Opopaea berenty, Daniela & Andriamalala & D.C. & Hormiga & D.C., 2013

Daniela, Andriamalala, D. C., Hormiga, Gustavo & D. C., 2013, Systematics Of The Goblin Spider Genus Opopaea (Araneae, Oonopidae) In Madagascar, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2013 (380), pp. 1-156 : 76-82

Opopaea berenty , new species

Figures 387–418; map 4

TYPES: Male holotype and female allotype from Toliara province: Réserve privée de Berenty, forêt de Bealoka, Mandraré river, 14.6 km 329 ° NNW Amboasary, gallery forest, 24 ° 579250S, 46 ° 169170E, 35 m, ER19, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood, 03–08 February 2002, coll. B.L. Fisher et al., BLF5316 (CASC PBI_OON 2766).

ETYMOLOGY: The species epithet is a name in apposition taken from the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS: Males of O. berenty resemble those of O. bemaraha in having the shape of the cymbiobulbus, one third shorter than the patella, with a more or less round anterior edge, and the posterior edge of the cymbiobulbus in between the two posterior protuberances with a sharp, thin bladelike area, but can be most easily distinguished by having the area below the palpal fenestra darkened and sclerotized on the retrolateral side (figs. 403, 407) and the shape of the abdomen laterally flattened (figs. 396, 397). Females of O. berenty are also very different from those of O. bemaraha and other Opopaea species in having a more or less wide V-shaped postgynum depression that opens posteriorly and with a nonsclerotized ridge (fig. 409). At the epigastric furrow the scutal ridge is a very thin, divided, and with a tiny parmula sitted on a rectangular sclerotized structure (figs. 392, 409–410).

DESCRIPTION: Male (holotype) (PBI_ OON 2766). Small to medium-sized species. Total length 1.40. Color: yellowish orange to orange. Carapace: pars cephalica not elevat- ed posteriorly with one row of two widely separated sets of two to three denticles (figs. 400, 401). Carapace anterolateral corners without sclerotized triangular extension. Clypeus low, not rebordered. Chilum absent. Eyes medium to large. ALE largest. ALE and PME oval, PLE circular; PME darkened compared to other eyes, posterior eye row straight viewed from above, slightly procurved from front; ALE separated by less than their radius, ALE-PLE separated by less than ALE radius, PME touching throughout most of their length, PLE-PME separated by less than PME radius. Sternum longer than wide with radial furrows between coxae, surface smooth, without pits, shape of posterior part between coxae IV hexagonal, constricted then slightly opened up laterally again near the end. Area between coxae III unmodified, without posterior lumps; setae sparse, densest at margins, originating from surface, without hair tufts (figs. 399–402). Palp cymbiobulbus tip with short, liplike, more or less sclerotized extensions on the anteroventral side, posterior margin with two protuberances: a smooth and large proximal one and the other small and sharp distally, separated by a sharp, thin bladelike area in between. Palpal fenestra large and elongated (oval), oriented more or less vertically and located near the end of the palp, area before fenestra anterior top not raised, round and short, slightly sclerotized, sloping downward toward the tip. Palpal femora about a half of the length of palpal patella and inserted

almost medially to it (figs. 387–388, 403– 404, 407–408, 411–418).

Female (allotype) (PBI_OON 2766). Total length 1.57. Yellowish orange. Abdomen circular, much wider than carapace and flattened posteriorly toward posterior end (figs. 390–398). Postgynum depression ridge not sclerotized (figs. 389, 409–410).

MEASUREMENTS: Male (PBI_OON 2766). TL: 1.40; CL: 0.63; CW: 0.50; CH: 0.31; AL: 0.83; AW: 0.55; ALE: 0.07; PME: 0.06; PLE: 0.05; EGW: 0.18; ALE-ALE: 0.03; ALE- PLE: 0.01; PME-PME: 0; PLE-PME: 0; CBL: 0.18; CBW: 0.08; CBL/PTL: 0.75; FI: 0.11.

Female (allotype) ( PBI _OON 34407). TL: 1.57 ; CL: 0.66; CW: 0.53; CH: 0.36; AL: 0.98; AW: 0.71; ALE: 0.08; PME: 0.06; PLE: 0.06; EGW: 0.19; ALE-ALE: 0.03; ALE-PLE: 0.01; PME-PME: 0; PLE-PME: 0.01; EFL: 0.15; LAL: 0.08; PGI (LAL/EFL): 0.53; PDL/LAL: 0.5; PDW/EFL: 0.53.

VARIATION: Male: TL: 1.32–1.40; CL: 0.60–0.63; CW: 0.48–0.50; AL: 0.76–0.83; AW: 0.54–0.57.

Female: TL: 1.48–1.57; CL: 0.62–0.66; CW: 0.51–0.53; AL: 0.92–0.98; AW: 0.68– 0.71.

NATURAL HISTORY: O. berenty was mostly found in tropical dry forests, gallery

forests, and rainforests from 35–700 m elevations.

DISTRIBUTION: O. berenty is found mostly in the south and south-central regions of Madagascar in the provinces of Toliara and Fianarantsoa (Berenty, Cap Sainte-Marie, Forêt de Mite´, Beza Mahafaly, Forêt d’Analalava) (map 4).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: MADA- GASCAR: Toliara: Réserve privée de Berenty, forêt de Bealoka, Mandraré river, 14.6 km 329 ° NNW Amboasary, gallery forest, 24 ° 579250S, 46 ° 169170E, 35 m, ER19, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood, 03–08 February 2002, coll. B.L. Fisher et al., BLF5316 (CASC PBI_OON 2766), 1128, 130♀. Réserve spéciale de Cap Sante Marie, 14.9 km 261 ° W Marovato, spiny forest/ thicket, 25 ° 359400S, 45 ° 89490E, 160 m, EH11, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood, 13–19 February 2002, coll. B.L. Fisher et al., BLF5570 (CASC PBI_OON 35050), 388, 31♀. Forêt de Mite, 20.7 km 29 ° WNW Tongobory, gallery forest, 23 ° 319270S, 44 ° 79170E, 75 m, ER19, sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood), 13 February–03 Mars 2002, coll. B.L. Fisher et al., BLF5858 (CASC PBI_OON 35046), 158, 15♀. Beza Mahafaly, 27 km E Betioky, rainforest, 23 ° 399S, 44 ° 9E, 135 m, sifted litter, 23 April 1997, B.L. Fisher, BLF1476 (CASC PBI_OON 2238), 1♀. Fianarantsoa: Forêt d’Analalava, 29.6 km 280 ° W Ranohira, tropical dry forest, 22 ° 359300S, 45 ° 079420E, 700 m, EF19 sifted litter (leaf mold, rotten wood, 01–05 February 2003, C. Griswold and B. Fisher, et al., BLF7382 (CASC PBI_OON 3829), 1♀ (CASC PBI_OON 3812), 1♀.