Melychiopharis davincii Dupérré & Tapia, 2024

Dupérré, Nadine, Tapia, Elicio, Marusik, Yuri & Eskov, Kirill, 2024, Three new species of Melychiopharis (Araneae, Araneidae) from Ecuador and Peru, Zootaxa 5555 (1), pp. 75-90 : 82-83

Melychiopharis davincii Dupérré & Tapia new species

Figs 6–7 , map 1.

Type material. Holotype ♂: Ecuador, Napo Prov., Paroquia Ahuano, Via Misahualli Yuralpa, Comunidad Campo Cocha , Sector Puerto Barantilla (-01.087475 °, -77.547185 °), 473 m, 27.XII.2022, shaking small trees, E.E. Tapia, I.G. Tapia ( QCAZ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym in honor of Leornardo da Vinci.

Diagnosis. Males most resemble M. cynips by the absence of opisthosomal modified tubercles ( Fig. 6A ), present in the latter ( Santos et al. 2005; figs 1, 3); from all other species by the dark uniform coloration of the opisthosoma dorsal scutum ( Fig. 6A ); while all other species with opisthosoma dorsal scutum orange with black or brown markings ( Figs 1A , 8A ; see Santos et al. 2005: figs 1, 3; Brescovit et al. 2011: fig. 1).

Description. Male (holotype): Measurements. Total length: 2.08; carapace 0.97 long; 0.71 wide; abdomen 1.11 long. Coloration in ethanol: prosoma, carapace reddish-orange, flat ( Fig. 6A ). Sternum reddish-orange, rugose; longer than wide; surrounding the coxae ( Fig. 6B ). Labium orange. Endites orange, converging ( Fig. 6B ). Eyes: AME: 0.05; ALE: 0.09; PLE: 0.07; PME: 0.05; eyes distances: AME-AME: 0.05, AME-LE: 0.11, PME-PME: 0.07. Clypeus: 0.17 high. Chelicerae: orange, promargin with three teeth, retromargin not observed. Legs. Coxae white, femora basally white, remaining segments dark reddish-brown ( Figs 6A, B ). Legs measurements: I: 2.53 (0.90/0.24/0.60/0.53/0.26); II: 2.22 (0.79/0.21/0.46/0.50/0.26); III: 1.74 (0.56/0.21/0.38/0.37/0.22); IV: 2.32 (0.82 /0.21/0.52/0.52/0.25). Tibia I with two pairs of ventral spines, metatarsi I with one pair of ventral spines; metatarsi I, II with one trichobothrium, and III, IV with two trichobothria. Opisthosoma: dorsally blackish-brown; with large reticulate scutum ( Fig. 6A ); ventrally with large epigastric scutum ( Fig. 6B ); with median basal scutum, fused to spinnerets scutum; spinnerets scutum incomplete ( Fig. 6B ). Genitalia: palpal tibia short, with one retrolateral and one dorsal trichobothria ( Fig. 7B ). Cymbium with shallow excavation ( Fig. 6E ); paracymbim small, lacking setae ( Fig. 7B ). Tegulum large and striated; median apophysis wide and membranous, without elongation, with large and strongly rugose proximal end; embolus long and filiform, splitting with large folded bases; conductor short, square ( Figs 7A, B ).

Female: unknown.

Distribution. Ecuador, Napo province ( Map 1 ).

Natural History. The male was collected shaking small trees in a tropical rainforest.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Melychiopharis komischetier Dupérré & Tapia new species, male holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Habitus, lateral view (arrow point to epigastric scutum with setal pits). D. Palp, ventral view. E. Palp, retrolateral view. F. Palp, dorsal view (arrow point cymbial excavation). Scale bars: A–C= 0.5 mm, D–F= 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: c conductor, e embolus, Es epigastral scutum, ma median apophysis, pc paracymbium, Sps spinneret scutum, Vms ventral median scutum.

MAP 1. Distribution mapof Melychiopharis in SouthAmerica.Melychiopharis cynips (blue star), M.bibendum (black rectangle), M. davincii sp. nov. (red rectangle), M. komischetier sp. nov. (black circle), M. peruviana sp. nov. (purple circle). Records of M. cynips and M. bibendum from Santos et al. (2007) and Brescovit et al. (2011), respectively.

FIGURE 6. Melychiopharis davincii Dupérré & Tapia new species, male holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Palp, ventral view. D. Palp, retrolateral view. E. Palp, dorsal view (arrow point cymbial excavation). Scale bars: A, B= 0.5 mm, C – E= 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Melychiopharis davincii Dupérré & Tapia new species, male A. Palp, ventral view. B. Palp, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: ma median apophysis.

FIGURE 8. Melychiopharis peruviana Eskov & Marusik new species, male holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Palp, ventral view. D. Palp, retrolateral view. E. Palp, dorsal view (arrow point cymbial excavation). Scale bars: A–C= 0.5 mm, D–E= 0.1 mm.