Lepthyphantes fadriquei Barrientos 2020, n. sp.
Creators: name: Barrientos, José Antonio
name: Brañas, Neus
name: Mederos, Jorge
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Linyphiidae
Lepthyphantes
Lepthyphantes fadriquei

description: Lepthyphantes fadriquei Barrientos n. sp.
(Figs 5; 13 E-G)
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 64F9CBAA-7AE3-415D-89BE-5F842D0B23BD
TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype. Morocco. 1♂; Kef Aziza, Boudenib, Meknès; 28.VIII.1970; O. Escolá leg.; MZB 73-2905.
Paratypes. Morocco. 3♀; same locality and date as the holotype; MZB 72-5577 • 1♀; same locality; 2.VI.2001; F. Fadrique & O. Escolá leg.; MZB 2001-0414.
OTHER MATERIAL. — Morocco. 3 juv.; same locality and date as the holotype; MZB 72-5578.
DIAGNOSIS. — In its posterior middle part, the paracymbium presents a very developed elongation, acute and curved towards the external side; its apical branch is narrow, straight and lanceolate. In the radix a sharp, spiny tip develops at its posterior end. The lamella characteristica consists of a long and narrow projection, which gradually sharpens towards the tip, maintaining a progressive curvature. The terminal apophysis, equally long and narrow, describes a curved path, parallel to the lamella characteristica, and somewhat longer. The epigyne is wide at its base and perpendicular to the surface; it narrows progressively distally where a proscape with an elliptical contour, flanked by the lateral walls, stands out. The set of the scape describes a structure in “S” (easily seen in side view). The morphology of the epigyne resembles that of L. ensiferus Barrientos n. sp.; however, the structure of the male genitalia separates the two species, which places L. fadriquei Barrientos n. sp. in an uncertain position in the group of Micronetinae.
ETYMOLOGY. — We dedicate this species to Floren Fadrique, the main promoter of the latest biospeleological surveys in Morocco; without his generosity, initiative and dedication on the ground (before, during and after each expedition) we would not have many of the interesting samples of this small study.
DISTRIBUTION. — L. fadriquei Barrientos n. sp. is known only from the type locality, a cavity of the province of Meknès, in the high Moroccan Atlas.
DESCRIPTION
Male (holotype)
Body. Carapace: 0.81 long, by 0.68 wide; coloration pale yellow uniform and without additional pigmentary pattern. Some hairs scattered in the cephalic area. Without eyes. Chelicerae: 0.39 (length of stem), with three teeth, short and separated on the promargin; unarmed retromargin. Legs of the same color as the carapace; relatively long and thin; measurements: leg I (1.32 + 0.25 + 1.42 + 1.32 + 0.78), leg II (1.22 + 0.22 + 1.25 + 1.13 + 0.64), leg III (1.13 + 0.20 + 0.81 + 0.91 + 0.59), and leg IV (1.27 + 0.25 + 1.08 + 1.18 + 0.64). Opisthosoma missing.
Palp and copulatory bulb (Figs 5 A-C; 13G). In the paracymbium, posterior middle part particularly well developed; prolonged by a long sharp projection and curved outwards (Fig. 5A, B); proximal part wide and trapezoidal, with some hairs in its basal area; middle part marked by two protrusions or dilatations: one just mentioned in the posterior part and one in the anterior part, thick and blunt, delimiting the anterior pocket; from the anterior pocket, the apical branch narrow, straight, somewhat spatulate, and relatively short. Ventrally bulb showing on its prolateral side the basal structure of the
embolic division (Fig. 5C), the radix. Radix with a sharp and spiny process in its posterior part, and immediately afterwards, on its internal side, the lamella characteristica. Lamella consisting of a long and narrow projection, progressively sharpened toward the tip, maintaining a progressive curvature. Terminal apophysis parallel to the lamella characteristica, equally long and narrow, and describing a curved path of somewhat greater length; these two similar structures running parallel. Embolus complex, arising from the anterior part of the radix; with a laminar expansion, thin and transparent, as protective element of the embolus proper. Suprategular apophysis as a sharp process in front and below the terminal apophysis and lamelle characteristica; sharp, sclerotized, thicker and curved (Fig. 5A).
Female (paratype [MZB 2001-0414])
Body. Total body length: 2.15. Carapace: 0.88 long by 0.64 wide, yellow, very light, without pigmentary pattern; some scattered hairs in the cephalic part. Completely blind; without eyes or areolated remains. Chelicerae: 0.37 of length and a coloration more intense than carapace; with three tiny, equidistant teeth on the promargin; no teeth on the retromargin. Legs yellowish, very pale, long and thin; measurements: leg I (1.42 + 0.29 + 1.37 + 1.27 + 0.86), leg II (1.27 + 0.27 + 1.32 + 1.27 + 0.83), leg III (1.22 + 0.25 + 0.93 + 1.03 + 0.64), and leg IV (1.320 + 0.27 + 1.24 + 1.22 + 0.78). Opisthosoma 1.22 long by 0.78 wide, yellowish white, uniform and without pigmentary pattern, covered with fine, long, scattered and colorless hairs.
Female genitalia. Epigyne (Figs 5D, E; 13E, F). Epigyne very developed and outstanding, in relation to the size of the opisthosoma; almost perpendicular to epigastrum surface. Its basal part narrowing progressively and formed by the anterior wall and the lateral walls, covered with long and scattered hairs. Distally, scape voluminous; proscape drawing a smooth surface with an elliptical contour; proscape framed between the extensions of the lateral walls. In the margins of the proscape, the fertilization ducts well visible. Scape: middle part located practically below the proscape; distal part oriented outward again, forming a narrow point (stretcher) protruding below. Entire set describing in a small space a double directional change in the shape of an “S”, which can be seen in a lateral view (Fig. 5E). By transparency through the anterior wall of the epigyne, the receptacula observed in the pedunculated area, near the scape base.
description: Published as part of Barrientos, José Antonio, Brañas, Neus & Mederos, Jorge, 2020, The high complexity of Micronetinae Hull, 1920 (Araneae, Linyphiidae) evidenced through ten new cave-dweller species from the Morocco, pp. 1-29 in Zoosystema 42 (1) on pages 9-11, DOI: 10.5252/zoosystema2020v42a1, http://zenodo.org/record/3627057