Linothele mubii, Nicoletta & Ochoa & Chaparro & Ferretti, 2022

Nicoletta, M., Ochoa, J. A., Chaparro, J. C. & Ferretti, N., 2022, A new species of Linothele (Araneae: Dipluridae) from Peru, Zoosystematica Rossica (China) 31 (1), pp. 134-142 : 136-141

Linothele mubii sp. nov.

( Figs 1–28)

Holotype. Female, Peru, Apurimac Department, Andahuaylas Prov. , Huancarama Distr. , Chilhuismi nr. Huancarama , 13°37′59.81″S 73°6′24.21″W, 3363 m, 8.XII.2016, J.C. Chaparro & L. Mamani leg. ( MUBI 69 ).

Paratype. Peru, Cusco Department, La Convención Prov., Santa Teresa Distr. , nr. Choquequirao Archeological Park , 13°23′43.89″S 72°52′22.42″W, 3020 m, 27.VII.2016, J. Vitorino leg., 1 male ( MUBI 009 ) .

Additional material examined. 3 juveniles, with same data as for holotype ( MUBI 131 ) .

Diagnosis. The female of L. mubii sp. nov. can be distinguished from congeners by undivided scopula on tarsi I, vulva consisting of two short stalks bearing a single isolated retrolateral vesicle ( Fig. 14), together with dorsal pattern on opisthosoma consisting of several dots forming incomplete chevrons ( Fig. 5). The male of L. mubii sp. nov. differs from congeners in the presence of a keel on embolus ( Figs 23–26), leg formula 4123 and well-developed v-shaped apex of metatarsal protuberance ( Fig. 22).

Description. Female (holotype). Coloration (live specimen): carapace black with golden setae ( Figs 1–2), setae on margins longer; chelicerae, coxae and trochanters black with golden setae; legs and palps black; abdomen dorsally black with several golden dots forming incomplete chevrons and with long proximal black setae ( Fig. 1); spinnerets black.

Coloration(in ethanol):carapace reddish brown, abundantly covered with golden setae on margins ( Fig. 4); chelicerae dark brown with long golden setae; legs reddish brown, covered with black setae; coxae, labium, maxillae and sternum dark brown ( Figs 9–10); dorsal pattern of abdomen consisting

M. Nicoletta et al. A new species of Linothele of several golden dots forming incomplete chevrons ( Fig. 5); venter with slight mottling ( Fig. 6).

Cephalic region as in Fig. 4. Postlabial sigillae fused.

Measurements. Total length 25.46; carapace 12.34 long, 11.16 wide; abdomen 13.38 long, 8.0 wide; fovea recurved, 1.42 wide. Chelicerae: right with 10 large promarginal teeth and fang furrow with 16 denticles, left with 11 large teeth and fang furrow with 19 denticles. Labium without cuspules ( Figs 9–10), 1.83 long, 2.34 wide. Maxillae with 27/34 (right/left) cuspules ( Fig. 10), lyra absent. Sternum 6.59 long, 5.95 wide, with three pairs of rounded to oval sigillae ( Fig. 9); diameters of sigillae: pair I 0.17, pair II 0.29, pair III 0.56; distances from sigillae to margin of sternum: pair I 0.24, pair II 0.29, pair III 0.36. Eyes sizes and interdistances: AME 0.36, ALE 0.57, PME 0.30, PLE 0.48, AME–AME 0.30, AME–ALE 0.19, PME–PME 0.95, PME–PLE 0.09, ALE– PLE 0.17 ( Fig. 8). Clypeus 0.25 long. Spinnerets: PLS total length 8.44, basal segment 2.95 long, median segment 1.94 long, apical segment 3.29 long; PMS total length 2.09 ( Fig. 7). Legs and palp measurements as in Table 1.

Spination. Legs: I: fe d1-1-2; pa p1; ti p1-1, v1-1- 2; mt: v1-1-1-1-2. II: fe d1-1-1-1; pa p1; ti p1-1, v1-1- 2; mt p1, v2-2-2. III: fe d1-3-1-1-1-1-1; pa r1, d1; ti p1-1, r1-1, d1, v2-2-2; mt p1-1-1, r1-1-1, d3-3-2, v1- 1-1-1-3.IV: fe d1-1-1-2-2; ti p1-1, r1-1, d1, v2-2-2;mt p1-1-1-1, r1-1-1-1-1-1, d1-1-1-1, v1-1-1-1-1-2. Palp: fe d2; ti p1-1, r1, v2-2-2; ta p1, r1. Preening-combs absent. Leg tarsi pseudosegmented ( Figs 11–13); scopulae on tarsi I undivided; tarsi III and IV with abundant scopuliform setae; metararsi I fully scopulated ( Fig. 13), metatarsi III 50% scopulat- ed, metatarsi IV 25% scopulated. Claws of legs I with rows of 7/9 and 8/7 teeth; claws of legs II with rows of 6/9 and 10/7 teeth; claws of legs III with rows of 7/8 and 9/7 teeth; claws of legs IV with rows of 5/8 and 8/6 teeth.

