Pochyta minuta, Wesołowska & Szűts, 2021

Wesołowska, Wanda & Szűts, Tamás, 2021, A revision of the genus Pochyta Simon, with descriptions of new species (Araneae: Salticidae: Thiratoscirtina), Zootaxa 5052 (1), pp. 1-41 : 24

Pochyta minuta sp. n.

Figs 93–96

Type material. Holotype, female: NIGERIA: Cross River State, 30 km N of Calabar , 5°02’N 8°24’E, 19.IV.1980, leg. J. Reid ( FSCA).

Diagnosis. The internal epigyne structure of this species is similar to that in P. pulchra —the seminal ducts are very short in both species—but the copulatory openings are placed next to each other in P. minuta sp. n., while slightly separated in P. pulchra (compare Fig. 96 with Fig. 113 ). Further, P. pulchra has two shallow depressions in the epigyne that are lacking in P. minuta sp. n. (compare Fig. 95 with Fig. 111 ).

Etymology. The specific name is Latin, meaning tiny, and refers to small size of the epigyne.

Description. Male unknown.

Female. Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 2.3, width 1.6, height 1.0. Eye field: length 1.0, anterior width 1.5, posterior width 1.4. Abdomen: length 2.6, width 1.9. General appearance as in Fig. 93 . Carapace high, yellowish, thin dark line along margins, all eyes surrounded by black rings, two greyish-brown bands on thoracic part, starting from posterior lateral eyes and joining at posterior carapace edge (they form V). White hairs frame anterior median eyes from bottom. Some fine light hairs on carapace. Mouthparts and sternum light yellow. Greyish-beige mosaic on abdominal dorsum, whitish herring-bone shaped pattern medially, venter and spinnerets light. Few brown hairs on abdomen dorsally. Legs long, thin, whitish-yellow, with brownish hairs and spines, sharp hairs on femora I ventrally. Very long spines on ventral surface of first leg (four pairs on tibia and three pairs on metatarsus— Fig. 94 ), two additional shorter spines on tibia prolaterally. Patella I without spines. Single retrolateral spine on palpal tarsus. Epigyne small, weakly sclerotized ( Fig. 95 ). Copulatory openings placed mesially, seminal ducts very short, spermathecae bean-shaped ( Fig. 96 ).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 93–96. Pochyta minuta sp. n. female holotype. 93 habitus, dorsal view; 94 first leg; 95 epigyne; 96 internal structure of epigyne.

FIGURES 110–113. Pochyta pulchra (Thorell) female. 110, 111 epigyne; 112, 113 internal structure of epigyne.