Aposphragisma monoceros Thoma, 2014

THOMA, MARCO, KRANZ-BALTENSPERGER, YVONNE, KROPF, CHRISTIAN, GRABER, WERNER, NENTWIG, WOLFGANG & FRICK, HOLGER, 2014, <strong> The new Southeast Asian goblin spider genus <em> Aposphragisma </ em> (Araneae, Oonopidae): diversity and phylogeny </ strong>, Zootaxa 3798 (1) : 53-54

Aposphragisma monoceros Thoma , sp. nov.

( Figs. 32–33)

Type material. HOLOTYPE: male (PBI_OON 00036324), Temburong District ( BRUNEI), Ashton Trail near Kuala Belalong Field Studies Centre, 21 km SSW of Bangar, 150 m [04°32′30.78′′N 115°09′18′′E; prov.], 1.X.2009, primary mixed dipterocarp forest, sifting leaf litter, leg. C. Griswold & N. Chousou Polydouri, deposited at CAS ( UT003 , CASENT 9029917 ) . PARATYPES: 2 males (PBI_OON 00032178), collected together with holotype, deposited at CAS ( UT004 , CASENT 9036043 ) .

Etymology. The species epithet, a noun in apposition, is a Greek term meaning ‘unicorn’. It refers to the single ‘horn’ the species bears on the posterior part of its carapace.

Diagnosis. A. monoceros sp. nov. belongs to the stripe-clade and can be distinguished from other species of this clade by the combination of the following traits: carapace with one pair of lateral double-toothed spikes (dts) ( Figs. 32 D–E); carapace margin with pointed denticles, sluice restricted to posterior margin ( Fig. 32D). It is the only species of the stripe-clade possessing a single ‘horn’ (ho) at the posterior edge of pars cephalica ( Figs. 32D, F).

Description. Description based on 3 males.

MALE. With the characters of the genus except as noted. Body length 1.66–1.71 mm (n=3), carapace length 0.79 mm (n=3). Sclerotized parts uniformly coloured orange brown, close to colour 36 ‘amber’; legs slightly paler than body. Setae especially on abdominal scutae slightly longer and darker if compared to most congeners. Habitus: Figs. 32 A–C.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace: surface of elevated portion of pars cephalica smooth, sides strongly reticulate, partly interrupted by small smooth areas ( Fig. 32F); posterior edge of pars cephalica with a single ‘horn’ (ho) ( Figs. 32D, F); carapace margin with pointed denticles, sluice restricted to posterior margin ( Figs. 32 D–E), posterolateral corners with a pair of double-toothed spikes (dts) ( Fig. 32D, E). Eyes: posterior eye-row recurved from above, procurved from front; ALE largest, separated by their radius to diameter; ALE-PLE touching; PME touching throughout most of their length; PLE-PME touching ( Figs. 32D, G). Sternum coarsely ornamented except smooth median stripe and broadly smooth edges (ornamentation arranged in an ovoid band; Fig. 32E); posterior margin with a rather narrow single extension, covered with few blunt denticles ( Fig. 32E). Pleura: surface smooth with pairs of large pits dorsally of each coxa I, II and III (as in A. brunomanseri sp. nov., cf fig. 10B). Mouthparts: chelicerae promargin distally extending into a short inwards pointing tooth-like projection (tlp) ( Fig. 32E).

ABDOMEN. Book lung covers large, elongated elliptical (sides slightly concave), about 3 times longer than wide, darker in colour than surroundings ( Fig. 33A). Epigastric scutum dorsally with widely oval subterminal ridge (sr) ( Fig. 33A, partly covered by dorsal abdominal scutum in this case). Postepigastric scutum long, semicircular, with short posteriorly directed lateral apodemes (lap) ( Fig. 33B). Dorsal abdominal setae very long and darkish.

GENITALIA. Epigastric region: sperm pore (sp) situated at level of posterior spiracles ( Fig. 33 A–B). Palp: basal segments same colour as body but bulb and cymbium much lighter (pale orange); bulb rather stout, tapering apically ( Figs. 33 C–D). Embolus (em) tip spatulate ( Fig. 33C, E); embolic spine (esp) with fringed tip ( Fig. 33E). Conductor (con) with broad tip (appearing ‘snout’-like in lateral view; Fig. 33E). Embolus-conductor-complex about as long as bulb ( Figs. 33 C–D).

Intraspecific variation. Body size variable (see above). Number of denticles on carapace margin varies. One paratype male much lighter in colour, yellow to pale-orange.

Distribution. Temburong District, BRUNEI ( Fig. 49).