Systematic notes on three new Luthela (Mesothelae, Heptathelidae) spiders from China, with their descriptions

Abstract

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.