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

description: Copuetta lesnei sp. nov.
Figs 50, 103, 128, 129
Castianeira kibonotensis Lessert, 1921: Lessert, 1936: 276 (misidentification).
Etymology: The species name is a patronym in honour of Pierre Lesne, collector of the holotype.
Diagnosis: This species can be recognised from congeners, especially C. lacustris, by the small embolus with nearly transverse coil and broad sharp tip directed distally; the embolus projects considerably beyond the retrolateral margin of the tegulum, while narrower in C. lacustris (compare Figs 102 and 103).
Remark: The holotype described below was initially misidentified by Lessert (1936) as Castianeira kibonotensis, which is synonymous with C. lacustris, but has a different embolus structure to the types of that species. The left palp is missing from a second vial with the label “Vila Pery” received from MNHG, and the right legs I and II are also missing from the holotype. The colouration is somewhat faded and the markings described refer to the current condition of the specimen. Fresh material will likely have black markings on the body.
Male (holotype, Vila Pery, MNHG). Measurements: CL 2.65, CW 2.05, AL 3.10, AW 1.95, TL 5.60, FL 0.24, SL 1.21, SW 1.17, AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.40, PME–PME 0.12, PME–PLE 0.04, PLE–PLE 0.47, PERW 0.73, MOQAW 0.43, MOQPW 0.44, MOQL 0.49.
Length of leg segments: I 2.23 + 0.93 + 1.82 + 1.90 + 1.05 = 7.93; II 2.15 + 0.89 + 1.68 + 1.83 + 1.02 = 7.57; III 2.05 + 0.85 + 1.60 + 1.95 + 0.95 = 7.40; IV 2.55 + 0.95 + 2.13 + 2.84 + 1.08 = 9.55.
General appearance as in Fig. 50. Carapace creamy-yellow, cephalic region yellow, eye region pale grey; paired mottled yellow-brown mediolateral markings from palpal coxae to posterior slope; faint mottling between mediolateral markings from PER to midpoint; pale along midline from midpoint to posterior of carapace, with small faint grey marking in front of fovea; striae creamy-yellow, radiating from fovea, directed at coxae; lateral margins with pale grey fringe, expanded between leg coxae; markings covered with yellow-brown feathery setae, areas between them covered in white feathery and short straight setae. AME separated by distance less than 1⁄5 their diameter; AME touching ALE; clypeus height equal to 4⁄5 AME diameter; PLE very slightly larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal to ¾ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance slightly less than ½ PME diameter; CW: PERW = 2.81:1. Chelicerae bright yellow-orange, yellow retrolaterally at base and prolaterally at distal end; promargin with two teeth separated by the basal width of proximal tooth, distal tooth much larger; retromargin with two subequal teeth separated by slightly more than their basal width, distal tooth close to fang base. Endites yellow, cream prolaterally distally; labium orange, cream distally; sternum creamy-yellow, darker around borders. Legs creamy-yellow, markings faded to pale yellow-brown, with faint lateral mottling and faint spots at spine bases; markings covered in yellow-brown feathery setae, with cream feathery setae between them; femora I–IV with proximal and distal lateral spots and distal bands; patellae I–IV with faint lateral and ventral mottling; tibiae I and II with faint proximal and distal bands, III and IV with broad median bands; metatarsi I and II without markings, III and IV with proximal, median and distal bands; tarsi without markings. Leg spination: femora: I pl 3 do 3 rl 1, II pl 2 do 3 rl 1, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 1; all femora with scattered erect ventral setae; patellae: I and II with fine proximal and distal do setae, III and IV with proximal seta and distal spine dorsally; tibiae: I plv 2 rlv 2, II pl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 1, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2, with rlv 5 erect setae; patellae: pl 1 do 2; tibiae: pl 1 do 1 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 plv 3 rlv 1. Abdomen with yellow anterior dorsal scutum extending slightly more than ½ abdomen length, cream medially behind scutum; dorsum with mottled markings anteriorly, laterally and posteriorly, comprising yellow-brown feathery and short straight setae; dorsum pale along midline, with small patches of yellow-brown feathery and short straight setae; spinnerets surrounded by narrow black ring dorsally and laterally, absent ventrally; venter cream, densely covered in white feathery and short straight setae; epigastric scutum and ventral sclerite creamy-yellow; inframamillary sclerite yellow-orange. Male palp pale creamy-yellow; tegulum yellow, with bright orange ducts; embolus small, with narrow base, single coil that is nearly transverse, and broad sharp tip directed at distal end of cymbium (Figs 103, 128, 129).
Female: Unknown.
Type material: Holotype 3: MOZAMBIQUE: Vila Pery [Chimoio, 19°07'S, 33°29'E], leg. P. Lesne (MNHG).
Additional material examined: None.
Distribution: Known only from the type locality (Fig. 132).
Biology: Unknown.
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 44-45, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3688.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/284201