Lepthercus rattrayi Hewitt, 1917

Ríos-Tamayo, Duniesky & Lyle, Robin, 2020, The South African genus Lepthercus Purcell, 1902 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) phylogeny and taxonomy, Zootaxa 4766 (2), pp. 261-305 : 295-297

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4766.2.2

publication LSID

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BA570D47-FE77-446C-B000-9208C9A6E957

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3803508

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03F11B20-FFFC-FFAC-8EE8-3FFBFCA1D5D1

treatment provided by

Carolina

scientific name

Lepthercus rattrayi Hewitt, 1917
status

 

Lepthercus rattrayi Hewitt, 1917

Figs. 21 View FIGURE A–J, 22A–C, 24

Lepthercus rattrayi Hewitt, 1917: 699 , pl. 47, f. 1-2, f. 3A-E.

Material examined. Type material: Holotype ♂. SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape Province, East London [33°2’S 27°51’E], v.1916, Dr. Geo. Rattray and Master G. Rattray. leg., (NM 1317). examined GoogleMaps . – Allotype. SOUTH AFRICA: same data as holotype, 1 ♀ (NM 16647), examined.

Other material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape Province: East London, Delbome, 5 Parkview Road   GoogleMaps [33°2’S 27°51’E], 5.viii.1978, P. Croeser. leg., 1 ♀ (NM16637); Kwahleke Ranch, along R346 , ca 15 km due W of East London, area on S side of road (33°00′37.7″S 27°44′01.0″E), 1.v.2003, Engelbrecht, I. leg., 3 ♀♀, 3 ♂♂ ( NCA 2019 /39).

Remarks. The female specimen (NM 16647) appears to be collected shortly after molting as evidenced by what appear to parts of the old exuvia still attached to the body. This may be the reason for its pale colour, or it may be a result of long term preservation.

Diagnosis. Males of L. rattrayi can be distinguished from all species inside of “Group haddadi” by the copulatory bulb shape, with a long embolus bearing a long lateral keel ( Fig. 21 View FIGURE F–H). Females can be differentiated by the shape of their spermathecae with a small twisted stalk, with oval receptacles (fig. 22D). It is similar to L. dippenaarae sp. nov., but differs in the presence of labial cuspules.

Description. Male holotype (NM 1317, Figs. 21 View FIGURE A–I). Total length 9.60. Carapace ( Fig. 21A View FIGURE ): length 4.46, width 3.38, with small marginal bristles, covered with a little pubescence. Cephalic region: length 2.68; clypeus short with 4 bristles on the edge, 3 long bristles in front of the OQ and 5 between the PME. Fovea: width 0.31, short, almost straight (slightly recurved). Ocular measurements: AME 0.12, ALE 0.21, PME 0.14, PLE 0.18, OQ length 0.39, 0.72 width; AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PLE 0.03, AME–PME 0.06, ALE–PLE 0.03, AME–AME 0.08, OMP–OMP 0.29. Chelicerae: length 2.03, width 1.15, intercheliceral tumescence small, well-marked with setae ( Fig 21C View FIGURE ). Fang groove with 9 promarginal teeth and 20 denticles (1/2B). Labium: length 0.34, width 1.79, with one cuspule. Maxillae: length 1.52, width 0.60, with about 43 normal cuspules on inner corner, prolateral face straight, soft area long, with long uniformly distributed hairs. Sternum ( Fig. 21B View FIGURE ): length 2.26, maximum width 1.79. Abdomen ( Fig. 21A View FIGURE ): length 4.42, covered by fine hair, and anterior bristles. PMS: length 0.42; PLS: length of basal: medial:apical segments 0.91:0.71:0.73; total length 2.35. Lengths of legs and palp: I: 3.13, 1.98, 2.40, 1.97, 1.77, 11.25. II: 2.95, 1.82, 1.84, 1.92, 1.37, 9.90. III: 2.69, 1.28, 1.73, 2.33, 1.45, 9.48. IV: 3.40, 1.69, 2.47, 3.31, 1.70, 12.57. Palp: 1.51, 0.84, 0.91, —, 0.56, 3.82.

Chaetotaxy: Leg I: femur, 1-1-1-1 d (centrals), 1 P A; patella, 1 P A; tibia, 1-1 P, 2-3-1 V, a small spur, with an apical long and curved spine ( Fig. 21I View FIGURE ); metatarsus, 1 P, 1-1-2 V, presence of a protuberance (nearly two-thirds of the segment from its base), covered with numerous black blunt spinules ( Fig. 21I View FIGURE ); tarsus, 0. Leg II: femur, 1-1-1-1-1-1 d, 1-1 P A; patella, 0; tibia, 1-1 P, 2-1-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1 P, 3-2-2-2 V; tarsus, 0. Leg III: femur, 1-1-1-1-1 d, 1-1-1 P SUP, 1-1-1 R SUP; patella, 1-2 P, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1 D, 1-1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 1-1-1-1 D–P, 1-1- 1-1 D–R, 1-1-1 R, 3-3-3 V; tarsus, 0. Leg IV: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1-1-1 P SUP, 1-1 R SUP; patella, 1 P, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1-2 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 1-1-1-1 D–P, 1-1-1-1-1 D–R, 1-1-1-1 R, 1-2-2-1-3 V; tarsus, 0. Palp ( Fig. 21D, E View FIGURE ): femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1 P A; patella, 0; tibia, 1-2 P, 1 R A, (width/length: 0.88); tarsus, 0.