Vulva with two receptacles, each consisting of short, almost rectangular stalk about 4 times as long as wide, with a small retrolateral vesicle in anterior one-fourth of receptacle ( Fig. 14). Finegrained stalks 0.59 long, 1.33 wide.

Male (paratype). Coloration (in ethanol): carapace reddish brown, abundantly covered with golden setae on margins ( Fig. 15); chelicerae dark brown, with long golden setae; legs reddish brown,

M. Nicoletta et al. A new species of Linothele covered with black and golden setae; coxa, labium, maxillae and sternum brown; abdomen with dorsal pattern consisting of several golden dots not forming chevrons and ventral pattern lacking ( Figs 16, 17).

Cephalic region as in Fig. 15. Postlabial sigillae divided. Eyes as in Fig. 18.

Measurements. Total length 27.43; carapace 12.84 long, 10.8 wide; abdomen 13.45 long, 6.75 wide; fovea 1.03 wide. Chelicerae: right with 11 large promarginal teeth, left with 11 large teeth and one small tooth on promargin. Labium without cuspules ( Fig. 19), 5.31 long, 5.11 wide. Maxillae with 29/30 (right/left) cuspules. Sternum 5.31 long, 5.11 wide, with three pairs of oval to round- ed sigillae ( Fig. 19); diameters of sigillae: pair I 0.36, pair II 0.5, pair III 0.75; distances from sigillae to margin of sternum: pair I 0.17, pair II 0.15, pair III 0.17. Eyes sizes and interdistances: AME 0.32, ALE 0.46, PME 0.28, PLE 0.34, AME– AME 0.18, AME–ALE 0.09, PME–PME 0.75, PME–PLE 0.05, ALE–PLE 0.10. Clypeus 0.29 long. Spinnerets: PLS total length 5.71, basal segment 3.07 long, median segment 2.52 long, apical segment broken; PMS total length 2.08. Legs and palp measurements as in Table 2.

Spination. Legs: I: fe d1-1-1-2-1-1-1-2; pa p1; ti p1-1, r1, v2-2;mt:p1, v1-2.II:fe p1-1-1,d1-2-1-1-1-1- 3-2-1; pa p1; ti p1-1, v2-2-2; mt p1, v2-2-1. III: fe p1, d1-2-3-2-2; pa r1; ti p1-1, r1-1, d1-1-1, v2-2-2; mt p1- 1-1-1, r1-1-1, d1, v1-1-2-2. IV: fe d3-2-1-2-2-2-2-2; pa d1-1; ti p2-1, r1-1-1, d1-1-1, v2-2-2; mt p1-1-1, r1- 1-1-1-1, d1-1, v1-1-1-1-2. Palp: fe d1-1-1-2; pa p1; ti p1-1, r1, d1, v2-2-1. Preening-combs absent. Tibia I with apical retrolateral megaspine ( Figs 20, 21); metatarsus I with well-developed, v-shaped metatarsal protuberance ( Fig. 22); MAD 3.1. Tarsi pseudosegmented; scopulae on tarsi I undivided; tarsi III and IV with numerous scopuliform setae; metatarsi I, II and III fully scopulated, metatarsi IV 80% scopulated. Claws of legs I with rows of 8/9 and 11/8 teeth; claws of legs II with rows of 8/11 and 12/8 teeth; claws of legs III with rows of 8/8 and 8/7 teeth; claws of legs IV with rows of 8/12 and 10/8 teeth.

Palpal tibia twice as long as bulb ( Figs 27, 28); cymbium elongate; bulb pyriform, with globose tegulum about half the bulb length, with embolus curved in prolateral view and bearing well-developed retrolateral keel occupying one-third of embolus but not extending on to apex ( Figs 23– 26). Bulb 3.05 long, 1.02 wide. PL * 100 / BD = 299. IML * 100 / MAD = 361.

Remarks. An adult female was designated as a holotype because most of the described species of Linothele are diagnosed and known only from females. We preferred to designate a female for a better comparison of species, since most differences arise from the shape of the vulva.

The male and the female were matched considering that they both share the pseudosegmented tarsi, which differs from L. monticolens (characterised by having only a few medial cracks), and share the presence of a dorsal abdominal pattern, which differs from L. uniformis (with no evident pattern on the dorsal side of abdomen).

Etymology. The species name is a noun in genitive case, derived from the abbreviated name of the Peruvian Institution Museo de Biodiversidad del Perú (MUBI) in Cusco, Peru. The species is named in recognition for the contribution of this institution to science as a biodiversity repository.

Distribution and habitat. Linothele mubii sp. nov. is known from two localities in the departments of Apurimac and Cusco, in southern Peru, at elevations between 3020 and 3363 m. The male was collected at night in a montane rainforest, and the female was collected at daylight under rocks among bushes surrounded by Eucalyptus tree plantations ( Fig. 3).