Lepthyphantes rossitsae Dimitrov 2018, sp. n.
Creators: name: Dimitrov, Dragomir
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Linyphiidae
Lepthyphantes
Lepthyphantes rossitsae

description: Lepthyphantes rossitsae sp. n.
Figs 1-6, 10-12, 16-22
Types: Male holotype, 1 male paratype, 7 females paratypes; Turkey, Çamlik village, Beyşehir district, Maǧarasi cave; 10.07.1993; P. Beron leg.
Etymology: I dedicate the species to my wife Rossitsa Dimitrova.
Diagnosis: The new species is very similar to Lepthyphantes leprosus in somatic and genital characters. The male of L. rossitsae sp. n. can be distinguished by the shape of the narrow branch of the lamella characteristica, which is shorter and wider apically (Figs 1, 4, 16, 18), while in L. leprosus it is longer, narrower and forked at the end (Fig. 7). The embolus in both species is very similar, but in L. rossitsae sp. n. the teeth at its base are less numerous and tiny (Figs 2, 5, 17), while in L. leprosus they are more numerous and slightly bigger (Fig. 8). Also the big tubercle of the cymbium (Figs 3, 6, 19) is shorter and wider than in L. leprosus (Fig. 9). The female epigyne (Figs 10-12, 20-22) has almost the same lateral wall and lateral lobe as in L. leprosus, but the scape in L. rossitsae sp. n. is thinner and longer and there are no lateral teeth (Figs 13-15).
Description of male (holotype): Measurements: Total length 3.85; cephalothorax length 1.48, width 1.25; sternum length 0.68, width 0.45; chelicera length 0.72, width 0.30; abdomen length 2.35, width 1.45; leg I length 11.75 (0.80 + 3.00 + 0.45 + 3.00 + 3.00 + 1.50); leg II length 10.75 (0.60 + 2.80 + 0.45 + 2.70 + 2.85 + 1.35); leg III length 8.45 (0.55 + 2.35 + 0.40 + 1.90 + 2.25 + 1.00); leg IV length 10.70 (0.62 + 2.70 + 0.40 + 2.63 + 3.00 + 1.35). Eyes: Both eye rows straight; AME smaller than other eyes, touching each other. Other eyes approximately equal in size. AME diameter 0.05; ALE, PLE, PME diameter 0.09; ALE separated from AME by 0.03. PME separated from PLE and each other by 0.08, ALE touching PLE. Chelicerae with 2 large distal and 2 small apical teeth on promargin and with 1 large distal tooth on retromargin. Coloration: carapace, sternum, chelicerae and legs yellow-brown. Abdomen grey, with white pattern (not very well preserved). Leg chaetotaxy: leg I (1p, 1d, 2d2p1v1r, 1d1r); leg II (-, 1d, 2d1r1v, 1d1p); leg III (-, 1d, 2d1r, 1d); leg IV (-, 1d, 2d1r, 1d).
Palps (Figs 1-6, 16-19): Cymbium with one big and one small tubercle in its basal part, visible in dorsal view (Figs 3, 6, 19). Paracymbium connected to cymbium with its flat internal part. Lamella characteristica broad and incised, bifid. It’s narrow distal branch gradually widening to a fan shaped apical part (Figs 1, 4, 16). Embolus bent, sickle-shaped, bearing small teeth near its base (Figs 4-5, 17).
Description of female (paratype): Measurements: Total length 4.05; cephalothorax length 1.60, width 1.25; sternum length 0.85, width 0.75; chelicera length 0.72, width 0.30; abdomen length 2.66, width 1.70; leg I length 10.47 (0.65 + 2.95 + 0.47 + 2.50 + 2.50 + 1.40); leg II length 9.45 (0.63 + 2.40 + 0.47 + 2.30 + 2.40 + 1.25); leg III length 7.00 (0.54 + 2.00 + 0.40 + 1.35 + 1.85 + 0.86); leg IV length 9.35 (0.56 + 2.40 + 0.40 + 2.25 + 2.52 + 1.22). Eye arrangement and coloration as in male. Chelicerae with 4 large teeth on promargin and 4 small apical teeth on retromargin. Leg chaetotaxy: leg I (1p, 1d, 2d1p2v1r, 1d1p1r); leg II (-, 1d, 2d1v2r, 1d1p1r); leg III (-, 1d, 2d1v1r, 1d); leg IV (-, 1d, 2d1r, 1d).
Epigyne (Figs 10-12, 20-22): Lateral wall without teeth (Figs 10-11, 20-21). Scape long and narrow, widening at the end (Figs 10, 20). Two lateral lobes on each side of scape (Figs 10-11, 20-21).
Distribution: Known only from the type locality.
Remarks: As already stated by Helsdingen (2009), the splitting of Lepthyphantes s. l. into several distinct genera by Saaristo & Tanasevitch (1996, 1999, 2000, 2001) not only makes species identification difficult and user-unfriendly, but also leaves Lepthyphantes s. str. as a heterogeneous group containing all species that could not be placed with certainty in any of the present genera close to Lepthyphantes. This is also the case with Lepthyphantes leprosus. Previously it was listed as part of the Lepthyphantes nebulosus group. Meanwhile most of the species from this group have been transferred to Megalepthyphantes Wunderlich, 1994, but Lepthyphantes leprosus remained in Lepthyphantes along with some other species, most of which are clearly not related to each other. Since the new species described here is very close to Lepthyphantes leprosus, it is provisionally also placed in Lepthyphantes.
description: Published as part of Dimitrov, Dragomir, 2018, Description of Lepthyphantes rossitsae sp. n. from Turkey (Arachnida: Araneae: Linyphiidae), pp. 277-281 in Revue suisse de Zoologie 125 (2) on pages 277-280, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.1414223