Copuetta kwamgumi, Haddad, Charles R., 2013

Haddad, Charles R., 2013, Taxonomic notes on the spider genus Messapus Simon, 1898 (Araneae, Corinnidae), with the description of the new genera Copuetta and Wasaka and the first cladistic analysis of Afrotropical Castianeirinae, Zootaxa 3688 (1), pp. 1-79 : 37-39

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3688.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:DB84C679-C2AA-41CC-816E-83E2F6DCA391
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6153937
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03DB8445-FFBE-FF94-FF2A-FA9F305BF918
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Copuetta kwamgumi
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Copuetta kwamgumi View in CoL sp. nov.

Figs 46, 47 View FIGURES 45 – 61 , 101 View FIGURES 99 – 109 , 120–123 View FIGURES 120 – 123

Etymology: The species name is a noun in apposition of the type locality.

Diagnosis: This species is closely related to C. erecta sp. nov. Males can be recognised by the tiny embolus with tip directed distally, which is the smallest in the genus ( Fig. 101 View FIGURES 99 – 109 ), while that of C. erecta sp. nov. is clearly longer and straight, with the tip directed distally ( Fig. 100 View FIGURES 99 – 109 ). Females are characterised by the small lateral commashaped sclerotised rims that surround the round copulatory openings ( Fig. 122 View FIGURES 120 – 123 ), which differ from the small, coiled ridges of C. erecta sp. nov. ( Fig. 116 View FIGURES 114 – 117 ). Furthermore, C. erecta sp. nov. females have large semi-circular peripheral ridges in the posterior half of the epigyne that are absent in C. kwamgumi sp. nov.

Male (holotype, Kwamgumi , ZMUC). Measurements: CL 2.48, CW 2.00, AL 2.80, AW 1.70, TL 5.32 (5.00–5.90), FL 0.19, SL 1.11, SW 1.16, AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.44, PME–PME 0.11, PME–PLE 0.05, PLE–PLE 0.51, PERW 0.79, MOQAW 0.44, MOQPW 0.44, MOQL 0.51.

Length of leg segments: I 2.23 + 0.88 + 1.88 + 1.95 + 1.10 = 8.04; II 2.15 + 0.85 + 1.78 + 1.92 + 1.07 = 7.77; III 2.08 + 0.80 + 1.60 + 1.95 + 0.90 = 7.33; IV 2.58 + 0.85 + 2.15 + 2.84 + 1.00 = 9.42.

General appearance as in Fig. 46 View FIGURES 45 – 61 . Carapace yellow-orange, eye region dark grey; paired mottled black mediolateral markings from palpal coxae to posterior slope, separated by broad pale median line from PER to posterior of carapace; small mottled black marking in front of fovea; orange-brown striae with faint black mottling radiating from fovea, directed between coxae; lateral margins with black fringe, expanded between leg coxae; clypeus mottled black between ALE; markings covered with black feathery setae, areas between them covered in white feathery and short straight setae. AME separated by distance equal to 2⁄5 their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance less than 1⁄5 AME diameter; clypeus height slightly larger than 4⁄5 AME diameter; PLE larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance slightly less than ½ PME diameter; CW: PERW = 2.53:1. Chelicerae yellow-brown with black mottling, yellow distally; promargin with two teeth separated by basal width of proximal tooth, distal tooth largest; retromargin with two subequal teeth separated by ½ their basal width, distal tooth close to fang base. Endites yellow, cream prolaterally distally; labium yellow-brown, cream distally; sternum bright yellow, darker around margins. Legs bright yellow, markings densely covered in black feathery setae, with yellowish feathery setae between them; femora I–IV with broad brown band in distal half; patellae without markings; tibiae and metatarsi I and II without markings, III and IV with faint brown broad median band; tarsi without markings. Leg spination: femora: I pl 3 do 3 rl 1, II pl 2 do 3 rl 2, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 2; all femora with scattered erect ventral setae; patellae: I and II with fine proximal and distal do setae, III and IV with fine proximal seta and distal spine dorsally; tibiae: I pl 2 plv 2-3 rlv 2, II pl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I plv 2 rlv 2, II pl 0-1 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2, with rlv 5 erect setae; patellae: pl 1 do 2; tibiae: pl 1 do 1 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 plv 3 rlv 1. Abdomen with yellow anterior dorsal scutum extending to 4⁄5 abdomen length; dorsum with oval marking anteriorly, laterally and posteriorly, comprising black, yellow-brown and white feathery setae, with small faint black spot anteriorly; dorsum pale along midline, covered in white feathery setae; spinnerets surrounded by narrow black ring dorsally and laterally, absent ventrally; venter cream, pale grey between ventral sclerite and spinnerets; epigastric scutum, ventral sclerite and inframamillary sclerite yellow. Male palp yellow, cymbium yellow-brown; tegulum orange, with orange-brown ducts; embolus tiny, with narrow stalk-like base and single coil, distal end slightly curved, directed at distal end of cymbium ( Figs 101 View FIGURES 99 – 109 , 120, 121 View FIGURES 120 – 123 ).

