Mysmenopsis onorei, Dupérré, Nadine & Tapia, Elicio, 2015

Dupérré, Nadine & Tapia, Elicio, 2015, Descriptions of four kleptoparasitic spiders of the genus Mysmenopsis (Araneae, Mysmenidae) and their potential host spider species in the genus Linothele (Araneae, Dipluridae) from Ecuador, Zootaxa 3972 (3), pp. 343-368 : 345-348

Mysmenopsis onorei new species

Figs. 1–7

Material examined. Male holotype from Ecuador, Cotopaxi Province, San Francisco de Las Pampas, Casa César Tapia (00.42415°S 78.95719°W), 1426m, hand collecting, August 2013, César and Carmen Tapia ( QCAZ). Female paratype same data.

Additional material examined. Ecuador: Cotopaxi Province: Parroquia San Francisco de Las Pampas, Casa César Tapia (00.42415°S 78.95719°W), 1426m, 08.xii.2014, 1♂ 1♀, hand collected in web of Linothele yanachanka, E. Tapia and C. Tapia , specimens kept with the host holotype ( QCAZ); 25.xii.2014, 1♀ 3 juveniles, hand collected from web at 6m from ground, E. Tapia, I. Tapia and C. Tapia, specimens kept with the host paratypes ( QCAZ); 1♂ 1♀, hand collected from web, E. Tapia, A. Tapia, specimens kept with the host specimen ( AMNH); 1♂ 5♀, hand collected from web in palm tree, E. Tapia, A. Tapia and C. Tapia, specimens kept with the host specimen ( MECN); 1♂, hand collected from web, E. Tapia, A. Tapia and C. Tapia, specimens kept with the host specimen (DTC); 1♂ 1♀, hand collected from web, E. Tapia, A. Tapia and C. Tapia, specimens kept with the host specimen ( AMNH); 1♂ 1♀, E. Tapia, A. Tapia and C. Tapia (DTC).

Etymology. The specific epithet is in honour of Dr. Giovanni Onore, pioneer in Ecuadorian entomology and biodiversity, for his work in conservation and education through Otonga Foundation.

Diagnosis. Males can be distinguished from all species by their palpal tibia bearing a large retrolateral protuberance with four cusps ( Fig. 3 ). Females can be distinguished from most species by their apically pointed epigynal margin ( Fig. 6 ); from M. ischnamigo by their rounded spermathecae and from M. otonga by the straight margin of the dorsal plate of the epigynum (visible ventrally, see Fig. 7 ).

Description. Male: Total length: 1.9; carapace length: 1.0; carapace width: 0.8; abdomen length: 0.9. Cephalothorax: Carapace light olive brown, pear-shaped; suffused with black along pars cephalica and radiating lines. Sternum light olive brown, suffused with black; as long as wide; densely covered with long setae. Clypeus light olive brown; high (4x AME). Chelicerae light olive brown; promargin with 3 teeth; retromargin not observed.

Eyes: eight, rounded, all approximately equal size; ocular region on protuberance; AME separated by half their diameter, AME-LE slightly separated; ALE-PLE contiguous, LE-PME separated by their diameter; PME separated by their diameter. Abdomen: Rounded, light grey, with dark gray pattern and white patches. Legs: Yellow-brown with black markings; coxae I–IV yellow-brown. Leg I: femur enlarged and brown, tibia yellow-brown; tarsus light yellow. Leg II–IV: femora with proximal, median and distal black rings, tibiae and metatarsi with distal black ring, tarsi light yellow. Legs spination: patellae I–IV with macroseta dorso-distally; tibia I with two prolateral clasping spurs and one macroseta; metatarsus I curved, row of nine large macrosetae prolateral- ventral and two spurs apically ( Fig. 2 ); tibiae I–IV with one macroseta dorso-proximally; tibia II with four macrosetae ventrally. Genitalia: Palpal tibia globular; retrolateral ledge with one large projection bearing four cusps and three smaller triangular projections bearing cusps; ventral projection with two cusps; two retrolateral trichobothria ( Fig. 3 ). Cymbium pointed apically, tip truncated, with paracymbium ( Fig. 4 ). Tegulum elongated-oval ( Fig. 3 ). Embolus spine-liked, short, base wide; embolic base apophysis absent ( Fig. 3 ).

Female: Total length: 2.1; carapace length: 1.0; carapace width: 0.8; abdomen length: 1.1. Cephalothorax: Dark olive brown, pear-shaped; suffused with black along pars cephalica and radiating lines ( Fig. 1). Clypeus dark olive brown, punctate; low (2.5x AME). Chelicerae and sternum as in male. Eyes: eight, rounded, all approximately of equal size; ocular region on lower protuberance; AME separated by half their diameter, AME-LE touching; ALE-PLE contiguous, LE-PME separated by their diameter; PME separated by half their diameter ( Fig. 1). Abdomen: Rounded, light gray, with pattern of dark gray laterally and white patches dorsally ( Fig. 1). Legs: Yellow-brown with black markings. Coxae I–IV yellow-brown. Leg I: femur enlarged with ventral distal tubercle ( Fig. 5 ); brown with proximal, median and distal black rings; distal black rings on tibiae and metatarsi; tarsus light yellow. Leg II–IV: femora with proximal, median and distal black rings, tibiae and metatarsi with distal black ring; tarsi light yellow ( Fig. 1). Legs spination: As in male. Genitalia: Epigynum protruding, anterior epigynal margin with two tips, posterior epigynal margin pointed ( Fig. 6 ). Dorsal epigynal plate with straight ventral margin ( Fig.

7). Internal genitalia with large and rounded spermathecae with wide base; copulatory ducts not observed; fertilization ducts small positioned baso-internally ( Fig. 7 ).

Distribution. Ecuador, Cotopaxi Province.

Natural history. Specimens of M. onorei were only collected in the web of Linothele yanachanka in a secondary subtropical forest.

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 7. Mysmenopsis onorei n. sp. Male 2 – 4. Female 5 – 7. 2, Leg I, prolateral view. 3, Palp, retrolateral view. 4, Palp, prolateral view. 5, Leg I, prolateral view. 6, Epigynum, ventral view. 7, Internal genitalia, dorsal view.