Coremiocnemis brachyramosa, West & Nunn, 2010

West, Rick C. & Nunn, Steven C., 2010, 2443, Zootaxa 2443, pp. 1-64 : 16-24

Coremiocnemis brachyramosa sp. nov.

( Figs 31–58, 217)

Types: female holotype, female paratype, S83826 , S83825 , respectively, Gunung Ledang (2° 22' N, 102° 36' E), Johor, West Malaysia, col. J.-M. Verdez, 2008, QM –examined; male paratype, S83927 , Gunung Ledang, Johor, West Malaysia, col. V. Sejna and S. Monsa, date unknown, QM –examined .

Etymology: A compound adjective whose first element is the Greek adjective brachy meaning ‘short’ or ‘small’ and the second element is the feminine Latin adjective ramosa meaning ‘branching’ that defines the unique spermathecal morphology that is diagnostic to this species.

Diagnosis: Differs from all other Coremiocnemis species in the presence of uniquely multiple branching spermathecae, uniformly sclerotized ( Fig. 37) and intense blue coloration entirely in females ( Fig. 31).

Description: Female holotype QM S83826 ( Fig. 31) with body length: 40.06.

Color (in life, Fig. 31): Iridescent blue in natural lighting (over black integument), white distal bands on all leg segments. Some cinnamon coloration on anterior tarsi dorsally (more evident in juveniles). Ventrally entirely darker.

Carapace ( Fig. 33): length 13.54, width 11.65 (width across anterior edge 6.05). Fovea 1.91 wide, procurved, deep, not as wide as OT ( Fig. 33).

Eyes ( Fig. 34): ocular tubercle; length 1.64, width 2.50. Anterior row transverse. Posterior row slightly recurved. Eyes: AME, ALE, PLE, PME.

Chelicerae: length 7.24, width at base of each lobe 3.46. Ectal lyrate region a series of strikers (>50) in 7 horizontal rows ( Fig. 49). Strongest, longest strikers on lowest rows. Each striker needle–form, with some filiform ends. Teeth 12,>60 basomesal teeth. Intercheliceral pegs (>9 larger,>35 smaller) in tight cluster on basodorsal surface ( Fig. 48). Retrolateral face basomedially, small cluster of short strong spines (>3) point distad ( Fig. 47).

Maxillae ( Figs 35, 43): prolaterally plano-convex, anterior lobe well pronounced, many cuspules (> 180) on inner basoventral surface. Maxillary lyra ( Fig. 44): large number of bacilliform rods (>200) in dense, ovoid patch on prolateral face, lowest row with>24 bacillae, longest rods in centre of lowest row. Rods paddleshaped with medium to long shafts, largest with distal blades. At highest point, lyrate patch is>10 rows deep, smallest rods dorsally. Posterior end of patch truncate, anterior end slightly pointed distad/rounded. Dorsal to suture>60 small spines on anterior margin of maxillae, rows unordered.

Labium ( Fig. 36): length 1.71, width 2.54. Many small cuspules (>650) along anterior 1/3 surface.

Sternum ( Fig. 35): length 5.81, width 5.38. Slightly wider posteriorly than anteriorly, with thin even cover of short setae, interspersed with longer darker setae. No spines on border but very strong spiniform setae on lateral margins. Posteriorly between left/right cox. IV, sternal border slightly acuminate, lateral sternal points slightly acuminate. Sigilla ( Fig. 35): 3 pairs (not including labio-sternal sigilla), posterior, medium, 0.94 in length, ovoid, 2.1 lengths apart, 0.7–0.9 of their length from sternal margin. Median pair 1/3 size of posterior, similar in form, 0.2–0.1 of their length from margin. Anterior pair obscured, on margin. Labio-sternal sigilla small, almost rounded.

Legs: formula; length IV, I, II, III; width IV, III, I, II. Leg RF ~ 89.03. Setation: distal bands of short white setae on all segments, elongated cream/white setae on legs IV, reduced in comparison with other Coremiocnemis species. Leg lengths (fem., pat., tib., met., tar., total): holotype QM S83826 : palp: 6.98, 5.39, 5.33, 0.00, 4.52, 22.21. I: 9.10, 6.01, 7.83, 6.89, 4.65, 34.48. II: 8.64, 5.62, 6.41, 6.09, 3.87, 30.63. III: 7.60, 4.27, 5.27, 6.53, 3.67, 27.34. IV: 11.29, 5.68, 7.82, 9.35, 4.59, 38.73. Leg mid–widths (fem., pat., tib., met., tar., total.): palp: 1.97, 2.02, 1.66, 0.00, 1.91, 7.56. I: 2.69, 2.24, 2.05, 1.69, 1.67, 10.34. II: 2.50, 2.21, 1.62, 1.89, 1.78, 10.0. III: 2.61, 2.57, 2.10, 1.70, 1.43, 10.41. IV: 2.54, 2.48, 2.17, 2.14, 1.62, 10.95.

Scopula: met., tar. I–III undivided, met. and tar. IV divided by several rows of strong setae. Met. I, II: entire, III: 2/3, IV: 1/3 (just stronger retrolaterally).

Coxae: some small black thorns prolatero-dorsally, no thorns retrolaterally on I–IV. Coxae easily seen dorsally. I longest, ca. 1.2 times length of II. IV widest, slightly wider than length of III, basally rectangular with rounded corners. Coxae lack ventral thorns prolaterally on I–IV, strong dark setae only. I–III ventrally with many long thick blunt setae proximally, pallid. Some shortened dark setae, but no thick blacks. IV with mixture of medium length thick blunt setae proximally, pallid intermixed with shorter thin pallid setae. Ventral I–IV gently sloping anteriorly. Retrolateral setation: I–III with median narrow dark brush, IV pallid. I–IV retrolaterally lack ventral ledge. Ventral measurements for coxae: palp–length 5.96, width 2.91; I–5.92, 3.14; II–5.14, 2.77; III–4.52, 3.05; IV–4.81, 3.46.

