Variratina minuta, Zhang & Maddison, 2012

Zhang, Jun-Xia & Maddison, Wayne P., 2012, New euophryine jumping spiders from Papua New Guinea (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae) 3491, Zootaxa 3491, pp. 1-74 : 58

Variratina minuta sp. nov.

Figs 272–281

Type material. Holotype: male, PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Central Province : Varirata National Park, 9.436° S, 147.364° E, elev. 740 m a.s.l., 4 August 2008, coll. W. Maddison, A. Kore & J. Kore, WPM#08-029 ( UBC-SEM AR00108 ) . Paratype: 1 female, same data as holotype ( UBC-SEM AR00109 ) .

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to the small size of the spider.

Diagnosis. See diagnosis of the genus. Embolus of the male palp is slender with the plane of its spiral almost perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bulb ( Figs 278–279). Epigynal window is large ( Fig. 280), and copulatory duct is convoluted ( Fig. 281).

Description. Male (holotype, UBC-SEM AR00108). Carapace length 0.9; abdomen length 0.8. Chelicera: with two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth. Palp ( Figs 278–279): cream. Embolus long and spiral. Retrolateral tibial apophysis finger-like. Tibia of first leg with three ventral macrosetae; first metatarsus with two pairs. Measurements of legs: I 1.4, II 1.4, III 1.7, IV 1.9. Color in alcohol ( Fig. 276): carapace covered with pale yellow setae, eye area dark, with a medial stripe composed of white setae extending to posterior part of carapace; behind eye area grey brown, with medial and lateral cream stripes; abdomen with a medial white stripe and some symmetrical dark markings; legs pale yellow, with indistinct grey marking at distal end of each segment.

Female (paratype, UBC-SEM AR00109). Carapace length 1.0; abdomen length 1.4. Chelicera: with two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth. Tibia of first leg with three pairs of ventral macrosetae; first metatarsus with two pairs. Measurements of legs: I 1.6, II 1.6, III 2.0, IV 2.2. Epigynum ( Figs 280–281): window wide. Copulatory duct convoluted; spermatheca small. Color in alcohol ( Fig. 277): similar to that of male.

Natural history. Specimens were found on tree trunks.