Lepthyphantes legatus, Tanasevitch, 2025

Tanasevitch, Andrei V., 2025, Survey of the Ethiopian linyphiid spider fauna. II. Subfamily Micronetinae Hull, 1920 (Arachnida: Araneae: Linyphiidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 976, pp. 255-282 : 270-273

publication ID

https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2025.976.2795

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:6D91F26F-C5F8-4BC0-9BE9-741CB9F5030E

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14937622

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03CF064E-FFDA-FFB4-FDC5-4DBFFAB21802

treatment provided by

Plazi (2025-02-27 12:40:22, last updated 2025-02-28 09:20:17)

scientific name

Lepthyphantes legatus
status

sp. nov.

Lepthyphantes legatus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6DD4498C-EE94-44CE-AC8F-E91111A2AEB4

Figs 8–9 View Fig View Fig

Etymology

The species name is the Latin noun meaning ‘ambassador’, referring to the place of origin, the Russian Embassy Area in Addis-Ababa.

Diagnosis

The species belongs to the tropicalis species-group, being especially similar to Lepthyphantes chilalo sp. nov. (see above).

Type material

Holotype

ETHIOPIA • ♂; Addis-Ababa, Russian Embassy Area ; 9.03617° N, 38.78549° E; 2467 m a.s.l.; 11 Oct. 2022; A. Tanasevitch leg.; grove with Juniperus , Eucalyptus , palm trees, bushes, sifting litter and humus; [Eth005]; ZMMU.

GoogleMaps

Paratypes

ETHIOPIA • 1 ♂, together with holotype; same data as for holotype; [Eth005]; ZMMU GoogleMaps 3 ♂♂, 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; 3–6 Nov. 2022; A. Tanasevitch leg.; [Eth005]; ZMMU GoogleMaps .

Description

Male (paratype, Eth005)

Total length 2.71, habitus as in Fig. 8A View Fig . Carapace unmodified, 1.15 long, 0.90 wide, pale yellow to pale brown, with grey median stripe and darkened margins. Eyes not enlarged. Chelicerae 0.45 long. Stridulatory ridges well developed, as in Fig. 8D View Fig . Legs pale yellow to pale brown. Leg I 7.21 long (1.83+0.35 +1.80 +2.03 + 1.20), IV 5.74 long (1.55+0.28 + 1.40 +1.63 +0.88). Chaetotaxy. FeI: 0-1-0-0, FeII–IV: 0-0-0-0; TiI–II: 2-1-1-4(3), III–IV: 2-1-1-2(1); Me: I–II:1-1-1-0, III–IV: 2(1)-1-0-0. Length of tibial spines 1.5–3 × diameter of corresponding leg segment. Metatarsi I–III each with a trichobothrium. TmI 0.19. Palp ( Fig. 9A–I View Fig ): patella with long spine dorsally. Tibia unmodified. Cymbium with short and bent posterodorsal outgrowth ending in three small, pointed teeth. Paracymbium relatively large, its apical pocket large, black, tooth-shaped. Distal suprategular apophysis short, abruptly truncate, with well developed ventral hook. Pit-hook claw-shaped, upright, pale, poorly sclerotized. Lamella characteristica large, well sclerotized, with few sharp branches varying in length. Terminal apophysis as long stripe. Embolus with slender stem, thumb well developed, bent distally, embolus proper bifid. Abdomen 1.58 long, 0.83 wide, dorsal pattern as in Fig. 8A–C View Fig .

Female (paratype, Eth005)

Total length 3.15. Carapace unmodified, 1.25 long, 1.00 wide ( Fig. 8E View Fig ). Chelicerae 0.65 long. Carapace and leg coloration as in male. Leg I 7.19 long (1.88+0.43 +1.75 + 2.00 +1.13), IV 5.91 long (1.68 +0.35 +1.38 +1.60 +0.90). Chaetotaxy. FeI: 0-1-0-0, FeII–IV: 0-0-0-0; TiI–II: 2-1-1-4(3), III–IV: 2-1-1-2(1); MeI–II: 2-1-1-0, III–IV: 2(1)-1-0-0. Length of tibial spines 1.5–2.5 × diameter of corresponding leg segment. Metatarsi I–III each with a trichobothrium. TmI 0.19. Abdomen 2.00 long, 1.25 wide, dorsal pattern as in Fig. 8E View Fig . Epigyne ( Figs 8F–G View Fig , 9J–K View Fig ). Scape oval, its median and distal parts merged. Bursa copulatrix opening near middle of internal surface of scape. Stretcher rudimentary, short, without pit. Posterior median plate large, wide, its lateral branches covering entire aperture of epigyne.

Distribution

Known only from the territory of the Russian Embassy, Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, at 2467 m a.s.l.

Gallery Image

Fig. 8. Photographs of Lepthyphantes legatus sp. nov., paratypes (Eth005; ZMMU).A–D. ♂. E–G. ♀. A, E. Habitus, dorsal views. B–C. Abdomen, dorsal views. D. Prosoma, frontolateral view. F–G. Epigyne, ventral and dorsal view, respectively. Scale bars: A–E = 0.5 mm; F, G = 0.1 mm.

Gallery Image

Fig. 9. Lepthyphantes legatus sp. nov., paratypes (Eth005; ZMMU). A–I. ♂, palpal structure J–K. ♀, epigyne. A. Right palp, retrolateral view. B. Posterodorsal outgrowth, dorsal view. C. Tibia and posterodorsal outgrowth, posterodorsal view. D–F. Distal suprategular apophysis, retrolateral, prolateral and frontal view, respectively.G. Embolic division, lateral view.H. Lamella characteristica, ventrolateral view. I. Embolus, lateral view. J–K. Epigyne, ventral and dorsal view, respectively. Scale bars = 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: see Material and methods.

ZMMU

Zoological Museum, Moscow Lomonosov State University

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Linyphiidae

SubFamily

Micronetinae

Genus

Lepthyphantes