised embolic part with three longitudinal ridges reaching the apex (Fig. 3A ) and the tegulum with three transverse ridges distally (Fig. 3C, G ); from males of other Liphistius species in having the cumulus slightly elevated, the sclerotised embolic part with three longitudinal ridges in prolateral view, and the subtegular apophysis absent (Fig. 3A, B, E ).

The female of L. hatyai sp. nov. differs from females of L. albipes and L. castaneus in having a slightly narrower V-shaped posterior stalk (Fig. 3H, I ); from females of L. bicoloripes and L. castaneus in having poreplate lacking anterolateral lobes (Fig. 3I ); from the female of L. niphanae in having the anterior margin of the poreplate straight (Fig. 3H, I ); from females of L. yangae , L. inthanon sp. nov., and L. keeratikiati sp. nov. in having the poreplate almost squared and with a slightly V-shaped posterior stalk (Fig. 3H, I ); from females of other Liphistius species in having a hair at the center of posterior stalk dorsally (Fig. 3H ).

Description.

Male. Carapace reddish-brown, with a few short, scattered bristles; opisthosoma brown, with 12 brown tergites, close to each other, 2-6 larger than others, fifth largest; chelicerae robust, promargin of cheliceral groove with 12 denticles of variable size; labium yellow and fused with sternum; sternum yellow, with a few short setae on the anterior tip and many long setae on the elongated posterior tip; legs yellowish brown, with strong hairs and spines, without distinct annulations, with 3 tarsal claws; 8 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 17.6, CL 8.81, CW 8.42, OL 8.33, OW 7.31; eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.06, ALE 0.77, PME 0.47, PLE 0.59, AME-AME 0.13, AME-ALE 0.21, PME-PME 0.08, PME-PLE 0.09, ALE-PLE 0.12, ALE-ALE 0.17, PLE-PLE 0.39, AME-PME 0.12. Labium 0.55 long and 0.70 wide. Sternum 3.74 long and 1.04 wide. Leg I 22.55 (7.11 + 2.57 + 4.90 + 5.64 + 2.33), leg II 22.85 (6.76 + 1.73 + 5.56 + 6.06 + 2.74), leg III 26.62 (6.89 + 3.55 + 5.63 + 7.51 + 3.04), leg IV 30.54 (9.07 + 3.83 + 7.50 + 10.25 + 2.63).

Palp: tibial apophysis with four setae of same length, stouter basally and slender distally (Fig. 3A-C ); paracymbium with many setae situated at tip (Fig. 3A-C ); several tapering spines on slightly elevated cumulus (Fig. 3A-C ); contrategulum with a triangular process, and an arched smooth edge with a sharp projection (Fig. 3B, C, G ); tegulum with a serrated edge proximally and 3 transverse ridges distally (Fig. 3B, C, G ); embolic parts detached (Fig. 3A-C, G ), paraembolic plate semicircular, scale-like (Fig. 3A, E ); embolus with 3 distinct longitudinal ridges reaching the tip prolaterally, with a few denticulations on apex, and with a flat membranous opening (Fig. 3A-C, G ).

Female. Carapace orange, with few short, scattered bristles; opisthosoma gray, with 12 brown tergites, close to each other, with gray patches, 2-6 larger than others, fifth largest; 8 eyes on dark ocular tubercle; chelicerae robust, reddish brown; promargin of cheliceral groove with 10 denticles of variable size; labium yellow, fused with sternum; sternum yellow with several setae; legs with strong setae and spines, without distinct annulations, with 3 tarsal claws; 8 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 23.8, CL 11.42, CW 10.33, OL 11.03, OW 10.06; eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.14, ALE 1.00, PME 0.52, PLE 0.61, AME-AME 0.12, AME-ALE 0.25, PME-PME 0.10, PME-PLE 0.12, ALE-PLE 0.15, ALE-ALE 0.10, PLE-PLE 0.60, AME-PME 0.15. Labium 2.45 long and 1.26 wide. Sternum 5.15 long, 1.81 wide. Palp 20.19 (7.41 + 3.65 + 4.72 +4.41), leg I 25.15 (8.71 + 4.49 + 4.59 + 4.74 + 2.62), leg II 26.62 (9.09 + 4.52 + 4.81 + 5.24 + 2.96), leg III 28.10 (9.25 + 4.28 + 5.56 + 5.89 + 3.12), leg IV 37.53 (11.06 + 4.80 + 7.70 + 9.97 + 4.00).

Genitalia: poreplate almost squared; posterior stalk slightly V-shaped, with a hair situated in the center dorsally; central dorsal opening small, situated in center of poreplate; receptacular cluster spherical (Fig. 3H, I ).

Etymology.

The species epithet “hatyai” refers to the location of the type locality in Hat Yai District.

Distribution.

Southern Thailand (Songkhla Province) (Fig. 2 ).

Remarks.

Liphistius hatyai sp. nov. can be assigned to the Liphistius trang -group according to the morphology of male palp and female genitalia. In males, the sclerotised part of embolus has two or three longitudinal ridges reaching the tip, the cumulus is slightly elevated, and the subtegulum is lacking an apophysis (Fig. 3A-G ). In females, the poreplate has a small central dorsal opening and a receptacular cluster (Fig. 3H, I ).

Specifically, L. hatyai sp. nov. belongs to the species complex D of the Liphistius trang -group (sensu Schwendinger 1998; Schwendinger et al. 2019) based on male palp and female genital morphology. In males, the slightly elevated cumulus possesses long, needle-like spines (Fig. 3A-C ), and the sclerotised part of embolus carries three longitudinal ridges reaching the tip (Fig. 3A ). Female genitalia consist of a nearly squared poreplate, and a narrow, slightly V-shaped posterior stalk (Fig. 3H, I ).

Species complex D includes species distributed in southern Thailand, western Peninsular Malaysia, and Sumatra. This species complex in Thailand includes L. albipes , L. bicoloripes , L. castaneus , L. niphanae , L. trang Platnick & Sedgwick, 1984, and L. yangae (for details see Schwendinger 1998; Schwendinger et al. 2019).

Figures

Figure 2. Map of Thailand showing the localities of three new Liphistius species described.

Figure 3. Male palp and female genitalia of Liphistius hatyai Zhan & Xu, sp. nov. A palp, prolateral view B palp, ventral view C palp, retrolateral view D-G palp, distal views H vulva, dorsal view I vulva, ventral view A-G XUX- 2017 - 492 (holotype) H, I XUX- 2017 - 493. Abbreviations used: CDO = central dorsal opening; GA = genital atrium; PS = posterior stalk; RC = receptacular cluster; CT = contrategulum; Cu = cumulus; PC = paracymbium; PeP = paraembolic plate; ST = subtegulum; T = tegulum; TiA = tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.