Ochyrocera zabaleta new species

Figs 36–41, map 1.

Type material. Male holotype from Ecuador, Santo Domingo de Las Tsáchilas Province, San José de Alluriquín, La Florida, Rio Zabaleta (00.25254°S 79.03043°W), 884m, 28 October 2014, hand collected, E. Tapia (QCAZ). EXAMINED. Female paratype, same data. EXAMINED.

Other material examined. Ecuador: Santo Domingo de Las Tsáchilas Province: San José de Alluriquín, La Florida, Rio Zabaleta (00.25254°S 79.03043°W), 884m, 2♂ 2♀, 28 October 2014, hand collected, E. Tapia (MECN); 2♀, 28 October 2014, hand collected, E. Tapia (DTC).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality, Rio Zabaleta, Ecuador.

Diagnosis. Males are distinguished from all Ochyrocera by the forked tip of the embolus (Fig. 38); females are diagnosed by epigynal region with sclerotized triangular projection (Fig. 40).

Description. Male: Total length: 2.2; carapace length: 0.7; carapace width: 0.5.

PROSOMA: Carapace pyriform, narrowing abruptly anteriorly; shiny, whitish with purple median band with dark markings; pars cephalica slightly elevated (Fig. 36). Sternum whitish, suffused with purple heart-shaped mark; as long as wide; with extremely long setae. Endites whitish; labium whitish, suffused with purple; notch. Clypeus sloping with purple band medially; high (4x PME). Chelicerae whitish; apically with purplish tinge; promargin one large tooth apically, followed by a series of seven teeth attached to the lamina; retromargin without denticles. EYES: Six eyes surrounded by black pigmentation about equal size; PME rounded, contiguous; PME- ALE slightly separated; ALE rounded contiguous with PLE; PLE rounded (Fig. 36). OPISTHOSOMA: Cylindrical; dark purple with pale median band and triangular mark apically (Fig. 36); tracheal spiracle half way between epigastric furrow and spinnerets. LEGS: purplish; femurs with white band apical one third and apically, tibiae with white band basally and apical one third, metatarsi and tarsi with white band apically; metatarsi and tarsi with faint white rings pigmentation appearing as pseudosegmentation; leg formula 1423; legs total length: I: 10.7; II: 6.5; III 4.9; IV: 7.1. GENITALIA: Palpal femur long, tip with purple mark (Fig. 38); palpal patella purple; palpal tibia not narrow basally; with one dorsal, one retrolateral trichobothria (Figs 37, 38). Cymbium elongated with squared extension prolaterally (Fig. 38); apical apophysis elongated bearing cuspule at its apical end (Fig. 37). Bulb oval (Fig. 38). Embolus elongated, projecting forward, widest medially, with forked tip (Figs 37, 38); sperm duct narrowing 1/2 from beginning to the tip of embolus with one loose loop (Figs 37, 38).

Female: Total length: 1.4; carapace length: 0.6; carapace width: 0.4. PROSOMA: Carapace as in male; pars cephalica slightly less elevated. Sternum, endites, labium and clypeus as in male. Chelicerae whitish; apically with purplish tinge; promargin one large tooth apically, followed by a series of six teeth attached to the lamina; retromargin without denticles. EYES: As in male. OPISTHOSOMA: Oval; whitish with dark purple markings (Fig. 39); tracheal spiracle half way between epigastric furrow and spinnerets. LEGS: As in male; leg formula 1423; legs total length: I: 7.8; II: 5.2; III: 3.4; IV: 5.3; palpal patella, distal half of tibia and tip of tarsus purple. GENITALIA: Epigynal area strongly swollen, with two dark marks medially and an apical triangular scletorized projection (Fig. 40). Internal genitalia with two dark, convoluted spermathecae and a large membranous middle section (Fig. 41).

Distribution. Ecuador: Santo Domingo de Las Tsáchilas Province.

Natural history. Collected in a foothill forest at an altitude of 884m.