Lathys deltoidea Liu, 2018

Liu, Keke, Meng, Zeyuan, Xiao, Yonghong & Xu, Xiang, 2018, Five new Lathys species (Araneae: Dictynidae) from South China and the first description of the male of Lathys spiralis Zhang, Hu & Zhang, 2012, Zootaxa 4500 (2), pp. 151-178 : 155-158

Lathys deltoidea Liu spec. nov.

Figs 4–6 , 23

Type material. CHINA: Jiangxi Province: Ji’an City, Jinggangshan County Level City. Holotype female: Huang’ao Town , Menxiandong Village , broad-leaf forest, 26.475°N, 114.248°E, 462 m elevation, April 4 2014, Keke Liu, Zhiwu Chen, Zeyuan Meng, Yifan Zhao and Guangfeng Li leg. ( ASM-JGSU) . Paratypes: 1 female, same data as holotype ( ASM-JGSU) ; 1 female: Dalong Town, Yuantou Village , broad-leaf forest, 26.628°N, 114.106°E, 906 m elevation, 5 April 2014, Keke Liu, Zhiwu Chen, Zeyuan Meng, Xiaoping Huang and Yubao Tang leg. ( ASM-JGSU) ; 1 female: Huang’ao Town, Shantang Village , broad-leaf forest, 26.472°N, 114.229°E, 323 m elevation, April 5 2015, Keke Liu, Zhiwu Chen, Zeyuan Meng, Yifan Zhao and Guangfeng Li leg. ( ASM- JGSU) .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from Greek, meaning “shaped like a delta” and referring to the triangular SEP formed by the sclerotized bursal margin of the female epigyne ( Figs 4A , 6A ).

Diagnosis. Females of the new species resemble those of L. borealis and L. subhumilis ( Zhang et al. 2012) in having a short CD and small SP situated laterally but mainly differs from these species in having a triangular SEP (broad ") (" shaped in L. borealis and L. subhumilis ) and the CD anteriorly coiled around CO and posteriorly joining the posterior part of oval SP (CD not coiled around CO, posteriorly joining the lateral part of round SP in L. borealis and L. subhumilis ) ( Figs 4C–D , 6 ).

Description: Female (holotype). Habitus as in Figs 4A–B . Total length 2.27, carapace ( Fig. 4A ) length 0.81, width 0.63. Eight eyes ( Fig. 4A ), anterior eye row slightly recurved, posterior one procurved; diameters and interdistances: AME 0.04, ALE 0.08, PME 0.09, PLE 0.08, AME–AME 0.10, ALE–AME 0.15, PME–PME 0.20, ALE–ALE 0.30, PLE–PME 0.16, PLE–PLE 0.35, ALE–PLE 0.15, AME–PME 0.15, AME smallest and PME largest. Carapace anteriorly with row of setae medially, posteriorly with a few thick setae, cervical groove and radial furrows distinct, ovea longitudinal, indistinct ( Fig. 4A ). Chelicerae ( Figs 5A–C ) with 4 promarginal (third largest) and 3 retromarginal (second largest) teeth. Gnathocoxae longer than wide, anteriorly with a single row serrula, labium sub-semicircular, longer than wide, anteriorly with a row of setae, sternum slightly longer than wide ( Fig. 4B ), evenly with numerous tubercles around setae. Opisthosoma ( Figs 4A–B ) length 0.61, width 0.46, broad oval in dorsal view. Leg measurements: I 2.10 (0.64, 0.24, 0.49, 0.45, 0.28); II 1.85 (0.58, 0.21, 0.42, 0.38, 0.26) III 1.57 (0.50, 0.23, 0.31, 0.31, 0.22); IV 1.97 (0.63, 0.23, 0.45, 0.45, 0.21), formula: I, II, III IV. Metatarsus IV with distinct calamistrum, covering more than 1/2 of length of metatarsus, each seta apically bent.

Colouration. Carapace dark yellow brown, anterior part with marbled pattern, posterior part of carapace with indistinct dark radiant stripes around fovea. Chelicerae yellow. Gnathocoxae yellow brown. Labium anteriorly light brown, posteriorly yellow brown. Sternum yellow brown, Palps and legs, yellow. Opisthosoma pale creamy to dark yellow-brown, with distinct pattern consisting of many white guanine crystals, irregular dark yellow-brown spots around medial part; in ventral view with few white guanine crystals, posteriorly with a dark ring around spinnerets. Cribellum and spinnerets yellow.

Epigyne as in diagnosis ( Figs 4C–D , 6 ), with large depressed semicircular copulatory openings, margin continuous with the septal margin. SEP slightly sclerotized, medially with a papilla-like scape. Vulva with FD medially attached at oval SP and curving around posterior CD.

Male: Unknown.

Distribution. Known from two nearby localities in Jiangxi Province ( Fig. 23 ).

Figures

FIGURES 4A–D. Lathys deltoidea Liu spec. nov., female holotype. A Habitus, dorsal. B Same, ventral. C Epigyne, ventral. D Vulva, dorsal. Scale bars: A, B 0.5 mm; C, D 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 5A–C. Lathys deltoidea Liu spec. nov., holotype female, left chelicera, SEMs (A frontal, B retromarginal teeth, frontal, C ventral). Scale bars: A, C 20 µm; B 10 µm.

FIGURES 6A–B. Lathys deltoidea Liu spec. nov., female paratype, copulatory organ. A Epigyne, ventral. B Vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations: CD—copulatory duct, CO—copulatory opening, FD—fertilization duct, SEP—septum, SP—spermathecae. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 23. Collection localities for Lathys adunca Liu spec. nov., L. deltoidea Liu spec. nov., L. fibulata Liu spec. nov., L. huangyangjieensis Liu spec. nov. and L. zhanfengi Liu spec. nov. in Jinggangshan National Natural Reserve, Jiangxi Province and distribution of L. spiralis Zhang, Hu & Zhang, 2012 in China.