Mimetus spinatus Sudhin, Sankaran & Sen, 2024

Sudhin, Puthoor Pattammal, Sankaran, Pradeep M. & Sen, Souvik, 2024, Two new species and a new transfer in the pirate spider genus Mimetus Hentz, 1832 (Araneae: Mimetidae: Mimetinae) from India, Zootaxa 5496 (4), pp. 555-566 : 558-563

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5496.4.5

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:285BF97A-40EA-4AA6-89A0-7F7F9FC258E2

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13617706

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03CA87CB-FF83-5776-13E0-F987861648BE

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Mimetus spinatus Sudhin, Sankaran & Sen, 2024
status

sp. nov.

Mimetus spinatus Sudhin, Sankaran & Sen, 2024 n. sp.

Figs 3–6 View FIGURE 3 View FIGURE 4 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6

Etymology. The species epithet is an adjective, derived from the Latin word for spined ( spinatus ) and refers to the long, flattened spine-like setae on the dorsal opisthosoma of the new species ( Figs 3A–B View FIGURE 3 , 4C View FIGURE 4 ).

Type material. Holotype ♂ (NZC-ZSI-8780/18), INDIA: Karnataka: Shimoga, Mookambika Wildlife Sanctuary (13°42’18.9’’N, 75°03’47.7’’E; 605 m), 07 December 2022, leg. P.P. Sudhin, by beating vegetation GoogleMaps . Paratypes: 1 ♂, 2 ♀ (NZC-ZSI-8781/18), same data as holotype GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Males of M. spinatus n. sp. differ from the males of all the known congeners by a mediodorsally long black flattened spine-like setae on the dorsal opisthosoma, cymbium with two short horn-like spines, ovalshaped paracymbium, and male palp with boxing-glove-shaped bulb in ventral view ( Figs 3A–B View FIGURE 3 , 5A, C–D View FIGURE 5 , 6A–B View FIGURE 6 ). Females of M. spinatus n. sp. are most similar to the females of M. contrarius (Zeng, Irfan & Peng, 2019) from China in having the similar epigynal morphology, but can be distinguished by the oval opisthosoma mediodorsally with long black flattened spine-like setae (vs. globular without modified setae in M. contrarius ), epigyne without transverse rim (vs. present in M. contrarius ), epigyne with triangular basal/posterior plate (vs. shovel-shaped in M. contrarius ), oval spermathecae (vs. globular in M. contrarius ), and curved fertilization ducts (vs. twisted in M. contrarius ) (e.g., Figs 4A–B View FIGURE 4 , 5E–F View FIGURE 5 , 6C–D View FIGURE 6 ; Zeng et al. 2019: figs 1F–G, 2D–E). Females of M. spinatus n. sp. can be separated from the females of M. indicus by triangular posterior plate of epigyne (vs. shovel-shaped in M. indicus ) (e.g., Figs 5E View FIGURE 5 , 6C View FIGURE 6 ; Brignoli 1972: figs 25, 27).

