Mysmenopsis regiae new species

Figs 8, 9, 12A

Type material. 1♁ holotype. BRAZIL: Amazonas, Presidente Figueiredo, Usina Hidrelétrica de Balbina, Galo de Briga, 01°44’19”S 59°43’11.6”W, 13.VIII.2006, R.S. Ferreira leg. (INPA 1218) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym in honor of Regiane Saturnino, nicknamed “Regi”, arachnologist who collected the holotype and was of great importance in the scientific training P. Pantoja and C. Xavier.

Diagnosis. Males of Mysmenopsis regiae n. sp. resemble those of M. mexcala (Fig. 46 in Gertsch, 1960), M. ixlitla (Figs 31–32 in Levi, 1956), M. cymbia (Figs 43–47 in Levi, 1956) and M. tengellacompa Platnick, 1993 (Figs 5–7 in Eberhard, Platnick & Schuh, 1993) by the long spiraled embolus (Figs 8C–D, 9A, B), but differ of M. mexcala and M. ixlitla by the flattened embolus, describing only one and a half turn over the embolic base and by the conspicuous dorsal paracymbium (Figs 8C, 9A); M. mexcala has a coiled embolus with eight full turns; M. ixlitla has coiled embolus with six full turns; both these species have a thin embolus and poorly developed paracymbium. Differ from M. cymbia and M. tengellacompa by the globose tibia with six retroapical cusps and apical embolus; M. cymbia and M. tengellacompa have tibia palpal broad but not globose, no tibial cusps and embolus basally inserted, describing a longitudinal turn around the cymbium.

Description. Male holotype: Total length: 1.32; carapace length: 0.52; carapace width: 0.53; abdomen length: 0.76; abdomen width: 0.58. Cephalothorax: carapace dark brown, pear-shaped, suffesed black along pars cephalica and radiating lines (Fig. 8A). Sternum dark brown suffused with black. Clypeus dark brown, high (3x AME). Chelicerae brown. Eyes: eight, rounded, AME approximately 1.5x larger than the others, which are approximately equal size; ocular region on protuberance; AME separated by their diameter; AME–ALE touching; ALE–PLE contiguous; ALE–PME separated by their diameter; PME separated by their diameter. Abdomen: suboval, dark grey with four white patches in a circular pattern anteriorly (Figs 8A, B) followed by a large white spot with median transversal grey patches in posterior view (Fig. 8B). Legs: orange, femora I–IV yellow with an apical large dark band ventro-laterally; patellae I–IV dark brown; tibiae and metatarsi I–IV yellow with dark band apically, tarsi I–IV yellow. Leg spination: tibia I with one apical prolateral clasping spur and row of three prolateral macrosetae; metatarsus I with one apical prolateral curved clasping spur (Fig. 9D). Total length leg I: 1.78 (0.51/0.20/0.41/0.31/ 0.35); leg II: 1.68 (0.49/0.22/0.44/0.27/0.26); leg III: 1.33 (0.40/0.15/0.28/0.23/0.27); leg IV: 1.68 (0.50/0.17/0.41/0.30/0.30). Genitalia (Figs 8C–D; 9A–C): tibia very bulky, with ventral pedicel, with six retroapical cusps; cymbium with apical region domed and basal groove, paracymbium dorsal, hook-shaped, with the apex curved prolaterally, adjacent to the embolus; tegulum very reduced, only visualized in apical view; coiled flattened embolus, turning one and a half times on itself with a small basal embolic apophysis.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality.

Natural History. Male holotype was collected in igapó forest (blackwater flooded forest).