Hovops vezo, Artigas, Sandra Mónica Rodriguez & Corronca, Jose Antonio, 2014

Artigas, Sandra Mónica Rodriguez & Corronca, Jose Antonio, 2014, New species and distribution records of selenopid spiders of the genus Hovops Benoit in Madagascar (Araneae, Selenopidae), Zootaxa 3780 (3), pp. 547-557 : 551-554

Hovops vezo sp. n.

Figs 27–34 , 38–39

Type material. Holotype: female, Madagascar, without collector data or precise locality data, deposited in MCZ. Etymology. The specific name is dedicated to the semi-nomadic fisherman tribe living on the southern coast of Madagascar at Vezo . This name is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. The middle field of the epigyne of H. vezo sp. n. is almost circular and clearly delimited by a sclerotized border ( Fig. 32 ), with the secondary epigynal pockets well developed and elongated ( Figs 32–33 ). The shape of the copulatory ducts and spermatheca is also characteristic ( Figs 34 , 38 ), with the head of the spermatheca directed sideways and backwards.

Description. Female (holotype): Total body length 13.24. Prosoma 5.31 long, 5.90 wide. Opisthosoma 7.93 long, 6.01 wide. Eye diameter and interdistances: AME 0.22, ALE 0.20, PME 0.15, PLE 0.34, AME-AME 0.37, AME-ALE 0.86, AME-PME 0.19, PME-PME 1.17, PME-PLE 0.80, PLE-PLE 2.90, ALE-ALE 2.51. Leg formula: 2431. Leg measurements: I—Fe 5.40, Pat+Tib 7.10, Mt 3.50, Ta 1.50, total 17.50; II—6.20, 7.80, 4.30, 1.50, total 19.80; III—6.00, 6.70, 4.00, 1.50, total 18.20, IV—6.40, 6.90, 4.30, 1.50, total 19.10. Leg spination: Fe I—d1.1.0, pr1.1.0, II–IV d1.1.0, Tib I—v2.2.2.2.1.1, II—v2.2.2.2 (left leg)—v1.2.2.2.2 (right), III–IV v1.0.0; Mt I—v2.2.2.2 (the last ones reduced), II—v2.2.2, III–IV no spines. Prosoma and legs reddish-brown. Opisthosoma yellowishbrown with central yellowish-grey undifferentiated pattern ( Fig. 27 ). Prosoma and legs with feathery hairs. Opisthosoma with iridescent imbricated scaly hairs ( Fig. 31 ). Cheliceral teeth 3:3 ( Fig. 30 ).

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Madagascar.

Figures

FIGURES 27 – 34. Hovops vezo sp. n. 27 female habitus, dorsal view; 28 eye arrangement; 29 spination of the anterior tibia and metatarsus, ventral view; 30 detail of cheliceral teeth; 31 detail of iridescent scale-like hairs; 32 epigyne, ventral view; 33 idem, cleared; 34 vulva, dorsal view. Scales: 27 – 28, 30 = 1 mm; 32 – 34 = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 35 – 38. Drawings of the vulvae of the new species of Hovops, here described. 35 H. antakarana sp. n.; 36 H. ikongo sp. n.; 37 H. menabe sp. n.; 38 H. vezo sp. n. Abbreviations: CD—copulatory duct; FD—fertilization duct; LL—lateral lobe; SP—spermatheca. Scales = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 39. Records of the new species and new records of H. pusillus and H. legrasi.