Aetana abadae Huber 2015, sp. nov.

Aetana abadae Huber, sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: C0C92230-1A67-45FC-BCC4-3B66E2E82EC0

Figs 178–179, 186, 189–193, 195–197, 213–215

Diagnosis

Distinguished from closest known relative (A. omayan) by male clypeus modification (Fig. 191; apophyses closer together), distinct ventro-distal apophysis on male palpal femur (Fig. 190; only indistinct hump in A. omayan), and shape of epigynum (Fig. 213; whitish areas smaller and wider apart). Distinguished from other congeners by bipartite retrolatero-ventral process on procursus (Fig. 190), male palpal trochanter with prolateral apophysis (Fig. 189; other species with only ventral apophysis), and pair of internal sclerotized pockets in female genitalia (Figs 192–193).

Etymology

Named for Philippine-born cosmopolitan artist Pacita Abad (1946–2004), famous for her vibrant, colorful abstract work, but also for her paintings of tropical flowers and animal wildlife.

Material examined

Holotype

PHILIPPINES: ♂, Negros Isl., Negros Oriental Prov., Twin Lakes N.P. (9.365– 9.368 ° N, 123.181°– 123.182° E), 850–950 m a.s.l., forest above Baliansasayao Crater Lake, 9 Mar. 2014 (B.A. Huber), ZFMK (Ar 13986).

Other material

PHILIPPINES, Negros Isl., Negros Oriental Prov.: 5 ♂♂, 13 ♀♀, same data as holotype, ZFMK (4 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀; Ar 13987-88) and MSU-IIT (1 ♂, 1 ♀); 1 ♀, 4 juvs, in pure ethanol, same data, ZFMK (Phi 193). – 1 ♂, Casaroro Falls (9.281° N, 123.208° E), 550 m a.s.l., forest along river below waterfall, 10 Mar. 2014 (B.A. Huber), ZFMK (Ar 13989); 1 ♀, in pure ethanol, same data, ZFMK (Phi 189).

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 3.4, carapace width 1.4. Leg 1: 44.3 (10.6 + 0.6 + 10.6 + 19.2 + 3.3), tibia 2: 6.6, tibia 3: 4.5, tibia 4: 6.5; tibia 1 L/d: 80. Distance PME-PME 430 µm, diameter PME 140× 155 µm, distance PME-ALE ~ 40 µm; AME absent.

COLOR. Carapace ochre-yellow with narrow lateral marginal bands and wide dark brown median band including ocular area and clypeus; sternum ochre-yellow, with darker triangular mark posteriorly and dark labium; legs ochre-yellow with slightly darker rings on femora (subdistally, with light tip), and tibiae (proximally and subdistally, the latter followed by light tip); abdomen ochre-gray, dorsally and laterally covered with many black marks, ventrally with dark mark behind gonopore.

BODY. Habitus as in Fig. 178; ocular area raised, each triad on additional short hump directed toward lateral, without process below ALE (Fig. 191); carapace with very shallow median furrow in anterior part only; clypeus with distinctive pair of apophyses (Fig. 191); sternum wider than long (0.95/0.65), unmodified.

CHELICERAE. As in Fig. 191, with pair of lateral processes proximally and pair of long lateral apophyses distally; without modified hairs; without stridulatory ridges.

PALPS. As in Figs 189–190; coxa unmodified; trochanter with ventral and prolateral apophyses; femur with retrolateral hump, large prolateral apophysis, and ventro-distal apophysis; patella triangular in lateral view; tibia with retrolateral trichobothrium in very distal position; proximal part of procursus with bipartite retrolatero-ventral process, with complex and apparently partly hinged distal elements; bulb with only one process (weakly sclerotized embolus), distally with indistinct hump, without small knobs.

LEGS. Without spines; with curved hairs on metatarsi 1–3; few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1, present on other tibiae; tarsus 1 with ~25 pseudosegments, only distally distinct.

Male (variation)

Tibia 1 in six other males: 9.8–10.6 (mean: 10.2). Dark spot behind gonopore absent in two males. Abdomen with or without additional white spots in dorso-lateral rows. Male from Casaroro Falls with large light brown mark on sternum posteriorly.

Female

In general similar to male but clypeus unmodified and more homogeneously dark brown; eye triads much closer together (distance PME-PME 165 µm); with indistinct stridulatory apparatus between carapace and abdomen: small modified area medially on carapace (Fig. 186) versus barely distinguishable hairless area on abdomen. Tibia 1 in 13 females: 7.8–8.8 (mean: 8.1). Epigynum large sclerotized plate with pair of light lateral humps (Figs 192, 195, 213), with pair of very indistinct membranous pockets behind epigynum in weakly modified cuticle (weak transversal ridges) (Figs 192, 195–196). Internal genitalia as in Figs 193 and 215, with distinct pair of sclerotized pockets.

Natural history

At both localities the spiders were found in domed sheet webs close to the ground, usually in well protected dark spaces under large rocks.

Distribution

Known from two localities on Negros Island only (type locality and nearby locality; Fig. 5).