Xestaspis kandy Eichenberger, 2012

Eichenberger, Beata, Kranz-Baltensperger, Yvonne, Ott, Ricardo, Graber, Werner, Nentwig, Wolfgang & Kropf, Christian, 2012, Morphology of new Indian / Indonesian Gamasomorpha and Xestaspis species (Araneae: Oonopidae) 3160, Zootaxa 3160 (1), pp. 1-68 : 46-49

Xestaspis kandy Eichenberger n. sp.

( Figs. 35–37 )

Type material: Holotype male ( PBI_OON 00031918 ): Sri Lanka: Kandy, about 600 m, forest and waterworks, 7-11 August 1981 ( RMNH). Female paratype ( PBI_OON 00031413 ): collected with male holotype ( RMNH). Male paratype ( PBI_OON 00031412 ): collected with male holotype ( RMNH). Two male paratypes ( PBI_OON 00031925 ; PBI_OON 00031445 ): Sri Lanka: Horton Plains, 2200 m, forest litter, 13-15 August 1981 ( RMNH). Male paratype ( PBI_OON 00031446 ): Sri Lanka, Horton Plains, 2200 m, forest litter, 13-15 August 1981 ( NMBE).

Etymology: The species epithet refers to the town Kandy in Sri Lanka which is the type locality.

Diagnosis: Sternum with rows of large, droplike or rather channel-like, narrow pits between coxae I-II, II-III and III-IV (fig. 35. D). Resembles X. paulina n. sp. but male palpal conductor, distal part without dorsal tooth-like projection (fig. 37. C). Resembles X. biflocci n. sp. but carapace without posterolateral hair tufts of long, needle-like hairs (fig. 35. F).

Description: Description based on 6 males and 2 females.

MALE: Body length 2.38 mm. Uniformely orange-brown or red-brown colored species (figs. 35. A–C). Carapace pars cephalica strongly elevated in lateral view (fig. 35. C), posterolateral spikes and pits absent (fig. 35. F), lateral margin straight from dorsal view, cephalic setae u-shaped in single to double row. Anterior lateral eyes separated from edge of carapace by their radius or more, eye group by less than diameter of anterior lateral eyes narrower than clypeus (fig. 35. E). Anterior margin of sternum with continuous transverse groove, posterior extension laterally indented (fig. 35. D). Chelicerae inner margin with enlarged setae, labium anterior margin barely indented at middle. Abdomen scuto-pedicel region with paired curved to straight scutal ridge (psr) in addition with a second, upper, semicircular ridge (usr), (fig. 36. A), pedicel tube with tiny blunt, dorsolateral extensions (fig. 36. A), booklung covers (boc) small, elliptical, border elevated from surface (figs. 36. B, D–E); postepigastric scutum with short, posteriorly directed lateral apodemes. Legs patella plus tibia I shorter than carapace. No detailed description on promarginal chelicerae setae, serrula, grooves on lateral margin of sternum, trichobothria hood structure, tarsal organ and scopula between claws. Male genitalia: With a long slender, lamellar embolus (em), adjacent to an embolic accessory appendage (ma) and a lamellar conductor (co) (figs. 37. A–C). All appendages distally rounded, mesal embolic accessory appendage curved ventrally, conductor straight, without dorsal, tooth-like projection (fig. 37. C). Bulbus distally tapering into a pointed conical extension (ce) (figs. 37. A–B). Cymbium not extending beyond distal tip of bulb.

FEMALE: Body length 2.7 mm. Chelicerae inner margin without pairs of elongated setae. Female genitalia: Ventral view (fig. 36. C): Without external features. Dorsal view (figs. 37. D–E): receptaculum (re) ovoid, elongated, secretory sac (ssa) ovoid, globular appendix (gap) narrow, slightly shorter than 0.5 times the length of receptaculum, pore field of receptaculum (pof) distributed widely along the globular appendix, with an anterior paddlelike sclerite (psc) and a nail-like process (na), with lateral sclerites functioning as muscle attachments (A1). With lateral apodemes (lap) originating from the posterior spiracles.

Intraspecific variation:

Booklung covers anterolateral edge unmodified or with pointed tubercle (fig. 36. D–E); sternum row of large round pits between coxae III and IV well pronounced or reduced but not absent.

Figures

FIGURE 35: Xestaspis kandy n. sp. Male: A. habitus dorsal view; B. habitus ventral view; C. habitus lateral view; D. sternum ventral view; E. carapace anterior view; F. carapace dorsal view; G. carapace posterior view. Abbreviations: ctg, continuous transverse groove; boc, booklung covers. Scale bars: A–C 1 mm; D–G 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 36. Xestaspis kandy n. sp. Male: A. abdomen anterior view; B, D. booklung covers lateral view; E. booklung covers posterior view. Female: C. abdomen ventral view. Abbreviations: psr, paired scutal ridge; usr, dorsal scutal ridge; boc, booklung covers. Scale bars: A, C 0.5 mm; B, D–E 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 37. Xestaspis kandy n. sp. Male: A–B. right palp, prolateral view; C. right embolus, ventral-prolateral view. Female: D–E, epigastric region, dorsal view. Abbreviations: ce, conical extension; em, embolus; co, conductor; ma, mesal embolic accessory appendage; psc, paddle-like sclerite; na, nail-like process; go, genital opening; gap, globular appendix; pof, pore field of receptaculum; re, receptaculum; ssa, secretory sac; lap, lateral apodemes; A1, lateral sclerites functioning as muscle attachments. Scale bars: A–B, D–E 300 µm, C 100 µm.