Harlanethis Álvarez-Padilla & Kallal & Hormiga 2020, gen. nov.
Creators: name: Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando
name: Kallal, Robert J.
name: Hormiga, Gustavo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Tetragnathidae
Harlanethis

description: Genus Harlanethis, gen. nov.
Figures 38–44, 60
TYPE SPECIES: Harlanethis lipscombae.
DIAGNOSIS: Harlanethis species are similar to other leucaugine genera in having femoral trichobothria and silver guanine abdominal patches (fig. 38A, C–D), but can be easily separated from other leucaugines by the presence some unique features among tetragnathids such a whitish, lightly sclerotized triangular epigynal protrusion (fig. 39C, D); two anterior longitudinal deep grooves on the epigynum venter (fig. 41A); and by having the epigynum almost the same size as the sternum (fig. 38C). Males are diagnosed by their massive conductor, which is wider than long and formed by three sclerites united by a membrane (figs. 39G, H, 41B, 42G, 43F). The embolus morphology is diagnostic, being very thick, tubular, slightly curved, and apically covered with small scales (figs. 41B, C, 42G). In males, the ventral cuticle of the paturon has four deep grooves intercalated with transverse ridges (figs. 38F, H, 41H).
DESCRIPTION: Female total length 3.99–5.25. Cephalothorax length 1.72–1.87, width 1.30–1.38. Carapace glabrous, pale yellow to light brown, slightly darker over the cephalic region and carapace margins. Fovea deep, triangular in shape, carapace dorsal pits absent (fig. 38A). Clypeus height 0.9 to 0.7 AME diameter, cuticle darker
FIGURE 40. Harlanethis lipscombae (TEAU038; A, C, E, G), and H. weintrauborum (TEUA016; B, D, F, H). A, B. Pedipalp, ventral. C, D. Pedipalp, dorsal. E, F. Pedipalp, mesal. G, H. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.
under the median eyes and paler under the lateral eyes (figs. 38B). AME slightly larger than PME. Lateral eyes on the same tubercle, one AME diameter apart from median eyes and approximately half that size. Chelicerae with few scattered setae, cuticle smooth, without ventral stridulatory ridges (fig. 38F), with three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth (figs. 38B, F). Endites longer than wide, dark brown, internal margins pale yellow. Labium rectangular, wider than long, colored as the endites. Sternum dark brown, trapezoidal in shape, wider between the first two legs (fig. 38C). Abdomen dorsally covered with silvery guanine patches over a background pale to dark gray, with a dark median longitudinal line, lateral surfaces with diffused dark vertical stripes; ventrally dark brown, with guanine patches concentrated in four spots forming a central rectangle (figs. 38A, C–D). Booklung covers without stridulatory striae. Spinnerets pale yellow to brown, lighter pattern on internal surfaces. Leg formula 1-2-4-3. Femur I length 2.96–3.67. First pair considerably larger, femora and tibia brown-yellow with dark-brown annuli. Second pair femora and tibiae pale yellow without annulation. Metatarsi and tarsi dark yellow. All leg segments dark brown apically. Femora III and IV with ca. six prolateral trichobothria, distributed around the base, flagellum smooth (fig. 41G). Femora with few setae, other segments hirsute increasing after tibiae. All leg segments with few macrosetae, except tarsi, which are glabrous. Epigynum: trapezoidal shape wider than long. Copulatory openings medially located on both sides of posterior margin of triangular epigynal protrusion (fig. 41A, D). Spermathecae membranous, internal surfaces covered with accessory gland ducts (figs. 39E, F, 41E). Copulatory ducts short, enclosing the spermathecae entrance, both copulatory ducts converging into a common sclerotized base where the fertilization ducts also originate (figs. 39E, F, 44C–D). Fertilization ducts short, straight.
Male same as female except as noted. Total length 3.86–4.15. Cephalothorax length 1.71– 1.76, width 1.35–1.46. Carapace dorsal coloration white to dark yellow. Clypeus height 0.83–0.91 AME diameter, pale yellow. Sternum pale yellow to brown. Chelicerae pale to dark brown, slightly longer and narrower, dorsal cuticle rugose, setal bases enlarged and more abundant at base; ectal cuticle less rugose toward the ventral and apical surfaces (fig. 38E); ventral cuticle with four deep grooves intercalated with transverse ridges (figs. 38H, 41H); with three promarginal and three to four retromarginal teeth (fig. 38E, H). Endites brown; dorsal cuticle without obvious complementary structures to the cheliceral striae (fig. 38G). Abdominal pattern as in female, but lighter in coloration. Femur I length 3.65–4.17. Legs pale yellow, annulation less pronounced than in female. Pedipalpal tibia triangular, as long as wide, apical margin wider. CDBP shaped as a long curved ridge with its basal portion forming a small triangular spur (figs. 40C–F, 41F, 42C). Paracymbium cylindrical, almost glabrous, slightly curved, apically swollen, its cymbium attachment membranous (fig. 38G, H). Embolus very thick, tubular, slightly curved and apically covered with small scales (fig. 41B, C).
COMPOSITION: This new genus includes two species: Harlanethis lipscombae and H. weintrauborum.
SYSTEMATICS: This genus is placed in the subfamily Leucauginae (figs. 61–63), nested in a clade including Mesida Kulczyński, 1911, Tylorida Simon, 1894, and Orsinome. The monophyly of Harlanethis is supported by the following morphological synapomorphies: massive highly sclerotized conductor, wider than long and formed by three sclerites united by a membrane (figs. 38G, H, 42E, G) and the large lightly sclerotized triangular epigynal protrusion with two anterior longitudinal deep grooves on the epigynum venter (fig. 39A–D).
ETYMOLOGY: TThis new genus is named by the third author (G.H.) to honor Wilbur B. (Bill) Harlan, whose endowment to the Department Biological Sciences of the George Washington University has empowered numerous young biologists scholarly work. This name is compounded with nethis, the Greek work for spinster, i.e., a woman who
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spins. Harlanethis is an undeclinable proper name and feminine in gender.
DISTRIBUTION: This genus can be found in northeastern Queensland (fig. 60).
NATURAL HISTORY: Harlanethis appears to be endemic to the tropical northern zone of Queensland.
description: Published as part of Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando, Kallal, Robert J. & Hormiga, Gustavo, 2020, Taxonomy And Phylogenetics Of Nanometinae And Other Australasian Orb-Weaving Spiders (Araneae: Tetragnathidae), pp. 1-107 in Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2020 (438) on pages 1-107, DOI: 10.1206/0003-0090.438.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4613901