Mysmenopsis pululahua new species

Figs 71–80, 226, 227, map 1 (blue star).

Material examined. Male holotype and female allotype from Ecuador, Pichincha Province, Termas de Pululahua (00.059720 -78.509230) 2128m, 3 Feb. 2019, in Linothele sp. web, E.E. Tapia (QCAZ). Paratypes: 4♀ same data (QCAZ, ZMH-A0001911, 1912); 1♂, Pichincha Province, 3km from Termas de Pululahua (00.062774 -78.526553) 2228m, 3 Feb. 2019, in Linothele sp. web, E.E. Tapia (ZMH- A0001920) .

Additional material examined. Ecuador: Pichincha Province, Mitad del Mundo, Reserva Pululahua, Termas de Pululahua (00.058458 -78.598635), 2100m, 4 nov. 2016, 2♀, Linothele sp. web, N. Dupérré, E.E. Tapia A.A. Tapia (DTC) .

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality, the Pululahua geobotanical reserve.

Diagnosis. Males resemble M. awa n. sp. and M. hunachi n. sp. but can be distinguished by the small curved embolic apophysis and the presence of a few, small cusps on a large retrolateral ledge (Fig. 76), while M. awa n. sp. has a longer, pointed embolic apophysis and long cusps on a chisel ledge (Fig. 46) and M. hunachi n. sp. has a no embolic apophysis and an elongated ledge with numerous, short cusps (Fig. 94). Females most resembles M. choco n. sp. but can be distinguished by the extended anterior margin of the epigynum (Fig. 79); not as extended in M. choco n. sp. (Fig. 39) and the large wing-like extension of the anterior margin of the dorsal plate (Fig. 80), straight in the latter (Fig. 40).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length: 1.92; carapace length: 0.94; carapace width: 0.86; abdomen length: 0.98. Cephalothorax: carapace dark brown, pear-shaped; suffused black along pars cephalica and radiating lines (Fig. 71). Sternum dark brown suffused with black; covered with long setae. Clypeus dark brown; high (4x AME). Chelicerae brown suffused with black; promargin with three teeth; retromargin not observed. Eyes: eight, rounded, all approximately equal size; ocular region on protuberance; AME separated by their radius, AME-LE touching; ALE-PLE contiguous, LE-PME separated by their diameter; PME separated by their radius. Abdomen: rounded, dark grey with white patches in a circular pattern anteriorly followed by longitudinal zigzag of white patches dorsally (Figs 71, 72). Legs: femur I dark brown; femora II-IV brown with dark brown patches baso-medio and apicoventrally, dark brown apically; tibiae and metatarsi I-IV orange-brown with dark band apically, tarsi light orange; femur and tibia I enlarged, metatarsus I slightly curved. Legs spination: patellae I-IV with one macroseta; tibia I with two prolateral clasping spurs; metatarsus I row of five macrosetae prolatero-ventrally and two clasping spurs apically (Fig. 74); femur I with one macroseta prolaterally; tibiae I-IV with one macroseta dorso-proximally; tibia II with four macrosetae ventrally. Total length leg I: 3.36 (1.16/0.35/0.94/0.44/0.47). Genitalia: palpal tibia globular; retrolateral ledge rectangular bearing five cusps, ventral ledge small with one cusp; two retrolateral trichobothria (Fig. 76). Cymbium apically truncated, excavated; paracymbium triangular and excavated prolatero-dorsally (Fig. 77). Tegulum oval (Fig. 76). Embolus short, spine-like, embolic apophysis curved, sickle-shaped (Figs 76, 78).

Female (allotype): Total length: 2.52; carapace length: 1.00; carapace width: 0.87; abdomen length: 1.52. Cephalothorax (Fig. 71), chelicerae and sternum: as in male. Clypeus dark brown; low (3x AME). Eyes: eight, rounded, all approximately equal size; ocular region on low protuberance; AME separated by their radius, AME-LE almost touching; ALE-PLE contiguous, LE-PME separated by their diameter; PME separated by their radius. Abdomen: as in male (Figs 71, 73). Legs: Legs: coloration pattern as in male, slightly darker; femur I enlarged with sub-apical short tubercle (Fig. 75). Legs spination: patellae I-IV with one macroseta; tibiae I-IV with one macroseta dorsoproximally; tibiae I-II with three to four macrosetae ventrally. Total length leg I: 3.41 (1.11/0.36/0.84/0.61/0.49). Genitalia: epigynum protruding, anterior epigynal margin extended but not well delimited, posterior epigynal margin pointed (Fig. 79). Dorsal epigynal plate anterior margin wing-like (Figs 80, 226). Internal genitalia (paratype): spermathecae large and rounded (Figs 80, 227); copulatory openings situated medially; copulatory ducts not observed; fertilization ducts procurved and well sclerotized basally, transparent and curved apically (Figs 80, 227).

Distribution. Ecuador, Pichincha Province.

Natural history. Specimens were collected in Linothele web, between 2100-2228m in the Andean ecoregion. Specimens were found in an evergreen mountain shrubland of the western Andes (AsMn01) (Josse & Aguirre, 2013).