Mysmenopsis chiquita new species

Figs. 18–22

Material examined. Male holotype from Ecuador, Santo Domingo de Las Tsáchilas, Parroquia San José de Alluriquín, La Florida (00.25254°S 79.03043°W), 884m, 28.x.2014, hand collected in diplurid web, E. Tapia (QCAZ). Female paratype, same data.

Additional material examined. Ecuador: Santo Domingo de Las Tsáchilas: Parroquia San José de Alluriquín, La Florida (00.25254°S 79.03043°W), 884m, 28.x.2014, 1♂ 2♀, hand collected in diplurid webs, foothill forest, E. Tapia (MECN); 30.xii.2014, 1♀ 4 juveniles hand collected in diplurid web, E. Tapia, I. Tapia, A. Tapia & N. Dupérré (DTC); 1♀hand collected in Linothele quori web, E. Tapia, I. Tapia, A. Tapia & N. Dupérré (AMNH); 1♀ 4 juveniles hand collected in web of juvenile Linothele quori web, E. Tapia, I. Tapia, A. Tapia & N. Dupérré (DTC); 4 juveniles hand collected in Linothele quori web, E. Tapia, I. Tapia, A. Tapia & N. Dupérré (DTC); 20.xi.2014, 11♀ hand collected with paratype of Linothele quori web, E. Tapia, I. Tapia, A. Tapia & N. Dupérré (QCAZ); 17.xii.2014, 4♂ 3♀, hand collected in diplurid webs from trees with epiphytes, E. Tapia (AMNH); 2♂, hand collected in diplurid webs, E. Tapia (QCAZ).

Etymology. The specific name is a non-Latin adjective (invariable), taken from the Spanish language meaning small.

Diagnosis. Males are distinguished from all species by the retrolateral projection of the male palpal tibia bearing four cusps (Fig. 19). Females are diagnosed from most other females by the bow-shaped posterior margin of the epigynum (Fig. 21), and from M. huascar by their bean-shaped spermathecae (Fig. 22), elongated in the latter.

Description. Male: Total length: 1.1; carapace length: 0.5; carapace width: 0.5; abdomen length: 0.6. 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: Oval, blackish with dark gray pattern and white patches (Fig. 18). Legs: Light yellow with black markings; coxae I–IV with a black spot. Leg I: femur slightly enlarged with two dark rings distally; tibia with ventral black marks; metatarsus straight, with dark ring apically; 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, metatarsus I with row of six large macrosetae prolateral-ventral and one large spur; tibiae I–IV with one macroseta dorso-proximally; tibia II with three macrosetae ventrally. Genitalia: Palpal tibia globular; retrolateral ledge with wide projection bearing four cusps; ventral projection with two cusps; two retrolateral trichobothria (Fig. 19). Cymbium dark and pointed apically, tip rounded, with small paracymbium (Fig. 20). Tegulum elongated-oval (Fig.,19). Embolus pointed, straight, wider at base; embolic base apophysis absent (Fig.19).

Female: Total length: 1.2; carapace length: 0.5; carapace width: 0.5; abdomen length: 0.7. Cephalothorax: Carapace and sternum as in male. Clypeus dark brown; high (3x AME). Chelicerae dark brown, promargin with three teeth; retromargin without teeth or denticles. Eyes: As in male; ocular region on slightly lower protuberance. Abdomen: Oval, beige with dark gray pattern and numerous white patches. Legs: Light yellow with black markings; coxae I–IV with a black spot; leg I: femur enlarged with ventral distal tubercle, with dark ring basally, black on distal half, tibia with ventral black marks basally and medially and apical dark ring, metatarsus with dark ring apically, tarsus light yellow; leg II–IV: femora with proximal, median and distal black rings; tibiae with ventral black marks basally and medially plus apical dark ring, metatarsi with distal black ring; tarsi light yellow. Legs spination: As in male. Genitalia: Posterior epigynal margin bow-shaped (Fig. 21). Dorsal epigynal plate with straight ventral margin (Fig. 22). Internal genitalia with bean-shaped spermathecae; copulatory ducts not observed; fertilization ducts positioned apico-internally (Fig. 22).

Distribution. Ecuador, Santo Domingo de Las Tsáchilas Province.

Natural history. Specimens of M. chiquita were only collected in webs of Linothele quori . They are found in the foothill forest in sympatry with M. fernandoi .