Bowie catopuma, Omelko & Fomichev, 2024

Omelko, Mikhail M. & Fomichev, Alexander A., 2024, New and poorly known species of Bowie Jäger, 2022 (Araneae: Ctenidae) from Southeast Asia, Zootaxa 5543 (3), pp. 383-403 : 387-388

Bowie catopuma sp. nov.

( Figs 3–4 , 9–12 , 68–69 )

Type material. MALAYSIA: Sabah State: Holotype: ♀ ( ZMMU), Borneo, Lucia Mt. [4°28’N, 117°56’E], 1020 m, 30 August 1994, A.M. Emelyanov leg. Paratypes: 2♀ ( IBSS) together with the holotype .

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the generic name of small wild cat from Southeast Asia, Catopuma Severtzov; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. By shape of the median plate (MP) widest anteriorly females of Bowie catopuma sp. nov. are similar to those of B. neukoeln , but may be easily distinguished by 1) MP with long anterior constriction (MC) (vs. short; cf. Fig. 9 and Fig. 5 ); 2) vulval folds (VF) almost touching each other (vs. widely spaced; cf. Fig. 10 and Fig. 6 ).

Description. Female. ( Figs 3–4 ). Total length 11.76. Prosoma 5.79 long, 4.28 wide. Opisthosoma 5.37 long, 3.44 wide. Prosoma reddish brown, with brown median band. Median band widened and with projections near ocular area. Lateral bands absent. Fovea thin, black. Clypeus brown. Chelicerae dark brown, with 3 promarginal and 4 retromarginal teeth, denticles absent. Sternum light brown without pattern. Labium dark brown. Endites dark brown with yellowish distal edge. Dorsal part of opisthosoma light brown with yellowish cardiac mark and series of poorly visible gray spots. Lateral sides of opisthosoma light brown with blurry spots. Ventral part of opisthosoma light brown with yellow spots forming two poorly visible V-marks. Spinnerets light brown.

Eye diameters: AME 0.22, ALE 0.18, PME 0.31, PLE 0.32; interdistances: AME–AME 0.19, AME–ALE 0.38, PME–PME 0.26, PME–PLE 0.42, AME–PME 0.11, ALE–PLE 0.17. Clypeus height at AME 0.14, at ALE 0.51.

For palp and legs measurements see Table 3 . Palp coloration: femora, patellae, tibiae light brown; tarsi light brown with darker tip. Leg coloration: femora I–IV light brown with poorly visible spots. Patellae I–IV light brown. Tibiae I–II light brown; III–IV light brown with blurred brown semi-rings. Metatarsi I–II light brown; III–IV light brown with blurred brown semi-rings. Tarsi I–IV light brown. For palp and legs spination see Table 4 .

Female genitalia as shown in Figs 9–12 . Epigyne 1.5 times wider than long. Median plate (MP) trapezoidal, strongly sclerotized anteriorly. Lateral teeth (LT) well developed, located posterior of median plate, slightly extending beyond epigastric furrow, with rounded tips. Spermathecae (Sp) large, piriform, separated by a third of spermatheca’s length.

Notes. Since males B. catopuma sp. nov. are unknown, it is difficult to place it in a species group. There are species with a similar shape of median plate and lateral teeth situated at the posterior margin of the epigyne in chinagirl and scarymonsters species groups. Because the new species have spermathecae consisting of only one compartment, while those in chinagirl -group have particularly structured spermathecae, we place B. catopuma sp. nov. in the scarymonsters -species group. Thus, with the description of the new species, this group now consists of five species: Bowie binturong , B. catopuma sp. nov., B. neukoeln , B. sabah Li & Yao , and B. scarymonsters .

Distribution. Type locality only, Borneo: Sabah ( Figs 68–69 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1–4. Female habitus of Bowie neukoeln Jäger (1–2) and B. catopuma sp. nov. (3–4). 1, 3—dorsal; 2, 4—ventral. Scale bars: 2 mm.

FIGURES 9–12. Epigyne of Bowie catopuma sp. nov. 9—intact, ventral; 10—macerated, ventral; 11—internal genitalia, dorsal; 12—ditto, posterior. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: FD—fertilization duct, LT—lateral tooth, MC—anterior constriction of median plate, MP—median plate of epigyne, Sp—spermatheca.

FIGURES 68–69. Collection localities of the studied Bowie species. Circle—Bowie catopuma sp. nov.; star—Bowie musang sp. nov.; diamond—Bowie neukoeln Jäger; triangle—Bowie tangalunga sp. nov.; inverted triangle—Bowie shakeit Jäger; square—Bowie hosei (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge). The frame on Fig. 69 refers to the content of Fig. 68.

FIGURES 5–8. Epigyne of Bowie neukoeln Jäger. 5—intact epigyne, ventral; 6—ditto, macerated, ventral; 7—internal genitalia, dorsal; 8—ditto, posterior. Scale bar: 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: FD—fertilization duct, LT—lateral tooth, MC—anterior constriction of median plate, MP—median plate of epigyne, Sp—spermatheca, VF—vulval folds.