Brignolia carlmulleri, Ranasinghe, U. G. S. L. & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2016

Ranasinghe, U. G. S. L. & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2016, A review of Sri Lankan Brignolia including the description of four new species (Araneae: Oonopidae), Zootaxa 4144 (4), pp. 451-476 : 456-459

Brignolia carlmulleri sp. nov.

( Figs. 4 A–H, 5A–H, 6A–B)

Type material. Holotype: 1♂ (IFS_Oon_294): Sri Lanka: Central Province, Kandy District, Knuckles Range, Riverston , site 0 2, 0 7°31’25”N 80°44’20”E, 1240m, 25 February 2015, leg. N. Athukorala, pitfall trap. Deposited in NMSL .

Other material examined. 1♂ (IFS_Oon_162): Sri Lanka: Central Province, Kandy District, Hantane , 0 7°14’57”N 80°36’50”E, 585m, 19 November 2013, leg. M. Rathnayake, I. Sandunika, litter . 1♂ and 4♀ (IFS_Oon_287–289, Oon_293): same locality and data as holotype .

Etymology. Named for the Sri Lankan writer, poet and journalist, Carl Muller best known for his trilogy: “ The Jam Fruit Tree”, “ Yakada Yaka” and “ Once Upon A Tender Time”.

Diagnosis. Males can be easily recognized by the dorsally directed palpal bulb with squared palpal tip ( Fig. 6 A). Females are recognized by the long and convoluted posterior genitalic tube which extends to posterior spiracular groove ( Fig. 6 B).

Description. Description based on all material.

MALE: Body length: 1.34. Coloration: carapace usually pale orange, sternum and mouthparts pale orange, abdominal scuta pale orange, abdominal inter scutal region white and covered with setae, legs pale orange, palps orange-brown, end part red-brown. Carapace: broadly heart-shaped in dorsal view ( Fig. 4 A), sides striated, pars cephalica slightly elevated in lateral view ( Fig. 4 E), anteriorly slightly narrowed, posterolateral edge without angular posterolateral corners, spikes and pits, lateral margin straight, top and posterior margin with enlarged setae, posterior margin rounded ( Fig. 4 F). Clypeus: straight in front view ( Fig. 4 B). Eyes: six, well developed, ALE largest, oval, PME and PLE equal in size and oval. Labium: triangular shaped, fused to sternum, same as sternum sclerotization. Endite: distally not excavated, anteromedian part with stout projection, base with a triangular projection ( Fig. 4 C), heavily sclerotized than sternum. Sternum: longer than wide, decorated with round pits, radial furrows present between coxa I–II, II–III and III–IV appearing as brown markings ( Fig. 4 C). Abdomen: ovoid, dorsal scutum strongly sclerotized, cover full length of abdomen, no soft tissue visible from above. Epigastric scutum strongly sclerotized, extend to pedicel region, scuto-pedicel region with scarcely detectable straight scutal ridge, without dorsolateral triangular extensions ( Fig. 4 D), booklung covers, large, elliptical without elevation, postepigastric scutum strongly sclerotized, long, semicircular, covering most part of the area and fused to epigastric scutum, with short posteriorly directed lateral apodemes (lap in Fig. 4 H). Spinnerets scutum present, short setae present. Legs: spineless. Sperm pore: small, situated at level of anterior spiracular groove. Genitalia: palpal bulb dorsally directed with squared palpal tip ( Fig. 6 A). Palpal bulb narrowed, base of the palpal bulb without triangular projection. Palpal tibia rounded.

FEMALE: Body length: 1.14. Coloration and somatic morphology as in male. Carapace: broadly oval-shaped in dorsal view ( Fig. 5 A), sides striated, pars cephalica slightly elevated in lateral view ( Fig. 5 B). Genitalia: long, convoluted posterior genitalic tube extend to posterior spiracular groove ( Fig. 6 B).

Intraspecific variation. Body length of females range from 1.14–1.44. In some specimens the sternum is fully decorated with small round pits ( Fig. 5 E) and the pedicel tube is furnished with transverse, procurved ridges. Small dorsolateral triangular extensions are present in a few specimens ( Fig. 5 H).

Distribution. Sri Lanka. Kandy District: Hantane (L 43), Knuckles Range, site 0 2 (L 44).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Brignolia carlmulleri sp. nov., male from Knuckles site 0 2. A. carapace, dorsal view; B. same, anterior view; C. sternum, ventral view; D. abdomen, anterior view; E. carapace, lateral view; F. same, posterior view; G. abdomen lateral view; H. same, ventral view. boc, booklung covers; epr, endite projection; lap, lateral apodemes. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 5. Brignolia carlmulleri sp. nov., female from Knuckles site 0 2. A. carapace, dorsal view; B. same, lateral view; C. same, anterior view; D. same, posterior view; E. sternum, ventral view; F. abdomen, ventral view; G. same dorsal view; H. same, anterior view. boc, booklung covers; pte, pedicel triangular extension. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 6. Brignolia carlmulleri sp. nov., from Knuckles site 0 2. Male. A. left palp, retrolateral view; Female. B. epigastric region, dorsal view. lap, lateral apodemes; pgt, posterior genitalic tube. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.