Popcornella spiniformis, Zhang, Jun-Xia & Maddison, Wayne P., 2012

Zhang, Jun-Xia & Maddison, Wayne P., 2012, New euophryine jumping spiders from the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae), Zootaxa 3476, pp. 1-54 : 44-45

Popcornella spiniformis sp. nov.

Figs 211 – 223

Figures 217–223. Popcornella spiniformis sp. nov. 217 male paratype, dorsal view; 218 female paratype, dorsal view; 219 male left palp, ventral view; 220 male left palp, retrolateral view; 221 female left chelicera, back view; 222 epigynum, ventral view; 223 cleared epigynum, dorsal view. Scale bars: 217 – 218, 0.5 mm; 219 – 223, 0.1 mm.

Type material. Holotype: male, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Barahona: Cachote, 18.098° N, 71.187° W, elev. 1220 m, 19 – 20 July 2009, coll. W. Maddison, G. B. Edwards, J. Zhang, G. Ruiz, N. Corona, WPM#09-047 (UBC-SEM AR00065). Paratypes: 1 female, same data as holotype (UBC-SEM AR00066); 2 males and 3 females in two vials, same data as holotype; 1 male 5 females, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Barahona: Cachote, 18.101° N, 71.194° W, elev. 1200 m, 18 – 19 July 2009, coll. W. Maddison, G. B. Edwards, J. Zhang, G. Ruiz, N. Corona, WPM#09-046.

Etymology. The specific epithet, an adjective, combines the Latin spinus (spine) and formis (shaped), referring to the spine-like embolus of the male palp.

Diagnosis. Differs from the other species in the Dominican Republic, Popcornella furcata , by the hooked retrolateral tibial apophysis (Fig. 220), the palpal bulb shape (Fig. 219), and the shape of the epigynum and spermatheca (Figs 222 – 223).

Description. Male (holotype, UBC-SEM AR00065). Carapace length 1.0 (variation 0.9 – 1.1, n=4); abdomen length 0.9. Chelicera: yellow brown. Palp (Figs 219 – 220): coxa, trochanter and femur dark brown, patella, tibia and cymbium light yellow. Retrolateral sperm duct loop almost half as wide as tegulum width. Retrolateral tibial apophysis short and hooked at the tip, with a hump at the base. Measurements of legs: I 2.2, II 1.6, III 1.9, IV 1.9. Color in alcohol (Fig. 217): carapace dark to dark brown, without distinct markings; abdomen gray brown, with light yellow brown speckles and markings; legs light yellow to brownish.

Female (paratype, UBC-SEM AR00066). Carapace length 0.9 (variation 0.8 – 0.9, n=9); abdomen length 1.0. Measurements of legs: I 1.8, II 1.5, III 1.8, IV 1.9. Epigynum (Figs 222 – 223): without distinct window structure; opening to copulatory duct far anterior to the genital groove. Copulatory ducts very short; spermathecae almost oval. Color in alcohol (Fig. 218): similar to that of male.

Natural history. Specimens were found in leaf litter in cloud forest.