Silhouettella saaristoi n. sp.

Ranasinghe, U. G. S. L. & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2018, Taxonomic descriptions of nine new species of the goblin spider genera Cavisternum, Grymeus, Ischnothyreus, Opopaea, Pelicinus and Silhouettella (Araneae, Oonopidae) from Sri Lanka, Evolutionary Systematics 2 (1), pp. 65-80 : 69-70

Silhouettella saaristoi n. sp. Figs 16 A–C, 20C, E

Type material.

Male holotype from Sri Lanka, Western Province, Colombo District, Labugama FR, 06°51'17"N 80°16'47"E, litter, 25 September 2014, leg. N. Athukorala (IFS_Oon_230) (ZFMK).

Other material examined: 1 male, 1 female; Western Province, Kalutara District, Gurulu Bedda, Kalugala FR, 06°26'35"N, 80°14'52"E, 40 m, 10 January 2014, litter, leg. S. P. Benjamin, N. Athukorala (IFS_Oon_194, 277).

Diagnosis.

Silhouettella saaristoi n. sp. resembles to Silhouettella snippy n. sp. by the presence of curved, long embolus, but differ in having thin, long, curved embolus without a membranous flange (Fig. 20C). Females can be identified by short, narrow globular appendix (gap) with slight enlargement at base extends up to epigastric furrow (Fig. 20E).

Etymology.

This species is named after Michael Saaristo (1938-2008) colleague and friend who worked extensively on the goblin spiders of the Seychelles.

Description.

Male: Total length 1.22 (Carapace, L: 0.58, W: 0.42. Abdomen, L: 0.64, W: 0.56).

Coloration: carapace usually orange, sternum and mouthparts orange, abdominal scuta orange-yellow, legs pale orange, palps pale orange. Carapace elongated oval in dorsal view, anteriorly narrowed 0.5 times its maximum width (Fig. 16A), gradually elevated in lateral view (Fig. 16C), surface and sides smooth (Fig. 16C), posterior margin rounded. Clypeus straight in front view, slightly rebordered. Chelicerae straight, anterior face unmodified (Fig. 16A). Six eyes, well developed (Fig. 16A), ALE largest, circular, PME and PLE oval. Sternum longer than wide with scattered pits, radial furrows not visible in between coxae (Fig. 16B). Abdomen elongated, anteriorly narrowed (Fig. 16A), cover full length of abdomen, no soft tissue visible from above. Postepigastric scutum long, semicircular, covering nearly full length of abdominal length, fused to epigastric scutum, without posteriorly directed lateral apodemes (Fig. 16B). Posterior spiracles connected by groove (Fig. 16B), booklung covers small (Fig. 16B). Spinnerets scutum present as incomplete ring. Legs spines absent. Genitalia: Sperm pore small, elongated, situated at level of anterior spiracular groove (Fig. 16B). Palp of normal size, not strongly sclerotized, cymbium yellow, not fused with bulb, not extending beyond distal tip of bulb. Bulb yellow, rounded posteriorly. Embolus long and curve, visible as a thin-curved needle. Membranous flange just below embolus is absent (Fig. 20C).

Female: Total length 1.92 (Carapace, L: 0.78, W: 0.48. Abdomen, L: 1.14, W: 0.62). In general similar to males. Genitalia: Short, narrow globular appendix (gap) extends up to epigasrtic furrow with an anterior paddle like sclerite (psc) and a nail like process (na). Lateral protrusion at middle of gap ended with slight enlargement of the tube. Receptaculum wide and narrow (Fig. 20E).

Distribution.

Labugama FR, Kalugala FR (Fig. 21).