Heptathela yakushimaensis Ono, 1998

Xu, Xin, Ono, Hirotsugu, Kuntner, Matjaz, Liu, Fengxiang & Li, Daiqin, 2019, A taxonomic monograph of the liphistiid spider genus Heptathela, endemic to Japanese islands, ZooKeys 888, pp. 1-50 : 1

Heptathela yakushimaensis Ono, 1998 Fig. 8

Heptathela yakushimaensis Ono, 1998: 23 (holotype: female, from Mt. Kunibaidake, Yakushima Island, Kagoshima-ken, Japan, collected by A. Tanikawa on 15 July 1990, deposited in NMNS, examined); Ono 2009: 83.

Heptathela kimurai yakushimaensis: Haupt 2003: 69.

Diagnosis.

Males of H. yakushimaensis differ from those of all other Kyushu group Heptathela species by a strongly serrated prolateral conductor margin ( Fig. 8G, H, J, K ), the tapered tegular marginal apophysis ( Fig. 8L, M ), and a larger tegular terminal apophysis ( Fig. 8L, M ). Females of H. yakushimaensis differ from those of H. kimurai and H. higoensis by the finely granulated inner receptacular clusters that are smaller than the outer ones ( Fig. 8 A–F ), and from those of H. kikuyai by the inner receptacular clusters lacking well defined stalks. H. yakushimaensis also differs from all other Kyushu group Heptathela species by the following unique nucleotide substitutions in the standard DNA barcode alignment: T (56), A (68), T (74), G (77), C (84), C (89), C (95), G (98), C (107), A (110), C (122), T (131), T (143), T (164), T (167), C (188), C (200), C (212), T (215), C (216), G (218), T (236), G (242), T (248), G (251), C (278), A (284), T (293), C (294), C (308), T (323), C (347), C (356), T (392), T (395), C (396), T (401), T (407), C (411), C (413), C (417), G (422), G (425), C (437), C (438), A (443), T (455), T (458), T (461), T (482), T (488), C (510), T (528), A (530), A (536), A (539), T (548), G (557), C (567), C (584), T (591), T (632), T (635), G (638), T (650), A (665).

Description.

Males (N = 2). Carapace brown; opisthosoma light brown, with dark brown tergites close to each other; cheliceral groove with 10-13 denticles; 7 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 8.70-10.50, CL 4.27-5.50, CW 4.00-4.90, OL 3.80-6.10, OW 2.40-4.40; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 13.27 (3.70 + 1.60 + 2.72 + 3.50 + 1.75), leg II 13.71 (3.55 + 1.65 + 2.80 + 3.75 + 1.96), leg III 14.65 (3.52 + 1.65 + 2.78 + 4.50 + 2.20), leg IV 18.64 (4.35 + 1.70 + 3.72 + 6.20 + 2.67).

Palp. Prolateral side of paracymbium unpigmented and unsclerotised, numerous setae and spines at the tip of paracymbium ( Fig. 8 G–I ). Contrategulum with serrated margin proximally and smooth margin distally, and slightly curved at the proximal 2/3 of contrategulum ( Fig. 8G, H, J, K ). Tegulum with serrated margin, widest in the middle ( Fig. 8 K–M ). Conductor prolateral margin strongly serrated ( Fig. 8G, H, J, K ). Embolus wide with two peaks ( Fig. 8 G–K ).

Females (N = 8). Carapace and opisthosoma colour as in male; cheliceral groove with 12-15 pronounced denticles; tergites similar to male; 7 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 9.10-14.80, CL 4.50-6.80, CW 4.05-5.90, OL 4.70-8.60, OW 3.00-6.40; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 9.72 (3.22 + 1.70 + 2.10 + 2.70), leg I 11.15 (3.45 + 1.90 + 2.05 + 2.35 + 1.40), leg II 9.61 (3.07 + 1.90 + 1.00 + 2.36 + 1.28), leg III 11.75 (3.25 + 1.95 + 2.05 + 2.80 + 1.70), leg IV 16.30 (4.25 + 2.25 + 2.90 + 4.40 + 2.50).

Female genitalia. A pair of depressions on the ventro-lateral part of genital atrium. A pair of receptacular clusters along the anterior margin of bursa copulatrix, divided into two parts, the inner part is similar or smaller than the outer part, on which there are several small granules ( Fig. 8 A–F ).

Material examined.

JAPAN · 2 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀; Kagoshima-ken, Kumage-gun, Yakushima-cho, Mt. Kankake-dake; 30.37N, 130.39E; alt. 170 m; 24 September 2013; D. Li and B. Wu leg.; XUX-2013-490, 491, 493 to 500 (500, ♂ matured 2 August 2014 at CBEE).

Distribution.

The species is known from the Kagoshima prefecture on the Japanese island Yakushima ( Fig. 1C ).

Figures

Figure 1. General somatic morphology of Heptathela kimurai (Kishida, 1920) A dorsal view B ventral view and map showing the sampling localities of Heptathela specimens from Kyushu to central Ryukyus (C).

Figure 8. Male and female genital anatomy of Heptathela yakushimaensis Ono, 1998 A, D 3491 (short for XUX- 2013 - 481) B, E 3495 C, F 3494 G-M 3500 A-C vulva dorsal view D-F vulva ventral view G palp prolateral view H palp ventral view I palp retrolateral view J-M palp distal view. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.