Songthela xiangnan, Li & Liu & Li & Xu, 2020

Li, Dengqing, Liu, Fengxiang, Li, Daiqin & Xu, Xin, 2020, Two new species of the primitively segmented spider genus Songthela from Hunan Province, China (Mesothelae, Liphistiidae), ZooKeys 937, pp. 1-19 : 1

Songthela xiangnan sp. nov. Figures 4 , 5

Type material.

Holotype: China·1 ♂; Hunan Province, Hengyang City, Mt. Heng, Xiangnan Temple; 27.28°N, 112.69°E; alt. 959 m; 18 Aug. 2011; F.X. Liu, X. Xu, R. Xiao leg.; XUX-2011-063.

Paratypes: China·2 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; XUX-2011-070, 071.

Diagnosis.

Male of S. xiangnan sp. nov. resembles that of S. pluma , but can be distinguished from the latter by the conductor with two apical spines, the longer spine with a bifid apex (Fig. 5A, B, D, E, G ), by the contrategulum with only one dentate margin and with a small apophysis located proximally (Fig. 5A, B, D, E ), and by the tegulum with a finger-like terminal apophysis in retrolateral view (Fig. 5C, F ); from that of other Songthela species by the central part of the conductor with several short spines, the blade-shaped conductor spine with a bifid apex (Fig. 5A, B, D, E, G ). Females of S. xiangnan sp. nov. differ from those of S. pluma by the longer genital stalks of the median receptacular clusters (Fig. 5H ), and the smaller lateral receptacular clusters with obscure genital stalks (Fig. 5H ); from those of other Songthela species by the median receptacular clusters with longer and trachea-shaped genital stalks, obviously larger than the lateral ones, the lateral receptacular clusters with obscure genital stalks, situated slightly dorsolaterally (Fig. 5H ).

Description.

Male (holotype; Fig. 4E ). Carapace yellow with several short hairs on the margin; opisthosoma light brown; tergites yellowish-brown; sternum narrow; few fine pointed hairs running over ocular area; chelicerae robust with promargin of cheliceral groove with 12 denticles; legs with sturdy hairs and spines; opisthosoma with 12 tergites, the second to fifth tergite larger than remaining ones and third the largest; six spinnerets. Measurements: BL 10.80, CL 5.51, CW 5.48, OL 5.18, OW 4.10; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 20.24 (5.77 + 2.43 + 4.41 + 5.34 + 2.29), leg II 20.51 (5.63 + 2.43 + 4.28 + 5.69 + 2.48), leg III 21.83 (5.45 + 2.49 + 4.32 + 6.71 + 2.86), leg IV 28.2 (7.15 + 2.74 + 5.79 + 8.97 + 3.55).

Palp. Prolateral side of paracymbium unpigmented and unsclerotized, with numerous setae and spines on the tip (Fig. 5A ); contrategulum with serrate margin and with a small apophysis located proximally (Fig. 5A, B, D, E ); tegulum with a dentate marginal apophysis and the dorsal extension of terminal apophysis, and a long finger-like terminal apophysis in retrolateral view (Fig. 5C, F ); conductor base wide and fused with embolus, unsmooth middle portion covered with several short spines, a long blade-shaped spine with a bifid apex and a short spine basally (Fig. 5A, B, D, E ); embolus with a flat opening in distal portion and ridged apophysis in middle ventral portion (Fig. 5A-G ).

Female (XUX-2011-070; Fig. 4D ). Carapace yellow brown with several hairs on the margin; opisthosoma brown; fourth to sixth tergite light brown with some brown flecks, remaining tergites dark brown; sternum narrow; few fine pointed hairs running over ocular area; chelicerae robust with promargin of cheliceral groove with 12 denticles; legs with sturdy hairs and spines; opisthosoma with 12 tergites, the second to fifth tergite larger than remaining ones and fourth the largest; six spinnerets. Measurements: BL 14.31, CL 6.44, CW 5.94, OL 7.04, OW 6.18; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 12.59 (4.35 + 2.31 + 2.64 + 3.29), leg I 14.28 (4.64 + 2.52 + 2.78 + 2.80 + 1.54), leg II 13.76 (4.25 + 2.42 + 2.52 + 3.00 + 1.57), leg III 14.32 (4.08 + 2.44 + 2.53 + 3.41 + 1.86), leg IV 20.37 (5.72 + 2.94 + 3.74 + 5.30 + 2.67).

Female genitalia. The median pair of the receptacular clusters along the anterior margin of the bursa copulatrix, with long, trachea-shaped and slightly ventral-tilted genital stalks close to each other basally but separated from each other distally; the middle receptacular clusters obviously larger than the lateral ones; the lateral receptacular clusters with obscure genital stalks, situated slightly dorsolaterally (Fig. 5H, I ); the anterior margin of the bursa copulatrix trapezoid (Fig. 5H, I ).

Variation.

The range of measurements in females as follows (N = 2): BL 12.56-14.31, CL 6.26-6.44, CW 5.67-5.94, OL 5.78-7.04, OW 4.65-6.18.

Etymology.

The species epithet, a noun in apposition, refers to the type locality.

Distribution.

Hunan (Hengyang) Province, China.

GenBank accession number.

Holotype: XUX-2011-063: MT102212.

Figures

Figure 4. Microhabitat and general somatic morphology of Songthela xiangnan sp. nov. (XUX- 2011 - 071, female; XUX- 2011 - 063, male) A microhabitat B, C the trapdoor with the door closed and open D, E dorsal view. Scale bars: 3 mm (D, E).

Figure 5. Male and female genital anatomy of Songthela xiangnan sp. nov. A, D palp prolateral view B, E palp ventral view C, F palp retrolateral view G palp distal view H vulva dorsal view I vulva ventral view A-G XUX- 2011 - 063 (holotype) H-I XUX- 2011 - 070. Scale bars: 0.3 mm (A-I).