Opopaea suspecta, Saaristo, Michael I., 2002

Saaristo, Michael I., 2002, New species and interesting new records of spiders from Seychelles (Arachnida, Araneaea), Phelsuma 10, pp. 1-32 : 20-21

Opopaea suspecta n. sp. ( Figs. 55-58)

Types: Holotype female from Praslin, Vallée de Mai , 19.03.2002, J. Gerlach leg. ( MZT AA 2.298 ) .

Etymology: Named as suspecta because it is not clear that the species is truly a member of the genus Opopaea .

Diagnosis: Female (male unknown) of O. suspecta can be recognized by having thick, erect hairs on palpal tibia and behind the epigastric furrow a round depression with a short, spiny extension at its middle.

Figs. 55-58. Opopaea suspecta n. sp. 55: Epigastric area of female. 56: Abdomen ventrally. 57: Carapace dorsally. 58: Right palp latererally. Scale=0.2 mm. Orig.

Description: Female (male unknown). Medium-sized (TL = 1.61,CL = 0.71), completely chitinized species. Cephalothorax and abdomen brown, legs pale yellowish. Carapace dorsally smooth, sides with numerous longitudinal striae. Four long hairs on clypeus; on either sides of the upper surface of carapace some ten hairs in irregular rows and ten in a transverse row on posterior part ofcarapace. Eyes almost equal in size. Apical half of tarsus with numerous, erect thick hairs; similarly thickened hairs also on other palpal segments and legs. Operculae small, slit-like. Dorsolateral petiolar tube comers with triangular lobes opposed with boomerang-shaped ridges o n epigastric scutum. Hairs on anal ring conspicuously thickened. On posterior side of epigastric furrow a light, round depression with dark, claw-like median elevation.

Discussion: This species is assigned to Opopaea with some hesitation. The structure on the posterior side of epigastric furrow resembles that of Opopaea silhouettei (Benoit, 1979) and also the triangular lobes on petiolar tube are typical for the genus Opopaea . On the other hand, the form of operculae, presence ofthickened hairs and large size are all typical of Lisna trichinalis (Benoit, 1979). Finding the male is essential for the proper generic placement of the species.