Mysmenopsis otonga, Dupérré, Nadine & Tapia, Elicio, 2015

Dupérré, Nadine & Tapia, Elicio, 2015, Descriptions of four kleptoparasitic spiders of the genus Mysmenopsis (Araneae, Mysmenidae) and their potential host spider species in the genus Linothele (Araneae, Dipluridae) from Ecuador, Zootaxa 3972 (3), pp. 343-368 : 348

Mysmenopsis otonga new species

Figs. 8–12

Material examined. Male holotype from Ecuador, Cotopaxi Province, Otonga Biological Reserve (00.42261°S 79.5107°W), 2225m, hand collected in Linothele pukachumpi web, 04–09.ix.2014, N. Dupérré & E. Tapia ( QCAZ). Female paratype, same data.

Additional material examined. Ecuador: Cotopaxi Province: Otonga Biological Reserve (00.42261°S 79.5107°W), 2225m, hand collected in diplurid webs, 04–09. ix.2014, 1 ♂1♀, N. Dupérré & E. Tapia ( MECN); night collecting 24–30. v.2014, 1 ♂1♀, N. Dupérré & E. Tapia ( QCAZ); Otonga Biological Reserve (00.41994°S 79.00623°W) hand collecting in diplurids webs, 13.x.2014, 2♂ 2♀, N. Dupérré & E. Tapia ( AMNH); 6♂ 11♀, N. Dupérré & E. Tapia (DTC).

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality, Otonga Biological Reserve.

Diagnosis. Males are distinguished from all species, by their wide retrolateral palpal tibia projection bearing fifteen cusps ( Fig. 9 ). Females are diagnosed by the rounded dorsal plate of the epigynum ( Fig. 12 ).

Description. Male: Total length: 1.6; carapace length: 0.7; carapace width: 0.8; abdomen length: 0.9. Cephalothorax: Carapace dark brown, pear-shaped; suffused with black along pars cephalica and radiating lines. Sternum dark brown, suffused with black; as long as wide; densely covered with long setae. Clypeus dark brown; high (4x AME). Chelicerae dark brown; promargin with three teeth and ~10 denticles; retromargin with one tooth. Eyes: eight, rounded, all approximately equal in size; ocular region on protuberance; AME separated by half their diameter, AME-LE slightly separated; ALE-PLE contiguous, LE-PME separated by their diameter; PME separated by half their diameter. Abdomen: Rounded, dark gray, with dark gray pattern and white patches ( Fig. 8 ). Legs: Yellow-brown with black markings; coxae I–III yellow-brown, coxae IV yellow-brown with black spot. Leg I: Femur brown, enlarged, tibia yellow-brown, tarsus light yellow. Leg II–IV: femora with proximal, median and distal black rings, tibiae with medial and distal black ring, metatarsi with distal black ring; tarsi light yellow. Legs spination: Patellae I–IV with macroseta dorso-distally; tibia I with two prolateral clasping spurs and one macroseta; metatarsus I curved, row of eight large macrosetae prolateral-ventral and two spurs apically; tibiae I–IV with one macroseta dorso-proximally; tibia II with four macrosetae ventrally. Genitalia: Palpal tibia globular; retrolateral ledge with wide projection bearing fifteen cusps; ventral projection with two cusps; two retrolateral trichobothria ( Fig. 9 ). Cymbium pointed apically, tip rounded, with bilobed paracymbium ( Fig. 10 ). Tegulum globular ( Fig. 9 ). Embolus L-shaped, wider at base; embolic base apophysis lamelliform, large and twisted ( Fig. 9 ).

Female: Total length: 1.9; carapace length: 0.8; carapace width: 0.8; abdomen length: 1.1. Cephalothorax: Carapace and sternum as in male. Clypeus dark brown; high (3x AME). Chelicerae dark brown, promargin with three teeth and ~10 denticles; retromargin without teeth. Eyes: As in male; ocular region on lower protuberance. Abdomen: As in male. Legs: Coloration as in male; femur I enlarged with ventral distal tubercle. Legs spination: As in male. Genitalia: Epigynum protruding, anterior epigynal margin rounded, posterior epigynal margin lobed ( Fig. 11 ). Dorsal epigynal plate with rounded ventral margin ( Fig. 12 ). Internal genitalia with large oval spermathecae; copulatory ducts not observed; fertilization ducts small, situated medio-apically ( Fig. 12 ).

Distribution. Ecuador, Cotopaxi Province.

Natural history. Specimens of M. otonga were only collected in the web of Linothele pukachumpi in a virgin cloud forest at 2225m. Notably, a large number of individuals were found together; up to 17 specimens were collected in a single web.

Figures

FIGURES 8 – 12. Mysmenopsis otonga n. sp. Male 8 – 10. Female 11 – 12. 8, Abdomen, dorsal view. 9, Palp, retrolateral view. 10, Palp, prolateral view. 11, Epigynum, ventral view. 12, Internal genitalia, dorsal view.