Lepthercus confusus Ríos-Tamayo &amp; Lyle 2020, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Ríos-Tamayo, Duniesky
name: Lyle, Robin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Nemesiidae
Lepthercus
Lepthercus confusus

description: <i>Lepthercus confusus</i> sp. nov. (Figs. 3 A–I, 4A–E, 24) http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 19380CC0-30E8-412C-8509-F69267536BC6 <b>Material examined. Type material</b>: Holotype &amp;male;. SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu–Natal Province, Sani Pass (29°35′S 29°17′E, 2700m), 22.vi.2009, UP students <i>leg.</i>, (NCA 2011 /318).— Paratypes. SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu–Natal Province: Weza, Ngeli Forest [30°34’S 29°42’E], x.1962, Lawrence R.F. <i>leg.</i>, 3 &amp;female;&amp;female; (NM8787); Same data as holotype: 22.i.2010, 1 &amp;male; (NCA 2010/4443); 20.i.2008, 1 &amp;male; (NCA 2010/3642); same data as holotype 3 &amp;male;&amp;male; (NCA 2010/3640); same data as holotype 22.i.2009, 2 &amp;male;&amp;male; (NCA 2011/379); same data as holotype (29°36′S 29°18′E, 2400m), 24.i.2006, 2 &amp;male;&amp;male; (NCA 2010/3735). <b>Etymology.</b> The specific epithet refers to the great confusion felt in the beginning stages of this work about the placement of this species. <b>Diagnosis.</b> Males of <i>L. confusus</i> <b>sp. nov.</b>, can be distinguished from males of “Group dregei” by a short bulb with a tapering embolus with longitudinal keels (Fig. 3F, H) similar to <i>L. dregei</i> but differs by their slender embolus, with a small lateral keel (Fig. 3F, G). Further it is differentiated by the presence of a small cuticular spur on tibia I (Fig. 3I, longer in others). Females can be distinguished by the shape of their spermathecae with a base with a slight transition to the stalk, straight stalks twisted and oval receptacles inwardly curved (Fig. 4E). <b>Description.</b> Male holotype (NCA 2011/318, Fig. 3 A–I). Total length 11.40. <i>Carapace</i> (Fig. 3A): length 5.21, width 4.17, lateral marginal bristles present, with sparse pubescence. <i>Cephalic region</i>: length 3.28; clypeus short with 5 bristles on the edge, numerous long bristles in front of the OQ and between the PME, dorsal line of bristles until the fovea. <i>Fovea:</i> width 0.45, short and almost straight. <i>Ocular measurements</i>: AME 0.14, ALE 0.21, PME 0.17, PLE 0.19, OQ length 0.48, 0.78 width; AME–ALE 0.05, PME–PLE 0.05, AME–PME 0.07, ALE–PLE 0.08, AME–AME 0.11, OMP–OMP 0.31. <i>Chelicerae</i>: length 2.72, width 1.53, dorsal-anterior bristles present, interc- heliceral tumescence small, well-marked and with setae (Fig. 3C). Fang groove with 6 promarginal teeth and 7 basomedial denticles. <i>Labium</i>: length 0.35, width 0.80, without cuspules. <i>Maxillae</i>: length 1.60, width 0.72, with about 65 minuscule cuspules on inner corner, prolateral face slightly curved, with long uniformly distributed hairs. <i>Sternum</i> (Fig. 3B): length 2.71, maximum width 2.14. <i>Abdomen</i>: length 4.42. PMS: length 0.57; PLS: length of basal:medial:apical segments 0.80:0.75:1.11; total length 2.66. <i>Lengths of legs and palp</i>: I 4.16, 2.24, 3.06, 3.13, 2.43, 15.02. II 3.95, 2.35, 2.67, 2.93, 2.21, 14.11. III 3.54, 1.89, 2.39, 3.39, 2.01, 13.22. IV 4.41, 2.15, 3.38, 4.77, 2.24, 16.95. Palp 2.23, 1.26, 1.39, —, 0.76, 5.64. <i>Chaetotaxy</i>: Leg I: femur, 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 d (centrals), 1-1-1-2 P SUP, 1-0-1-1 R SUP; patella, 1 P A; tibia, 1-1-2 P, 1-1 R, 1-2-1-2-3-2 V, a small spur, with an apical long and curved spine (longer than the spur, Fig. 3I); metatarsus, 1-1-0-1 V POST, straight without protuberance; tarsus, 0. Leg II: femur, 1-1-1-1-1-1 d, 1-0-1-1 P SUP, 1-1-1 R SUP; patella, 1 P A; tibia, 1-1 P, 2-2-1-4 V; metatarsus, 1 D M, 2-2-2 V; tarsus, 0. Leg III: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1-1-1-1 P SUP, 1-1-1-1 R SUP; patella, 1-1-2 P, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1 D, 1-1 R, 2-1-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 2-1-2-2 D, 2-1-1-3 V; tarsus, 0. Leg IV: femur, 1-1-1-1-1 d, 1-1-1-1 P SUP, 1-1-1-1 R SUP; patella, 1 R; tibia, 1 P, 1-1-1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1 P, 1-1-2-1-2 D, 2-2-1-3 V; tarsus, 0. Palp (Fig. 2D, E): femur, 1-1-1-3 d; patella, 1 p; tibia, 1-2 P, 1 RA, 1 v, (width/length: 