Copuetta naja, Haddad, Charles R., 2013

Haddad, Charles R., 2013, Taxonomic notes on the spider genus Messapus Simon, 1898 (Araneae, Corinnidae), with the description of the new genera Copuetta and Wasaka and the first cladistic analysis of Afrotropical Castianeirinae, Zootaxa 3688 (1), pp. 1-79 : 55-57

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3688.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DB84C679-C2AA-41CC-816E-83E2F6DCA391
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6153953
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DB8445-FFAC-FF8A-FF2A-FC1136B1FACB
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Copuetta naja
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Copuetta naja View in CoL sp. nov.

Figs 58, 59 View FIGURES 45 – 61 , 107 View FIGURES 99 – 109 , 145–148 View FIGURES 145 – 148

Etymology: The species name is a noun in apposition of the genus name of the cobras, widespread elapid snakes. The shape of the male embolus resembles a cobra in its raised threat posture with expanded hood.

Diagnosis: This species shares with C. uzungwa sp. nov. the embolus with quite a broad base, but it is more strongly bent prolaterally and tapers distally to a sharp, retrolaterally directed point in C. naja sp. nov. ( Figs 107 View FIGURES 99 – 109 , 145 View FIGURES 145 – 148 ), while more upright and with a small, distally directed tip in C. uzungwa sp. nov. ( Figs 108 View FIGURES 99 – 109 , 149 View FIGURES 149 – 152 ). Females have the sclerotised rims incorporating the copulatory openings shaped like inverted commas ( Fig. 147 View FIGURES 145 – 148 ), while oval in C. litipo sp. nov. ( Fig. 130 View FIGURES 128 – 131 ) and shaped like transverse commas in C. kwamgumi sp. nov. ( Fig. 122 View FIGURES 120 – 123 ).

Male (holotype, Kwamgumi , ZMUC). Measurements: CL 2.80, CW 2.23, AL 2.33, AW 1.40, TL 4.95 (4.95–5.40), FL 0.22, SL 1.24, SW 1.26, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.48, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE 0.56, PERW 0.81, MOQAW 0.48, MOQPW 0.45, MOQL 0.51.

Length of leg segments: I 2.40 + 1.00 + 1.93 + 2.00 + 1.07 = 8.40; II 2.35 + 0.92 + 1.83 + 2.02 + 0.98 = 8.10; III 2.32 + 0.95 + 1.70 + 2.10 + 0.98 = 8.05; IV 2.95 + 1.03 + 2.25 + 3.05 + 1.05 = 10.33.

General appearance as in Fig. 58 View FIGURES 45 – 61 . Carapace cream, eye region dark grey, entire clypeus black; paired mottled yellow-brown mediolateral markings from sides of cephalic region to posterior slope; faint mottling between mediolateral markings from PER to midpoint; pale along midline, with small narrow oval black marking in front of fovea; striae creamy-yellow, radiating from fovea, directed at coxae, densely covered with black mottling within mediolateral markings; lateral margins without markings on fringe, with large black spots between all coxal pairs; markings covered with black feathery and sparse short straight setae, areas between them covered in white feathery and short straight setae. AME separated by distance slightly larger than ¼ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance less than 1⁄10 AME diameter; clypeus height slightly larger than ¾ AME diameter; PLE larger than PME; PME separated by distance slightly less than ¾ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance slightly less than ½ PLE diameter; CW: PERW = 2.75:1. Chelicerae yellow-brown with black mottling, pale yellow prolaterally at distal end; promargin with two teeth separated by the basal width of proximal tooth, distal tooth much larger; retromargin with two subequal teeth separated by slightly less than their basal width, distal tooth close to fang base. Endites creamy-yellow with faint black mottling, cream prolaterally distally; labium creamy-yellow with faint black mottling, cream distally; sternum cream, creamy-yellow around borders. Legs cream with faint lateral mottling and indistinct markings; markings covered in black feathery setae, with cream feathery setae between them; femora I–IV with narrow distal bands; patellae I–IV with faint lateral mottling; tibiae I–IV with faint broad median bands; metatarsi I–IV with proximal, median and distal bands; tarsi without markings. Leg spination: femora: I pl 2-3 do 3 rl 1, II pl 2 do 3 rl 1, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 2 do 3-4 rl 1; all femora with scattered erect ventral setae; patellae: I and II with fine proximal and distal do setae, III and IV with proximal seta and distal spine dorsally; tibiae: I pl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, II pl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 0-1, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2, with rlv 5 erect setae; patellae: pl 1 do 2; tibiae: pl 1 do 1 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 plv 3 rlv 1. Abdomen with cream anterior dorsal scutum, extending only ½ abdomen length (more than ½ abdomen length in paratype); dorsum mottled grey with large cream X-shaped markings anteriorly and medially, with several narrow cream chevrons posteriorly; spinnerets surrounded by narrow black ring dorsally and laterally, absent ventrally; dorsum covered in black and yellow-brown feathery and short straight setae on markings; venter cream, densely covered in white short straight setae and sparse white feathery setae; epigastric scutum creamy-yellow; ventral sclerite absent (present in paratype, broader than long); inframamillary sclerite yellow-orange. Male palp creamyyellow, cymbium yellow; tegulum bright yellow, with pale yellow-brown ducts; embolus with broad oblique base that is initially directed prolaterally, with sharp bend, tip directed retrolaterally ( Figs 107 View FIGURES 99 – 109 , 145, 146 View FIGURES 145 – 148 ).

