Hovops menabe Artigas & Corronca, 2014, sp. n.

Hovops menabe sp. n.

Figs 18–26, 37, 39

Type material. Holotype: female, Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Parc Nationale Ranomafana, 21ºS 47º30´E, April 1992, Kariko & Roth leg. (USNM).

Other material examined. MADAGASCAR: Fianarantsoa Province: 2 females, same data as holotype (USNM).

Etymology. The specific name is dedicated to the Menabe tribe, part of the Tanala (forest people) inhabiting the southeastern parts of Madagascar, isolated in the mountains that are covered by jungle. This name is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Females of H. menabe sp. n. share the general shape of the epigyne with those of H. vezo sp. n. but in the former, the middle field is a sub-hexagonal plate without an anteriorly delimited edge (Figs 24–25). The shape of the copulatory ducts is similar in both species, but in H. vezo sp. n., they widen abruptly at its inception (Figs 34, 38) and they do not in H. menabe sp. n. (Fig. 26). The shape of the spermatheca of H. menabe sp. n. is distinct from all other Hovops species (Figs 25–26, 37).

Description. Female (holotype): Total body length 11.06. Prosoma 4.57 long, 5.15 wide. Opisthosoma 6.49 long, 3.92 wide. Eye diameter and interdistances: AME 0.20, ALE 0.18, PME 0.16, PLE 0.30, AME-AME 0.29, AME-ALE 0.41, AME-PME 0.19, PME-PME 1.11, PME-PLE 0.66, PLE-PLE 2.50, ALE-ALE 2.23. Leg formula: 24=31. Leg measurements: I—Fe 5.10, Pat+Tib 6.70, Mt 3.40, Ta 1.40, total 16.60; II—6.10, 7.40, 3.90, 1.30, total 18.70; III—5.90, 6.70, 3.90, 1.30, total 17.80, IV—6.10, 6.40, 4.00, 1.30, total 17.80. Leg spination: Fe I—d1.1.0, pr1.1.0, II–IV—d1.1.0, Tib I—v2.2.2.2.1.1, II—v2.2.2.2.1, III–IV v1.0.0; Mt I–II v2.2.2, III—v1.0.0, IV—no spines. Prosoma pale reddish-brown, legs brown. Opisthosoma yellow-brown with an indistinct grey-yellow pattern (Fig. 18). Iridescent scaly hairs all over the prosoma and opisthosoma, but hairs shorter and overlapping on opisthosoma with short and dark setae below (Fig. 20). Cheliceral teeth variables, 3:4 right, left 3:3 (Fig. 22). Note: The latter character was the same in all revised females.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province.