Novalena leonensis new species

Figures 1 l, p, 30d–h; Map 5

Type. Holotype male: MEXICO: Mexico City: Parque Nacional Desierto de los Leones, 2743–3048 m, 6.IV.1946, J.C. Pallister and D.L. Pallister, deposited at AMNH.

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Diagnosis. The males of N. leonensis differ from all species in having the RTA with dorsal projection large and pointed ventrally (Fig. 30 d, e). The females differ from N. bipunctata, N. intermedia, and N. alvarezi in having the atrium with anterior margin sclerotized, from N. ajusco in having the spurs less projected ventrally (Fig. 30 h), and from N. dentata in having the spurs adjacent (Fig. 30 f) and primary spermathecae without a dorsal transverse mark (Fig. 30 g).

Description. Male (holotype): Carapace dark brown. Chelicerae dark brown, condyles orange. Endites and labium light brown with white tips. Sternum light brown. Legs orange, patella with distal black border. Three rings on femur. Opisthosoma light brown with posterior foliage and several lateral black spots and lines. Spinnerets orange. Total length 5.25. Carapace length 2.88, width 2, cephalic region width 1.05, ocular region width 0.67. Eye diameter: AME 0.08, ALE 0.15, PLE and PME 0.12. Distance between eyes: AME-AME 0.06, AME-ALE 0.06, AME-PME 0.13, ALE-PLE 0.04, ALE-ALE 0.27, PME-PME 0.08, PME-PLE 0.06. Clypeus height 0.15. Chelicerae with three retromarginal teeth; basal segment length 1.15, fang length 0.52. Labium wider than long (0.48/0.3). Endites almost straight (distance at their base compared at their tips 0.48/0.33). Sternum longer than wide (1.43/1.19). Opisthosoma longer than wide (2.38/1.63). ALS separated by less their basal diameter (0.19/ 0.25), PLS with distal segment slightly shorter than basal segment (0.29/0.33). Leg lengths: I—femur 2/ patellatibia 2.57/ metatarsus 1.67/ tarsus 1.38; II—1.95/ 2.29/ 1.67/ 1.29; III—1.9/ 2.24/ 1.91/ 1.1; IV—2.43/ 2.95/ 2.9/ 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 0-1-0/ retrolateral 0; II—0/ 1-1-2/ 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/ 0-0-1/ 0-0-1; II—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0; III—2-1 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; IV—2-1 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-0-1. Number of trichobothria on tarsus: I—7, II—7, III—6, IV—6. Number of dorsal spines on pedipalp: femur 2, tibia 4. Cymbium length 1.15, width 0.67. Embolus curved; conductor with ventral projection larger than dorsal one; tegular median process with mesal projection longer than ectal one; dorsal projection of RTA long and pointed, ventral projection flattened (Fig. 30 d, e).

Female (paratype) (AMNH): Carapace dark brown, a black spot on ocular region. Chelicerae dark brown, condyles orange. Endites light brown with white spots. Labium dark brown with white tip. Sternum light brown. Legs orange with three faint rings on femur, one on patella, and two on tibia. Opisthosoma light brown with anterior reddish spot, two lateral spots, and five posterior pairs of spots. Spinnerets orange. Total length 6.75. Carapace length 3.25, width 2, cephalic region width 1.14, ocular region width 0.71. Eye diameter: AME 0.08, ALE and PLE 0.15, PME 0.12. Distance between eyes: AME-AME 0.06, AME-ALE 0.08, AME-PME 0.13, ALE- PLE 0.04, ALE-ALE 0.29, PME-PME 0.1, PME-PLE 0.04. Clypeus height 0.17. Chelicerae with three to four retromarginal teeth; basal segment length 1.15, fang length 0.48. Labium wider than long (0.45/0.3). Endites almost straight (distance at their base compared at their tips 0.45/0.24). Sternum longer than wide (1.52/1.27). Opisthosoma longer than wide (4/2.5). ALS separated by less their basal diameter (0.19/0.25), PLS with distal segment as long as basal segment (0.38/0.38). Leg lengths: I—femur 1.81/ patella-tibia 2.33/ metatarsus 1.43/ tarsus 1.19; II—1.81/ 2.14/ 1.48/ 1; III—1.67/ 2.05/ 1.57/ 1; IV—2.24/ 2.71/ 2.38/ 1.24. 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/ 1-1-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; IV—1-1 -0/ 1-1-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; metatarsus I—0/ 2-2-2/ 0/ 0; II—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; III—2-1 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; IV—2-1 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1. Number of trichobothria on tarsus: I—6, II—6, III—6, IV—6. Dorsal spines on pedipalp femur: 3. Prolateral spines on tibia: 1-2. Epigynal plate wider than long (0.88/0.52); atrium with anterior margin strongly sclerotized and more protruded than posterior margin; anterior sclerotized spurs adjacent (Fig. 30 f, h). Internal genitalia: copulatory ducts straight, primary spermathecae adjacent (Fig. 30 g).

Variation. Males (n=2): carapace length 2.75–2.88; patella-tibia I length 2.25–2.57. Females (n=10): body length 5.75–7.5; carapace length 2.63–3.38; patella-tibia I length 2.25–3.

Additional material examined. Paratypes: MEXICO: Estado de México: Municipality of Villa de Allende, Parque Nacional Bosencheve, 19°25′N, 100°10′W, 7.V.1963, W.J. Gertsch and W. Ivie, 1 ♂ 7 ♀ (AMNH); Municipality of Temascaltepec, San Francisco Oxtotilpan, 19°08′52.1″N, 99°54′48.4″W, 2600 m, 25.V.1984, M.L. Jiménez and D. López, 1 ♀ (CARCIB 3364). Mexico City: Parque Nacional Desierto de los Leones, 2743 m, 27.IV.1946, J.C. Pallister and D.L. Pallister, 1 ♀ (AMNH); Pedregal San Ángel, 24.V.1976, no collector data, 1 ♀ (CNAN-T0957).

Other material: MEXICO: Estado de México: Municipality of Villa de Allende, Parque Nacional Bosencheve, 19°27′N, 100°12′W, 4.IX.1966, J. Ivie and W. Ivie, 1 ♀ (AMNH); Municipality of Temascaltepec, San Francisco Oxtotilpan, 19°08′52.1″N, 99°54′48.4″W, 2600 m, 12.VII.1984, M.L. Jiménez and D. López, 1 ♀ (CARCIB 3363). Mexico City: Parque Nacional Desierto de los Leones, 23.VII.1950, no collector data, 1 ♀ (AMNH).

Distribution. MEXICO: Estado de México, Mexico City (Map 5).