Merizocera uva Li, 2020

Chang, Wan-Jin, Yao, Zhiyuan & Li, Shuqiang, 2020, Twenty-eight new species of the spider genus Merizocera Fage, 1912 (Araneae, Psilodercidae) from South and Southeast Asia, ZooKeys 961, pp. 41-118 : 41

Merizocera uva Li sp. nov. Figures 44 , 52

Merizocera sp. 158: Li and Li 2018 (molecular data).

Type material.

Holotype: female (IZCAS), Udakirinda Cave 1 (6°50.24'N, 81°3.85'E, elevation 855 m), Koradogolla Village, Ella, Badulla District, Uva, Sri Lanka, 3 October 2014, S. Kosala leg. Paratype: 1 female (IZCAS), same data as holotype.

Etymology.

The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

Females resemble those of M. yala sp. nov. by having twisted stalked spermathecae but can be distinguished by having two pairs of twisted stalked spermathecae, with one end ellipsoid and the other end bifurcately globose (Fig. 44A ) (vs. only globose distal ends (Fig. 49A )).

Description.

Female (holotype). Total length 1.86; carapace 0.79 long, 0.66 wide; abdomen 1.01 long, 0.84 wide. Carapace circular, brownish, with dark brown marks laterally and dark brown median stripe on anterior half (Fig. 44C ). Fovea shallow. Thoracic region distinctly elevated medially. Clypeus brownish, with dark brown marks medially. Labium dark brown. Sternum dark brown but brownish laterally. Abdomen ovoid, dark grey but dark brown posteriorly and ventrally (Fig. 44B ). Epigastric area (Fig. 44B ): dark brown ellipsoid patch, medially with a slit.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Sri Lanka; Fig. 52 ).

Figures

Figure 44. Merizocera uva sp. nov., holotype female. A Endogyne, dorsal view B female epigastric area, ventral view C female habitus, dorsal view D female habitus, ventral view E female habitus, lateral view. Abbreviation: SP = spermatheca.

Figure 49. Merizocera yala sp. nov., holotype female. A Endogyne, dorsal view B female epigastric area, ventral view C female habitus, dorsal view D female habitus, ventral view E female habitus, lateral view. Abbreviation: SP = spermatheca.

Figure 52. Distribution records of the new species of Merizocera from Sri Lanka. 1 M. colombo sp. nov. 2 M. galle sp. nov. 3 M. kandy sp. nov. 4 M. kurunegala sp. nov. 5 M. peraderiya sp. nov. 6 M. ratnapura sp. nov. 7 M. salawa sp. nov. 8 M. thenna sp. nov. 9 M. uva sp. nov.