Melychiopharis bibendum new species

(Figures 1–10)

Type material: Male holotype and female paratype from Mata do Pacangê, Michelin’s Legal Reserve, Ituberá (13°43'S 39°08'W), state of Bahia, Brazil, 15–25.I.2009, C.M.P. Leite coll., deposited in UFBA 2658 and 2659 respectively.

Etymology. The species name refers to the centenarian mascot of the Michelin Company, which maintains a private forest reserve in southern Bahia, where the type specimens were collected.

Diagnosis. Both males and females of Melichyopharis bibendum differ from M. cinips (see Santos et al. 2005: figs 6–10) in the stronger granulation of carapace (Figs. 1, 2) and in the remarkable tubercles at the anterior margin of abdomen, around the pedicel (Fig. 6). Males also differ in the longer embolus with a small rounded basis (Figs. 3, 7) and the larger paracymbium (Fig. 4, 8). Females can be distinguished by the median plate of epigynum subtriangular, with a narrow anterior septum (Figs. 5, 9) and the copulatory ducts wider and not encapsulated (Fig. 10).

Description. Male. Carapace longer than wide, widest at the middle. Carapace, sternum and legs red-brown. Lateral and part of dorsum of opisthosoma yellow, with a large central, brown spot and two posterior marginal black patches (Fig. 1). Venter reddish anteriorly and orange posteriorly. Eyes subequal in size. Anterior median eyes separated by its diameters, almost one diameter from posterior medians. Lateral eyes approximately half a diameter from the anterior medians. Median ocular quadrangle almost square. Clypeus 1.5 anterior median eyes diameter high. Opisthosoma 1.10 long, 1.0 wide, covered with a single, dish-shaped dorsal scutum, with a lateral flange (Fig. 1). Venter with an anterior and a posterior sclerotized area to the epigastric groove. Anterior sclerotized area with a marked posterior sulcus. Colulus small, without setae. Total length 2.1. Carapace 1.0 long, 0.6 wide. Femur I 2.2, patella and tibia 1.8, metatarsus 1.2, tarsus 0.7. Patella and tibia II 1.7, III 1.3, IV 1.8. Legs without femoral spines. Macrosetae absent on male palpal patella. Tegulum elongated mesally, with a rounded, sclerotized hump. Median apophysis distally bent (Figs. 3, 7). Paracymbium curved, convex, and rectangular in dorsal view (Figs. 4, 8).

Female. Body shape and coloration as in male (Figs. 2, 5, 6). Relative eye interdistances as in male. Clypeus 2.5 anterior median eyes diameter high. Total length 2.2, carapace 0.9 long, 0.6 wide. Femur I 0.8, patella and tibia 2.0, metatarsus 1.4, tarsus 0.7. Patella and tibia II 1.9, III 1.4, IV 1.7. Legs without femoral spines. Macrosetae absent on female palpal patella. Opisthosoma 1.2 long, 1.1 wide, similar to the male, except by the shorter posterior sclerotized area (Fig. 5). Copulatory openings located on the side of the median plate of epigynum. Copulatory ducts long, twisted and enlarged on the base of spermathecae. Spermathecae rounded and close together. Fertilization ducts long, basal to the spermathecae (Fig. 10).

Remarks. The long and granulated carapace of the type specimens, together with the genitalic characters mentioned in the genus diagnosis supports the placement of this species in Melychiopharis . Melychiopharis is probably monophyletic, supported by at least the modified carapace and the filiform median apophysis (see additional comments in Santos et al. 2005).

Natural history. The specimens were collected by nocturnal visual search on Mata Atlântica area of the Mata do Pacangê, in the south of Bahia, but unfortunately the web was not observed by the collectors. The specimens were found at low abundance (only two individuals) in a study where 2,406 spider specimens were collected.

Distribution. Know only from the type locality in the state of Bahia, northeastern of Brazil.

Other material examined. None.