Novalena dentata new species

Figures 1 i, m, 21, 22; Map 3

Type. Holotype male: MEXICO: Guanajuato: Municipality of Acámbaro, Sierra de los Agustinos, pitfall trap, 20.X.2006, J.J. Torres (CNAN-T1128), deposited at CNAN.

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition in reference to the shape of tegular median process of male pedipalp with several teeth.

Diagnosis. The males of this species differ from N. leonensis in having the RTA with dorsal and ventral projections closer to each other (Fig. 22 b) and from N. mexiquensis in having the tegular median process with projections separated (Fig. 21 b, c). The females differ from N. intermedia in having the atrium with anterior margin and spurs sclerotized, from N. ajusco and N. leonensis in having the spurs separated by their basal width, and from N. alvarezi in having the atrium less procurved (Fig. 22 c).

Description. Male (holotype): Carapace light brown, white feathery scales on cephalic region and a black spot on ocular region. Chelicerae brown, condyles yellow. Endites and labium light brown with white tips. Sternum light brown. Legs light brown, tibia and metatarsus I and II orange. Three rings on femur, one on patella, two on tibia, and two on metatarsus. Opisthosoma light brown with two lateral black spots and four posterior chevrons. Spinnerets light brown, distal segments with diffuse black spots. Total length 5.63. Carapace length 2.88, width 1.88, cephalic region width 1, ocular region width 0.57. Eye diameter: AME 0.08, ALE 0.13, PME and PLE 0.12. Distance between eyes: AME-AME 0.04, AME-ALE 0.06, AME-PME 0.12, ALE-PLE 0.06, ALE-ALE 0.23, PME-PME 0.08, PME-PLE 0.08. Clypeus height 0.13. Chelicerae with three retromarginal teeth; basal segment length 1, fang length 0.39. Labium wider than long (0.36/0.27). Endites almost straight (distance at their base compared at their tips 0.36/0.3). Sternum slightly longer than wide (1.39/1.15). Opisthosoma longer than wide (2.86/1.57). ALS separated by their basal diameter (0.19/0.19), PLS with distal segment as long as basal segment (0.31/0.31). Leg lengths: I—femur 1.9/ patella-tibia 2.43/ metatarsus 1.7/ tarsus 1.29; II—1.81/ 2.14/ 1.67/ 1.14; III—1.9/ 2.14/ 1.86/ 0.9; IV—2.38/ 2.9/ 2.76/ 1.52. Spination: femur dorsal I—1-1 -3/ II—1-1 -3/ III—1-1 -3/ IV— 1-1 -3; patella I—dorsal 1-1/ prolateral 1/ retrolateral 0; II—1-1 / 1/ 0; III—1-1 / 1/ 1; IV—1-1 / 1/ 1; tibia I—dorsal 0/ ventral 2-2-2/ prolateral 1-1-0/ retrolateral 0; II—0/ 1-1-2/ 1-1-0/ 0; III—1-1 -0/ 1-1-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; IV—1-1 -0/ 1-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; metatarsus I—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0; II—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-2/ 0; III—2-1 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; IV—3- 1 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1. Number of trichobothria on tarsus: I—7, II—7, III—6, IV—7. Number of dorsal spines on pedipalp: femur 2, tibia 2. Cymbium length 0.91, width 0.58. Embolus curved; conductor distally notched; tegular median process with two projections, mesal projection jagged; RTA with dorsal and ventral projections slightly flattened (Figs. 21, 22 a, b).

