urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub: 0BB9A61D-45CB-4A36-87F3-B141517DD1A6

Type. Holotype ♀: Papua New Guinea, Central Province, Goilala District, Avios, 2600 m in sphagnum, 20.02.1974 (P. T. Lehtinen, J. Ingi, P. Ivola) (ZMUT).

Diagnosis. Nediphya padillai sp. n. is larger than its congeners (carapace length 1.35 vs. 1.05–1.23 in other species). In general appearance it is most similar to N. lehtineni sp. n. Both species have wide lateral bands on the carapace and lack white guanine spots on the abdomen. The two species can be distinguished from each other by difference in carapace pattern (dark bands starting from PLE in N. padillai sp. n. vs. bands present on thoracic part), leg spination (tibia I with 5 spines in N. padillai sp. n. vs. 3; metatarsus IV without spines in N. padillai sp. n. vs. 2), and shape of the epigynal median plate (3 times wider than long in N. padillai sp. n. vs. almost as long as wide).

D e s c r i p t i o n. Female holotype. Total length 3.1, carapace 1.35 long, 0.99 wide. Carapace yellowish brown with wide brown lateral bands starting behind PLE. Chelicerae, maxillae, labium and sternum yellow. Chelicerae with 3 prolateral and 2 retrolateral teeth. Legs yellowish. Femora, tibiae, metatarsi grayish distally and medially; legs I and II darker than III and IV. Abdomen light brown with complicated pattern of spots and stripes.

Length of leg segments

Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus Total

I 1.65 0.48 1.46 1.50 0.75 5.84

II 1.32 0.45 1.11 1.16 0.60 4.64

III 0.95 0.30 0.53 0.60 0.38 2.75

IV 1.17 0.30 0.92 0.92 0.47 3.77

Leg spination

Femur Patella Tibia Metatarsus Tarsus

I 1p 1d 2d 2p 1r – –

II – 1d 2d 1p 1r – –

III – 1d 1d 1p 1d 1p –

IV – 1d 2d 1p – –

Epigyne as in fig. 42; median plate 3 times wider than long, copulatory ducts “)(” shaped, separated by more than one diameter.

Male unknown.

Distribution. The new species is known only from the type locality where N. lyleae is also known to occur.

52–53 — prosoma, antero-lateral and anterior; 54 — abdomen, ventral. Scale = 0.2 mm.

Etymology. The species name is a patronym in honour of Fernando Álvarez-Padilla

(Mexico, Mexico) who has made major contributions to the study of Tetragnathidae.