ZooKeys (May 2023)
Systematic notes on three new Luthela (Mesothelae, Heptathelidae) spiders from China, with their descriptions
Abstract
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Three new segmented trapdoor spider species belonging to the family Heptathelidae Kishida, 1923, i.e., Luthela asuka sp. nov. (♂♀, Sichuan), L. beijing sp. nov. (♂♀, Beijing), and L. kagami sp. nov. (♂♀, Sichuan), are described from China. Their phylogenetic position and relationships within Heptathelidae are tested and assessed using a combination available COI data downloaded from GenBank with new DNA sequences obtained in this study. The results show that the new species form a clade with eight known and one undescribed species of Luthela. High-definition illustrations of the male palps and female genitalia, diagnoses, and DNA barcodes are provided for these three new species, and their distributions are mapped.