Ctenus cladarus Jäger, 2012

Jäger, Peter & Minn, Myin Zu, 2015, New species in the family Ctenidae Keyserling, 1877 from high altitude habitats in Myanmar, with the first case of penetration of the female’s cuticle by a male in the RTA-clade (Arachnida: Araneae: Ctenidae), Zootaxa 3994 (2), pp. 235-252 : 238-240

Ctenus cladarus Jäger, 2012

Figs 7–17 , 63

Material examined (4 males, 5 females). MYANMAR: Chin State: Nat Ma Taung National Park: 2 males, 4 females, road S of summit, 21°10'7.5''N, 93°54'53.5''E, 2543 m, pristine primary forest, rich understorey, leaf litter, by hand and sieving, P. Jäger leg. 16 May 2014 ( SMF; 1 male, 1 female IZCAS). 1 male, road Kampetlet-Mindat, 21°13'14.1''N, 93°56'21.2''E, 2672 m, disturbed primary forest, bamboo and understorey, leaf litter, by day, sieving, P. Jäger & J. Martens leg. 19 May 2014 ( SMF). 1 male, 1 female, road Kampetlet-Mindat, 21°13'13.2''N, 93°58'53.5''E, 2381 m, disturbed primary forest, bamboo and understorey, leaf litter, by day, by hand, P. Jäger leg. 13 May 2014 (UYC).

Extended diagnosis. Small to medium sized Ctenidae (total length males 8.1–9.3, females 11.9–14.1). Males are similar to those of C. ramosus Thorell, 1887 , C. natmataung spec. nov. and C. pingu spec. nov. in having an easily breaking tip of the distal RTA as well as a similar conformation of bulbal structures ( Figs 12–13 ). Females are similar to those of C. pingu spec. nov. ( Figs 14–17 ); for differential diagnosis of both sexes look under C. pingu spec. nov.

Description. Female (13 May 2014). PL 5.6, PW 3.8, AW 2.8, OL 7.9, OW 5.6. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.26, ALE 0.22, PME 0.32, PLE 0.28, AME–AME 0.14, AME–ALE 0.26, PME–PME 0.20, PME–PLE 0.32, AME–PME 0.12, ALE–PLE 0.15, clypeus height at AME 0.18, clypeus height at ALE 0.49. Palp and leg measurements: palp 5.5 (1.8, 1.0, 1.3, -, 1.4), I 12.8 (3.5, 2.1, 3.4, 2.7, 1.1), II 11.7 (3.3., 1.9, 2.9, 2.6, 1.0), III 10.5 (3.0, 1.7, 2.2, 2.5, 1.1), IV 14.6 (3.8, 1.8, 3.5, 4.1, 1.4). Leg formula 4123. Spination of palp and legs: palp 131, 100, 1012, 1011; femora I p011, d110, r010, II p112, d111, r 110, III p112, d111, r112, IV p111, d111, r001; patellae I–II 0 0 0, III 101, IV 1 (0)01; tibiae I v22222, II p1, r1, v2222, III p11, d111, r 11, v22 (1)2, IV p11, d111, r11, v222; metatarsi I–II v222, III p001, d011, r111, v222, IV p111, d011, r111, v222. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal, 4 retromarginal teeth, and with 3–5 denticles. Retromargin of chelicerae close to fang base with 5–6 bristles. Ventral tarsi and partly metatarsi with sparse scopula. Claw tufts divided into two distinct parts. Palpal claw with 6 secondary teeth.

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis ( Figs 14–17 ). Epigynal field as long as wide, with one pair of slit sensilla latero-medially on the right side (left side missing). Median plate roughly trapezoid, rounded posteriorly, with one pair of lateral longitudinal furrows, these latter diverging posteriorly; epigynal teeth arising at posterior part, weakly developed. Internal duct system with lateral folds diverging posteriorly, anteriorly bent. Spermathecae slightly longitudinal, chamber II distinctly smaller than chamber I, fertilisation ducts arising posteriorly, mediad.

Colouration ( Figs 9–10 ). Yellow brown with darker markings. Prosoma dorsally with light median bandwidest on halfway between eyes and fovea—and 2 dark broad lateral bands. Fovea longitudinal, distinct, in posterior third. Sternum, ventral coxae yellowish brown without pattern. Labium and gnathocoxae darker brown with distal parts pale yellowish to white. Chelicerae dark reddish brown with proximal part lighter especially lateral humps. Legs brown, without distinct pattern, ventral femora light yellowish brown. Opisthosoma dorsally with two characteristic dark lateral patches anteriorly, leaving heart region light yellowish brown, in posterior half with 4–5 pairs of smaller dark patches; laterally spotted; ventrally with irregular pattern, and median field slightly lighter.

Variation. In three of eight palps the distal part of the RTA was still attached (1 male with two intact RTAs, 1 male with the right RTA intact) ( Figs 12–13 ). In the original description only the holotype male was available to document the colouration pattern. Here is one freshly collected male depicted (in ethanol: Figs 7–8 ; alive: Fig. 11 ). Note the interrupted narrow light band within the dark lateral band of the prosoma dorsally. This character might prove as diagnostic when larger series with this character being stable are known.

Distribution. Known only from the Mt Victoria in southern Chin State, Myanmar from elevations of 2380– 2670 m ( Fig. 63 : red triangles).

Figures

FIGURE 63. Distributional records of Ctenidae treated in this paper. Large Map: Records at Nat Ma Taung (= Mt Victoria). Red triangles— Ctenus cladarus, yellow circle— C. pingu spec. nov., green squares— C. natmataung spec. nov., white arrowsummit. White numbers indicate elevation [m]. Inset: Location of Mt Victoria (orange drop), and Mt Popa (blue cross; Anahita popa spec. nov., 1250 m).

FIGURES 4 – 11. 4 – 6 Anahita popa spec. nov., holotype female from Mt Popa, Myanmar (4 habitus, dorsal; 5 habitus, ventral; 6 eye arrangement, dorsal). 7 – 11 Ctenus cladarus Jäger, 2012 from Mt Victoria, Myanmar. Male (7 – 8) and female (9 – 11) habitus (7, 9, 11 dorsal; 8, 10 ventral).

FIGURES 12 – 13 Ctenus cladarus Jäger, 2012 from Mt Victoria, Myanmar. Male palp, ventral (12 with RTA tip; 13 without RTA tip). C—conductor; diRTA—distal tip of RTA; dTA—distal tegular apophysis; E—embolus; mME—median membranous extension of embolus; pME—prolateral membranous extension of embolus; pTA—proximal tegular apophysis.

FIGURES 14 – 17 Ctenus cladarus Jäger, 2012, female copulatory organ (14 epigyne, ventral; 15 epigyne, posterior; 16 vulva, dorsal; 17 schematic course of internal duct system). I + II—two chambers of spermathecae, chamber II functionally between chamber I and fertilisation duct; CD—copulatory duct; EF—longitudinal epigynal furrows; ET—epigynal teeth; FDfertilisation duct; LF—lateral folds; MP—median plate; SS—slit sensilla.