Trochantera: palp–length 2.19, width 1.78; I–3.03, 2.63; II–2.78, 2.39; III–2.52, 2.52; IV–2.72, 2.93.

Trichobothria: on all tarsi basal filiform field slightly wider than clavate field, merges evenly. Clavates on tar. I in distal 2/3, long filiforms only in basal 1/2, shorter filiforms intermixed with clavates distally. Clavate extent on II–IV cf. I, in distal 2/3. Shorter filiforms for length. Short epitrichobothrial field on I shorter than clavates, gradually increasing in length proximally.

Tarsal organ not evident on legs I–IV.

Spines: met. I with 1 DV, met. II with 1 DV, 1 DPV, 1 DRV, met. III with 2 DV, 1 DPV, 1 DRV, 1 DL, 1 DPL and met. IV with 2 DV, 1 DPV, 1 DRV, 1 DL, 1 DPL.

Claws: paired claws on all legs and palpal claw unarmed. Reduced third claw on leg IV.

Abdomen ( Fig. 38): length: 18.93, width: 12.50. Ovular, elongated, dark to bright electric blue, covered with mat of very fine short pale setae, with sparse cover of longer cream/white setae. Longer hairs more concentrated ventrally toward spinnerets, point distad. Slightly darker near booklungs.

Genitalia ( Fig. 37): epigastric fold 3.78. Spermathecae bilobular at 0.3 of lobe length basally; each bilobe with apical branching lobes at 0.75 of total lobe length, each emerges from main lobes inward toward each other (lateral lobes 1.6–2.0 length of medial lobes). Lobes lack apical swelling, lateral lobes as long as medials. All lobes very long thin, integral dark sclerotiation throughout. Epigastric fold extends ca. 2/3 length of medial spermathecal lobes.

Spinnerets: PMS: length 1.58, width (medially) 0.48. PLS: section lengths; basal 2.76, medial 1.54, apical 2.13. PLS section widths (medially); basal 1.24, medial 1.14, apical 0.88.

Male paratype ( QM S83927 ; as in female except) with body length 20.03 .

Color (in life, Fig. 32): creamy pinkish colored cephalothorax, dorsal coxae and trochantera. Femora jet black with paler setae, all other leg segments creamy/pink.

Carapace ( Fig. 51): length 9.45, width 7.82 (width across anterior edge 4.67). Fovea 1.13, deep, strongly procurved (covered in long pale setae).

Eyes ( Fig. 52): ocular tubercle; length 1.48, width 1.80. Anterior row transverse. Posterior row slightly recurved. Eyes: AME, ALE, PLE, PME.

Chelicerae: length 5.56, width at base of each lobe 2.02. Cheliceral teeth 11 in number with>35, basomesal teeth. Intercheliceral pegs (>6 larger,>16 smaller) in tight cluster on basodorsal surface ( Fig. 55).

Maxillae ( Fig. 54): anterior lobe well pronounced, many cuspules (>180) on inner basoventral surface. Maxillary lyra ( Fig. 54): dorsal to maxillary suture>35 elongated spines medially to anterior margin of maxillae. Bacillate rods slightly shorter than in female. Labium: damaged, length and width unmeasurable. Many small cuspules (number indeterminate) along anterior 1/3 surface. Sternum (also damaged): length 4.06, width 3.66. Clearly wider posteriorly than anteriorly, with thin but even cover of short setae, interspersed with many longer darker setae. No spines around edges of sternum. Lateral sternal points acuminate but posterior angle not so.

Legs: formula; length IV, I, II, III; width III, I, IV, II. Leg RF ~95.03. Leg lengths (fem., pat., tib., met., tar., total): palp: 6.01, 3.64, 4.78, 0.00, 1.94, 16.37. I: 8.89, 4.98, 7.05, 7.68, 4.69, 33.29. II: 6.65, 4.38, 6.29, 6.40, 4.06, 27.78. III: 6.47, 3.68, 4.99, 5.66, 3.80, 26.60. IV: 8.36, 4.38, 7.71, 10.20, 4.11, 35.03. Leg mid– widths (fem., pat., tib., met., tar., total.): palp: 1.92, 1.49, 1.46, 0.00, 1.78, 6.65. I: 1.94, 1.93, 1.75, 1.49, 1.32, 8.43. II: 1.90, 1.86, 1.68, 1.34, 1.27, 8.05. III: 2.40, 1.94, 1.91, 1.16, 1.09, 8.5. IV: 1.98, 1.92, 1.86, 1.31, 1.10, 8.17.

Coxae ventral measurements: palp–length 4.32, width 2.32; I–3.88, 2.11; II–3.57, 1.97; III–3.07, 1.98; IV–3.59, 1.75.

Trochantera: palp–length 1.47, width 1.55; I–2.38, 2.18; II–1.90, 1.91; III–1.79, 1.89; IV–2.25, 2.10.

Claws: paired as in female.

Male palp ( Figs 57, 58): tibia mildly incrassate, tapering distally. Cymbium bipartite, tegulum large. Lanceolate embolus slightly tapers distally, no flaring, proximally emerges anterior to tegulum. Palpal tibia about twice length of embolus. Embolus terete (no keels), with distal “kiss curl” ( Fig. 58).

Distribution and natural history: Known only from the montane tropical rainforest slopes of Gunung Ledang, Johor, West Malaysia. Nothing is known about the natural history of C. brachyramosa .