Pteroneta madangiensis, Versteirt & Deeleman-Reinhold & Baert, 2008

Versteirt, V., Deeleman-Reinhold, C. & Baert, L., 2008, Description Of New Species Of The Genus Pteroneta (Arachnida: Araneae: Clubionidae) From Papua New Guinea, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 56 (2), pp. 307-315 : 313-314

Pteroneta madangiensis , new species

(Fig. 8)

Material examined. – Holotype male: Papua New Guinea, Madang [=Province], Baiteta forest 6 May 1993 ( T7 , coll. O. Missa). Female allotype: Papua New Guinea, Madang [= Province], Baiteta forest (AR14)

Paratypes: 1 male and 3 females 27 Apr.1995 (AR1), 2 females 10 May 1995 (AR5), 1 male 26 May 1995 (AR9), 2 males 14 Jun.1995 (AR14), 1 female 21 Jun.1995 (AR17), 2 males 13 Jul.1995 (AR29), 3 males and 2 females 14 Jul.1995 (AR30), 1 male and 1 female 18 Jul.1995 (AR31), 2 females 20 Jul.1995 (AR33), 2 females 17 Apr.1996 (AR43), 1 male 18 Apr.1996 (AR44), 1 female 9 May 1996 (AR50), 1 male 9 May 1996 (AR52-11), 2 females 6 Jun.1996 (AR55), 1 female 25 Jul.1996 (AR70), 3 females 22 Apr.1993 (M4), 1 female 18 May 1993 (M6), 1 female 24 Jun.1993 ( T2 ). All from Papua New Guinea, Madang [=Province], Baiteta forest ( Table 1) .

Diagnosis. – Males of this species are characterized by the shape of the tibial apophysis, the number (14) and position of spines on the chelicerae and the light indentation at basis of the chelicerae. Females are distinguished by the structure of the epigyne, with 2 small circular upper spermathecae and 2 large more oval lower spermathecae.

Fig. 7. Pteroneta baiteta : A, ventral view of left male pedipalp; B, dorsolateral view of left male pedipalp, C, ventral view (epigyne); D, dorsal view (vulva).

Description. – Male: total body length: 3.5 mm; carapace length: 1.78 mm,width: 1.4 mm; abdomen length: 1.7 mm and width: 0.85 mm. Eyes: PME: 0.3 mm and PL: 0.65 mm apart, head width: 0.93 mm. Carapace, chelicerae, abdomen and legs are brownish-yellow. Chelicerae are long and small with 2 promarginal teeth and 5 retromarginal teeth (2 larger and 3 small (dot like) ones), on the dorsal side 14 short spines are present. Legs: Spination: femora I 3*d 2*p, II 3*d 1p, III 2*d 1p, IV 3*d; tibiae I 220v, II 2*v, III spineless, IV 1p 1r; metatarsi I 200v, II (10-01-0)v, III 202d 2*v + circle of 12 (barbed) spines, IV 202d 1p 2*v + retrolateral 2 spines. Measurements: Fe I: 1.0 mm, Pa+Ti I: 1.4 mm, Mt I: 0.68 mm, Ta I: 0.43 mm; Fe II: 1.41 mm, Pa+Ti II: 1.9 mm, Mt II: 0.66 mm, Ta II: 0.59 mm; Fe III: 0.78 mm, Pa+Ti III: 0.93 mm, Mt III: 0.69 mm, Ta III: 0.34 mm; Fe IV: 1.2 mm, Pa+Ti IV: 1.43 mm, Mt IV: 1.06 mm, Ta IV: 0.43 mm.

Male pedipalp (see Fig. 8 A–B): palpal tibia with a short thick apophysis ending in a blunt tip, and with more than 4 spines on its ventral side. Subtegulum only partially visible, tegulum longer than wide, oval shaped with short, straight ridged apophysis (prolateral). Sperm duct originating from funnel like sac, going distally, making a curve of 180° and returning to the top of the tegulum. Embolus small and elongated, threadlike at its tip.

Female: total length: 3.6 mm; carapace length: 1.48 mm, width: 1.13 mm; abdomen length: 2.03 mm and width: 1.1 mm. Eyes: PME: 0.23 mm apart, PL: 0.48 mm and head width: 0.69 mm. Carapace, chelicerae and legs are brownish yellow, abdomen paler and yellow. Chelicerae with 8 (small) promarginal teeth and 6 dot like retromarginal teeth. Legs: Spination: femora I-IV 2*d; tibiae I (0-10-0)v, II-III spineless, IV 1r, metatarsi I 200v, II (10-10-0), III 202d 101v + circle of 12 (barbed) spines, IV 202d 1p 102v + retrolateral bunch of 6 spines. Measurements: Fe I: 0.78 mm, Pa+Ti I: 1.15 mm, Mt I: 0.48 mm, Ta I: 0.35 mm; Fe II: 1.06 mm, Pa+Ti II: 1.45 mm, Mt II: 0.39 mm, Ta II: 0.55 mm; Fe III: 0.63 mm, Pa+Ti III: 0.69 mm, Mt III: 0.55 mm, Ta III: 0.24 mm; Fe IV: 1.01 mm, Pa+Ti IV: 1.26 mm, Mt IV: 0.99 mm, Ta IV: 0.36 mm.

Epigyne (see Fig. 8 C): entrance openings caudo-laterally situated. Long, almost straight insemination ducts originating from entrance openings and ending at the caudal side of the upper spermathecae, going upwards to the upper ones and downwards (through straight tube like structure) to lower ones. Epigyne with two pairs of spermathecae, small circular upper ones and large square shaped lower ones. The fertilization ducts originates caudally from the upper spermathecae, broad at basis, very small at tip.

Etymology. – After the type locality, the province of Madang