Tapinocyba prima Dupérré & Paquin, 2005, new species

Tapinocyba prima new species

(Figs. 7–13)

Tapinocyba minuta: Dondale et al. 1997: 89; Paquin and Dupérré 2003: 122, figs. 1276–1279.

Type material.— HOLOTYPE: Canada: British Columbia: Summit Lake [58°39’N, 124°38’W] 01.vi.–08.vii.1981, moss above tree line, pitfall, 1ɗ, C.D. Dondale (CNC); ALLOTYPE: 1Ψ, same data as for holotype; PARATYPES: Canada: Alberta: Waterton Lakes National Park of Canada, Alderson­Carthew Trail [49°05’N, 113°52’W] 18.vii.1986, Potentilla, Dryas, moss, lichens, fungus, Carex, 1ɗ, VB87­ 86 V. Behan (CNC); near Morley [51°09’N, 114°52’W] 16.v.–05.vi.1963, grass edge of poplar woods, 4ɗ, A.L. Turnbull (CNC); British Columbia: Tetsa River, mi 378 Alaska Highway [58°38’N, 123°42’W] 31.v.–08.vii.1981, spruce­poplar forest, 1ɗ, C.D. Dondale (CNC); Alaska Highway, 15.5 km S Sikanni river [57°58’N, 121°11’W] 31.v.–08.vii.1981, sprucepine forest, 1ɗ, C.D. Dondale (CNC); Yukon: British Mountains, Sheep Creek [69°10’N, 140°18’W] 23.vi.1984, Mertensia litter & soil, on rich SE facing slope, 410m, 1Ψ, VB69­ 84, V. Behan (CNC); British Mountains, June Creek near Firth river [69°13’N, 140°05’W] 18.vi. 1984, 320m, 2Ψ, VB26/7­84, V. Behan (CNC); British Mountains, June Creek Delta [69°09’N, 140°10’W] 19.vi.1984, Populus balsamifera litter, 1Ψ, V. Behan (CNC); U.S.A. Vermont: Lamoille County, Mansfield Mountain [44°32’N, 72°48’W] 13.vii.1971, litter under dwarf birch, 4100 feet [1250m], 3Ψ, E.E. Lindquist (CNC); New York: Essex County, Adirondacks, Mount Algonquin [44°08'N, 73°59'W] 16.viii.1985, Sphagnum, Ledum, Arctostaphy, 5110 feet [1550m], 1ɗ, VB204, V. Behan (CNC).

Other material.— Canada: Alberta: Whitemud Creek, Edmonton [53°31’N, 113°34’W] 08.v.1959, soil sample, 2Ψ, L.K. Smith (CNC); Manitoba: Fort Churchill [58°45’N, 94°04’W] 08.ix.1953, berlese, 3Ψ, C.C. Barlow (CNC); Newfoundland: Conception Bay South, Top of Main, Topsail [47°32’N, 52°56’W] 20.vi.1985, Diapensia lapponica, 1Ψ, L.H. Hollett (CNC); Yukon: British Mountains, Parnassius Valley [69°13’N, 140°10’W] 27.vi.1984, mixed Betula, Salix, Eriophorum meadow, 1Ψ, VB103­ 84, V. Behan (CNC); British Mountains, June Creek Delta [69°09’N, 140°10’W] 19.vi.1984, mixed vegetation, in spruce forest­ Dryas, Betula, Vaccinium, VB40­84, V. Behan (CNC); U.S.A. Vermont: Lamoille County, Mansfield Mountain [44°32’N, 72°48’W] 03.vii.1971, litter under dwarfed fir, 4300 feet [1310m], 2Ψ, E.E. Lindquist (CNC).

Diagnosis.— The males of T. prima new species are distinguished by the raised dorsal shield of the prosoma (Fig. 7); tail­piece rather small not pear­shaped, embolus thin, straight, spine­like; protegulum large and somewhat triangular (Fig. 8); palpal tibial apophysis thick and stout (Fig. 10). The females have the epigynum recurved onto a median plate, forming the copulatory openings (Fig. 11). Spermathecae oriented obliquely (Fig. 12).

Description.— Male (n=5): Total length: 0.94–0.98mm; carapace length: 0.45– 0.47mm; carapace width: 0.31–0.35mm; carapace smooth, shiny, light yellow to light brown (#fafad2 to #daa520), cephalic region sometimes ornamented by a light grey marking forming a trident (or psi,), carapace border and radiating lines occasionally suffused with grey; 4 erect setae along midline, cephalic pit and sulci present, dorsal shield of the prosoma raised (Fig. 7). Sternum light yellow, variably suffused with grey. Chelicerae light yellow, promargin with 2 large and 3 small teeth, retromargin with 4–5 denticles. Cheliceral stridulatory organ not visible with a dissection microscope (highest magnification 120x). Abdomen uniformly coloured, light to dark grey (#d3d3d3 to #8b8378), densely covered with semi­erect setae. Legs light yellow, tibia I–IV with one dorsal macroseta; metatarsus I with dorsal trichobothrium, TM I 0.40–0.44, Tm IV absent. Palpal tibia with a thick, stout, curved apophysis (Figs. 9–10); embolus thin, straight, spine­like (Fig. 8); protegulum triangular (Fig. 8); tail­piece somewhat rectangular, fundus visible; paracymbium cup­shaped, bearing ~9 setae along its edge (Fig. 9).

Female (n=5): Total length: 1.00– 1.22mm; carapace length: 0.44–0.48mm; carapace width: 0.33–0.35mm; carapace colouration as in male, occasionally with suffused grey pattern, 4 erect setae along midline. Colouration of sternum and chelicerae as in male; promargin of chelicerae with 2 large and 3 small teeth, retromargin with 5 denticles. Cheliceral stridulatory organ not visible with dissection microscope (highest magnification 120x). Abdomen uniformly coloured, lighter than male, light grey (#e0eee0), densely covered with semi­erect setae. Legs light yellow, tibia I–IV with one dorsal macroseta; metatarsus I with dorsal trichobothrium, Tm I 0.35–0.42, Tm IV absent. Posterior portion of the epigynal plate sclerified, recurved onto a median plate, forming the copulatory openings (Fig. 11). Spermathecae visible through the cuticle and extending well beyond the epigynal plate (Figs. 11–12). Spermathecae oval and oriented obliquely, fertilization ducts curved, copulatory ducts long and curled (Fig. 12).

Distribution.— Widespread in North America, from northern Yukon to Newfoundland with an extension in the Rockies; southern records from the East Coast from high elevations in New York and Vermont (Fig. 13).

Habitat.— This species has been collected in forest litter, moss and lichens.

Etymology.— The specific name is an adjective derived from the Latin primus, ­a, ­ um, meaning “the first”, as a reference to our first new species description.