Hovops menabe, Artigas, Sandra Mónica Rodriguez & Corronca, Jose Antonio, 2014

Artigas, Sandra Mónica Rodriguez & Corronca, Jose Antonio, 2014, New species and distribution records of selenopid spiders of the genus Hovops Benoit in Madagascar (Araneae, Selenopidae), Zootaxa 3780 (3), pp. 547-557 : 551

Hovops menabe sp. n.

Figs 18–26 , 37 , 39

Type material. Holotype: female, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Parc Nationale Ranomafana, 21ºS 47º30´E, April 1992, Kariko & Roth leg. ( USNM).

Other material examined. MADAGASCAR: Fianarantsoa Province: 2 females, same data as holotype ( USNM).

Etymology. The specific name is dedicated to the Menabe tribe, part of the Tanala (forest people) inhabiting the southeastern parts of Madagascar, isolated in the mountains that are covered by jungle. This name is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Females of H. menabe sp. n. share the general shape of the epigyne with those of H. vezo sp. n. but in the former, the middle field is a sub-hexagonal plate without an anteriorly delimited edge ( Figs 24–25 ). The shape of the copulatory ducts is similar in both species, but in H. vezo sp. n., they widen abruptly at its inception ( Figs 34 , 38 ) and they do not in H. menabe sp. n. ( Fig. 26 ). The shape of the spermatheca of H. menabe sp. n. is distinct from all other Hovops species ( Figs 25–26 , 37 ).

Description. Female (holotype): Total body length 11.06. Prosoma 4.57 long, 5.15 wide. Opisthosoma 6.49 long, 3.92 wide. Eye diameter and interdistances: AME 0.20, ALE 0.18, PME 0.16, PLE 0.30, AME-AME 0.29, AME-ALE 0.41, AME-PME 0.19, PME-PME 1.11, PME-PLE 0.66, PLE-PLE 2.50, ALE-ALE 2.23. Leg formula: 24=31. Leg measurements: I—Fe 5.10, Pat+Tib 6.70, Mt 3.40, Ta 1.40, total 16.60; II—6.10, 7.40, 3.90, 1.30, total 18.70; III—5.90, 6.70, 3.90, 1.30, total 17.80, IV—6.10, 6.40, 4.00, 1.30, total 17.80. Leg spination: Fe I—d1.1.0, pr1.1.0, II–IV—d1.1.0, Tib I—v2.2.2.2.1.1, II—v2.2.2.2.1, III–IV v1.0.0; Mt I–II v2.2.2, III—v1.0.0, IV—no spines. Prosoma pale reddish-brown, legs brown. Opisthosoma yellow-brown with an indistinct grey-yellow pattern ( Fig. 18 ). Iridescent scaly hairs all over the prosoma and opisthosoma, but hairs shorter and overlapping on opisthosoma with short and dark setae below ( Fig. 20 ). Cheliceral teeth variables, 3:4 right, left 3:3 ( Fig. 22 ). Note: The latter character was the same in all revised females.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province.

Figures

FIGURE 39. Records of the new species and new records of H. pusillus and H. legrasi.

FIGURES 18 – 26. Hovops menabe sp. n. 18 female habitus, dorsal view; 19 prosoma, ventral view; 20 detail of iridescent scale-like hairs; 21 details of the major ampullate spigots on the spinnerets; 22 detail of cheliceral teeth; 23 spination of the anterior tibia and metatarsus, ventral view; 24 epigyne, ventral view; 25 idem, cleared; 26 vulva, dorsal view. Scales: 18 – 19, 21 – 22 = 1 mm; 24 – 26 = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 35 – 38. Drawings of the vulvae of the new species of Hovops, here described. 35 H. antakarana sp. n.; 36 H. ikongo sp. n.; 37 H. menabe sp. n.; 38 H. vezo sp. n. Abbreviations: CD—copulatory duct; FD—fertilization duct; LL—lateral lobe; SP—spermatheca. Scales = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 27 – 34. Hovops vezo sp. n. 27 female habitus, dorsal view; 28 eye arrangement; 29 spination of the anterior tibia and metatarsus, ventral view; 30 detail of cheliceral teeth; 31 detail of iridescent scale-like hairs; 32 epigyne, ventral view; 33 idem, cleared; 34 vulva, dorsal view. Scales: 27 – 28, 30 = 1 mm; 32 – 34 = 0.2 mm.