Lapsias guamani, Maddison, Wayne P., 2012

Maddison, Wayne P., 2012, Five new species of lapsiine jumping spiders from Ecuador (Araneae: Salticidae), Zootaxa 3424, pp. 51-65 : 58

Lapsias guamani , sp. nov.

( Figs 21–24 )

Type material. Holotype female in QCAZ, temporarily held at the UBC-SEM, with data: " ECUADOR: Napo: Río Guamani on Jondachi-Loreto road. S 0.7223 W 77.6408. 1050 m elev. 31 October 2010. D Maddison. WPM#10- 038", "Photo'd 31 Oct # ECU 2010-1627", "UBC-SEM AR00193"

Etymology. The name refers to the type locality.

Diagnosis. The epigynum with an overhanging projection resembling a human epiglottis is distinctive. This is also the smallest Lapsias known.

Notes. This species is placed provisionally in Lapsias , as its body form is unremarkable (like Lapsias ) and there is no other genus where it is more justified. Phylogenetic studies may very well revise its placement.

Description. Female (holotype). Carapace length 1.3; abdomen length 1.5. Carapace relatively square, high. PME small. Chelicerae with 2–3 promarginal and 2 retromarginal teeth. Palp with tarsal claw. Tibia of first leg with 3 pairs of ventral macrosetae; first metatarsus with 3 pairs. Epigynum ( Fig. 24 ) with a central depression, over which is an epiglottis-shaped projection. Colour ( Figs 21–23 ): Dark brown; abdomen with faint chevrons.

Natural history. The one specimen was collected from a small patch of moist forest. The forest was somewhat disturbed — less than 10 m from where the specimen was found was a highway; on the other side was a river within 50 m. Although the exact location and microhabitat where the specimen was found is not known, the primary microhabitats searched were leaf litter and mossy tree trunks. When walking, the second pair of legs are waved periodically, as seen in Thrandina and many other basal salticids (Maddison, 2006, 2009). A video of the living holotype is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGfizPH1LoU.

Figures

FIGURES 21 – 24. Lapsias guamani, sp. n. 21 – 24 holotype female 24 epigynum, ventral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm. Figures 21 – 24 are copyright © 2012 W. P. Maddison, released under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 3.0 license.