Female (paratype, Kwamgumi , ZMUC). Measurements: CL 3.05, CW 2.29, AL 2.95, AW 1.95, TL 6.0, FL 0.24, SL 1.40, SW 1.42, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.48, PME–PME 0.14, PME–PLE 0.08, PLE–PLE 0.59, PERW 0.84, MOQAW 0.47, MOQPW 0.48, MOQL 0.55.

Length of leg segments: I 2.60 + 1.15 + 2.10 + 2.13 + 1.20 = 9.18; II 2.55 + 1.05 + 2.03 + 2.10 + 1.18 = 8.91; III 2.45 + 0.99 + 1.85 + 2.23 + 1.03 = 8.55; IV 3.05 + 1.15 + 2.40 + 3.23 + 1.13 = 10.96.

General appearance as in Fig. 59 View FIGURES 45 – 61 . Carapace creamy-brown, eye region and clypeus dark grey-brown, markings and setae as for male. AME separated by distance slightly more than ¼ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance less than 1⁄10 AME diameter; clypeus height slightly more than 5⁄6 AME diameter; PLE very slightly larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal to 4⁄5 their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance slightly less than ½ PME diameter; CW: PERW = 2.72:1. Chelicerae yellow-brown with black mottling, yellow prolaterally distally; promargin with two teeth separated by the basal width of proximal tooth, distal tooth largest; retromargin with two teeth separated by ½ the basal width of proximal tooth, distal tooth slightly smaller than proximal tooth, close to fang base. Endites yellow, cream distally; labium yellow, cream distally; sternum yellow, slightly darker along margins. Legs densely covered in black feathery setae on mottled markings, with yellowish feathery setae between them; femora I–IV creamy-yellow with band in distal third; patellae I–IV yellow with narrow black band proximally and broad median band in distal half; tibiae I–II yellow with narrow proximal and broad distal band, III and IV yellow with broad band only absent at proximal and distal ends; metatarsi I–IV yellow, with narrow bands corresponding to ventral leg spine pairs; tarsi I–IV yellow-orange. Leg spination: femora: I pl 2 do 3 rl 1, II pl 1 do 3 rl 1, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 1; all femora with scattered erect ventral setae; patellae: I and II with fine proximal and distal do setae, III and IV with fine proximal seta and distal spine dorsally; tibiae: I pl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, II pl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3-4 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2, with rlv 7 erect setae; patellae: pl 1 do 2; tibiae: pl 1 do 1 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 plv 1 vt 3. Abdomen with creamy-brown dorsal scutum extending to ¼ abdomen length; dorsum and sides cream with mottled dark brown and creamy-yellow markings; mottling densely covered in dark brown and yellowish feathery setae; venter cream; spinnerets with narrow black ring dorsally and laterally, absent ventrally; epigastric scutum creamy-yellow and inframamillary sclerite yellow-brown. Epigyne with very indistinct broad paired curved ridges meeting medially in epigyne, extending laterally and posteriorly; copulatory openings situated posteriorly in small lateral inverted comma-shaped ridges at midpoint of epigyne, with very short, broad copulatory ducts entering ST II posterolaterally ( Fig. 147 View FIGURES 145 – 148 ); ST II n-shaped with anterior bend, connected broadly to posterior oblique ST I; ST I slightly broader than ST II; both ST with many folds on their surface ( Fig. 148 View FIGURES 145 – 148 ).

Type material: Holotype 3: TANZANIA: Tanga Region: Muheza District, Kwamgumi Forest Reserve, 04°57'S, 38°44'E, 170–220m a.s.l., S. McKamey et al., 2.XI.1995 (fog 14) ( ZMUC).

Paratypes: TANZANIA: Tanga Region: Muheza District, Kwamgumi Forest Reserve, 04°57'S, 38°44'E, 170– 220m a.s.l., S. McKamey et al., 23.VII.1995 (fog 10), 13 1Ƥ ( ZMUC).

Additional material examined: None.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 153 View FIGURE 153 ).

Biology: Collected by canopy fogging in forests.