Female (paratype, Kwamgumi , ZMUC). Measurements: CL 3.27, CW 2.48, AL 3.88, AW 2.59, TL 6.75 (5.70–7.25), FL 0.28, SL 1.39, SW 1.40, AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.52, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE 0.61, PERW 0.94, MOQAW 0.55, MOQPW 0.54, MOQL 0.60.

Length of leg segments: I 2.78 + 1.13 + 2.35 + 2.45 + 1.40 = 10.11; II 2.62 + 1.10 + 2.20 + 2.40 + 1.33 = 9.65; III 2.53 + 1.05 + 1.98 + 2.40 + 1.08 = 9.04; IV 3.20 + 1.13 + 2.69 + 3.56 + 1.15 = 11.73.

General appearance as in Fig. 47 View FIGURES 45 – 61 , female more robustly built than male. Carapace deep yellow-brown, markings and setae as for male but darker and with more distinct black mottling. AME separated by distance slightly more than ¼ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance less than 1⁄10 AME diameter; clypeus height slightly more than 4⁄5 AME diameter; PLE very slightly larger than PME; PME separated by distance slightly less than ½ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance slightly less than ½ PME diameter; CW: PERW = 2.64:1. Chelicerae brown with black mottling, yellow prolaterally distally; promargin with two teeth separated by ½ the basal width of proximal tooth, distal tooth largest; retromargin with two teeth separated by ½ the basal width of proximal tooth, distal tooth slightly smaller than proximal tooth, close to fang base. Endites yellow-orange, cream distally; labium yellow-brown, cream distally; sternum yellow-brown, orange-brown along margins. Legs densely covered in black feathery setae on markings, with yellowish feathery setae between them; femora I–IV yellow with orange-brown band in distal half, marking covered in faint black mottling; patellae I–IV yellow-brown with faint black mottling laterally and ventrally, with faint median band dorsally; tibiae I–IV yellow with broad median band, absent proximally and distally, faint on tibiae I and II, darker brown on III and IV; metatarsi I–IV yellow-orange, posteriors slightly darker; tarsi I–IV yellow-orange. Leg spination: femora: I pl 3 do 3 rl 1, II pl 2 do 3 rl 1, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 2; all femora with scattered erect ventral setae; patellae: I and II with fine proximal and distal do setae, III and IV with fine proximal seta and distal spine dorsally; tibiae: I pl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, II pl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2, with rlv 5 erect setae; patellae: pl 1 do 2; tibiae: pl 1 do 2 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 plv 3 rlv 1. Abdomen with yellow-orange dorsal scutum extending to 4⁄5 abdomen length; dorsum mottled grey with cream chevrons along midline, sides with three white stripes at midpoint; mottling densely covered in yellow-brown and scattered white feathery setae, chevrons covered in white feathery and short straight setae; venter cream, pale mottled grey in front of spinnerets; spinnerets with narrow black ring dorsally and laterally, absent ventrally; epigastric scutum and inframamillary sclerite yellow. Epigyne with small lateral comma-shaped ridges at midpoint of epigyne with copulatory openings situated in middle of ridges, apparently entering directly into ST II posterolaterally ( Fig. 122 View FIGURES 120 – 123 ); ST II n-shaped with anterior bend, connected broadly to posterior kidney-shaped ST I; ST I slightly narrower than ST II; both ST with many folds on their surface ( Fig. 123 View FIGURES 120 – 123 ).

Type material: Holotype 3: TANZANIA: Tanga Region: Muheza district, Kwamgumi Forest Reserve, 04°57'S, 38°44'E, leg. S. McKamey et al., 26.VII.1995 (fog 12) ( ZMUC).

Paratypes: TANZANIA: Tanga Region: Muheza district, Kwamgumi Forest Reserve, 04°57'S, 38°44'E, leg. S. McKamey et al., 20.VII.1995 (fog 8), 23 4Ƥ ( ZMUC); same data, 22.VII.1995 (fog 9), 13 1Ƥ ( ZMUC); same data, 23.VII.1995 (fog 10), 13 1Ƥ ( ZMUC); same data, 25.VII.1995 (fog 11), 13 1Ƥ ( ZMUC); same data, 26.VII.1995 (fog 12), 1Ƥ ( ZMUC).

Additional material examined: None.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 132 View FIGURE 132 ).

Biology: All of the specimens were collected by canopy fogging in forest.