Evarcha vavannyangisy, Murray & Escobar-Toledo & Pett, 2024

Murray, Katie I., Escobar-Toledo, Jaime & Pett, Brogan L., 2024, Three new species of plexippine jumping spiders (Salticidae, Salticinae, Plexippini) from dry forest in Boeny region, north-western Madagascar, African Invertebrates 65 (2), pp. 61-74 : 61-74

Evarcha vavannyangisy sp. nov.

Figs 20–25

Material examined.

Holotype • ♂: Madagascar; Mahajanaga province, Mariarano classified forest, Matsedroy camp ; 15.471°S, 46.744°E; 13 July 2017, 20: 06; “ Savannah next to dry forest ”, Yi Wang leg. ( BE_RMCA_ARA.Ara.247707 ).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition, amalgamating the Malagasy words for “ squid ” and “ beak ”. Reference is made to the bifurcated RTA.

Diagnosis.

Evarcha vavannyangisy sp. nov is highly distinctive in the genus. However, some similarities in palpal conformation exist with E. zayu Wang, Mi & Li, 2024 ( China) and E. amanzi Wesołowska & Haddad, 2018 ( South Africa). E. vavannyangisy shares a bifurcated RTA, basomedian tengular expansion and embolus approximately half the perimeter of the bulb with E. zayu , but can be separated by: (i) deeply bifurcated RTA (vs. shallow); (ii) very small basomedian tegular bump (vs. very pronounced tegular expansion); and (iii) embolus slender for its entire length (vs. much broader). Additionally, E. zayu is from mainland China. E. vavannyangisy sp. nov. shares a deeply bifurcated RTA with only one congener, E. amanzi Wesołowska & Haddad, 2018 ( South Africa), but can be readily separated by: (i) basomedian tegular expansion very small (vs. well projected posteriorly); and (ii) embolus runs approximately half the perimeter of the bulb (vs. arising 10 o’clock position and running until 12 o’clock position).

Description.

Male (holotype). Measurements. CL 2.68, CW 2.36, AL 2.44, AW 1.56, SL 1.00, SW 0.76. Leg measurements: I: 1.80, 0.88, 1.64, 1.04, 0.56. II: 1.40, 0.76, 0.84, 0.68, 0.44. III: 2.04, 0.84, 1.20, 1.00, 0.60. IV: 1.32, 0.60, 0.84, 0.90, 0.56. PME 0.11, PLE 0.20, ALE 0.30, AME 0.56.

Colouration: Carapace generally brownish orange, black patches around eyes, white setae ventral to PLE, scant black mottling at posterior margin. Chelicerae, maxilla, labium, deep reddish brown. Sternum & coxae pale brownish. Leg I dark reddish brown, legs II – IV generally brownish, with pale basal half of femorae. Abdomen generally brownish, with considerable alternations between pale and black mottlings, venter cream with black mottling. Carapace: generally rounded, very slightly longer than wide, moderately high, highest at PLE. Long, sparse, fine white setae around clypeus directed medially. Sternum: suboval, about 1.5 × long as wide. Legs: Leg I much broader, with field of long, erect setae ventrally on Ti I. Field of long white prolateral ventral setae on patellae I. Abdomen: oval, about twice as long as wide. Pedipalp: femur slightly longer than patella and tibia together; many long fine setae prolaterally on tibia, long setae thicker retrolaterally, RTA about 0.8 × length of tibia, projected at 1 ’ o clock position, bifurcated with squid- beak- like appearance, rounded ventral element and sharp pointed dorsal element; cymbium almost as long as tibia, with truncated anterior margin, tegulum round, embolus slender, wrapping around tegulum for just over half a turn, arising at 5 ' 30 position and terminating at around 0 ' 15 position, very small basomedian tegular bump.

Leg spination: I: F d 2 pl, P pld 1, Ti pl 2 v 3-3, Mt v 2-2. II: F pl 2 d 2 rl 2, P pl 1 d 1, Ti pl 2 v 3-3, Mt v 2-2.

Figures

Figures 20–25. Evarcha vavannyangisy sp. nov. 20–23 male holotype habitus 24, 25 male pedipalp 20 dorsal 21 lateral 22 frontal 23, 24 ventral 25 retrolateral. Scale bars: 1 mm (20–23); 0.5 mm (24, 25).