Melychiopharis peruviana Eskov & Marusik, 2024

Dupérré, Nadine, Tapia, Elicio, Marusik, Yuri & Eskov, Kirill, 2024, Three new species of Melychiopharis (Araneae, Araneidae) from Ecuador and Peru, Zootaxa 5555 (1), pp. 75-90 : 84-88

Melychiopharis peruviana Eskov & Marusik new species

Figs 8–11 , map 1.

Type material. Holotype ♂: Peru, Junin Prov., Calabaza , 11°30’33”S, 74°50’35”W, 2500 m, could forest, in epiphytes, 19.IX.2017, K. Eskov ( ZMMU) . Paratype: 1♀, same data as holotype ( ZMMU) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun apposition derived from Peru, where the species was collected.

Diagnosis. Males and females are differentiated from M.cynips by the tuberculate anterior part of the opisthosoma ( Figs 8A , 9A ), absent in the latter (see Santos et al. 2005: fig. 1); from M. bibendum and M. komischetier by their dark orange-brown opisthosoma with pale marks anteriorly and laterally ( Fig. 8A ) vs. M. bibendum with a large central brown spot and two posterior marginal black spots (see Brescovit et al. 2011: fig. 1); in M. komischetier the opisthosoma is orange with five black marks ( Fig. 1A ) and in M. davincii the opisthosoma is completely blackish-brown ( Fig. 6A ). Females are distinguished from M. komischetier by their internal genitalia with rounded spermathecae ( Fig. 10D ), elongated (2x longer than wide) in the latter ( Fig. 3D ).

Description. Male (holotype): Measurements. Total length: 2.59; carapace 1.10 long; carapace 0.75 wide; abdomen 1.49 long. Coloration in ethanol: prosoma dark reddish-orange, flat ( Fig. 8A ). Sternum reddish-brown, longer than wide, rugose ( Fig. 8B ). Labium reddish-orange. Endites reddish-orange. Eyes: AME: 0.08; ALE: 0.07; PLE: 0.07; PME: 0.06; eyes distances: AME-AME: 0.10, AME-LE: 0.1, PME-PME: 0.12. Clypeus: 0.14 high. Chelicerae: orange, promargin with two small teeth, retromargin not observed. Legs. Coxae white, femora basally light orange, remaining segments orange ( Figs 8A, B ). Legs measurements: I: 2.84 (0.98/0.26/0.63/0.62/0.35); II: 2.46 (0.88/0.25/0.53/0.48/0.32); III: 1.82 (0.59/0.20/0.39/0.41/0.23); IV: 2.33 (0.79/0.23/0.55/0.51/0.25). Tibia and metatarsi without spines; metatarsi I, II with one trichobothrium, and III, IV with two trichobothria. Opisthosoma: orange-brown, dorsally with large reticulate scutum with black markings ( Fig. 8A ); ventrally with large reticulate epigastric sclerite, encompassing, book lungs ( Fig. 8B ), anteriorly modified with deep with setal pits; with median basal scutum not fused to spinnerets scutum; spinnerets scutum incomplete ( Fig. 8B ). Genitalia: palpal tibia short, with two retrolateral and one dorsal trichobothria ( Fig. 10B ). Cymbium with moderate excavation ( Fig. 8E ); paracymbium small, T-shaped, lacking setae ( Fig. 10B ). Tegulum large and striated; median apophysis with wide membranous base, long end and small with rugose, oval proximal; embolus long and filiform, with large semi-membranous; conductor wide, triangular ( Figs 10A, B ).

