Paroecobius skipper Magalhães & Santos 2018, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Magalhães, Mayara D. F.
name: Santos, Adalberto J.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Oecobiidae
Paroecobius
Paroecobius skipper

description: Paroecobius skipper sp. nov.
(Figs 2, 4 C–D, 5F, 6)
Etymology. The specific name refers to the character Skipper, from the American 3D, computer-animated comedy film “Penguins of Madagascar ”.
Type material. Male holotype (CASENT 9009645) from Madagascar: Toliara, Forêt de Mahavelo, Isantoria River (24°45’S 46°9’E), 5.5 km 37° NE Ifotaka, 31 January 2002, B.L. Fisher et al. leg. (BLF5278). One female paratype (CASENT 9009645) from the same locality and date.
Diagnosis. The males of Paroecobius skipper differ from other species of the genus by the Oecobiidae tegular apophysis curved, hook-shaped (Fig. 2 A–C) and by a prominent retrolateral keel of the tegulum (Fig. 2C). Females of P. skipper resembles P. rico sp.nov. in the sclerotized epigynal hood (Fig. 2D), but in P. skipper the hood is short. The latter also differs from all species of the genus by the presence of an anterior groove on the epigynum (Fig. 2E) and by the position of the copulatory openings, which are located anteriorly to the hood (Fig. 2D).
Description. Male (holotype). Carapace pale yellow, darker on the margins and with a glass-shaped, posterior black spot in the cephalic area. Anterior median eyes the largest, black and surrounded by a black ring, remaining eyes translucent (Fig. 4C). Chelicerae, labium, endites and sternum homogeneously pale yellow. Pedipalp and legs homogeneously pale yellow. Opisthosoma dorsally pale yellow, with black spots on the anterior and posterior margins, and three anterior bands extending almost to the middle (Fig. 4C). The Oecobiidae embolic apophysis and the Oecobiidae tegular lobe I are short, as long as the embolus, all emerging closely at the middle of tegulum (Fig. 2 A–C). Oecobiidae tegular lobe II located posteriorly, seen through transparency prolaterally at the cymbium (Fig. 2A). Total length 1.2. Carapace 0.46 long, 0.51 wide. Tibia I length 0.25, II 0.28, III 0.25, IV 0.31. Opisthosoma 0.74 long, 0.53 wide.
Female (paratype). Color as in male, except for the following. Carapace homogeneously pale yellow, darker only at the margins. Opisthosoma dorsally dark grey with large pairs of yellow spots, one anterior, one median and one posterior (Fig. 4D). Epigynum translucent, with only the hood easily visible (Fig. 2D). Spermathecae presents an internal glandular chamber. The copulatory ducts are connected to the spermatecae posteriorly. Fertilization ducts emerging from a posterior pocket in the spermathecae (Figs 2E, 5F). Total length 1.3. Carapace 0.48 long, 0.53 wide. Tibia I length 0.28, II 0.31, III 0.28, IV 0.31. Opisthosoma 0.81 long, 0.66 wide.
Distribution. Madagascar, province of Toliara (Fig. 6).
Additional material examined. Madagascar: Toliara: Anosy: Parc National d'Andohahela, Forêt de Manantalinjo (24°49’1’’S 46°36’36’’E, 33.6 km 63° ENE Amboasay, 7.6 km 99° E Hazofotsy), 12–16.I.2002, B.L. Fisher et al. leg. (BLF4810), 1♀ (CASENT 9012019); ditto (BLF4815), 1♀ (CASENT 9014484).
description: Published as part of Magalhães, Mayara D. F. & Santos, Adalberto J., 2018, The spider family Oecobiidae in Madagascar, including four new species and a new record, pp. 37-48 in Zootaxa 4527 (1) on pages 41-42, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4527.1.3, http://zenodo.org/record/2611952