Suffasia martensi, Ono, Hirotsugu, 2006

Ono, Hirotsugu, 2006, Two new species of spiders of the family Zodariidae (Araneae) from eastern Nepal, Zootaxa 1325, pp. 319-326 : 320-323

Suffasia martensi sp. nov.

Figs 1–10

Type material. Male holotype from Mai Pokhari, 2100–2200 m alt., by extraction with the Berlese Funnel, Ilam District, eastern Nepal, 25.–27. March 1980, J. Martens and A. Ausobsky leg. ( SMF); paratypes: 2 females, 1 male, same data as for the holotype (1 female SMF; 1 female, 1 male NSMT­Ar 5902–5903).

Diagnosis. Both the new species described herein were determined to belong to the genus Suffasia Jocqué. They can be distinguished from all known species of the genus, namely Suffasia tigrina ( Simon, 1893) from India, S. tumegaster Jocqué, 1992 from Nepal, S. attiduya Benjamin & Jocqué, 2000 and S. mahasumana Benjamin & Jocqué, 2000 from Sri Lanka by having a very long and slender scape on the epigynum ( Figs 6, 8 ) and the peculiar shape of male pedipalpus ( Figs 2–3 , 12–13 ). Although both the new species resemble each other, they are distinguishable by the details of male palpal organ and structure of female genitalia. The male palpal tibia of Suffasia kanchenjunga sp. nov. is very wide and with a large, retrolateral spine, while that of S. martensi sp. nov. is longer than wide and without such a spine (cf. Figs 2–3 and 12–13 ). The epigynum of both species is similar in shape, but the scape of S. martensi is much thicker than that of S. kanchenjunga sp. nov. (cf. Fig. 8 and 21 ). With the internal structure of the female genitalia, females of both species are easily distinguishable (cf. Figs 9–10 and 23–24 ).

Description (based on the male holotype and a female paratype). Measurement: Body length female 2.60 mm, male 2.24 mm; prosoma length female 1.28 mm, male 1.12 mm, width female 0.96 mm, male 0.92 mm; opisthosoma length female 1.32 mm, male 1.08 mm, width female 1.00 mm, male 0.88 mm; lengths of legs [total length (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus)]: female I 3.12 mm (0.84 + 0.32 + 0.72 + 0.76 + 0.48), II 2.64 mm (0.72 + 0.32 + 0.52 + 0.68 + 0.40), III 2.76 mm (0.76 + 0.32 + 0.56 + 0.76 + 0.36), IV 3.64 mm (0.96 + 0.32 + 0.80 + 1.08 + 0.48); male I 3.00 mm (0.80 + 0.28 + 0.76 + 0.72 + 0.44), II 2.64 mm (0.76 + 0.28 + 0.56 + 0.64 + 0.40), III 2.64 mm (0.72 + 0.32 + 0.52 + 0.72 + 0.36), IV 3.56 mm (0.92 + 0.32 + 0.80 + 1.04 + 0.48).

Prosoma. Carapace longer than wide (length/width female 1.33, male 1.29), with fovea. Eyes: anterior eye row straight, posterior one recurved in dorsal view, both the rows procurved in frontal view. PME = PLE = ALE> AME (5:5:5: 4 in size) in both the sex, AME–AME =AME–ALE, PME–PME = PME–PLE (4: 4 in female, 5: 6 in male), clypeus much higher than anterior width of median ocular area (15: 6 in female, 12: 5 in male), median ocular area longer than wide (length/width 1.11 in female, 1.13 in male), wider behind than in front (anterior width/ posterior width 0.67 in female, 0.63 in male). Labium triangular, slightly wider than long (length/width 0.83 in both the sex), sternum as long as wide, its lateral margin with small, pointed extensions fitting in coxal concavities of legs. Chelicerae without teeth, fangs very short. Femora I–III with 1­0 dorsal spine in both sexes, IV with 1­0 spine in female, 1­1 spines in male; other segments of legs without spines.

Male pedipalpus ( Figs 2–4 ): Tibia well developed and expanded, longer than wide, ventrodistal margin strongly sclerotized forming long groove with pointed apophysis on top ( Fig. 3 ). Cymbium with wide basolateral fold and proximal process overlapping dorsal margin of tibia ( Fig. 4 ). Embolus very thin and filiform, not visible in ventral view, and without embolic apophysis; median apophysis weak, spiniform; distal tegular apophysis large, with spatulate process on top ( Fig. 2 ).

Opisthosoma oval, longer than wide (length/width female 1.32, male 1.23), with distinct white markings. Anterior spinnerets cylindrical, much longer than the posterior ones.

Female genitalia ( Figs 8–10 ): Copulatory openings situated at middle of epigynum; epigynal plate developed, and forming a scape slender and very long ( Figs 6, 8 ); entrance orifices clearly separated; intromittent ducts tubular and short; spermathecae ovate, wellsclerotized ( Figs 9–10 ).

Coloration and markings ( Figs 1, 5 ). Female and male: carapace light brown, with pair of foliate markings; chelicerae yellowish brown; gnathocoxae, labium and sternum light yellowish brown; proximal part of all femora yellowish white, remainder of femora and other leg segments yellowish brown; opisthosoma dorsally blackish brown with white spots and bars, ventrally light beige, spinnerets yellow.

Variation. Body length of the other female paratype 2.40 mm, that of the male paratype 2.12 mm. The pattern of the opisthosoma of the other female paratype is illustrated in Fig. 7 .

Distribution. Eastern Nepal (at present known only from the type locality).

Etymology. This species is named in honor of Prof. Dr Jochen Martens on the occasion of his retirement from the Zoological Institute of the Johannes­Gutenberg University, Mainz. He should be acclaimed not only as an excellent zoologist but a pioneer in the study of complicated fauna in the Himalayan Mountains.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 10. Suffasia martensi sp. nov., male holotype (1 – 4) and female paratypes (5 – 10). 1 Opisthosoma, dorsal view; 2 Left pedipalpus, ventral view; 3 Left pedipalpus, retrolateral view; 4 Palpal tibia and the proximal part of tarsus, dorsal view; 5 Pro­ and opisthosomata, dorsal view; 6 Opisthosoma, lateral view; 7 Opisthosoma of the second paratype, dorsal view; 8 Epigynum, ventral view; 9 Internal genitalia, ventral view; 10 Internal genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1, 5 – 7, 0.4 mm; 2 – 4, 0.2 mm; 8 – 10, 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 11 – 18. Suffasia kanchenjunga sp. nov., male holotype (11 – 16) and a male variant (17 – 18). 11 Opisthosoma, dorsal view; 12 Left pedipalpus, ventral view; 13 Left pedipalpus, retrolateral view; 14 Tegular apophysis, apical view; 15, 17 Palpal tibia and the proximal part of tarsus, retrolatero­dorsal view; 16, 18 Dito, dorsal view. Scale bars: 11, 0.5 mm; 12 – 18, 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 19 – 24. Suffasia kanchenjunga sp. nov., female paratypes. 19 – 20 Opisthosoma, dorsal view; 21 – 22 Epigynum, ventral view, with and without scape; 23 Internal genitalia, ventral view; 24 Internal genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars: 19 – 20, 0.5 mm; 21 – 24, 0.1 mm.