Opopaea tsimembo, Daniela & Andriamalala & D.C. & Hormiga & D.C., 2013

Daniela, Andriamalala, D. C., Hormiga, Gustavo & D. C., 2013, Systematics Of The Goblin Spider Genus Opopaea (Araneae, Oonopidae) In Madagascar, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2013 (380), pp. 1-156 : 138-143

Opopaea tsimembo , new species

Figures 6, 51, 53, 88, 848–879; map 5

TYPES: Male holotype and female allotype from Mahajanga: Park National d’Ankarafantsika, Forêt de Tsimembo, 18.3 km 46 ° NE de Tsaramandroso, 16 ° 139410S, 46 ° 89370E, 135 m, sifted litter, tropical dry forest, 02–08 April 2001, coll. Fisher and Griswold, et al. (CASC PBI_OON 35066).

ETYMOLOGY: The species epithet is a name in apposition taken from the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS: Males of O. tsimembo can be most easily distinguished from those of other Opopaea species in having the area before fenestra very thick and sclerotized all the way to the tip and by the small, short, beaklike sclerotized tip (figs. 848, 849, 864, 865, 868, 869, 872–879). Females of O. tsimembo can be easily recognized by the existence of a second small circular sclerotized depression between the postgynum depression and the epigastric furrow (figs. 850, 870, 871).

DESCRIPTION: Male (holotype) (PBI_ OON 35066). Small to medium-sized species. Total length 1.35. Color: orange. Carapace: pars cephalica slightly elevated posteriorly with one row of two sets of three denticles (figs. 861, 862). Carapace anterolateral corners without sclerotized triangular extension. Clypeus low, not rebordered. Chilum absent, undivided. Cheliceral paturon straight. Eyes small. ALE and PME largest. ALE oval, PME and PLE circular; PME darkened compared to other eyes, posterior eye row straight viewed from above, slightly procurved from front; ALE separated by more than their radius, ALE-PLE separated by less than ALE radius, PME touching throughout most of their length, PLE-PME separated by less than PME radius. Sternum longer than wide with radial furrows between coxae, surface smooth, without pits, shape of posterior part between coxae IV wide and hexagonal, not constricted. Lateral margins of area between coxae III unmodified, without lumps; setae parse but evenly distributed, originating from surface, without hair tufts (figs. 860–863). Cymbiobulbus shorter than the patella. Posterior margin of cymbiobulbus more or less straight with only one smooth proximal protuberance. Palpal fenestra large but not enlarged posteriorly, fenestra top flat, area before fenestra not raised into a dome. Femora half the size of palpal patella and inserted at about one third the length of the patella (figs. 848, 849, 864, 865, 868, 869, 872–879).

Female (allotype) (PBI_OON 35066). Total length 1.56. Orange, abdomen oval and not flattened posteriorly. Postgynum depression arclike, about one third longer than the distance between epigastric furrow and the shallow groove connecting tracheal spiracles and one third wider than the distance between the two lateral apodemes, ridge sclerotized. Scutal ridge weakly sclerotized bearing a small cylindrical parmula in its median (figs. 850, 870, 871).

MEASUREMENTS: Male (holotype) ( PBI _ OON 35066). TL: 1.35 ; CL: 0.61; CW: 0.50; CH: 0.28; AL: 0.8; AW: 0.50; ALE: 0.06; PME: 0.06; PLE: 0.06; EGW: 0.17; ALE- ALE: 0.03; ALE-PLE: 0.01; PME-PME: 0; PLE-PME: 0.01; CBL: 0.19; CBW: 0.07; CBL/PTL: 0.79; FI: 0.10.

Female (allotype) ( PBI _OON 35066). TL: 1.56 ; CL: 0.64; CW: 0.51; CH: 0.26; AL: 0.97; AW: 0.65; ALE: 0.06; PME: 0.06; PLE: 0.05; EGW: 0.18; ALE-ALE: 0.04; ALE-PLE: 0.01; PME-PME: 0; PLE-PME: 0.01; EFL:

0.15; LAL: 0.07; PGI (LAL/EFL): 0.46; PDL/LAL: 0.42; PDW/EFL: 0.40.

VARIATION: Male: TL: 1.35–1.41; CL: 0.61–0.65; CW: 0.50–0.50; AL: 0.80–1.82; AW: 0.50–0.54.

Female: TL: 1.54–1.57; CL: 0.64–0.66; CW: 0.51–0.54; AL: 0.94–0.97; AW: 0.65–0.69.

NATURAL HISTORY: O. andranomay is found in tropical dry forests at low elevation (135 m).

DISTRIBUTION: O. tsimembo is found in northwestern Madagascar in the province of Mahajanga (Park National d’Ankarafantsika, Forêt de Tsimembo) (map 5).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: MADA- GASCAR: Mahajanga: Park National d’Ankarafantsika, Forêt de Tsimembo, 18.3 km 46 ° NE de Tsaramandroso, 16 ° 139410S, 46 ° 89370E, 135 m, sifted litter, tropical dry forest, 02–08 April 2001, coll. Fisher and Griswold et al., 38, 16♀ (CASC PBI_OON 35066).