Burmalema Zhao & Li, 2022

Lin, Yejie, Zhao, Huifeng, Koh, Joseph K H & Li, Shuqiang, 2022, Taxonomy notes on twenty-eight spider species (Arachnida: Araneae) from Asia, Zoological Systematics 47 (3), pp. 198-270 : 238

Burmalema Zhao & Li , gen. nov.

Type species. Burmalema shan Zhao & Li , sp. nov.

Diagnosis. The new genus resembles Telema Simon, 1882 by lacking a cymbial apophysis, but it can be distinguished by the following: belt-shaped tibial glands (vs. plate-shaped); ratio of embolus/bulb lengths ca. 0.80 (vs. less than 0.42), and twisted embolus (vs. triangular or nearly needle-shaped); females can be distinguished by the L-shaped endogyne with long and sclerotized tubes (vs. cane shaped, with membranous tubes). The new genus can be distinguished from all the other genera of Telemidae by the absence of a cymbial apophysis (vs. presence).

Description. Total length 1.25–1.53, carapace 0.52–0.90 long. Eyes vestigial. Carapace, sternum, endites, labium and legs light brown. Endites longer than wide; labium wider than long. Tibia I 0.90–1.00. Leg formula 1243. In male, length of cymbium> femur> tibia> patella; prolateral cymbial apophysis absent; embolus spiraled and long relative to bulb. Endogyne simple, with tube inside, expended distally.

Distribution. Myanmar.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from “ Burma ”, referring the name of type locality, Myanmar, and “-lema” is a convention from Telema , the type genus of the family; feminine in gender.

Species included. Burmalema shan sp. nov.