Lathys truncata Danilov, 1994

Marusik, Yuri M., Esyunin, Sergei L. & Tuneva, Tatyana K., 2015, A survey of Palaearctic Dictynidae (Araneae). 1. Taxonomic notes on Dictynomorpha Spassky, 1939, Brigittea Lehtinen, 1967 and Lathys Simon, 1884, Zootaxa 3925 (1), pp. 129-144 : 139

Lathys truncata Danilov, 1994

Figs 43–44

Lathys truncatus Danilov 1994: 204 , figs 34–35 (♀).

Material examined. KAZAKHSTAN, Almaty Area: 3♀ ( ZMMU), Zailiisky Alatau Mts, ca. 20 km SE Turgen, Turgen' River Canyon, near Batun, 43°14’N, 77°46’E, 1750 m, Picea , Betula , Salix , etc. forest, 25.05.2001, S. Golovatch leg.; 11 ♀ (PSU-6211), Almaty, Medeo, Zailiisky Alatau Mts., 43°10’N, 77°04’E, 1600‒1700 m, Picea , Betula , etc. forest, 27.05.2001, S. Golovatch leg.; 8♀ ( MMUM), Uigursky Distr., 5 km SE Kyrgyzsai [= Podgornoe], Ketmen Mts., 43o17’N, 79o31’E, 1500‒1900 m, Picea , Betula , Populus etc. forest, 1‒2.06.2001, S. Golovatch leg.; 1♀ ( MMUM), Uigursky Distr., 11 km NW Chunja Town, Charyn River Canyon, 43o37’N, 79o20’E, 650 m, riverine Fraxinus, Populus , Salix , etc. forest, 29‒ 31.05.2001, S. Golovatch leg. RUSSIA: Tuva: 1♂ 3♀ ( ISEA), NW bank of Azas Lake, Krasnyi Kamen, 52°24'N, 96°28'E, 850‒900 m, on tree trunks, 19‒ 23.06.1989, D.V. Logunov leg. Buryatia: 2♀ ( ZMUT), Barguzin Range, Olso River, 54°52’N, 110°55’E, 950 m, cliff, 6.07.1996, S. Koponen leg.

Comments. This species was described from three females from Buryatia. It was diagnosed as having more vertical coils of insemination ducts wrapping the receptacle than in L. stigmatisata . Danilov (1994) misidentified L. stigmatisata , a species absent in Siberia, and actually compared his new species with L. alberta Gertsch, 1946 . Lathys truncata differs from both species ( L. stigmatisata and L. alberta ) by having white guanine spots on the dorsum of the abdomen. It seems that this species inhabits tree trunks and cliffs. Danilov (1994: fig. 34) illustrated an epigyne with two vertical loops of insemination ducts as in specimens from Almaty Area ( Fig. 44 ). Another figure ( Danilov 1994: fig. 35) shows an epigyne with three loops as in all specimens we examined from Buryatia ( Fig. 43 ). It seems that this character is variable in this species.

Distribution. This species is known from Almaty Area to Buryatia.

Figures

FIGURES 43 – 50. Lathys truncata (43 from Buryatia, 44 from Almaty Area), L. spasskyi (45 – 47 from Kyrgyzstan), L. stigmatisata (48 – 50 from Azerbaijan), copulatory organs. 43 – 46, 48 Epigyne, ventral. 47, 50 Male palp, retrolateral. 49 Epigyne, dorsal. Scales = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: Es—septum; Fo—atrium; Pc—conical outgrowth of patella; Tc—tip of conductor.