Songthela goulouensis (Yin, 2001)

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 goulouensis (Yin, 2001) Figures 6 , 7 , 8 , 9

Heptathela goulouensis Yin, 2001: 297 (♀♀, from Gouloufeng, Hengyang City, Hunan Province, China, collected by X.J. Peng on 1 August 1997; deposited in HNU, examined); Yin 2001: 2; Yin et al. 2012: 114;

Songthela goulouensis Xu et al., 2015: 141.

Material examined.

China·2 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀; Hunan Province, Hengyang City, Gouloufeng, nearby Yuwang Hotel; 27.12°N, 112.63°E; alt. 609-637 m; 20 Aug. 2011; F.X. Liu, X. Xu, R. Xiao leg.; XUX-2011-093, 095, 096, 098, 099, 100, 104, 105 106, 108, 109, 110, 110A·5 ♀♀; Hunan Province, Hengyang City, Gouloufeng; 27.12°N, 112.62°E; alt. 556-558 m; 20 Aug. 2011; F.X. Liu, X. Xu, R. Xiao leg.; XUX-2011-111, 113 to 116; 4 ♀♀; Hunan Province, Hengyang City, Gouloufeng; alt. 1500 m; 1 Aug. 1997; X.J. Peng leg.; GL-1997-001 (lectotype) to 004.

Diagnosis.

Males of S. goulouensis resemble those of S. hangzhouensis by the conductor with two spines, but can be distinguished from the latter by the shorter spine located near the conductor margin, the longer spine extended over the embolus opening margin (Fig. 7A, B, D, E ), and by the tegulum with a smaller terminal apophysis in retrolateral view (Fig. 7C, F ); from S. shuyuan by the conductor with a narrower base and a longer apical spine (Fig. 7B, E ), by the embolus with a slightly curved distal margin (Fig. 7A-E ), and by the tegulum with a smaller terminal apophysis in retrolateral view (Fig. 7C, F ); from those of the other Songthela species by the smooth conductor with two apical spines (Fig. 7A-G ). Females of S. goulouensis differ from those of the other Songthela species by the median receptacular clusters located at the two peaks of the anterior margin of the bursa copulatrix, with obvious genital stalks, the lateral ones situated dorsolaterally, close to the base of the middle genital stalks, with obscure genital stalks (Figs 8A-D , 8I-L , 9A-D ).

Description.

Male (XUX-2011-110A; Fig. 6E ). Carapace light yellow with several hairs on the margin; opisthosoma light brown; fourth to sixth tergite brown with some light brown flecks, remaining tergites brown; sternum narrow; few fine pointed hairs running over ocular area; chelicerae robust with promargin of cheliceral groove with eleven denticles; legs with sturdy hairs and spines; opisthosoma with 12 tergites, the second to fifth tergite larger than remaining ones and fourth the largest; seven spinnerets. Measurements: BL 9.67, CL 4.58, CW 4.33, OL 4.73, OW 3.33; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; leg I 14.53 (4.03 + 1.91 + 2.93 + 3.60 + 2.06), leg II 14.81 (3.75 + 1.86 + 2.89 + 3.97 + 2.34), leg III 16.25 (3.80 + 1.87 + 2.94 + 4.81 + 2.83), leg IV 21.50 (4.72 + 2.24 + 4.10 + 6.87 + 3.57).

Palp. Paracymbium unpigmented and unsclerotized in prolateral view, with numerous setae and spines on the tip (Fig. 7A ); contrategulum with serrate margin (Fig. 7A, D, G ); tegulum with a dentate marginal apophysis and the dorsal extension of terminal apophysis, and with a small terminal apophysis in retrolateral view (Fig. 7C, F ); the smooth conductor base fused with embolus, with two free apical spines, the short one located at the one third of the conductor and close to the conductor margin, the long one extended over the embolus opening (Fig. 7A, B, D, E ); embolus distal margin slightly curved, with a wide and flat opening (Fig. 7A-F ).

Female (XUX-2011-095; Fig. 6D ). Carapace dark yellow with several hairs on the margin; opisthosoma light brown; fourth to eighth 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 eleven denticles of variable size; legs with sturdy hairs and spines; opisthosoma with 12 tergites, the second to fifth tergite larger than remaining ones and fourth the largest; seven spinnerets. Measurements: BL 12.30, CL 5.99, CW 5.25, OL 5.67, OW 4.08; ALE> PLE> PME> AME; palp 9.02 (2.91 + 1.05 + 2.18 + 2.88), leg I 11.03 (3.50 + 1.33 + 2.44 + 2.16 + 1.60), leg II 11.11 (3.48 + 1.48 + 2.11 + 2.24 + 1.80), leg III 11.62 (3.22 + 1.41 + 2.17 + 2.96 + 1.86), leg IV 15.92 (4.46 + 1.79 + 2.83 + 4.42 + 2.42).

