Melychiopharis komischetier Dupérré & Tapia new species

Figs 1–5, map 1

Type material. Holotype ♂: Ecuador, Napo Prov., Paroquia Ahuano, Via Misahualli Yuralpa, Comunidad Campo Cocha, Sector Puerto Barantilla (-01.087475 °, -77.547185 °), 473 m, 27.XII.2022, top of hill, beating branches (1–7 m high), E. E. Tapia, I. G. Tapia, ECFN 9846 (QCAZ) . Paratypes: 1♂ 1♀ (QCAZ); Orellana Prov., Yasuni National Park (QCAZ) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, invariable and taken from the German language, meaning weird animal, due to the spider peculiar form, a mix between a turtle and an ant.

Diagnosis. Males and females are distinguished from M. cynips by the epigastric scutum with deep setal pits (Figs 1C arrow, 2A) vs. epigastric scutum without setal pits (Santos et al. 2005: figs 1, 3). Males are distinguished from M. bidendum and M. davincii by their opisthosomal orange coloration (Fig. 1A) with five black marks, vs. large central brown spot and pair of posterior marginal black spots in M. bidentum (see Brescovit et al. 2001:fig. 1); and the blackish-brown opisthosoma in M. davincii (Fig. 6A). The new species differs from M. peruviana by its strongly bent basally and long posterior extension of the median apophysis (Fig. 3A), vs. straight basal end and shorter median apophysis (Fig. 10A). Females are distinguished from M. bidendum by absence of epigynal median plate (Fig. 3C) vs. present (Brescovit et al. 2011: fig 9); and from M. peruviana by the spermathecae elongated (2x as long as wide) (Fig. 3D) vs. rounded (Fig. 10D).

Description. Male (holotype): Measurements. Total length: 2.35; carapace 1.09 long, 0.66 wide; opisthosoma 1.26 long. Coloration in ethanol: prosoma, carapace orange, flat, reticulate; cephalic groove and fovea absent, with deep pits bearing setae (Figs 1A, C, 4A). Sternum orange, rugose; longer than wide; surrounding coxae, with posterior protuberance (Figs 1B, 4C arrow). Labium orange, fused to sternum. Endites orange, parallel, serrula present (Fig. 4D). Eyes: AME: 0.05; ALE: 0.06; PLE: 0.05; PME: 0.05; eye distances: AME-AME: 0.11, AME-LE: 0.1, PME-PME: 0.09. Clypeus: 0.13 high. Chelicerae: orange, promargin with two minuscule teeth, retromargin not examined. Legs: coxae white, femora white basally, remaining segments orange (Fig. 1A, B). Legs measurements: I: 2.68 (0.97/0.25/0.61/0.56/0.29); II: 2.39 (0.82/0.24/0.54/0.51/0.28); III: 1.82 (0.61/0.16/0.38/0.38/0.29); IV: 2.35 (0.79/0.24/0.59/0.50/0.23). Tibia and metatarsi without spines; metatarsi I, II with one trichobothria, III and IV with two trichobothria; sustentaculum absent (Fig. 5A, B). Opisthosoma: dorsally orange; with large reticulate scutum with three black median markings, and four black lateral spots (Fig. 1A); ventrally with large reticulate epigastric scutum, encompassing book lungs and anteriorly modified with deep setal pits (Fig. 1B); ventral median scutum fused to spinnerets scutum; spinnerets scutum incomplete (Fig. 1B).

Genitalia: palpal tibia with two retrolateral and dorsal trichobothria (Fig. 3B). Cymbium with deep excavation (Fig. 1F); paracymbium, square, lacking setae (Fig. 3B). Tegulum large and striated; median apophysis wide, basally membranous with long and with rugose proximal end; embolus long and filiform, with large semi-membranous base, with sub-apical transparent membrane; conductor wide, slightly folded (Figs 3A, B).

Female (paratype): Measurements. Total length: 2.53; carapace 1.18 long; carapace 0.65 wide; abdomen 1.35 long. Carapace. Same as male (Fig. 2A). Eyes: AME: 0.06; ALE: 0.06; PLE: 0.07; PME: 0.05; eyes distances: AME-AME: 0.11, AME-LE: 0.1, PME-PME: 0.11. Clypeus: height 0.14. Chelicerae. Same as male. Legs. Same as male (Figs 2A, B). Legs measurements: I: 2.94 (1.03/0.28/0.69/0.64/0.30); II: 2.73 (1.02/0.23/0.62/0.61/0.25); III: 2.00 (0.70/0.20/0.43/0.43/0.24); IV: 2.73 (0.98/0.27/0.69/0.52/0.27). Opisthosoma: dorsally orange, with one small apical scutum, one large medial scutum, two small basal, median scuta; four large latero-medial scutum and two small latero-basal, reticulate scuta; with black median mark and 4 black lateral spots (Fig. 2A); ventrally with large reticulate epigastric scutum, anteriorly modified with deep setal pits; with oval median scutum fused to spinnerets scutum; spinnerets scutum incomplete (Fig. 2B). Spinnerets: ALS with one major ampullate spigot and field of piriform spigots (Fig. 5F); PMS with one minor ampullate spigot, one cylindrical spigot, and two aciniform spigots (Fig. 5G); PLS with two aggregate spigots on separate bases, two cylindrical spigots and a field of aciniform spigots (Fig. 5H). Genitalia: epigyne with copulatory openings (co) situated on anterior corners of median depression (md); two large spermathecae visible through integument (Fig. 3C). Internal genitalia: copulatory ducts (cd) long, twisted, narrower near the copulatory opening, larger before joining spermathecae; spermathecae (s) elongated (2x longer than wide) touching; fertilization ducts (fd) short (Fig. 3D).

Distribution. Ecuador, Napo and Orellana provinces (Map 1).

Natural History. The male was collected by beating branches in a tropical rainforest.