0.56); tarsus, 0. <i>Scopulae</i>: Metatarsi: I–II, dense, uniformly distributed throughout the segment; III, sparse (1:3A), divided by narrow band of setae; IV, sparse (A), divided by a wide band of setae. Tarsi: I-II, dense, uniformly distributed throughout the segment; III, sparse, uniformly distributed and divided by narrow band of setae; IV, sparse, uniformly distributed and divided by a narrow band of setae. <i>Trichobothria</i>: Tibiae: I-II 10-11; III 10-10; IV 12-12. Metatarsi: I (4)1(1)1(2)1; II (5)1(3)1(5)1; III (6)1(2)1(6)1; IV (4)1(3)1(4)1(6)1. Tarsi: I-II 13; III-IV 12. <i>Preening combs</i>: III 2 R V–2 P V, IV 3/2 R V. <i>Copulatory bulb</i>: small, with a short and acuminate embolus with basal keels and the tip curved (Fig. 3 F–H), spermatic duct slightly curved. <i>Color</i>: Carapace and legs brown-orange. Abdomen dorsally dark without bands, covered with short and long dark hairs; sternum and ventral abdomen lighter; spinnerets yellowish with dark spots. Female paratype (NM8787, Fig. 4 A–E). Total length 12.07. <i>Carapace</i> (Fig. 4A): length 4.06, width 2.74, with small marginal bristles and sparse pubescence. <i>Cephalic region</i>: length 2.61, clypeus small (almost absent) with 3 marginal bristles; 4 bristles in front of the OQ and 3 between the PME, line of small bristles until the fovea. <i>Fovea:</i> width 0.34, almost straight (slightly procurved). <i>Ocular measurements</i>: AME 0.10, ALE 0.23, PME 0.13, PLE 0.17, OQ length 0.36, width 0.72; AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PLE 0.03, AME–PME 0.06, ALE–PLE 0.02, AME–AME 0.09, PME–PME 0.28. <i>Chelicerae</i> (Fig. 4D): length 2.30, width 1.46; with dorsal-retrolateral dark bristles. Fang groove with 8 promarginal teeth and 18 mesobasal denticles. <i>Labium</i>: length 0.27, width 0.67, dorsally slightly concave without cuspules. <i>Maxillae</i>: length 1.43, width 0.69, with 85 cuspules on posterior inner corner, prolateral face concave, soft, with long uniformly distributed hairs, serrula present on anterior inner corner. <i>Sternum</i> (Fig. 4C): length 1.98, maximum width 1.64. <i>Abdomen</i> (Fig. 4B): length 6.43, with small hairs in the dorsum. PMS: length 0.61; PLS: length of basal:medial:apical segments 1.23:0.79:1.16; total length 3.18. <i>Lengths of legs and palp</i>: I: 2.63, 1.72, 1.85, 1.38, 0.98, 8.56. II: 2.41, 1.45, 1.51, 1.33, 0.98, 7.68. III: 2.21, 1.35, 1.36, 1.80, 1.02, 7.74. IV: 2.88, 1.66, 2.04, 1.74, 1.15, 9.47. Palp: 1.88, 1.21, 1.14, —, 1.24, 5.47. <i>Chaetotaxy</i>: Leg I: femur, 1-1-1-1-1 d, 1 P A; patella, 0; tibia, 1 p, 1-1-2 v; metatarsus, 2-1-1 V; tarsus, 0. Leg II: femur, 1-1-1-1-1-1 d, 1 P A; patella, 0; tibia, 1 p, 2-2-3 v; metatarsus, 2-2-2 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, 1-1-1 D, 1 R, 2-2-3 V (thins); metatarsus, 2-1-1-1 P, 1-1-1 D–P, 2- 1-2 D–R, 3-3-3 V; tarsus, 0. Leg IV: femur, 1-1-1-1-1 d, 1 R A; patella, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1-1 P, 1-1-1 D–P, 1-1-0-1 D–R, 1-1-1 R, 4-1-2-3 V; tarsus, 0. Palp: femur, 1-1-1 d, 1 pa; patella, 0; tibia, 1-1 P, 2-3 V (1:2A); tarsus, 2 V B. <i>Scopulae</i>: Metatarsi: I, dense, uniformly distributed and divided by bristles; II, dense (1:2 A), divided by band of setae; III–IV, no present. Tarsi: I, dense, uniformly distributed and divided by bristles; II, sparse, uniformly distributed and divided by setae; III, sparse (1:3 A) and divided by a narrow band of setae; IV, sparse (3:4 A) and divided by a wide band of setae. <i>Trichobothria</i>: Tibiae: palp 7-8; I 10-9; II 9-9; III 8-8; IV 10-9. Metatarsi: I (3)1(1)1(4)1; II-III (4)1(2)1(4)1; IV (4)1(2)1(3)1(5)1. Tarsi: palp 8; I 12; II-IV 11. <i>Preening combs</i>: metatarsus: II 5 P V; III 3 P V–3 R V; IV 2 P V–3 R V. <i>Spermathecae</i>: as in Fig. 4E. <i>Color</i>: Overall orange-yellowish, sternum lighter. Abdomen brown mottled with light spots on dorsal side, spinnerets light brown. <b>Distribution.</b> KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa (Fig. 24).
description: Published as part of <i>Ríos-Tamayo, Duniesky &amp; Lyle, Robin, 2020, The South African genus Lepthercus Purcell, 1902 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) phylogeny and taxonomy, pp. 261-305 in Zootaxa 4766 (2)</i> on pages 269-272, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4766.2.2, http://zenodo.org/record/3765467