Tapinocyba prima, Dupérré, Nadine & Paquin, Pierre, 2005

Dupérré, Nadine & Paquin, Pierre, 2005, A new species of Tapinocyba (Araneae, Linyphiidae) with a redescription of Tapinocyba minuta (Emerton), Zootaxa 1069, pp. 33-45 : 40-42

Tapinocyba prima new species

( Figs. 7–13 )

Tapinocyba minuta: Dondale et al. 1997: 89 ; Paquin and Dupérré 2003: 122, figs. 1276–1279.

Type material.— HOLOTYPE: Canada: British Columbia: Summit Lake [58°39’N, 124°38’W] 01.vi.–08.vii.1981, moss above tree line, pitfall, 1ɗ, C.D. Dondale ( CNC); ALLOTYPE: 1Ψ, same data as for holotype; PARATYPES: Canada: Alberta: Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada, Alderson­Carthew Trail [49°05’N, 113°52’W] 18.vii.1986, Potentilla , Dryas , moss, lichens, fungus, Carex , 1ɗ, VB87­ 86 V. Behan ( CNC); near Morley [51°09’N, 114°52’W] 16.v.–05.vi.1963, grass edge of poplar woods, 4ɗ, A.L. Turnbull ( CNC); British Columbia: Tetsa River, mi 378 Alaska Highway [58°38’N, 123°42’W] 31.v.–08.vii.1981, spruce­poplar forest, 1ɗ, C.D. Dondale ( CNC); Alaska Highway, 15.5 km S Sikanni river [57°58’N, 121°11’W] 31.v.–08.vii.1981, sprucepine forest, 1ɗ, C.D. Dondale ( CNC); Yukon: British Mountains, Sheep Creek [69°10’N, 140°18’W] 23.vi.1984, Mertensia litter & soil, on rich SE facing slope, 410m, 1Ψ, VB69­ 84, V. Behan ( CNC); British Mountains, June Creek near Firth river [69°13’N, 140°05’W] 18.vi. 1984, 320m, 2Ψ, VB26/7­84, V. Behan ( CNC); British Mountains, June Creek Delta [69°09’N, 140°10’W] 19.vi.1984, Populus balsamifera litter, 1Ψ, V. Behan ( CNC); U.S.A. Vermont: Lamoille County, Mansfield Mountain [44°32’N, 72°48’W] 13.vii.1971, litter under dwarf birch, 4100 feet [1250m], 3Ψ, E.E. Lindquist ( CNC); New York: Essex County, Adirondacks, Mount Algonquin [44°08'N, 73°59'W] 16.viii.1985, Sphagnum , Ledum, Arctostaphy , 5110 feet [1550m], 1ɗ, VB204, V. Behan ( CNC).

Other material.— Canada: Alberta: Whitemud Creek, Edmonton [53°31’N, 113°34’W] 08.v.1959, soil sample, 2Ψ, L.K. Smith ( CNC); Manitoba: Fort Churchill [58°45’N, 94°04’W] 08.ix.1953, berlese, 3Ψ, C.C. Barlow ( CNC); Newfoundland: Conception Bay South, Top of Main, Topsail [47°32’N, 52°56’W] 20.vi.1985, Diapensia lapponica , 1Ψ, L.H. Hollett ( CNC); Yukon: British Mountains, Parnassius Valley [69°13’N, 140°10’W] 27.vi.1984, mixed Betula, Salix, Eriophorum meadow, 1Ψ, VB103­ 84, V. Behan ( CNC); British Mountains, June Creek Delta [69°09’N, 140°10’W] 19.vi.1984, mixed vegetation, in spruce forest­ Dryas , Betula, Vaccinium , VB40­84, V. Behan ( CNC); U.S.A. Vermont: Lamoille County, Mansfield Mountain [44°32’N, 72°48’W] 03.vii.1971, litter under dwarfed fir, 4300 feet [1310m], 2Ψ, E.E. Lindquist ( CNC).

Diagnosis.— The males of T. prima new species are distinguished by the raised dorsal shield of the prosoma ( Fig. 7 ); tail­piece rather small not pear­shaped, embolus thin, straight, spine­like; protegulum large and somewhat triangular ( Fig. 8 ); palpal tibial apophysis thick and stout ( Fig. 10 ). The females have the epigynum recurved onto a median plate, forming the copulatory openings ( Fig. 11 ). Spermathecae oriented obliquely ( Fig. 12 ).

Description.— Male (n=5): Total length: 0.94–0.98mm; carapace length: 0.45– 0.47mm; carapace width: 0.31–0.35mm; carapace smooth, shiny, light yellow to light brown (#fafad2 to #daa520), cephalic region sometimes ornamented by a light grey marking forming a trident (or psi,), carapace border and radiating lines occasionally suffused with grey; 4 erect setae along midline, cephalic pit and sulci present, dorsal shield of the prosoma raised ( Fig. 7 ). Sternum light yellow, variably suffused with grey. Chelicerae light yellow, promargin with 2 large and 3 small teeth, retromargin with 4–5 denticles. Cheliceral stridulatory organ not visible with a dissection microscope (highest magnification 120x). Abdomen uniformly coloured, light to dark grey (#d3d3d3 to #8b8378), densely covered with semi­erect setae. Legs light yellow, tibia I–IV with one dorsal macroseta; metatarsus I with dorsal trichobothrium, TM I 0.40–0.44, Tm IV absent. Palpal tibia with a thick, stout, curved apophysis ( Figs. 9–10 ); embolus thin, straight, spine­like ( Fig. 8 ); protegulum triangular ( Fig. 8 ); tail­piece somewhat rectangular, fundus visible; paracymbium cup­shaped, bearing ~9 setae along its edge ( Fig. 9 ).

Female (n=5): Total length: 1.00– 1.22mm; carapace length: 0.44–0.48mm; carapace width: 0.33–0.35mm; carapace colouration as in male, occasionally with suffused grey pattern, 4 erect setae along midline. Colouration of sternum and chelicerae as in male; promargin of chelicerae with 2 large and 3 small teeth, retromargin with 5 denticles. Cheliceral stridulatory organ not visible with dissection microscope (highest magnification 120x). Abdomen uniformly coloured, lighter than male, light grey (#e0eee0), densely covered with semi­erect setae. Legs light yellow, tibia I–IV with one dorsal macroseta; metatarsus I with dorsal trichobothrium, Tm I 0.35–0.42, Tm IV absent. Posterior portion of the epigynal plate sclerified, recurved onto a median plate, forming the copulatory openings ( Fig. 11 ). Spermathecae visible through the cuticle and extending well beyond the epigynal plate ( Figs. 11–12 ). Spermathecae oval and oriented obliquely, fertilization ducts curved, copulatory ducts long and curled ( Fig. 12 ).

Distribution.— Widespread in North America, from northern Yukon to Newfoundland with an extension in the Rockies; southern records from the East Coast from high elevations in New York and Vermont ( Fig. 13 ).

Habitat.— This species has been collected in forest litter, moss and lichens.

Etymology.— The specific name is an adjective derived from the Latin primus, ­a, ­ um, meaning “the first”, as a reference to our first new species description.

Figures

FIGURE 13. Localities of Tapinocyba minuta and Tapinocyba prima new species in North America.

FIGURES 7 – 12. Tapinocyba prima new species. Male holotype and female allotype from Summit Lake (British Columbia) illustrated. 7, dorsal shield of prosoma, lateral view; 8, palpus of male, ventral view; 9, palpus of male, retrolateral view; 10, palpal tibia of male, dorsal view; 11, epigynum, ventral view; 12, spermathecae, dorsal view.