Scopulae: Metatarsi: I–II, sparse (3:4A); III–IV, 0. Tarsi: I–II, sparse, uniformly distributed throughout the segment, II divided by central bristles; III, sparse, uniformly distributed and divided by a narrow band of setae; IV, sparse, uniformly distributed and divided by a narrow band of setae. Trichobothria: Tibiae: palp: 8-8; I-II 9-10; III 8-9; IV 11-11. Metatarsi: I (5)1(2)1(5)1; II (3)1(1)1(2)1(4)1; III (4)1(4)1(5)1; IV (5)1(2)1(4)1(5)1. Tarsi: I 16; II 13; III 14; IV 15. Preening combs: metatarsus: II, 4 P V; III, 3 P V–2 R V; IV, 2 P V–3 R V. Copulatory bulb: long, embolus gradually tapering with a dorsal flange ( Fig. 21 View FIGURE F–H), spermatic duct slightly curved. Color: Overall orange-yellowish. Abdomen light brown; spinnerets light yellow.

Female allotype (NM 16647, Fig. 22 View FIGURE A–D). Total length 13.68. Carapace ( Fig. 22A View FIGURE ): length 5.02, width 3.60, with small marginal bristles. Cephalic region: length 3.06, clypeus small with 5 marginal bristles; 3 small bristles in front OQ. Fovea: width 0.49, almost straight (slightly procurved). Ocular measurements: AME 0.13, ALE 0.30, PME 0.20, PLE 0.23, OQ length 0.48, width 0.89; AME–ALE 0.07, PME–PLE 0.05, AME–PME 0.06, ALE–PLE 0, AME–AME 0.12, PME-PME 0.33. Chelicerae ( Fig. 22C View FIGURE ): length 2.96, width 1.92; with dorsal–retrolateral dark bristles. Fang groove with 9 promarginal teeth and 28 mesobasal denticles. Labium: length 0.42, width 0.82 with one cuspule. Maxillae: length 1.79, width 0.90, with 54 cuspules on inner corner, prolateral face straight, soft area long, with long uniformly distributed hairs, serrula present, prolateral side straight. Sternum ( Fig. 22B View FIGURE ): length 2.43, maximum width 2.09. Abdomen ( Fig. 22A View FIGURE ): length 5.71, with small bristles in the dorsum. PMS: length 0.68; PLS: length of basal:medial:apical segments 1.39:0.95:1.08; total length. Lengths of legs and palp: I: 3.20, 2.23, 2.23, 1.83, 1.24, 10.73. II: 3.01, 1.83, 1.86, 1.76, 1.16, 9.62. III: 2.17, 1.65, 1.55, 2.17, 1.21, 9.28. IV: 3.57, 2.06, 2.43, 3.25, 1.45, 12.76. Palp: 2.35, 1.33, 1.44, —, 1.41, 6.53.

Chaetotaxy: Leg I: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1 P A; patella, 0; tibia, 1 P, 1-1-3 V; metatarsus, 2-1-2 V; tarsus, 0. Leg II: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1 P A; patella, 1 P A; tibia, 1 P, 1-1-3 V; metatarsus, 2-1-2 V; tarsus, 0. Leg III: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1 P A, 1-1 R A; patella, 1-1 P, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1 D, 1-1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 1-1-1-1 D–P, 1-1-1 D–R, 1-1-1 R, 3-2-3 V; tarsus, 0. Leg IV: femur, 1-1-1-1-1 d, 1 RA; patella, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1-1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1 P, 1-1-1-1 D-P, 1-1-1-1-1 D–R, 1-1-1 R, 3-3-3 V; tarsus, 0. Palp: femur, 1-1-1-1 d (1:2A); patella, 0; tibia, 2-2 P, 1-2-3 V; tarsus, 2 V B.

Scopulae: Metatarsi: I, dense, uniformly distributed, divided by bristles; II, sparse (1:2A), divided by narrow band of setae; III–IV, 0. Tarsi: I-II dense, uniformly distributed divided by bristles; III, rale, uniformly distributed and divided by a narrow band of setae; IV, sparse, uniformly distributed and divided by a wide band of setae. Trichobothria: Tibiae: palp 8-8; I 11-10; II 10-10; III 11-11; IV 11-10. Metatarsi: I (4)1(2)1(5)1; II (3)1(1)1(4)1; III (4)1(2)1(5)1; IV (3)1(1)1(3)1(5)1. Tarsi: palp 10; I 12; II 11; III 12; IV 11. Preening combs: metatarsus: II 2 P V; III 4 P V–3 R V; IV 2 P V–2 R V. Spermathecae: as in Fig. 22D View FIGURE . Color: Overall orange–yellowish (chelicerae darker). Abdomen yellowish mottled with some light brown spots, spinnerets slight yellow.

Distribution. Eastern Cape Province, South Africa ( Fig. 24 View FIGURE ).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Nemesiidae

Genus

Lepthercus

Loc

Lepthercus rattrayi Hewitt, 1917

Ríos-Tamayo, Duniesky & Lyle, Robin 2020
2020
Loc

Lepthercus rattrayi

Hewitt, J. 1917: 699
1917
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