Opopaea lemniscata, Tong, Yanfeng & Li, Shuqiang, 2013

Tong, Yanfeng & Li, Shuqiang, 2013, Six new species of oonopid spiders from Champasak, Laos (Araneae, Oonopidae), Zootaxa 3709 (1), pp. 71-88 : 78

Opopaea lemniscata sp. nov.

Figures 5–7

Type material: Holotype: Male ( IZCAS AR 19396), Laos, Champasak Province, Tad Etu, Holiday Village, 15º11.527'N, 106º06.204'E, elevation 889 meters, November 18, 2012, leg. S. Li. Paratypes: 1 female ( IZCAS AR 19395), Laos, Champasak Province, Pak Song, Tad Gneuang Waterfall, 15º10.779'N, 106º08.348'E, elevation 958 meters, November 20, 2012, leg. S. Li; 1 female ( IZCAS AR 19411), Laos, Champasak Province, Tad Fane Resort, 15º10.944'N, 106º07.606'E, elevation 955 meters, November 21, 2012, leg. S. Li.

Etymology: The specific name means “ribbon shaped” in Latin, and refers to the membranous, ribbon shaped outgrowth at the distal region of the palpal bulb; adjective.

Diagnosis: The new species is very similar to O. vitrispina Tong & Li, 2010 , but can be distinguished by the following characters: male palpal bulb with a membranous ribbon-shaped outgrowth in the distal region, carapace without cone-shaped tubercles on posterior corners, and by the internal structures of the female genitalia.

Description: Male (holotype). Yellowish brown species with yellow legs. Body length 1.23; carapace 0.53 length, 0.45 width; abdomen 0.68 length, 0.44 width. Habitus as in Figs 5 A, B. Carapace: sides with longitudinal streaks; dorsal area smooth with some hairs at lateral edges; pars cephalica flat in lateral view ( Figs 5 C, D). Eyes: six, well developed, ALE largest, PLE smallest; posterior eye row straight from above, procurved from front; ALE separated by less than their radius, ALE-PLE separated by less than ALE radius, PME touching throughout most of their length, PLE-PME separated by less than PME radius. Clypeus margin unmodified; clypeus height about 2 times of ALE diameter ( Fig. 5 F). Sternum longer than wide, uniform, fused to carapace; radial furrows present between coxae I-II, II-III, III-IV, with rows of small pits; surface smooth, without pits, microsculpture only in furrows. Anterior end of endites with a small, sharply pointed projection ( Fig. 5 E). Legs short, thick and spineless. Abdomen: dorsal scutum strongly sclerotized, punctate, covering full length of abdomen. Book lung covers middle sized, ovoid, without setae. Pedicel tube short, ribbed, with small, dorsolateral, triangular extensions, scuto-pedicel region with paired curved scutal ridges ( Fig. 5 G), scutum not extending far dorsal of pedicel. Sperm pore small, transverse; posterior spiracles connected by groove ( Fig. 5 H); posteriorly directed apodemes present. Colulus very small, with two short setae; spinneret scutum present, incomplete ring. Supra-anal scutum absent. Palp: patella greatly enlarged and swollen, attached to femur submedially; cymbium completely fused to bulb, no seam visible; bulb with a membranous ribbon shaped outgrowth (rso) in the distal region. ( Figs 5 I, J, 7A, B).

Female. As in male except as noted. Habitus as in Figs 6 A, B. Body length 1.45; carapace 0.59 length, 0.46 width; abdomen 0.81 length, 0.61 width. Endites without projections ( Fig. 6 E). Genitalia ( Figs 6 J, K, 7C, D): in the middle of the epigastric furrow is a long, white, needle-like extension (nle) visible; paddle-like sclerite (pls) with thin straight arms bent at end is visible in dorsal view; nail-like process (nlp) well separated; globular appendix (ga) small.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Opopaea lemniscata sp. nov., male. A, B. Habitus, dorsal and lateral views; C – F. Prosoma, dorsal, lateral, ventral and anterior views; G, H. Abdomen, anterior and ventral views; I, J. Left palp, prolateral and retrolateral views. Scales: A, B = 0.4 mm; C – H = 0.2 mm; I, J = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Opopaea lemniscata sp. nov., female. A, B. Habitus, dorsal and lateral views; C – G. Prosoma, dorsal, lateral, ventral, anterior and posterior views; H, I. Abdomen, ventral and anterior views; J, K. Genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. Scales: A, B = 0.4 mm; C – I = 0.2 mm; J, K = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Opopaea lemniscata sp. nov. A, B. Male left palp, prolateral and retrolateral views; C, D. Female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. Abbreviations: a, apodeme; ga, globular appendix; nle, needle-like extension; nlp, nail-like process; pls, paddle-like sclerite; rso, ribbon shaped outgrowth. Scales: 0.1 mm.