Female (paratype) (CNAN-T1130): Carapace yellow, white feathery scales on cephalic region and a black spot on ocular region. Chelicerae dark brown, condyles light brown. Endites and labium dark brown with white tips. Sternum light brown with a diffuse black spot. Legs light brown, coxa with diffuse black spot, tibia and metatarsus dark brown. Three black rings on femur, one on patella, and two on tibia. Opisthosoma with anterior reddish spot and five pairs of lateral black dots, five posterior chevrons, and five pairs of lateral brown spots. Spinnerets orange, PLS with distal segment yellow. Total length 7. Carapace length 3, width 2, cephalic region width 1.1, ocular region width 0.62. Eye diameter: AME 0.08, ALE and PLE 0.15, PME 0.13. Distance between eyes: AME-AME 0.06, AME-ALE 0.06, AME-PME 0.12, ALE-PLE 0.04, ALE-ALE 0.27, PME-PME 0.06, PME-PLE 0.08. Clypeus height 0.13. Chelicerae with three retromarginal teeth; basal segment length 1.09, fang length 0.45. Labium wider than long (0.39/0.3). Endites almost straight (distance at their base compared at their tips 0.39/0.3). Sternum longer than wide (1.52/1.24). Opisthosoma longer than wide (4.25/2.5). ALS separated by less their basal diameter (0.19/0.29); PLS with distal segment as long as basal segment (0.33/0.33). Leg lengths: I—femur 1.9/ patella-tibia 2.43/ metatarsus 1.57/ tarsus 1.19; II—1.9/ 2.24/ 1.52/ 1.19; III—1.86/ 2.19/ 1.76/ 1.05; IV—2.48/ 3.09/ 2.62/ 1.43. Spination: femur dorsal I—1-1 -3/ II—1-1 -3/ III—1-1 -3/ IV—1-1 -3; patella I—dorsal 1-1/ prolateral 1/ retrolateral 0; II—1-1 / 1/ 0; III—1-1 / 1/ 1; IV—1-1 / 1/ 1; tibia I—dorsal 0/ ventral 2-2-2/ prolateral 1- 1-0/ retrolateral 0; II—0/ 2-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 0; III—1-1 -0/ 2-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; IV—1-1 -0/ 2-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; metatarsus I—0/ 2-2-2/ 0/ 0; II—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-2/ 0; III—2-1 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; IV—3-1 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1. Number of trichobothria: I—7, II—3, III—6, IV—6. Dorsal spines on pedipalp femur: 2. Prolateral spines on tibia: 1-2. Epigynal plate wider than long (0.76/0.52); atrium superficial and slightly procurved with anterior margin more protruded than posterior margin; anterior margin and anterior spurs sclerotized (Fig. 22 c, e). Internal genitalia: copulatory ducts straight, primary spermathecae adjacent with a dorsal transverse mark (Fig. 22 d).

Variation. Males (n=9): body length 5–6.13; carapace length 2.63–3.13; patella-tibia I length 2.38–2.75. Females (n=8): body length 5.25–7.75; carapace length 2.75–3.5; patella-tibia I length 2–2.75.

Additional material examined. Paratypes: MEXICO: Guanajuato: same data as holotype except hand collecting, 2 ♂ 3 ♀ (CNAN-T1136); same data as holotype except 23.III.2006, 1 ♂ (CNAN-T1133); same data as holotype except 25.III.2006, J.J. Torres and D. Hacha, 1 ♂ (CNAN-T1134); same data as holotype except A.F.

Quijano, J. Ponce, and M. Villaseñor, 1 ♂ (CNAN-T1129); same data, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (CNAN-T1131); same data, 2 ♀ (CNAN-T1130); same data except 25.III. 2006, 1 ♀ (CNAN-T 1135); same data, 2 ♂ (CNAN-T1137); same data except hand collecting, 1 ♀ (CNAN-T1132).

Other material: MEXICO: Guanajuato: same data as holotype 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE037); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE038); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE039); same data, 2 ♂ (CARCIB); same data except A.F. Quijano, J. Ponce, and M. Villaseñor, 1 ♂ (CARCIB); same data, 1 ♂ (CARCIB); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE029); same data, 1 ♂ (CARCIB); same data, 4 ♂ (CARCIB); same data except 25.III.2006, 1 ♂ (CARCIB); same data, 1 ♂ (CARCIB); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE020); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE023); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE024); same data, 3 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE025); same data, 1 ♂ (CARCIB); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE028); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE031); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE033); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE035); same data except hand collecting, 1 ♂ (CARCIB); same data, 1 ♂ (CARCIB); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE018); same data, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE026); same data, 1 ♂ (CARCIB); same data except hand collecting, J.J. Torres and D. Hacha, 1 ♂ (CARCIB); same data except pitfall trap, J.J. Torres and M.R. Moore, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE036); same data except J.J. Torres and D. Hacha, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE042); same data except J.J. Torres and S. Vega, 2 ♂ (CARCIB); same data except J.J. Torres and Y. Avalos, 1 ♂ (CAFBUM_AGE044).

Natural history. The species is sympatric with N. franckei and N. poncei.

Distribution. MEXICO: Guanajuato (Map 3).