Merizocera colombo Li, 2020

Chang, Wan-Jin, Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2020, Twenty-eight new species of the spider genus Merizocera Fage, 1912 (Araneae, Psilodercidae) from South and Southeast Asia, ZooKeys 961, pp. 41-118 : 41

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.961.53058

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B5627BFE-56A2-42B3-B3A5-96BAE07724F4

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/77AD96FF-8BBD-4474-AF0A-0681EB037B41

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:77AD96FF-8BBD-4474-AF0A-0681EB037B41

treatment provided by

ZooKeys by Pensoft

scientific name

Merizocera colombo Li
status

sp. nov.

Merizocera colombo Li sp. nov. Figures 5 View Figure 5 , 6 View Figure 6 , 52 View Figure 52

Type material.

Holotype: male (IZCAS), Mahawafa Hill (6°55.92'N, 80°14.68'E, elevation 38 m), Mahawafa Village, Avissawella Town, Maniyangama, Colombo District, Western Province, Sri Lanka, 26 September 2014, S. Kosala leg. Paratype: 1 female (IZCAS), same data as holotype.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Males of M. colombo sp. nov. resemble M. oryzae , but can be distinguished by a distinct cymbial protrusion approx. 1/2 length of bulb (Fig. 5D View Figure 5 ) (vs. inconspicuous cymbial protrusion approx. 1/3 the length of bulb), conductor bifurcate and distinctly shorter than embolus (Fid. 5B) (vs. conductor not bifurcate and almost similar length with embolus). Females can be distinguished by having a pair of elongated spermathecae concaving posteriorly (Fig. 6A View Figure 6 ).

Description.

Male (holotype). Total length 1.48; carapace 0.69 long, 0.59 wide; abdomen 0.75 long, 0.49 wide. Carapace circular, brownish, with dark brown marks laterally and dark median stripe on anterior half (Fig. 6C View Figure 6 ). Fovea shallow. Thoracic region distinctly elevated medially. Clypeus brownish, with dark brown marks medially. Labium and sternum dark brown. Abdomen slightly elongated, brownish, with dark brown marks dorsally and ventrally (Fig. 6E View Figure 6 ). Legs light brown; measurements: I 6.07 (1.62, 0.23, 1.80, 1.60, 0.82), II 4.46 (1.20, 0.21, 1.31, 1.13, 0.61), III 3.67 (1.03, 0.20, 1.03, 0.95, 0.46), IV 5.74 (1.48, 0.21, 1.78, 1.50, 0.77). Palp (Fig. 5A-D View Figure 5 ): femur four times longer than patella; patella not swollen; tibia 2/3 length of femur; cymbium with distal protrusion, half length of femur, length ratio of dorsal protrusion and cymbium 0.76; bulb light brown, slender pyriform-shaped with embolus and conductor arising distally; embolus hooked with pointed tip; conductor bifurcated, one narrower and with slightly hooked tip, adjacent to embolus.

Female (paratype). General features and colouration similar to those of the male (Fig. 6D, E View Figure 6 ). Measurements: total length 1.28; carapace 0.65 long, 0.56 wide; abdomen 0.59 long, 0.50 wide. Leg measurements: I 4.33 (1.08, 0.21, 1.31, 1.06, 0.67), II 3.36 (0.84, 0.20, 0.93, 0.82, 0.57), III 2.98 (0.78, 0.20, 0.80, 0.75, 0.45), IV 4.39 (1.11, 0.20, 1.31, 1.11, 0.66). Epigastric area (Fig. 6B View Figure 6 ): dark brown oval patch with light brown slit medially. Endogyne (Fig. 6A View Figure 6 ) with pair of elongated spermathecae slightly concave toward posterior.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Sri Lanka; Fig. 52 View Figure 52 ).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Psilodercidae

Genus

Merizocera