Female (paratype): Measurements. Total length: 2.83; carapace 1.12 long; carapace 0.74 wide; abdomen 1.71 long. Prosoma: same as male ( Fig. 9A ). Eyes: 8 eyes of equal size ( Fig. 9A ); AME: 0.07; ALE: 0.06; PLE: 0.08; PME: 0.06; eyes distances: AME-AME: 0.09, AME-LE: 0.1, PME-PME: 0.11. Clypeus: 0.15 high. Chelicerae. Same as male. Legs. Same as male. Legs measurements: I: 2.40 (0.69/0.23/0.58/0.58/0.32); II: 2.13 (0.63/0.23/0.52 /0.45/0.30); III: 1.69 (0.54/0.20/0.33/0.37/0.25); IV: 2.30 (0.70/0.28/0.54/0.51/0.27). Opisthosoma: brown-orange, with two small apical, reticulate median scutum, one large medial sclerite, two small basal reticulate scutum; four large latero-medial sclerites and two small latero-basal scutum; ventrally with large reticulate epigastric scuta, encompassing book lungs and anteriorly modified with deep with deep setal pits ( Fig. 9D ); with medium basal sclerite not fused to spinnerets scutum, spinnerets scutum incomplete ( Fig. 9D ). Genitalia: epigyne with copulatory openings situated on anterior corners of median depression; large spermathecae visible through integument ( Figs 9D , 10C ). Internal genitalia: copulatory ducts long, twisted, initially enlarged than narrowing before joining spermathecae; spermathecae rounded, touching; fertilization ducts short ( Fig. 10D ).

Distribution. Peru, Junin Province ( Map 1 ).

Natural History. Specimens were collected in the cloud forest in epiphytes.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Melychiopharis komischetier Dupérré & Tapia new species, male holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Habitus, lateral view (arrow point to epigastric scutum with setal pits). D. Palp, ventral view. E. Palp, retrolateral view. F. Palp, dorsal view (arrow point cymbial excavation). Scale bars: A–C= 0.5 mm, D–F= 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: c conductor, e embolus, Es epigastral scutum, ma median apophysis, pc paracymbium, Sps spinneret scutum, Vms ventral median scutum.

MAP 1. Distribution mapof Melychiopharis in SouthAmerica.Melychiopharis cynips (blue star), M.bibendum (black rectangle), M. davincii sp. nov. (red rectangle), M. komischetier sp. nov. (black circle), M. peruviana sp. nov. (purple circle). Records of M. cynips and M. bibendum from Santos et al. (2007) and Brescovit et al. (2011), respectively.

FIGURE 3. Melychiopharis komischetier Dupérré & Tapia new species. A. Holotype palp, ventral view. B. Holotype palp, retolateral view. C. Paratype epigyne, ventral view. D. Paratype internal genitalia, dorsal view. Abbreviations: c conductor, cd copulatory ducts, co copulatory openings, e embolus, eb, embolus base, fd fertilization duct, ma median apophysis, md median depression, pc paracymbium, s spermatheca, te tegulum.

FIGURE 6. Melychiopharis davincii Dupérré & Tapia new species, male holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Palp, ventral view. D. Palp, retrolateral view. E. Palp, dorsal view (arrow point cymbial excavation). Scale bars: A, B= 0.5 mm, C – E= 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 8. Melychiopharis peruviana Eskov & Marusik new species, male holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Palp, ventral view. D. Palp, retrolateral view. E. Palp, dorsal view (arrow point cymbial excavation). Scale bars: A–C= 0.5 mm, D–E= 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 9. Melychiopharis peruviana Eskov & Marusik new species, female paratype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Abdomen, dorsal view. C. Sternum, ventral view. D. Abdomen, ventral view. Scale bars: A–D= 0.5mm. Abbreviations: Es epigastral scutum, Vms ventral median scutum, Sps spinneret scutum.

FIGURE 10. Melychiopharis peruviana Eskov & Marusik new species. A. Holotype palp, ventral view. B. Holotype palp, retrolateral view. C. Paratype epigyne, ventral view. D. Paratype internal genitalia, dorsal view.

FIGURE 11. Melychiopharis peruviana Eskov & Marusik new species. SEM. A. Holotype male, palp ventral view. B. Holotype male palp, apical view.