Description. Male in alcohol (holotype; Fig. 3 View FIGURE 3 ): carapace, clypeus, chelicerae, endites, labium, sternum, and legs pale yellow; carapace dorsally with scattered light green mottling, thoracic region laterally light green ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ); leg segments with dark green patches and spots; opisthosoma dull gray-white, covered with irregular chalk-white spots particularly on sides, sparsely covered with dark green patches, venter gray-white, medially with broad light green patches ( Figs 3A–B View FIGURE 3 ). Cephalic region with two longitudinal rows of long erect setae ( Fig. 3A View FIGURE 3 ). Anterior median and lateral eyes on raised humps ( Fig. 3D View FIGURE 3 ). Chelicerae elongate, distally with three macrosetae cross forming an ‘X’ ( Fig. 3E View FIGURE 3 ; arrow 1); promargin with nine peg teeth, retromargin with two small true teeth ( Fig. 3F View FIGURE 3 ; arrow 2). Sternum longer than wide, distally narrow, fused with labium, sparsely covered with black erect setae ( Fig. 3G View FIGURE 3 ). Opisthosoma nearly elongate-triangular, without tubercles, mediodorsally with three transverse rows (4–4–2) of long black flattened spine-like setae ( Figs 3A–B View FIGURE 3 ). Spinnerets dark green. Tibiae and metatarsi I–II lack raptorial spines/modified setae in between normal spines. Body length 3.90. Carapace 1.73 long, 1.39 wide. Opisthosoma 2.17 long, 1.21 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.09, AME 0.14, PLE 0.11, PME 0.11; AME–ALE 0.12, AME–AME 0.10, AME–PME 0.18, PME–PLE 0.17, PME–PME 0.08. Clypeus height at AMEs 0.07, at ALEs 0.12. Chelicerae 0.81 long. Length of palp and legs: palp 2.86 [1.25, 0.24, 0.79, 0.58], I 20.47 [5.39, 0.66, 6.02, 6.43, 1.97], II 14.51 [4.32, 0.71, 4.04, 3.95, 1.49], III 8.42 [2.82, 0.48, 2.19, 1.87, 1.06], IV 10.09 [3.33, 0.46, 2.80, 2.39, 1.11]. Leg formula: 1243. Spination of palp: tarsus rl 2; legs: femur I pl 4 do 6, II pl 1 do 5 rl 1, III do 5 rl 3, IV do 6 rld 1; patellae I–IV do 1; tibia I pl 6 do 3 rl 6 v 2, II pl 6 do 3 rl 6, III–IV pl 3 do 2 rl 2; metatarsus I pl 11 rl 11, II pl 6 rl 6, III pl 4 rl 3 v 1, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2; tarsi I–IV spineless. Palp ( Figs 5A–D View FIGURE 5 , 6A–B View FIGURE 6 ): bulb yellow-brown ( Figs 5A–D View FIGURE 5 ), remaining segments pale yellow; patella and tibia covered with scattered long macrosetae ( Figs 5A, C View FIGURE 5 , 6A–B View FIGURE 6 ). Cymbium nearly dome-shaped, dorsally with two short, horn-like spines, with several long setae ( Figs 5A–D View FIGURE 5 , 6A–B View FIGURE 6 ). Paracymbium nearly oval ( Figs 5A, C View FIGURE 5 , 6B View FIGURE 6 ). Conductor complex with membranous, and sclerotized regions having apophyses ( Figs 5B–D View FIGURE 5 , 6B View FIGURE 6 ). Embolus long, tubular, strongly curved, with posteriorly directed distal region ( Figs 5B–C View FIGURE 5 , 6A–B View FIGURE 6 ).

Female in alcohol (paratype; Figs 4A–B, D–H View FIGURE 4 ). In all details like male, except the following: overall slightly elongated and robust ( Figs 4A–B View FIGURE 4 ); opisthosoma nearly oval, dorsal side green-brown, venter without prominent patches/markings ( Figs 4A–B View FIGURE 4 ). Body length 4.80. Carapace 1.88 long, 1.33 wide. Opisthosoma 2.92 long, 2.48 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.10, AME 0.16, PLE 0.12, PME 0.12; AME–ALE 0.12, AME–AME 0.10, AME–PME 0.20, PME–PLE 0.13, PME–PME 0.20. Clypeus height at AMEs 0.08, at ALEs 0.13. Chelicerae 0.82 long. Length of palp and legs: palp 2.56 [0.66, 0.25, 0.67, 0.98], I 18.06 [4.87, 0.69, 5.27, 5.42, 1.81], II 13.42 [4.14, 0.45, 3.90, 3.51, 1.42], III 7.83 [2.68, 0.56, 1.94, 1.68, 0.97], IV 9.77 [3.20, 0.52, 2.74, 2.23, 1.08]. Leg formula: 1243. Spination of palp: patella do 2, tibia pl 1 do 1 rl 2, tarsus pl 2 do 1 rl 1; legs: femur I pl 4 do 5 rl 1, II do 8 rl 1, III do 6 rl 1, IV pl 1 plv 1 do 7; patellae I–IV do 1; tibia I pl 7 do 2 rl 5, II pl 6 do 2 rl 2, III pl 3 do 1 rl 3 v 1, IV pl 2 do 2 rl 1 v 1; metatarsus I pl 8 rl 5, II pl 6 do 2 rl 2, III pl 4 plv 1 rl 4, IV pl 3 rl 3 rlv 1; tarsi I–IV spineless. Genitalia ( Figs 4I View FIGURE 4 , 5E–F View FIGURE 5 , 6C–D View FIGURE 6 ): epigyne longer than wide, with transverse atrium having a thick, M-shaped anterior margin, with nearly triangular posterior plate ( Figs 4I View FIGURE 4 , 5E View FIGURE 5 , 6C View FIGURE 6 ). Scape absent. Copulatory openings indistinct, covered by a posterior plate. Copulatory ducts short ( Figs 5F View FIGURE 5 , 6D View FIGURE 6 ). Spermathecae oval, anterolaterally fused ( Figs 5F View FIGURE 5 , 6D View FIGURE 6 ). Fertilization ducts short, inwardly curved ( Figs 5F View FIGURE 5 , 6D View FIGURE 6 ).

Variations. Dorsal opisthosoma of one female paratypes with no prominent green-brown markings ( Fig. 4C View FIGURE 4 ). Male (n=2): body length 4.24–4.80. Female (n=2): body length 3.36–3.90.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Mimetidae

Genus

Mimetus

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