Ctenus natmataung Jäger & Minn, 2015, spec. nov.
Creators: name: Jäger, Peter
name: Minn, Myin Zu
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2015
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Ctenidae
Ctenus
Ctenus natmataung

description: Ctenus natmataung spec. nov.
Figs 18–21, 26–43, 63
Type material. MYANMAR: Chin State: Holotype male, above Kampetlet, Mountain Oasis Resort, 21°11'49.5''N, 94°02'25.0''E, 1716 m, secondary forest, by hand, at night, P. Jäger leg. 8 May 2014 (SMF). Paratypes (17 males, 16 females): 1 male, 3 females, with same data as holotype, but 17 May 2015 (SMF). 3 males, 1 female, with same data as holotype, but 10 May 2015 (SMF). 12 males, 8 females, with same data as holotype, but 15 May 2015 (SMF; 2 males, 2 females UYC; 2 males, 2 females IZCAS). 1 female, with same data as holotype, but 12 May 2015 (SMF). 1 female, above Kampetlet, above Mountain Oasis Resort, 21°11'54.14''N, 94°02'16.78''E, 1752 m, disturbed secondary forest, dry slopes, 12 May 2015 (SMF). 1 male, above Kampetlet, below Mountain Oasis Resort, 21°11'25.9''N, 94°01'48.0''E, 1550 m, secondary forest along stream, by hand and sieving leaf litter, at day, P. Jäger & J. Martens leg. 15 May 2014 (SMF). 2 females, with same data as preceding specimen, but 21°11'43.6''N, 94°02'1.1''E, 1585 m, P. Jäger leg. 17 May 2014 (SMF).
Etymology. The species name is derived from the local name for Mt Victoria, the type locality; name in apposition.
Diagnosis. Small to medium-sized Ctenidae (total length males 9.1–11.8, females 10.4–16.2). Males are similar to those of C. ramosus, C. cladarus and C. pingu spec. nov. in having an easily breaking tip at distal RTA as well as a similar conformation of bulbal structures. Males of C. natmataung spec. nov. can be recognised by the following combination of characters (Figs 28–34): 1. RTA tip with long and sharply pointed extension. 2. Tegular apophysis with distal part wide and proximally constricted and distal margin of proximal part transversal. 3. Membranous extension of embolus consisting of two conical parts, the median one distinctly longer than the prolateral one. For further details and a differential diagnosis see under C. pingu spec. nov. Copulatory organs of females similar to those of C. ramosus, C. robustus Thorell, 1897, C. theodorianum Jäger, 2012 and C. lishuqiang Jäger, 2012 in having the anterior part of the median plate distinctly narrower than the posterior part (Figs 35–43). Epigynes of C. natmataung spec. nov. can be distinguished from those of C. robustus, C. theodorianum and C. lishuqiang by the presence of two furrows within the median plate, and from those of C. ramosus by having these not as converging as in C. ramosus (i.e. posterior ends of the additional furrows posteriad, not laterad as in C. ramosus). Moreover, epigynal teeth not bending ventrally over median plate as in C. ramosus.
Description. Male (holotype). PL 5.8, PW 4.5, AW 2.2, OL 4.2, OW 2.8. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.28, ALE 0.20, PME 0.41, PLE 0.40, AME–AME 0.14, AME–ALE 0.32, PME–PME 0.12, PME–PLE 0.30, AME–PME 0.06, ALE–PLE 0.11, clypeus height at AME 0.15, clypeus height at ALE 0.45. Palp and leg measurements: palp 8.2 (3.0, 1.1, 1.3, -, 1.8), I 19.2 (4.9, 2.3, 5.0, 5.0, 2.0), II 16.9 (4.6, 2.1, 4.3, 4.3, 1.6), III 14.7 (4.1, 1.8, 3.6, 3.8, 1.4), IV 20.7 (5.3, 2.0, 5.2, 6.4, 1.8). Leg formula 4123. Spination of palp and legs: palp 151, 100, 1111; femora I p003, d111, r112, II–III p112, d111, r112, IV p112, d111, r012; patellae 101; tibiae I–II p010, d111, r110, v22222, III–IV p11, d111, r11, v222; metatarsi I p111, r111, v222, II p111, d00(1)0, r111, v222, III p111, d012, r111, v222, IV p111, d012, r111, v2122. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal, 4 retromarginal teeth, and with c. 20 denticles along entire cheliceral furrow. Retromargin of chelicerae close to fang base with 1 strong bristle and 6 thinner bristles. Coxae ventrally with stout setae, increasingly distinct from I to IV, leaving on each coxa proxiomedian patch free of setae. Sparse scopula on all tarsi and distal metatarsi I–II.
Palp as in diagnosis (Figs 28–34). RTA of left palp with, of right palp without distal part. Cymbium with tip slightly conical, retro-proximally with shallow pit. Embolus arising at 7:30- to 8-o’clock-position from tegulum, semicircular in ventral view, with broad base, its tip slightly indented and situated in distal half of tegulum. Conductor arising at 12- to 12:30o’clock-position subdistally. Tegular apophysis arising at 6-o’clock-position from tegulum, shallowly excavated on dorsal side.
