Trilacuna besucheti Grismado and Piacentini, new species

Figures 32–34, 39C–D

TYPES: Male holotype from India: Meghalaya: Khasi Hills: 10 km north of Cherrapunjee, leaf litter, 1700 m, Oct. 26, 1978, C. Besuchet and I. Löbl (MHNG PBI_OON 12742); three paratype females from Khasi Hills: Mawphlang, leaf litter, 1800 m, Oct. 28, 1978, C. Besuchet, I. Löbl (MHNG PBI_OON 15393).

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a noun in apposition in honor to Claude Besuchet, one of the collectors of this and other oonopid species from the Himalayas.

DIAGNOSIS: Males of this species can be recognized by having an additional prolateral row of many short macrosetae on tibiae I (fig. 34B), and also by the distal part of the bulb with a circular foramen with a prolateral bunch of posteriorly directed, curved, setaelike structures, and the embolus and paraembolic processes making a trifid structure (fig. 39D). Females are distinguished by having a darkened band in the posterior margin of the epigastric furrow (fig. 32H) and by the small, rounded posterior receptacle (fig. 39C).

DESCRIPTION: Male (PBI_OON 15005). Total length 2.24. Cephalothorax: Carapace sides smooth; nonmarginal pars cephalica setae dark; marginal setae absent. Clypeus setae absent. Eyes all subequal, ALE circular, PLE circular; ALE–PLE separated by less than ALE radius, PME touching. Sternum orange, with radial furrows between coxae I–II, II–III, III–IV, lateral margins with indented extensions between coxae; setae sparse, evenly scattered. Mouthparts: setae dark, scarce on the anterior margin of paturon. Abdomen: Book lung covers round. Dorsal scutum orange. Epigastric scutum not protruding. Postepigastric scutum covering nearly full length of abdomen, orange. Spinneret scutum present, incomplete ring, very narrow. Dorsum setae dark. Epigastric area setae uniform, dark. Postepigastric area setae dark. Legs: Patella plus tibia I nearly as long as carapace, femora slightly darker. Leg spination (all spines longer than segment width): leg I: femora pv0-0-1-0, tibiae v2-2-2- 2-0, and an additional prolateral row of many short macrosetae (fig. 34B), metatarsi v2-2-0; leg II: tibiae v2-2-2-2-0, metatarsi v2- 2-0. Trichobothria not examined. Genitalia: Epigastric region with sperm pore oval, situated at level of anterior spiracles, unmodified. Palp embolus straight, accompanied by a dorso-prolateral paraembolic translucent structure with branched tip and many filiform structures; prolateral margin of cymbium with two stout dark setae with enlarged bases; distal part of the bulb with a circular distal foramen from where the embolus arises; on its prolateral border is a bunch of posteriorly directed, long, curved, setaelike structures (fig. 39D).

Female (paratype, PBI_OON 15393). Total length 2.46. As in male except as noted. Cephalothorax: Carapace with slight reticulations on the anterolateral sides; nonmarginal pars cephalica setae in U-shaped row. Eyes PME circular; PME touching for less than half their length. Sternum orange. Mouthparts: chelicerae, endites, and labium orange-brown; paturon distal region abruptly narrowed. Endites distally excavated. Palp without spines. Abdomen: Dorsal scutum covering more than 3/4 of abdomen, orange, only very narrow lateral parts of soft tissues are visible from above. Postepigastric scutum orange, with short posteriorly directed lateral apodemes. Spinneret scutum very narrow. Legs: Femora slightly darker. Leg spination (all spines longer than segment width): leg I: femora pv0-0-1-0, tibiae v2-2-2-2-0, metatarsi: v2-2-0; leg II: tibiae v2-2-2-2-0, metatarsi v2-2-0. Trichobothria not examined. Genitalia: Ventral view: posterior margin with a darkened band corresponding to the area with internal papillae where the copulatory opening is presumably located (fig. 32H). Posterior receptacle small, rounded (fig. 39C).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: INDIA: Meghalaya: Garo-Hills: above Tura, 700 m, 25.56000 ° N, 89.49000 ° E, Nov. 1, 1978, C. Besuchet, I. Löbl, 1♂ (MHNG PBI_OON 15005).

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Meghalaya, in northeastern India.