Qiongthela nankai, Yu & Liu & Zhang & Li & Xu, 2021

Yu, Li, Liu, Fengxiang, Zhang, Zengtao, Li, Daiqin & Xu, Xin, 2021, Three new species of the segmented spider genus Qiongthela (Mesothelae, Liphistiidae) from Hainan Island, China, ZooKeys 1009, pp. 123-138 : 123

Qiongthela nankai sp. nov. Figures 4 , 5

Type material.

Holotype ♂: China, Hainan Province, Baisha City, Nankai Town, Nankai Village, 19.04°N, 109.39°E, alt. 300 m, 26 August 2019, D. Li, F.X. Liu, X. Xu and L. Yu leg., XUX-2019-174 (matured on 10 September 2019 at HNU). Paratypes: 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, same data as holotype, XUX-2019-172, 173, 175.

Diagnosis.

Males of Q. nankai sp. nov. can be distinguished from those of Q. qiongzhong , Q. yalin sp. nov. and Q. yinggezui by the straight tegular marginal apophysis (Fig. 5A, D ), and the cymbial projection short and thick (Fig. 5G ); from those of Q. australis by the conductor with a bent apex (Fig. 5C, E, G ), and the longer tegular marginal apophysis (Fig. 5A, C, D, F ); from those of Q. dongfang sp. nov., Q. jianfeng and Q. sanya by the tegular terminal apophysis with an abruptly narrowed and hooked apex (Fig. 5A-E ); from those of Q. nui by the tegular marginal apophysis with a blunt edge (Fig. 5A-G ); from those of the rest of Qiongthela species by the contrategulum with two distal edges (Fig. 5A, D ). Females of Q. nankai sp. nov. differ from those of Q. dongfang sp. nov. and Q. wuzhi by the middle receptacular clusters situated close to each other (Fig. 5H-K ); from those of Q. bawang and Q. qiongzhong by the two pairs of receptacular clusters similar in size and shape (Fig. 5H-K ); from those of the rest of Qiongthela species by similar-sized receptacular clusters, and all situated along the anterior margin of the bursa copulatrix (Fig. 5H-K ).

Description.

Male (holotype, Fig. 4D ). Carapace reddish brown; opisthosoma brown, with 12 yellow tergites, close to each other, the first 2-7 larger than the others, and the fourth largest; sternum narrow, much longer than wide; a few fine pointed hairs running over the ocular area; chelicerae with promargin of cheliceral groove bearing 11 denticles of variable size; legs with firm hairs and spines; 7 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 11.44, CL 5.31, CW 5.12, OL 5.63, OW 3.62; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 14.01 (3.91 + 0.95 + 3.18 + 3.94 + 2.03), leg II 14.76 (4.05 + 1.30 + 3.28 + 4.00 + 2.13), leg III 15.64 (3.94 + 1.53 + 3.09 + 4.61 + 2.47), leg IV 21.12 (5.48 + 1.34 + 4.56 + 6.43 + 3.31).

Palp. Cymbium with a short projection dorsally (Fig. 5G ); paracymbium unpigmented and unsclerotised prolaterally, with numerous setae at the tip (Fig. 5A-C ). Contrategulum with an irregular dentate edge proximally and two edges distally: the inner one dentate, and the outer one sharp, semi-translucent (Fig. 5A, D, F ). Marginal apophysis of tegulum long, with a blunt apex distally, distal portion of similar width as basal portion (Fig. 5A, D ), a proximally directed terminal apophysis of the tegulum with few denticles, abruptly narrowing to a hooked apex (Fig. 5A-E ). Conductor situated ventro-proximally on the embolus, the basal portion fused with the embolus, distal portion free, narrowing to a bent apex (Fig. 5A-E ). Embolus largely sclerotised, smooth ventrally, with several longitudinal ribs retrolaterally, and with a wide, flat opening of the sperm duct distally (Fig. 5A, D, E ).

Female (Fig. 4E ). Carapace and opisthosoma color like in male, 12 opisthosoma tergites, close to each other, the first 2-7 larger than the others, and the fourth largest; sternum narrow, much longer than wide; a few fine pointed hairs running over the ocular area; chelicerae robust with promargin of cheliceral groove containing 10 denticles of variable size; legs with firm hairs and spines; 7 spinnerets. Measurements: BL 17.48, CL 8.45, CW 7.56, OL 8.47, OW 6.49; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 14.11 (5.02 + 1.93 + 3.41 + 3.75), leg I 15.49 (4.90 + 1.72 + 3.72+ 3.21 + 1.94), leg II 15.79 (4.91 + 1.97 + 3.41 + 3.38 + 2.12), leg III 16.31 (4.64 + 1.93 + 3.50 + 4.00 + 2.24), leg IV 23.11 (6.47 + 2.18 + 5.08 + 6.21 + 3.17).

Female genitalia. Two pairs of receptacular clusters along the anterior margin of the bursa copulatrix, of similar size and shape, and the middle ones close to each other, with very short genital stalks (Fig. 5H-K ).

Variation.

Males and females vary in body size. Range of measurements in males (N = 2): BL 11.44-12.13, CL 5.31-5.65, CW 5.12-5.56, OL 5.63-6.35, OW 3.62-4.69; in females (N = 2): BL 13.09-17.48, CL 6.63-8.45, CW 6.04-7.56, OL 6.32-8.47, OW 5.05-6.49.

Etymology.

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

Distribution.

Hainan (Baisha), China

GenBank accession number.

XUX-2019-174: MT900752.

Remarks.

The maximum and mean intraspecific genetic distances of Q. nankai sp. nov. are 0.6% and 0.3% based on K2P, respectively (N = 4). The interspecific genetic distances between Q. nankai sp. nov., Q. baishensis (GenBank accession code: KP229805), and Q. yalin sp. nov. are 10.3% and 16.1% based on K2P, respectively.

Figures

Figure 4. Microhabitat and general somatic morphology of Qiongthela nankai sp. nov. A microhabitat B, C trapdoor with door closed and open D male (XUX- 2019 - 174, holotype) E female (XUX- 2019 - 173); Scale bars: 2 mm (D, E).

Figure 5. Male and female genital anatomy of Qiongthela nankai sp. nov. A left palp, prolateral view B, E left palp, ventral view C left palp, retrolateral view D left palp, distal view F, G left palp, dorsal view H, I vulva, dorsal view J, K vulva, ventral view A-C, G XUX- 2019 - 174 (holotype) D-F XUX- 2019 - 172 H, J XUX- 2019 - 173 I, K XUX- 2019 - 175; Scale bars: 0.5 mm.