Female genitalia. The middle pair of the receptacular clusters along the two peaks of the anterior margin of the bursa copulatrix, with obvious genital stalks, the middle receptacular clusters slightly larger or smaller than the lateral ones; the lateral receptacular clusters with obscure genital stalks, situated slightly dorsolaterally, close to the base of the middle genital stalks (Figs 8A-P , 9A-H ); the posterior margin of the genital area W-shaped or slightly incurved at the center (Figs 8A-P , 9A-H ).

Variation.

Males and females vary in body size. The range of measurements in males as follows (N = 2): BL 9.67-9.82, CL 4.58-4.91, CW 4.33-4.54, OL 4.64-4.73, OW 3.30-3.33. Females (N =20): BL 10.77-14.39, CL 4.68-6.69, CW 4.01-5.92, OL 5.30-7.78, OW 3.52-5.92. In addition, female genitalia show intraspecific variation: the membrane outside the middle genital stalks thick and obvious (Figs 8A-C , 8E-G, L, P , 9B, D, F, H ), or thin and obscure (Fig. 8J, K, N, O ); the posterior margin of the genital area obviously incurved at the center (Fig. 8A-H, J, N ), or obscurely incurved at the center (Figs 8I, K, M, O , 9A, C, D, E, G, H ); the middle genital stalks inclined to each other (Figs 8B, D, J , 9A, B ), or the short middle genital stalks parallel to each other (Figs 8C, I, L , 9C, D ), or one middle genital stalk relatively straight and the other one relatively tilted (Fig. 8A, K ); the four receptacular clusters similar size (Figs 8A, B, J, K , 9C, D ), or the middle ones larger than the lateral ones (Figs 8C, D, I , 9A ), or the middle pair smaller than the lateral pair (Figs 8L , 9B ).

Remarks.

To confirm whether the specimens we collected are S. goulouensis , we attempted DNA extraction on the type specimens, unsuccessfully. We could therefore not assess genetic distances between the four type specimens and the 16 specimens that we had collected. In addition, after closely examining and comparing the types with the original descriptions of Yin (2001), we could not ensure which specimen was used as the holotype to describe the species by Yin (2001). Thus, we assigned a unique code to each specimen (i.e., GL-1997-001 to GL-1997-004) and designated GL-1997-001 as the lectotype. The female genital morphology of all four types was also photographed and presented in Figure 9 for future identification and comparison. Nevertheless, we treat all the specimens as conspecific with S. goulouensis for the following reasons: (1) Yin (2001) only described the females, but wrongly described and recognized the genital stalks. After closely examining and comparing the female types with the newly collected females, we found that all the females have comparable morphology, despite considerable intraspecific variation, as is typical of female genitalia in other liphistiids (Xu et al. 2017, 2019): four receptacular clusters similarly sized (Figs 8A, B, J, K , 9C, D ) or the middle ones slightly larger than lateral ones (Figs 8C, D, I , 9A ) or the middle ones smaller than lateral ones (Figs 8L , 9B ), and the middle ones with obvious genital stalks, along the two peaks of the anterior margin of the bursa copulatrix, the lateral ones with obscure genital stalks, situated dorsolaterally, close to the base of the middle genital stalks (Figs 8A-P , 9A-H ); (2) the intraspecific genetic distance using K2P model among nine newly collected specimens is very small, 0-0.59% (unpublished data); (3) the specimens (males and females) were collected adjacent to the type locality (Gouloufeng) of S. goulouensis ( Yin 2001).

Distribution.

Hunan (Hengyang) Province, China.

GenBank accession number.

XUX-2011-110A: MT102211.

Figures

Figure 6. Microhabitat and general somatic morphology of Songthela goulouensis (GL- 1997 - 001, female; XUX- 2011 - 110 A, male) A microhabitat B, C the trapdoor with the door closed and open D, E dorsal view. Scale bars: 3 mm (D, E).

Figure 7. Male genital anatomy of Songthela goulouensis A, D palp prolateral view B, E palp ventral view C, F palp retrolateral view G palp distal view A-C XUX- 2011 - 110 A D-G XUX- 2011 - 098. Scale bars: 0.3 mm (A-G).

Figure 8. Female genital anatomy of Songthela goulouensis A-D, I-L vulva dorsal view E-H, M-P vulva ventral view A, E XUX- 2011 - 093 B, F XUX- 2011 - 095 C, G XUX- 2011 - 099 D, H XUX- 2011 - 114 I, M XUX- 2011 - 104 J, N XUX- 2011 - 115 K, O XUX- 2011 - 106 L, P XUX- 2011 - 109. Scale bars: 0.3 mm (A-P).

Figure 9. Female genital anatomy of Songthela goulouensis A-D vulva dorsal view E-H vulva ventral view A, E GL- 1997 - 002 B, F GL- 1997 - 001 (lectotype) C, G GL- 1997 - 003 D, H GL- 1997 - 004. Scale bars: 0.3 mm (A-H).