Lepthyphantes leknizii Barrientos, 2020

Barrientos, José Antonio, Brañas, Neus & Mederos, Jorge, 2020, The high complexity of Micronetinae Hull, 1920 (Araneae, Linyphiidae) evidenced through ten new cave-dweller species from the Morocco, Zoosystema 42 (1), pp. 1-29 : 13-14

Lepthyphantes leknizii Barrientos n. sp.

( Figs 8 ; 14C )

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:90FAC191-23D7-4E7E-8571-A5EC8EFA9AA2

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype. Morocco. 1♀; Kef Admam, Merhraoua, Taza; 19.VII.2012; F. Fadrique leg.; MZB 2016-0173 .

DIAGNOSIS. — The epigyne is small and perpendicular to the surface of the epigastrum; it has a wide bursa copulatrix in its basal part, closed behind by a subquadrangular median plate. The scape shows a rigid proscape with a rounded and flat contour (the semicircular path of the fertilization ducts can be reached at its edges); the middle

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and distal parts of the scape are reduced; the latter presents small, distal projection that protrudes slightly below the proscape. Following the characterization made by Bosmans (2006), this species is very close to L. afer (Simon, 1913) ; it differs from this species by presenting a practically round proscape (instead of oval) and being completely blind.

ETYMOLOGY. — We dedicate this species to Mehkram Lekmizi, Moroccan biospeleologist, who has been a fundamental support in the development of the expeditions of the last two years (2015 and 2016).

DISTRIBUTION. — It is exclusively known from the type locality.

DESCRIPTION

Female (holotype)

Body. Total body length: 3.13. Carapace: 1.27 long by 0.98 wide, pale brown, yellowish, bright with a few hairs in the cephalic area. Without eyes ( Fig. 8D ). Chelicerae: 0.78 in length and with the same coloration as the carapace. Legs brown, like the carapace, but distal articles lighter; long and thin; measurements: leg I (2.15 + 0.42 + 2.15 + 2.06 + 1.13), leg II (2.10 + 0.39 + 1.81 + 1.96 + 1.08), leg III (1.71 + 0.34 + 1.27 + 1.81 + 1.03), and leg IV (1.86 + 0.42 + 1.81 + 1.91 + 0.93). Opisthosoma 1.86 long by 1.17 wide, whitish gray, without dorsal pattern, but entirely covered with a fine hairiness.

Female genitalia. Epigyne ( Figs 8 A-C; 14C) very small, with basal part showing a bursa copulatrix, wider than long. Lateral walls and posterior wall well developed, with a medial plate. Scape originating from the anterior part of the bursa copulatrix, not separated from the bursa copulatrix by a furrow; proscape rigid with a rounded and flat contour (its tegument well sclerotized but showing the fertilization ducts, which follow a semicircular route next to the edges of the proscape); median part of the scape quite small, so that it is immediately linked to the distal part; distinctly more narrow than the proscape and quite sclerotised; stretcher with a small blunt finger-shaped projection, without lateral wings, at the base of which begin the fertilization ducts.

Male

Unknown.

Figures

FIG. 8. — Lepthyphantes leknizii Barrientos n. sp., genital organs: A-C, epigyne, ventral view (A), lateral view (B), posterior view (C); D, carapace. Abbreviations: see Material and methods. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIG. 14. — A, B, Epigyne of Lepthyphantes imazigheni Barrientos n. sp. in lateral (A) and ventral (B) views; C, epigyne of Lepthyphantes leknizii Barrientos n. sp. in dorsal view; D, E, epigyne of Lepthyphantes lamellatus Barrientos n. sp. in lateral (D) and ventral (E) views; F, male copulatory bulb of Lepthyphantes lamellatus Barrientos n. sp. in retrolateral view; G, H, epigyne of Lepthyphantes sasi Barrientos n. sp. in lateral (G) and ventral (H) views; I, male copulatory bulb of Lepthyphantes sasi n. sp. in retrolateral view.