Pteroneta baiteta, Versteirt & Deeleman-Reinhold & Baert, 2008

Versteirt, V., Deeleman-Reinhold, C. & Baert, L., 2008, Description Of New Species Of The Genus Pteroneta (Arachnida: Araneae: Clubionidae) From Papua New Guinea, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 56 (2), pp. 307-315 : 312-313

Pteroneta baiteta , new species

(Fig. 7)

Material examined. – Holotype male: Papua New Guinea, Madang [=Province], Baiteta forest 18 Jul.1995 (AR 31, coll. O. Missa).

Fig. 6. Pteroneta brevichela : A, ventral view of left male pedipalp; B, dorsolateral view of left male pedipalp; C, ventral view (epigyne).

Paratype: 1 female 17 Apr.1996 (AR43, coll. O. Missa) (see Table 1)

Diagnosis. – Males of this species are distinguished by the number (18) and position of spines on the chelicerae, the strong indentation at basis of the chelicerae and the shape of the tibial apophysis. Females are characterized by the structure of the epigyne, with 2 darker kidney shaped upper spermathecae, two more oval smaller lower spermathecae and sclerotised entrance openings.

Description. – Male: total body length: 4.5 mm; carapace length: 2.03 mm, width: 1.5 mm; abdomen length: 2.35 mm and width: 1.18 mm. Eyes: PME: 0.33 mm apart, PL: 0.75 mm and head width: 1.03 mm. The carapace, legs and chelicerae are brownish yellow whilst the abdomen of the spiders is more pale yellow. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal teeth and 2 large and 3 dot like retromarginal teeth; on the dorsal side are 18 blunt short spines. Legs: Spination: femora I-II 2*d 2*p, III 3*d 2*p, IV 2*d; tibiae I 220v, II 1v, III spineless, IV 1p 1r; metatarsi I 200v, II (10-01-0)v, III 202d 201v + circle of 14 (barbed) spines, IV 202d 101v + retrolateral bunch of 5 spines. Measurements: Fe I: 1.08 mm, Pa+Ti I: 1.53 mm, Mt I: 0.65 mm, Ta I: 0.43 mm; Fe II: 1.53 mm, Pa+Ti II: 1.98 mm, Mt II: 0.73 mm, Ta II: 0.68 mm; Fe III: 0.8 mm, Pa+Ti III: 1.03 mm, Mt III: 0.73 mm, Ta III: 0.33 mm; Fe IV: 1.35 mm, Pa+Ti IV: 1.6 mm, Mt IV: 1.15 mm, Ta IV: 0.45 mm.

Male pedipalp (see Figs. 7 A-B): Palpal tibia with one spine and small, arrow shaped tibial apophysis with pointed tip. Sperm duct originating proximally from funnel like structure, going distally making a curve of 180° and returning to proximal end of tegulum ending in a large, short embolus with sharp tip. Cymbium oval shaped and rounded at the top. Tegulum broad, subtegelum clearly visible, large additional apophysis (almost all retrolateral side), straight ridged at its top.

Female: total body length: 3.0 mm; carapace length: 1.24 mm, width: 0.86 mm; abdomen length: 1.68 mm and width: 0.8 mm. Eyes: PME: 0.14 mm apart, PL: 0.38 mm and head width: 0.56 mm. Abdomen, legs and carapace are coloured yellow only the chelicerae are darker, more brownish. Chelicerae with 6 promariginal and 6 (dot like) retromarginal teeth. Legs: Spination: femora I-IV 2*d; tibiae I 1v, metatarsi I-II (0-0-10-01), III 102d 101v + circle of 14 (barbed) spines, IV 202d 1p (10-0-01)v + retrolateral bunch of 15 spines. Measurements: Fe I: 0.71 mm, Pa+Ti I: 0.99 mm, Mt I: 0.4 mm, Ta I: 0.29 mm; Fe II: 0.96 mm, Pa+Ti II: 1.19 mm, Mt II: 0.39 mm, Ta II: 0.51 mm; Fe III: 0.58 mm, Pa+Ti III: 0.7 mm, Mt III: 0.46 mm, Ta III: 0.26 mm; Fe IV: 0.86 mm, Pa+Ti IV: 1.08 mm, Mt IV: 0.8 mm, Ta IV: 0.33 mm.

Epigyne (see Fig. 6 C–D): with large upper and small lower spermathecae. Upper ones peculiarly shaped, kidney like, touching each other; they are slightly darker than the 2 lower more oval ones. Entrance openings mesally situated and sclerotised. Insemination ducts short, going to lower spermathecae and from there to upper ones. Fertilization ducts short, broad at basis, smaller at tip, originating at the distal part of the upper spermathecae.

Etymology. – After the type locality, the forest of Baiteta (Madang province, Papua New Guinea), baiteta is a noun in apposition.