Copuetta Haddad, 2013, gen. nov.
Creators: name: Haddad, Charles R.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2013
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Corinnidae
Copuetta

description: Copuetta gen. nov.
Type species: C. maputa sp. nov.
Etymology: The genus name is derived from that of Copa, with a feminine suffix, and reflects the affinity of this genus to Copa.
Diagnosis: Copuetta gen. nov. can be recognised from other Afrotropical cryptic lycosiform Castianeirinae, i.e. Copa, Echinax and Wasaka gen. nov., by the following combination of characters: 1) from Copa by the slightly procurved PER and the carapace that is usually less than 3 times broader than the posterior eye row (strongly procurved PER and carapace more than 3.3 times broader than PER in Copa); 2) from Echinax by the presence of fine setae on the anterior patellae (long spines in Echinax) and the patellar setae and/or spines clearly shorter than the length of the patella (spines longer than patellae in Echinax); 3) from Wasaka gen. nov. by the presence of only two pairs of ventral spines on the anterior tibiae (three pairs in Wasaka gen. nov., which sometimes also have a pair of ventral terminal spines), the generally larger eyes, and the cheliceral promargin with two teeth (usually three in Wasaka gen. nov.). The colouration and carapace markings of the two genera are also clearly different: Copuetta gen. nov. have broad dark mediolateral stripes on the carapace (Figs 41–61), while Wasaka gen. nov. have narrow stripes close to the lateral margins of the carapace (Figs 154–161).
Description: Medium to large spiders, approximately 5.00– 12.50mm in length; carapace pale creamy-yellow to dark orange-brown, usually yellow-brown, with black markings (Figs 7–13, 41–61); carapace surface smooth, with black feathery setae covering markings (Fig. 62); several long curved setae on clypeus, eye region and posterior to PER up to midpoint; carapace oval, broadest at posterior of coxae II, eye region narrow, fovea distinct; posterior margin very slightly concave. All eyes surrounded by black rings; AER procurved, AME approximately 1¼ ALE diameter; AME separated by ½ or less their diameter, nearly touching ALE (Figs 63, 64); PER procurved, PLE usually slightly larger than PME; PME closer to PLE than to each other; MOQ width nearly equal anteriorly and posteriorly, slightly longer than wide. Chilum distinct, triangular, usually bilateral with very narrow median separation; cheliceral promargin and retromargin with two teeth; shaggy seta absent; curved setae on cheliceral promargin finely plumose in males (Fig. 65) and pectinate in females (Fig. 66); endites straight laterally, with distinct serrula comprising sharp, ventrally curved denticles, with dense maxillar hair tuft on mesal margins (Fig. 67); labium trapezoidal, slightly wider than long. Pleural bars sclerotised, isolated; sternum very slightly longer than broad, sometimes equal in length and width, shield-shaped, slightly narrowed anteriorly, with or without markings; surface smooth, covered in short straight setae, with many long erect straight setae; precoxal triangles present, intercoxal sclerites absent. Leg formula 4132; legs strongly spined, femora, patellae, tibiae and metatarsi covered in feathery and short straight setae (Figs 68–74), feathery setae sparse on tarsi (Fig. 75); retrocoxal window absent on coxa I; femora with many erect ventral setae (Fig. 68); anterior patellae with proximal and distal long fine dorsal setae (Fig. 69); posterior patellae with fine long proximal dorsal seta and distal spine or fine seta; distal spine or setae clearly shorter than patella; patellar indentation narrow, broad at proximal end (Figs 70–72); metatarsi III slightly longer than metatarsi I and II, rarely equal to metatarsi I; metatarsi distally with weak scopula, tarsi scopulate; tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi with several dorsal and lateral trichobothria with sunken distal plate (Figs 73, 75, 76), also with several short erect setae (Fig. 75); tarsal organ oval, very slightly elevated from integument, surface finely wrinkled, opening oval (Figs 75, 77); paired tarsal claws short, situated laterally, with very dense claw tufts in between (Fig. 78); metatarsi III and IV without terminal preening brush or comb (Fig. 74). Abdomen oval, black with cream median stripe or chevron markings; three pairs of fine straight setae on anterior margin above pedicel; dorsal scutum strongly sclerotized, usually extending slightly more than ½ abdomen length in males and less than ½ abdomen length in females; two pairs of weakly sclerotised dorsal sigilla present in both sexes; dorsum densely covered in black and white plumose setae corresponding to markings, with scattered short straight setae; epigastric region moderately sclerotised, venter without post-epigastric sclerites and usually without ventral sclerite; when absent, two paired rows of tiny sclerites from epigastric furrow to spinnerets, outer row weakly sclerotised and indistinct; inframamillary sclerite present, distinct, densely covered in short setae; venter densely covered in feathery and short straight setae (Fig. 79). Spinnerets (observed in male C. lacustris comb. nov. and C. magna sp. nov., and female C. lacustris comb. nov. and C. maputa sp. nov.): ALS of male with single major ampullate gland spigot, single large adjacent nubbin and many piriform gland spigots (Figs 80, 86); ALS of female with two major ampullate gland spigots and many piriform gland spigots (Figs 83, 89); PMS of male with one large minor ampullate gland spigot, one tartipore and one nubbin, with six aciniform gland spigots in C. lacustris comb. nov. (Fig. 81) and three in C. magna sp. nov. (Fig. 87); PMS of female with three large cylindrical gland spigots and one small minor ampullate gland spigot, in C. lacustris comb. nov. with tartipore and single aciniform gland spigot (Fig. 84), in C. maputa sp. nov. with tartipore and four aciniform gland spigots (Fig. 90); PLS of male C. lacustris comb. nov. with approximately 10 aciniform gland spigots (Fig. 82), of C. magna sp. nov. with four aciniform gland spigots (Fig. 88); PLS of female with two large cylindrical gland spigots and three (in C. lacustris comb. nov., Fig. 85) or more than 10 (in C. maputa sp. nov., Fig. 91) aciniform gland spigots. Male palpal segments without apophyses; cymbium with spines prolaterally and ventrally, dorsal surface covered in curved finely plumose setae, fine setae with bent tips distally and several slightly thickened setae distally; tegulum pearshaped; embolus usually small and narrow with compressed coil (Figs 92, 93, 96, 99–103, 106, 109), sometimes with broad base and short curved distal section (Figs 94, 104) or with narrow base and fine coil (Figs 95, 105, 107, 108). Female epigyne with strongly sclerotized epigynal ridges, varying in shape, with simple copulatory openings, often plugged (Figs 97, 98); copulatory ducts short and broad or absent, copulatory openings entering directly into ST II; ST II usually oval, sometimes with multiple lobes, connected broadly to somewhat elongated posterior ST I; both ST often with multiple folds.
description: Published as part of Haddad, Charles R., 2013, Taxonomic notes on the spider genus Messapus Simon, 1898 (Araneae, Corinnidae), with the description of the new genera Copuetta and Wasaka and the first cladistic analysis of Afrotropical Castianeirinae, pp. 1-79 in Zootaxa 3688 (1) on pages 22-23, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3688.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/284201