Meotipa multuma, Murthappa & Malamel & Prajapati & Sebastian & Venkateshwarlu, 2017

Murthappa, Prashanthakumara S., Malamel, Jobi J., Prajapati, Dhruv A., Sebastian, Pothalil A. & Venkateshwarlu, Mididoddi, 2017, First description of the male of the type species Meotipa picturata Simon, 1895 and description of a new Meotipa species (Araneae, Theridiidae) from India, Zootaxa 4344 (3), pp. 589-596 : 592-595

Meotipa multuma sp. nov.

( Figs. 3A–E & 4E–F )

Type material. Holotype: ♀ with left leg I missing ( ADSH 101672 A), INDIA: Karnataka: Chickamagalur: Tarikere: Sunnadahalli , 13°39'43.89"N, 75°51'20.56"E, 743 m. alt., S.M. Prashanthakumara leg., 1 Nov 2015, by hand from the underside of the green leaf.

Etymology. The specific epithet is an adjective and refers to the length of the copulatory duct Latin multum = long.

Diagnosis. Meotipa multuma sp. nov. is similar to Meotipa bituberculata Deeleman-reinhold, 2009 by shared characters such as raised eyes and slanting clypeus. It can be distinguished from latter species by the following combination of characters: Carapace without any markings, Opisthosoma with a median black patch without lateral humps, 12–15 lanceolate spines posteriorly ( Fig.3A ) (in M. bituberculata , carapace with dark red parallel-sided central band, opisthosoma short, with one pair of lateral humps, see Deeleman-reinhold, 2009: Fig. 22); epigyne with very long, more convoluted copulatory duct around spermathecae; large copulatory openings ( Figs. 3D , 4F ); fertilization duct placed posteriorly to the spermathecae, twisted, facing each other ( Figs. 3E , 4E ) (in M. bituberculata less convoluted copulatory duct, fertilization ducts longer than spermathecae, see Deelemanreinhold, 2009: fig. 27 & 29).

Description. Female in alcohol (holotype, Figs. 3A–E , 4E–F ). Body clothed with white setae; Prosoma, chelicerae, clypeus, creamy-white; Fovea extended; All eyes raised, white surrounded by brown rings except large, dark AME; Chelicerae without teeth; Fangs, labium, maxillae light-brown; Maxillae, labium with scopulae; Sternum white, triangular; Coxae, femora white; Patella, tibia I, II & IV with light brown band, tibia I with a darkened tip; Metatarsi, tarsi considerably thinner than tibia; Opisthosoma oval, posteriorly pointed, black patch medially, dorsolaterally snowy white patches, dorsally 12–15 lanceolate spines ( Figs. 3A ); Spinnerets placed downwards; Body length 2.59; Prosoma length 1.03, width (at middle) 0.88, height (at middle) 0.55; Opisthosoma length 1.56, width (at middle) 1.20, height (at middle) 1.30; Eye diameters: ALE 0.06, AME 0.08, PLE 0.15, PME 0.07; Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.04, ALE–ALE 0.26, PLE–ALE contiguous, ALE–PME 0.08, PLE–PLE 0.34, PME–PME 0.07, PME–PLE 0.05, AME–ALE 0.01, AME–PME 0.05; Clypeus height at ALE 0.22, at AME 0.20; Chelicerae length 0.36; Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 0.93 [0.19, 0.14, 0.21, 0.37]; Leg I (right) 9.56 [2.83, 0.31, 2.37, 3.17, 0.86], II 5.64 [1.91, 0.19, 1.30, 1.60, 0.60,], III 3.62 [1.15, 0.10, 0.91, 0.96, 0.48], IV 6.57 [2.28, 0.39, 1.43, 1.83, 0.64]; Leg formula 1423; Spination; Palp: patella do 1, tibia do 1; legs: femora: I (right)–IV spineless; patellae: I do 2, II do 2, III do 2, IV do 2; tibiae: I (right) do 2, do 2, III do 1, IV do 2; metatarsi & tarsi: I–IV spineless; Epigynum ( Figs. 3D–E , 4E–F ): Spermathecae inflated balloon shaped; Copulatory duct very long, prolaterally originated, convoluted, runs around the spermathecae ( Fig. 4E ), distally reaches copulatory pores; Epigynal ridges circular with distal openings; Fertilization duct twisted anteriorly, apically sharp, facing each other ( Fig. 4E ).

Distribution. South India ( Fig. 5 ).

Figures

FIGURE 3 A – E. Meotipa multuma sp. nov. A Female (holotype) habitus, dorsal view; B same v entral view, C same prolateral view; D Female epigyne ventral view; E same dorsal view; Scale bars: A, B, C, 1 mm; D – E, 0.02 mm.

FIGURE 4 A – F. A – E: Meotipa picturata. A Male left pedipalp prolateral view, B same ventral view; C female Epigyne dorsal view, D same ventral view; E – F: Meotipa multuma, E female epigyne dorsal view; F same ventral view; Abbreviations: C conductor, E embolus, S spermathecae, FD fertilization duct, CD copulatory duct, CO copulatory opening. Scale bars: A – D 0.05 mm, E – F 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 5. Distribution records of Meotipa species in India.