Hovops ikongo Artigas & Corronca, 2014, sp. n.
Creators: name: Artigas, Sandra Mónica Rodriguez
name: Corronca, Jose Antonio
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2014
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Selenopidae
Hovops
Hovops ikongo

description: Hovops ikongo sp. n.
Figs 8–17, 36, 39
Type material. Holotype: female, Madagascar, Fianaratsoa Province, Ranomafana National Park: Talatakely, 21º14.9´S, 47º25.6´E, 19–30 April 1998, Griswold et al. leg., deposited in CAS.
Other material examined. MADAGASCAR: Fianarantsoa Province: Parc Nationale Ranomafana: Talatakely, 21°14´S, 47°25´E, 1 female and 2 immatures, 19–30 April 1998, 2 females, 1 subadult male, 1 immature, 5–18 April 1998, 3 females, 1 immature, 19–30 April 1998, N. Penny, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, M. Raherilalao, J. Ranorianarisoa, J. Schweikert & D. Ubick leg. (CAS); Parc Nationale Ranomafana: Maharira Camp, 21°S, 47°30´E, 1 female, 22 March 1992, V. & B. Roth leg., 2 immatures, 12 April 1992, Roth leg., 3 immatures, 9.IV.92, Emile for Kariko/Roth leg. (all MCZ), 1 female, April 1992, V. & B. Roth leg. (USNM); Maharira trail, 1 subadult male, 10 April 1992, Georges for Kariko/Roth leg. (MCZ); Ranomafana, 21°12´S, 47°27´E, 1 female, 19–20 July 1992, V. & B. Roth leg. (CAS).
Etymology. The specific name is dedicated to one tribe of Tanala, the Ikongo (forest people), which is the most recent tribe to arrive at Madagascar some 250 years ago. This name is to be treated as a noun in apposition.
Diagnosis. Hovops ikongo sp. n. is characterized by the presence of several ventral spines on the anterior tibiae and metatarsi (Figs 10–11), more than in other species that share some epigynal characters (H. vezo sp. n., H. betsileo, and H. merina). The shape of the middle field and the lateral lobes of the epigyne of H. ikongo sp. n. is shared with H. merina (fig. 5d, Corronca & Rodriguez Artigas 2011) and H. vezo sp. n. (Fig. 32), but the copulatory ducts differs (Figs 17, 36), being wider than in H. merina and H. lidiae.
Description. Female (holotype): Total body length 10.64. Prosoma 4.77 long, 5.11 wide. Opisthosoma 5.87 long, 3.61 wide. Eye diameter and interdistances: AME 0.22, ALE 0.20, PME 0.18, PLE 0.27, AME-AME 0.31, AME-ALE 0.68, AME-PME 0.15, PME-PME 1.07, PME-PLE 0.65, PLE-PLE 2.53, ALE-ALE 2.12. Leg formula: 2431. Leg measurements: I—Fe 4.60, Pat+Tib 6.40, Mt 3.20, Ta 1.30, total 15.50; II—5.90, 7.20, 4.00, 1.30, total 18.40; III—5.70, 6.40, 3.40, 1.30, total 16.80, IV—5.80, 6.40, 4.00, 1.30, total 17.20. Leg spination: Fe I—d1.1.0, pr1.1.0, II–IV—d1.1.0; Tib I—v2.2.2.2.2.1 (left leg), v2.2.2.2.2.2.1 (right leg), II—v2.2.2.2.1.1, III–IV—no spines; Mt I—v2.3.2 (left), v2.2.2 (right), II—v2.2.2, III—v1.0.0, IV—no spines. Prosoma reddish-brown, legs reddish-yellow, and opisthosoma brown with a medial and lateral yellow-brown pattern (Fig. 8). Prosoma and legs with feathery hairs that are longer on the legs. Opisthosoma with iridescent scale-like hairs, and dark short setae. Cheliceral teeth formula: 3–3 (Figs 12–13).
Note. All mature specimens revised showed the same formula of spination as in the female holotype, but in some specimens differences between the sides were observed. Cheliceral teeth formula was the same in all revised specimens.
Male. Unknown.
Distribution. Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province.
description: Published as part of Artigas, Sandra Mónica Rodriguez & Corronca, Jose Antonio, 2014, New species and distribution records of selenopid spiders of the genus Hovops Benoit in Madagascar (Araneae, Selenopidae), pp. 547-557 in Zootaxa 3780 (3) on pages 548-551, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.3780.3.6, http://zenodo.org/record/228614