Opopaea ngangao Tong & Li

Tong, Yanfeng, Liu, Shijia, Kioko, Esther N., Kioko, Grace M. & Li, Shuqiang, 2019, Taxonomic studies on seven species of the genus Opopaea (Araneae, Oonopidae) from Kenya, African Invertebrates 60 (2), pp. 255-289 : 255

Opopaea ngangao Tong & Li sp. nov. Figs 10 , 11 , 12 , 22 D–F , 24C, D , 25E, K

Type material.

Holotype ♂ ( NMK Ar-25116), Kenya, Taita-Taveta County, Wundanyi Town, Taita Hills Blocks: Ngangao Forest-wet side, 03°21.299'S, 38°20.410'E, 1821 m, 23.VII.2016, Kioko G.M., Yao Z. & Zhao Q. Paratypes: 1 ♀ ( NMK Ar-25117), same data as holotype; 1 ♂ ( NMK Ar-25118), Taita-Taveta County, Wundanyi Town, Taita Hills Blocks: Ngangao Forest-dry side, 03°21.248'S, 38°20.288'E, 1832 m, 24.VII.2016, Kioko G.M., Yao Z. & Zhao Q.

Etymology.

The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Diagnosis.

The new species is very similar to O. hoplites (Berland, 1914), but can be distinguished by the large, curved protuberance on the tip of the male palp ( Figs 11E , 22D ), and the very narrow postgynal depression of female epigastric region ( Fig. 24C ). Opopaea hoplites has a small protuberance on the tip of the male palp and a very large postgynal depression of female ( Saaristo and Marusik 2008: figs 34, 37B).

Description.

Male (holotype). Reddish brown. Habitus as in Fig. 10A, C, E . Body length 2.08. Carapace ( Fig. 10B ): wide oval in dorsal view; sides with longitudinal streaks; dorsal area smooth, with some setae at lateral edges. Eyes: ALE largest, PLE smallest; posterior eye row recurved viewed 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 height about 0.9 times ALE diameter ( Fig. 10G ). Sternum ( Fig. 10F ) longer than wide, fused to carapace; surface smooth; radial furrows present. Anterior end of endites with a small, sharply pointed projection. Legs light yellow. Abdomen: booklung covers very small, ovoid, without setae. Pedicel tube short, ribbed, with large, dorsolateral, triangular extensions, scuto-pedicel region lower than diameter of pedicel, with arched scutal ridges and straight anterior scutal ridge ( Fig. 10H ). Palp ( Figs 11 , 22 D–F ): reddish brown; palpal femur about two thirds the length of patella and inserted at the patella submedially; patella large; cymbiobulbus as long as the patella; palpal fenestra large and located at nearly the tip of the palp. Tip of the palp with one large, curved protuberance.

Female. As in male except as noted. Habitus as in Fig. 12A, C, E . Body length 2.19. Endites without projections. Copulatory organ ( Figs 12H , 24C, D ): postgynal depression narrow, about one second the length between epigastric furrow and the shallow groove connecting tracheal spiracles; there is a paddle-like sclerite (pls) dorsally, with thin, fork-shaped arms; nail-like process (nlp) well separated.

Measurements.

Male (holotype). TL: 2.08; CL: 0.83; CW: 0.68; AL: 1.34; AW: 0.87; ALE: 0.11; PME: 0.09; PLE: 0.08; EGW: 0.26; ALE-ALE: 0.03; ALE-PLE: 0.01; PME-PME: 0; PLE-PME: 0; CBL: 0.29; CBW: 0.11; PTL: 0.29; FI: 0.11; FML: 0.18.

Female. TL: 2.19; CL: 0.93; CW: 0.73; AL: 1.36; AW: 1.04; ALE: 0.10; PME: 0.09; PLE: 0.08; EGW: 0.27; ALE-ALE: 0.04; ALE-PLE: 0.01; PME-PME: 0; PLE-PME: 0.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Figure 10. Opopaea ngangao sp. nov., male. A, C, E habitus, dorsal, lateral and ventral views B, D, F, G prosoma, dorsal, lateral, ventral and anterior views H abdomen, anterior view. Abbreviations: boc = booklung covers; dte = dorsolateral, triangular extensions; sr = scutal ridge. Scale bars: 0.4 mm (A, C, E); 0.2 mm (B, D, F-H).

Figure 11. Opopaea ngangao sp. nov., male left palp, SEM. A, B prolateral and retrolateral views C, D, G cymbiobulbus, prolateral, retrolateral and dorsal views E, F, H distal part of cymbiobulbus, prolateral, retrolateral and dorsal views.

Figure 12. Opopaea ngangao sp. nov., female. A, C, E habitus, dorsal, lateral and ventral views B, D, F, G prosoma, dorsal, lateral, ventral and anterior views H abdomen, ventral view. Abbreviation: boc = booklung covers. Scale bars: 0.4 mm (A, C, E); 0.2 mm (B, D, F-H).

Figure 22. Male left palp. A-C Opopaea kulczynskii D-F Opopaea ngangao sp. nov. G-I Opopaea wundanyi sp. nov. A, D, G prolateral view B, E, H retrolateral view C, F, I dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A-C); 0.2 mm (D-I).

Figure 24. Female copulatory organ. A, B Opopaea makadara sp. nov. C, D Opopaea ngangao sp. nov. E, F Opopaea wundanyi sp. nov. A, C, E ventral view B, D, F dorsal view. Abbreviations: apo = apodeme; asr = anterior scutal ridge; ga = globular appendix; lpr = linguiform projection; nlp = nail-like process; pd = postgynal depression; pls = paddle-like sclerite. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 25. Habitus of males (A-G) and females (H-M). A, H Opopaea berlandi B, I Opopaea kulczynskii C, J Opopaea makadara sp. nov. D Opopaea ngulia sp. nov. E, K Opopaea ngangao sp. nov. F, L Opopaea sheldrick sp. nov. G, M Opopaea wundanyi sp. nov. Scale bars: 0.8 mm.