Dipoena ericae new species

(Figures 6–9)

Types. Holotype male from Brazil, state of São Paulo, Teodoro Sampaio, Parque Estadual do Morro do Diabo (22°31’S; 52°18’W), 31.III.2003, Equipe Biota col., deposited in MCN 48903. Paratype female, same data as the holotype, deposited in MCN 49312.

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honour of the Brazilian arachnologist Erica Helena Buckup.

Diagnosis. The male of Dipoena ericae new species resembles that of D. cordiformis Keyserling, 1886 (see Levi, 1963: 175, fig. 244) in the embolus filiform (Fig. 6) with pointed apex, but differs by the embolus shorter, with a less prominent distal end and in the trajectory of the sperm duct in the tegulum (Fig. 6). The female of Dipoena ericae is close to D. cordiformis (see Levi, 1963: 175, figs. 245-247), but differs from it in the colour pattern and shape of the abdomen and epigynum in ventral view by having an anterior, sclerotized area on the epigynum (Fig. 9).

Description. Male (Holotype, MCN 48903): Total length 1.70. Carapace length 0.84, width 0.67. Clypeus height 0.52. Sternum length 0.39, width 0.35. Abdomen length 0.81, width 0.86, height 0.79. Leg segment length (I/II/III/IV): femora 0.58/0.54/0.44/0.52; patellae + tibiae 0.60/0.54/-/-; metatarsi + tarsi 0.54/0.56/-/-. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.09, ALE 0.05, PME 0.06 and PLE 0.05; AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.02, PME–PME 0.04, PME–PLE 0.08. Eyes margined with black. Carapace high (Fig. 8), with grooves (Fig. 7), brown, covered with setae. Chelicerae, endites and sternum brown. Legs pale orange, except coxae and tarsi yellow. Femur I and II swollen proximally. Abdomen circular (Fig. 7), dorsum dark brown with grey and white pattern; venter dark brown. Spinnerets brown.

Female (Paratype, MCN 49312): Total length 1.74. Carapace length 0.69, width 0.58. Clypeus height 0.16. Sternum length 0.37, width 0.37. Abdomen length 0.96, width 1.07, height 0.94. Leg segment length (I/II/III/IV): femora 0.58/0.54/0.48/0.58; patellae + tibiae 0.54/0.52/0.42/0.63; metatarsi + tarsi 0.56/-/0.52/0.63. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.06, PME 0.06 and PLE 0.06; AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.02, PME– PME 0.03, PME–PLE 0.08. Eyes margined with black. Carapace dark brown, covered with setae. Chelicerae, endites and sternum dark brown. Legs pale orange, except coxae I-III dark brown, coxae IV yellow and tarsi brown. Femur I and II swollen proximally. Abdomen dorsum dark brown with grey and white pattern and venter dark brown. Spinnerets dark brown.

Material examined. Only the types.

Distribution. Brazil (São Paulo).