Crassignatha seeliam, Rivera-Quiroz & Petcharad & Miller, 2021

Rivera-Quiroz, Francisco Andres, Petcharad, Booppa & Miller, Jeremy A., 2021, First records and three new species of the family Symphytognathidae (Arachnida, Araneae) from Thailand, and the circumscription of the genus Crassignatha Wunderlich, 1995, ZooKeys 1012, pp. 21-53 : 21

Crassignatha seeliam sp. nov. Figures 4a-c , 5b, d , 6a, b , 10 , 11 , 12

Material examined.

Holotype: Thailand • ♂: Chiang Mai, Doi Inthanon National Park. Montane evergreen forest; 18°30.454'N, 98°30.584'E. 1605 m; July 21-24, 2018; Booppa Petcharad, Jeremy Miller, F. Andres Rivera-Quiroz leg.; direct hand coll.; RMNH.ARA.18444. Paratypes: Thailand • ♀ allotype; same data as holotype • 8 ♀; same data as holotype; RMNH.5106641• ♂ and ♀ Chiang Mai, Doi Suthep National Park. Montane evergreen forest with pine; 18°48.502'N, 98°53.528'E. 1409 m; July 24-28, 2018; same collectors as holotype; pitfall traps. RMNH.ARA.18445.

Etymology.

The species epithet is a derivation of the Thai seeliam (square), in reference to the shape of the abdomen in dorsal view.

Diagnosis.

Distinguished from other Crassignatha species except Crassignatha quadriventris (Lin & Li, 2009) by the semi-squared posterior of the abdomen in dorsal view (Figs 10b , 11b ). Female can be separated from C. quadriventris by the coiling of the copulatory ducts in the epigynum (compare Figs 11d and 12c, d to Lin and Li 2009: fig. 10). Male differs on the size of tegular sclerites and the cymbial tooth being short and stout instead of hook-shaped (compare Figs 10c, d and 12a, b to Lin and Li 2009: fig. 8).

Description.

Carapace coloration orange-brown covered by small tubercles (Figs 6a, b , 10a, b , 11a, b ). Legs same color, slightly darker on distal portion its segments. Male Tibia II with two spines (mating claspers) (Fig. 5d ). Abdomen black with light red patches; squared posteriorly, with sparse sclerotized patches, some bearing long setae (Figs 10b , 11b ). Male with posterior scutum wrapping the abdomen. Male palp: slightly less sclerotized than carapace. Semicircular from ventral view (Figs 10c , 12a ). Cymbium with distal tooth. Median apophysis as big as Ct (Fig. 12a ). Embolus filiform, exposed when palp is expanded (Fig. 12c ). Spermatic duct very long and coiling 2 × inside the bulb (Fig. 4b, c ).

Vulva: Epigynum with wide scape directed ventrally, heavily sclerotized at the tip (Fig. 11c ). Copulatory opening at the tip of scape (Figs 11d , 12c, d ). Spermathecae spherical, slightly more sclerotized than epigynum, separated by ca. 2 × their diameter (Fig. 11d ). Copulatory ducts very long, coiling over themselves before connecting to S. Fertilization ducts as long as S width, projecting dorsally (figs 11d , 12c ).

Male: Total length 0.68; carapace 0.36 long, 0.30 wide; clypeus 0.13; Chelicera 0.1 long, 0.07 wide; Leg I: femur 0.28, patella 0.12, tibia 0.37, metatarsus 0.17, tarsus 0.22; leg formula I-II-IV-III; abdomen 0.42 long, 0.38 wide.

Female: Total length 0.69, carapace 0.44 long, 0.39 wide; clypeus 0.12; Chelicera 0.15 long, 0.1 wide; Leg I: femur 0.42, patella 0.15, tibia 0.53, metatarsus 0.22, tarsus 0.27; leg formula I-II-IV-III abdomen 0.44 long, 0.43 wide.

Figures

Figure 4. 3 D reconstruction of the male palp of Crassignatha with detail in the spermatic ducts: a-c C. seeliam sp. nov. d-f C. danaugirangensis. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 5. 3 D reconstruction of some diagnostic characters of Crassignatha males: a, c, e C. danaugirangensis b, d C. seeliam sp. nov. a chelicerae, arrow pointing at the bifurcated tooth b, c detail of the carapace; cephalothorax tubercles (in the squares), and pore bearing sulcus (arrows) d, e male leg II clasper f whole male specimen of C. danaugirangensis prepared for micro-CT inside a modified 10 µl pipette tip and a 0.5 ml Eppendorf tube filled with 70 % Et-OH. Scale bars: 0.06 mm (a); 0.1 mm (b-e).

Figure 6. 3 D reconstruction of the habitus of Crassignatha males: a, b C. seeliam sp. nov. c, d C. danaugirangensis. Right pedipalp was dissected previous to the scanning. Scale bars: 0.3 mm.

Figure 10. Crassignatha seeliam sp. nov., male: Habitus: a ventral view b dorsal view. Palp: c ventral view d retrolateral view. Prosoma: e anterior view. Scale bars: 0.3 mm (a, b); 0.15 mm (c-e). Arrow pointing at the cymbial tooth.

Figure 11. Crassignatha seeliam sp. nov. female: Habitus: a ventral view b dorsal view. Epigynum: c ventral view d dorsal view, cleared. Scale bars: 0.4 mm (a, b); 0.15 mm (c); 0.07 mm (d).

Figure 12. Crassignatha seeliam sp. nov., genitalia. Palp: a ventral view b dorsal view. Epigynum, cleared: c dorsal view d ventral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (a, b); 0.07 mm (c, d).