Noideattella gamela Álvarez-Padilla & Ubick & Griswold 2012, new species

Noideattella gamela, new species Figures 61–88, 99–105, 373

TYPES: Male holotype and female allotype from Berlese and sifted leaf litter of a montane rainforest at an elevation of 1075 m at Ambatovy, 18°51′3″S, 48°19′17″E, Toamasina (21 March 2004, Malagasy ant team) deposited in CASC (PBI_OON 00036157). The species epithet, a noun in apposition, is taken for the Malagasy word for bucket .

DIAGNOSIS: N. gamela can be differentiated from other Noideattella species by the following combination of characters: habitus color dark brown; carapace pars cephalica and sides smooth (figs. 64, 76) or with very weak granulate texture (visible only with SEM: figs. 75, 79); sternum microsculpture finely reticulate distributed medially and in furrows (figs. 65, 77, 78). Book lung covers large and ovoid (figs. 62, 100); male leg I and II metatarsi with two pairs of spines (figs. 102, 103); embolus ventral lamella with a flat curved apophysis (figs. 66, 68). The female of this species and N. famafa are morphologically identical and only present differences in phenology, with adults of N. gamela found from November to March, whereas N. famafa females are found in September.

DESCRIPTION: Male: Total length 2.5. Cephalothorax: Sternum as long as wide, brown, without pits, anterior margin with continuous transverse groove (figs. 65, 77, 78). Mouthparts: Chelicerae, endites, and labium brown. Cheliceral paturon inner margin lacks modified seta, with scattered setae (fig. 67). Abdomen: ovoid. Pedicel with a line of denser setae around the pedicel (fig. 100). Dorsal scutum brown, middle surface smooth, sides smooth. Postepigastric scutum brown, long, semicircular, covering nearly full length of abdomen (figs. 62, 63, 99). Male genital opening slightly protruded, epigastric scutum apodemes not easily visible, contiguous with the anterior book lung opening and inside a deep furrow. Posterior spiracles connected by a groove (figs. 74, 99). Legs: Dark red-brown, femora and basal half of tibiae darkened (figs. 102–105). Leg spination (only surfaces bearing spines listed, all spines longer than segment width): tibiae: I p0-1-1; r1-1-1; II p1-1-0; r1-1-0; IV p0-0-1; metatarsi: I, II p1-1- 0; r1-1-0. Trichobothria on tibiae: I three, IV three, trichobothria base longitudinally narrowed, aperture internal texture gratelike, hood covered by numerous low, closely spaced ridges. Tarsal organ with two sensilla visible. Genitalia: Epigastric region with sperm pore situated in front of anterior spiracles (fig. 74). Palp proximal segments pale brown; cymbium pale brown, with distal patch of setae; bulb pale brown (figs. 66, 68). Embolus dorsal lamella with at least two distal apophyses (fig. 85), ventral lamella with three apophyses (fig. 88). Palp as in figures 81, 86, and 87. Female (PBI_OON 0003295): Total length 2.4. As in male except as noted. Abdomen: Pedicel surrounded by line of denser setae. Legs: Tibia I Emerit’s glands present, metatarsi III and IV weak ventral scopula absent, tibiae Emerit’s glands very shallow and difficult to see. Leg spination (only surfaces bearing spines listed, all spines longer than segment width): tibiae: I, II p2-1-1; r1-1-1; IV p0-0-1; metatarsi: I, II p1-1-0; r1-1-0. Trichobothria absent from metatarsi I and IV. Genitalia: Genital opening slit shaped (fig. 73). Sperm sac secretory gland openings flat, extending all over receptaculum posterior surface, GAp process shaped as a twisted tube (figs. 71, 72). Genitalia as in figures 69 and 70.

VARIATION: The coloration varies from brown to red-brown among specimens. Female leg I: spine number varies from two to three on the prolateral side, leg II: tibial spine number varies from two to one on the prolateral side, even within the same specimen (PBI_OON 00003293). Female spines on tibia retrolateral side of legs I and II vary from two to one. Male leg II tibial spine number varies from three to four on the prolateral surface.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: N = 18. Madagascar: Antananarivo: 3 km 41° NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147° SSE Anjozorobe, montane rainforest, 1300 m, S18.47333°, E47.96000°, Dec. 05–13, 2000, Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team, 2♀ (CASC PBI _ OON 3923). Antsiranana: Marojejy Reserve, 8.4 km NNW Manantenina, 700 m, S14.43333°, E49.75000°, Nov. 10–16, 1993, J. Coddington, S. Larcher, C. Griswold, R. Andriamasimanana, N. Scharff, 1♀ (CASC PBI _ OON 3466); Parc National de Marojejy, Antranohofa, 26.6 km 31° NNE Andapa, 10.7 km 318° NW Manantenina, montane rainforest, 1325 m, S14.00722°, E49.01222°, Nov. 18, 2003, Fisher- Griswold Arthropod team, 1♀ (CASC PBI _ OON 3562). Fianarantsoa: Ranomafana National Park, Talakely, mixed tropical forest, 900 m, S21.41735°, E47.69916°, Jan. 07–17, 2001, D.H. and K.M. Kavanaugh, R.L. Brett, E. Elsom, F. Vargas, 1♀ (CASC PBI _ OON 3959). Toamasina: Ambatovy, montane rainforest, 1075 m, S18.85083°, E48.32139°, Mar. 21, 2004, Malagasy ant team, 1♂ (CASC PBI _ OON 3573); Montagne d’Anjanaharibe, 18.0 km 21° NNE Ambinanitelo, rainforest, 470 m, S15.18833°, E49.61500°, Mar. 08–12, 2003, Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team, 1♂ (CASC PBI _ OON 3531); Montagne d’Anjanaharibe, 19.5 km 27° NNE Ambinanitelo, montane rainforest, 1100 m, S15.17833°, E49.63500°, Mar. 12–16, 2003, Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team, 2 mixed (CASC PBI _ OON 3568); Parc National Masoala, Ambohitsitondroina, Mt, Ambanizana, rainforest, 900 m, S15.57166°, E50.00583°, Feb. 26, 2003, D. Andriamalala, D. Silva, et al., 1♀ (CASC PBI _ OON 3293); Parc National Masoala, Ambohitsitondroina, Mt, Ambanizana, rainforest, 700 m, S15.56941°, E50.00341°, Mar. 01, 2003, D. Andriamalala, D. Silva, et al., 1♀ (CASC PBI _ OON 3294); 2 mixed (CASC PBI _ OON 3295); Reserve Analamazaotra, Parc National Andasibe, 23 road km E Moramanga, rainforest, 960 m, S18.94394°, E48.41755°, Jan. 16–18, 2003, C. Griswold, D. Silva, D. Andriamalala, 1♂ (CASC PBI _ OON 3335); Torotorofotsy, montane rainforest, 1070 m, S18.87083°, E48.34750°, Mar. 24, 2004, Malagasy ant team, 2 mixed (CASC PBI _ OON 3549).