Colouration (Figs 18–19, 26). Yellowish- to reddish-brown with slightly darker markings. Dorsal prosoma with light median band consisting of white dense hairs, laterally with radial marble-like pattern in dark lateral bands; distinctly marked fovea, in 2nd and 3rd third of prosoma. Sternum and ventral coxae yellowish-brown with faint dark marking; labium and gnathocoxae greyish-brown, the latter with light distal parts. Chelicerae brown. Legs yellowish-brown with femora dorsally darker, femora ventrally with indistinct banded pattern. Opisthosoma dorsally with light median area and lateral dark patches in anterior half; posterior half with pairs of dark spots in light median band; laterally irregularly dotted; ventrally dark with four posteriorly converging rows of light muscle sigilla; epiandrum light. Spinnerets generally light yellowish-brown, anterior lateral spinnerets ventrally dark, posterior lateral spinnerets dorsally slightly darker. For colouration pattern of a living specimen see Fig. 26. Note the continuous wide light band at the margin of the dark lateral band of the prosoma dorsally. This character might prove as diagnostic when larger series with this character being stable are known.
Female (paratype, collected with holotype 12 May 2015). PL 6.3, PW 4.9, AW 3.1, OL 6.3, OW 4.0. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.29, ALE 0.24, PME 0.41, PLE 0.38, AME–AME 0.18, AME–ALE 0.40, PME–PME 0.18, PME–PLE 0.36, AME–PME 0.13, ALE–PLE 0.14, clypeus height at AME 0.21, clypeus height at ALE 0.58. Palp and leg measurements: palp 6.2 (2.2, 1.1, 1.4, -, 1.5), I 15.0 (4.2, 2.4, 3.9, 3.3, 1.2), II 14.2 (4.1, 2.2, 3.9, 3.3, 1.2), III 12.8 (3.6, 1.9, 2.9, 3.1, 1.3), IV 17.9 (4.7, 2.1, 4.3, 5.2, 1.6). Leg formula 4123. Spination of palp and legs: palp 141, 100, 1101, 1013; femora I p003, d111, r110, II p112, d111, r110, III p112, d111, r112, IV p112, d111, r001; patellae I–II 0 0 0, III–IV 101; tibiae I–II v22222, III–IV p11, d111, r11, v222; metatarsi I–II v222, III p111, d012, r111, v222, IV p111, d012, r111, v2122. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal, 4 retromarginal teeth, and with elongated patch of 30–33 denticles along entire cheliceral furrow. Retromargin of chelicerae close to fang base with 1 slightly thicker bristle and 7 thin bristles. Coxae ventrally with thin setae. Tarsi and metatarsi I–III distally with sparse scopula ventrally. Palpal claw with 5 secondary teeth.
Copulatory organ as in diagnosis (Figs 38–43). Epigyne wider than long, antero-laterally with two indistinct separate patches, laterally with three slit sensilla (2 left, 1 right). Median plate roughly trapezoid, epigynal teeth arising posterio-laterally. Longitudinal furrows dividing median plate in vase-shaped median part and two slightly bent lateral parts. Internal duct system with lateral folds diverging posteriorly. Longitudinal ovoid spermathecae, internally with a large anterior and small posterior chamber, fertilisation ducts arising posteriorly, mediad.
Colouration (Figs 20–21, 27). As in male, but generally darker and with more contrasting pattern at prosoma dorsally. Femora ventrally without banded pattern, similarly dark as dorsally. Chelicerae dark reddish-brown with yellowish-brown proximo-lateral humps. Anterior lateral spinnerets ventro-laterally dark. For colouration pattern of a living specimen see Fig. 27. Note the continuous wide light band at the margin of the dark lateral band of the prosoma dorsally. This character might prove as diagnostic when larger series with this character being stable are known.
Variation. Male PL 5.3–6.6, OL 3.8–6.3. Spination: palpal patella 171, tibia I d001. RTA tip present in 12 out of 18 males (with one tip present: left 4 [Fig. 29], right 6; both tips present 2; both tips absent 6 [Fig. 32]); Female PL 5.1–8.1, OL 5.3–9.1. Epigynal field with one slit sensillum on each side and shape of anterior field and median plate with its median part as well as epigynal teeth varying (Figs 35–37).
Distribution. Known only from the type locality, Mt Victoria from elevations of 1585–1752 m (Fig. 63: green squares).
Notes. Two females were observed with the distal part of the male’s RTA clinging to their epigyne. The long and pointed appendix of the RTA penetrated the female’s cuticle in the right epigynal tooth (Figs 40–42) and in the cuticle right beside the median plate (Fig. 43), respectively.
description: Published as part of Jäger, Peter & Minn, Myin Zu, 2015, New species in the family Ctenidae Keyserling, 1877 from high altitude habitats in Myanmar, with the first case of penetration of the female's cuticle by a male in the RTA-clade (Arachnida: Araneae: Ctenidae), pp. 235-252 in Zootaxa 3994 (2) on pages 240-245, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3994.2.4, http://zenodo.org/record/235688