Novalena gibarrai new species

Figure 27; Map 8

Type. Holotype male: MEXICO: Chiapas: Municipality of Cintalapa, 21 km W Rizo de Oro, along SE ridge of Cerro El Baúl, 1650 m, 8.IX.1972, K.E. Lucas (CASENT 9048879), deposited at CAS .

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of Guillermo Ibarra Núñez for his contribution to spider knowledge in Mexico and his support of the present work.

Diagnosis. The males of this species differ from N. shlomitae, N. simplex, N. cintalapa, and N. tacana in having the tegular median process hook-shaped (Fig. 27 a). The females differ from N. attenuata, N. simplex, and N. oaxaca in having the copulatory ducts curved in longitudinal direction (Fig. 27 d), from N. shlomitae in having the atrium with posterior margin thinner and less sclerotized, and from N. cintalapa, N. tacana, and N. triunfo in having the atrium with posterior margin more or less straight (Fig. 27 c).

Description. Male (holotype): Carapace yellow. Chelicerae and condyles light brown. Endites and labium yellow with white tips. Sternum yellow with light black points. Legs with three rings on femur. Opisthosoma dark brown with anterior brown spot, yellow foliage, and several white spots. Spinnerets yellow. Total length 6.25. Carapace length 3.25, width 1.88, cephalic region width 1.21, ocular region width 0.79. Eye diameter: AME and PME 0.15, ALE and PLE 0.17. Distance between eyes: AME-AME 0.04, AME-ALE 0.04, AME-PME 0.15, ALE- PLE 0.06, ALE-ALE 0.35, PME-PME 0.1, PME-PLE 0.1. Clypeus height 0.13. Chelicerae with four retromarginal teeth; basal segment length 1.27, fang length 0.55. Labium wider than long (0.45/0.39). Endites almost convergent (distance at their base compared at their tips 0.45/0.21). Sternum longer than wide (1.48/1.19). Opisthosoma longer than wide (3.13/1.75). ALS separated by less their basal diameter (0.19/0.33), PLS with distal segment shorter than basal segment (0.29/0.48). Leg lengths: I—femur 2.88/ patella-tibia 3.75/ metatarsus 3.38/ tarsus 1.5; II—2.88/ 3.63/ 2.75/ 1.63; III—2.75/ 3.38/ 3/ 1.5; IV—3.63/ 4/ 4.25/ 1.75. Spination: femur dorsal I—1-2 -3/ II—1-3 -3/ III— 1-3 -3/ IV—1-2 -3; patella I—dorsal 1-1/ prolateral 1/ retrolateral 0; II—1-1 / 1/ 0; III—1-1 / 1/ 1; IV—1-1 / 1/ 1; tibia I—dorsal 1-1-0/ ventral 2-2-2/ prolateral 1-1-0/ retrolateral 0-1-0; II—1-1 -0/ 2-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; III—1-1 -0/ 1-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; IV—1-1 -0/ 1-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; metatarsus I—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-0; II—0-0-2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; III—2-1 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; IV—3-2 -2/ 2-1-1-1-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-0-1. Number of trichobothria on tarsus: I—5, II—5, III—5, IV—5. Number of dorsal spines on pedipalp: femur 3, tibia 4. Cymbium length 1.27, width 0.76. Embolus curved; conductor distally notched; tegular median process hook-shaped; dorsal projection of RTA with a transversal ridge, ventral projection absent (Fig. 27 a, b).

Female (paratype) (CASENT 9048879): Carapace orange, ocular region with a black spot between AME, white feathery scales present. Chelicerae dark brown, condyles orange. Endites and labium light brown with white tips. Sternum light brown with a median yellow band. Legs with three rings on femur, one on patella, two on tibia, and two on metatarsus. Opisthosoma light brown with anterior spot and yellow foliage. Spinnerets yellow. Total length 7.63. Carapace length 3.5, width 2.38, cephalic region width 1.36, ocular region width 0.85. Eye diameter: AME 0.15, ALE, PME and PLE 0.19. Distance between eyes: AME-AME 0.06, AME-ALE 0.06, AME-PME 0.19, ALE-PLE 0.06, ALE-ALE 0.37, PME-PME 0.1, PME-PLE 0.1. Clypeus height 0.17. Chelicerae with four retromarginal teeth; basal segment length 1.52, fang length 0.76. Labium as long as wide (0.52/0.52). Endites almost straight (distance at their base compared at their tips 0.52/0.33). Sternum longer than wide (1.79/1.48). Opisthosoma longer than wide (4.38/2.38). ALS separated by less than half their basal diameter (0.17/0.38), PLS with distal segment shorter than basal segment (0.42/0.48). Leg lengths: I—femur 2.88/ patella-tibia 3.63/ metatarsus 2.38/ tarsus 1.63; II—2.75/ 3.13/ 2.25/ 1.38; III—2.5/ 3/ 2.5/ 1.25; IV—3.13/ 3.88/ 3.38/ 1.38. Spination: femur dorsal I—1-2 -3/ II—1-3 -3/ III—1-3 -3/ IV—1-2 -3; patella I—dorsal 1-1/ prolateral 1/ retrolateral 0; II—1-1 / 1/ 0; III—1-1 / 1/ 1; IV—1-1 / 1/ 1; tibia I—dorsal 0/ ventral 2-2-2/ prolateral 1-1-0/ retrolateral 0; II—0/ 2-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 0; III—1-1 -0/ 1-1-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; IV—1-1 -0/ 1-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; metatarsus I—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-0/ 0; II—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0; III—2-1 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; IV—2-3 -2/ 2-1-1-1-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-0-1. Number of trichobothria on tarsus: I—5, II—5, III—5, IV—5. Dorsal spines on pedipalp femur: 3. Prolateral spines on tibia: 1-2. Epigynal plate wider than long (1.21/0.67); atrium in shallow depression; anterior hyaline spurs separated by more their basal width (Fig. 27 c, e). Internal genitalia: copulatory ducts curved in longitudinal direction, primary spermathecae adjacent (Fig. 27 d).

Variation. Males (n=4): body length 5.63–8.75; carapace length 2.75–3.88; patella-tibia I length 3.25–4.63. Females (n=4): body length 6–7.63; carapace length 3.38–4.13; patella-tibia I length 3–3.75. One male paratype with three retromarginal teeth on chelicerae and six white spots on opisthosoma.

Additional material examined. Paratypes: MEXICO: Chiapas: same data as holotype, 1 ♀ (CASENT 9048879); same data except 1615 m, 1 ♂ (CASENT 9048933); same data, 2 ♂ (CASENT 9048904); same data except 8.I.1973, 3 ♀ (CASENT 9048932).

Natural history. The species is sympatric with N. cintalapa . Male and female were found together within Tillandsia sp. Other males and females within Catopsis sp. A male was found within Vriesia sp. ( Bromeliaceae).

Habitat. Tropical montane cloud forest.

Distribution. MEXICO: Chiapas (Map 8).