Pelicinus snooky n. sp.

Ranasinghe, U. G. S. L. & Benjamin, Suresh P., 2018, Taxonomic descriptions of nine new species of the goblin spider genera Cavisternum, Grymeus, Ischnothyreus, Opopaea, Pelicinus and Silhouettella (Araneae, Oonopidae) from Sri Lanka, Evolutionary Systematics 2 (1), pp. 65-80 : 66-68

Pelicinus snooky n. sp. (Figs 11 A–J, 12 A–D, 13 A–C)

Type material.

Male holotype from Sri Lanka, North Western Province, Kurunegala District, Ethagala FR, 07°29'11.23"N 80°22'21.64"E, 190 m, litter; 08 April 2015; leg. S. P. Benjamin et al. (IFS_Oon_272) (ZFMK).

Paratype.

1 female; same locality data (IFS_Oon_050) (ZFMK).

Diagnosis.

Pelicinus snooky n. sp. resembles to P. schwendingeri Platnick et al., 2012, by presence of transverse ridges on scuto-pedicel region (Fig. 11F), but can be differentiated by dorsally directed, sclerotized blunt horn-shaped embolus with a squared accessory structure (Fig. 13A). Females can be identified by anteriorly directed narrow, cylindrical tube near to epigastric furrow (Fig. 13C).

Etymology.

This species a noun in apposition named after “Snooky” a goblin and a main character in the story "The Firework Goblins" written by Blyton in 1971.

Description.

Male: Total length 1.16. (Carapace, L: 0.48, W: 0.44. Abdomen, L: 0.68, W: 0.41). Coloration: carapace orange-brown, sternum and mouthparts orange-brown, abdominal scuta orange-brown, legs orange, palps pale orange. Carapace pyriform in dorsal view (Fig. 11A), undulated posteriorly, narrowed anteriorly (Fig. 11A), slightly elevated in lateral view (Fig. 11D), surface and sides smooth, slightly granulated posteriorly, lateral margin without denticles (Fig. 11D). Clypeus straight in front view, widen, slightly rebordered. Chelicerae straight, anterior face unmodified (Fig. 11C). Six eyes, well developed (Fig. 11C), PME largest, all oval, ALE separated by more than their diameter, ALE-PLE separated by less than ALE radius, PME touching throughout most of their length. Sternum as long as wide, radial furrows in between coxae absent, surface smooth, pits are evenly scattered (Fig. 11B). Abdomen ovoid, rounded posteriorly, small rounded pits visible through dorsal scutum (Fig. 11J), cover full length of abdomen, soft tissue visible from above posteriorly. Postepigastric scutum long, rectangular, fused to epigastric scutum, without posteriorly directed lateral apodemes (Fig. 11H). Posterior spiracles connected by groove (Fig. 11H) booklung covers large, ear-shaped, pedicel tube short, scuto-pedicel region with many strongly wrinkled ridges (Fig. 11F). Spinnerets scutum incomplete (Fig. 11G). Leg spines absent. Genitalia: Sperm pore large, situated at level of anterior spiracular groove (Fig. 11H). Palp of normal size, not strongly sclerotized, femur two or more times as long as trochanter, patellae shorter than femur, tibia with three trichobothria. Cymbium yellow, narrow in dorsal view, not fused with bulb. Bulb stout, pea-shaped, 1.5 times than cymbium, with a dorsally directed, sclerotized blunt horn-shaped embolus (em) with a squared accessory structure (as) (Fig. 13A).

Female: Total length 1.86 (Carapace, L: 0.72, W: 0.58. Abdomen, L: 1.14, W; 0.68). In general similar to males (Figs 12 A–D). Genitalia: Anteriorly directed narrow, cylindrical genitalic tube (gt) near to epigastric furrow (ef) with broad, boat shaped receptaculam (re) (Fig. 13C).

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 21).