Ctenus cladarus, Jager, 2012

Jäger, Peter, 2012, Asian species of the genera Anahita Karsch 1879, Ctenus Walckenaer 1805 and Amauropelma Raven, Stumkat & Gray 2001 (Arachnida: Araneae: Ctenidae), Zootaxa 3429 (1), pp. 1-63 : 17-19

Ctenus cladarus spec. nov.

Figs 39 , 59 –64

Type material. Holotype male ( SMF), Burma, Mt Victoria , Heinrich leg. II.1937, ex RII 8022.

Etymology. The specific epithet is derived from the Greek adjective “kladaros”, meaning “easily broken” and referring to the unique RTA tip, which breaks easily; latinised adjective.

Diagnosis. Small Ctenidae (total length male 9.3). Distinguished from other Ctenus spp. by the unique tip of RTA, which breaks off easily, distinguished from C. ramosus by the cup-shaped RTA tip and the absence of projections ( Figs 60–61 ). Embolus with roughly same width over its length and conical membranous extension at its base (ME in Figs 59–60 ).

Description. Male (holotype). PL 4.9, PW 3.8, AW 2.0, OL 4.4, OW 3.2. Eye diameters and interdistances (Fig. 64): AME 0.22, ALE 0.19, PME 0.29, PLE 0.26, AME–AME 0.14, AME–ALE 0.24, PME–PME 0.14, PME–PLE 0.30, AME–PME 0.06, ALE–PLE 0.14, clypeus AME 0.13, clypeus ALE 0.40. Palp and leg measurements: palp 5.6 (2.1, 0.9, 1.0, -, 1.6), I 13.6 (3.5, 1.8, 3.7, 3.3, 1.3), II 12.3 (3.3, 1.8, 3.2, 2.9, 1.1), III 10.9 (3.0, 1.5, 2.5, 2.8, 1.1), IV 14.7 (3.8, 1.6, 3.6, 4.3, 1.4). Leg formula 4123. Spination of palp and legs: palp 14(5)1, 100, 1010; femora I p012, d111, r111, II p112, d111, r 111(0), III p112, d111, r112, IV p112, d111, r002; patellae 48 ventral, 49 retrolateral). 50– 52 Female from Burma (Teinthaw) (50 epigyne, ventral; 51 epigyne, posterior; 52 vulva, dorsal). EF—epigynal field, ET—epigynal teeth, FD—fertilisation duct, I + II—two chambers of spermathecae, chamber II functionally between chamber I and fertilisation duct.

I–II 000, III–IV 101; tibiae I–II p010, r010, v22222, III–IV p11, d111, r11, v222; metatarsi I–II p010, r010, v222, III p112, d010, r112, v222, IV p112, d010, r112, v2122. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal, 4 retromarginal teeth, and with 2 tiny denticles. Retromargin of chelicerae close to fang base with 4 bristles. Ventral tarsi and partly metatarsi with sparse scopula. Claw tufts divided into two distinct parts, both arising from lateral extensions close to claw base. Leg claws I–IV with 6 secondary teeth.

Palp as in diagnosis ( Figs 59–61 ). Cymbium tip slightly conical. RTA strong, arising dorso-retrolaterally from tibia. Embolus arising at 8-o’clock-position, conductor at 12-o’clock-position, tegular apophysis at 6-o’clockposition from tegulum. Tegular apophysis elongated, at least twice as long as wide, only shallowly excavated dorsally.

Colour (Figs 62–63). Yellow brown with slightly darker markings. Dorsal prosoma with light median band and 2 dark broad lateral bands. Sternum, ventral coxae, labium and gnathocoxae pale yellowish-brown without pattern. Chelicerae dark yellowish-brown. Legs yellowish-brown, dorsal femora with black hairs. Dorsal opisthosoma with two characteristic lateral patches anteriorly, in posterior half with ca. 5 pairs of smaller patches. Lateral opisthosoma spotted. Ventral opisthosoma with dark margin around median field and around spinnerets. Median field with spots, these spots partly fused especially in anterior part.

Note. The colour pattern is unique in comparison with other Ctenus spp. included in this review. However, this might be artificially modified by the absence of hairs, which may have been rubbed off.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 39 : 3).

Figures

FIGURE 39. Records of Ctenus spp. in South and Southeast Asia. 1 Between Chitre and Chandrung, Nepal. 2–5 Burma (2

FIGURES 59–61. Ctenus cladarus spec. nov., holotype male from Burma (Mt Victoria), left male palp (59 prolateral, 60 ventral, 61 retrolateral). ME—membranous extension of embolus.