Copuetta comorica Haddad, 2013, sp. nov.

Copuetta comorica sp. nov.

Figs 41, 42, 99, 110 –113

Etymology: The species name is taken from the Comoros Islands, to which it is endemic.

Diagnosis: Males of this species are closely related to C. maputa sp. nov., but the embolus base is very short and the embolus tip is directed distally (Fig. 99); in C. maputa sp. nov. the embolus base is quite long and upright, with a short and prolaterally directed embolus tip (Fig. 106). Females have an epigyne with opposing lateral semicircular ridges that meet along the midline (Fig. 112), while clearly separated in C. maputa sp. nov. (Fig. 143).

Male (holotype, Nioumbadjou, MRAC 158454). Measurements: CL 2.73, CW 2.15, AL 3.00, AW 1.65, TL 5.60 (5.60–5.85), FL 0.30, SL 1.25, SW 1.22, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.46, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE 0.52, PERW 0.78, MOQAW 0.48, MOQPW 0.46, MOQL 0.52.

Length of leg segments: I 2.25 + 0.93 + 1.78 + 1.83 + 1.00 = 7.79; II 2.20 + 0.90 + 1.70 + 1.80 + 0.95 = 7.55; III 2.18 + 0.90 + 1.60 + 1.95 + 0.88 = 7.51; IV 2.75 + 1.03 + 2.13 + 2.92 + 1.03 = 9.86.

General appearance as in Fig. 41. Carapace creamy-orange, eye region grey; paired brown mediolateral markings with black mottling from palpal coxae to posterior slope, separated by broad pale median line from PER to posterior of carapace; small mottled black line in front of fovea; pale striae radiating from fovea, directed between coxae; lateral margins with narrow mottled black fringe, expanded between leg coxae; markings covered with black feathery setae, areas between them covered in white feathery and short straight setae. AME separated by distance slightly larger than 1⁄5 their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance less than 1⁄10 AME diameter; clypeus height slightly less than AME diameter; PME very slightly larger than PLE; PME separated by distance equal to ¾ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance slightly less than ½ PME diameter; CW: PERW = 2.76:1. Chelicerae yellow-brown with faint black mottling; promargin with two teeth separated by basal width of proximal tooth, distal tooth much larger; retromargin with two teeth separated by slightly less than their basal width, distal tooth slightly larger, close to fang base. Endites pale creamy-yellow, white prolaterally and distally; labium pale orange-brown, cream distally; sternum pale creamy-yellow, darker around margins. Legs cream, posteriors slightly darker, with faint black mottling and black spots at spine bases; surface densely covered in black feathery setae, with yellowish feathery setae between markings and mottling; tibiae I–IV with faint proximal and distal bands; metatarsi III and IV with faint proximal, median and distal bands. Leg spination: femora: I pl 2 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: all with short fine proximal seta and longer thicker distal seta 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, 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: plv 2-3 rlv 1. Abdomen with yellowish anterior dorsal scutum extending slightly more than half abdomen length; dorsum cream with mottled black marking around scutum, extending along sides of dorsum to spinnerets; marking covered in brown feathery setae, white and yellow feathery and short straight setae between them; spinnerets surrounded by narrow black ring; venter cream, covered in short straight black setae, with scattered feathery setae; epigastric scutum creamy-yellow; ventral sclerite very weakly sclerotised, pale creamyyellow; inframamillary sclerite yellow, distinct. Male palp creamy-yellow, cymbium yellow; tegulum orange, with orange-brown ducts; embolus with narrow base, obliquely oriented coil and tip directed at the distal end of the cymbium (Figs 99, 110, 111).

Female (paratype, Miringoni, MRAC 161162). Measurements: CL 3.55, CW 2.30, AL 3.23, AW 2.35, TL 6.25 (6.25–7.25), FL 0.27, SL 1.38, SW 1.36, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.50, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE 0.57, PERW 0.86, MOQAW 0.49, MOQPW 0.48, MOQL 0.56.

Length of leg segments: I 2.40 + 1.10 + 1.95 + 1.92 + 1.10 = 8.47; II 2.35 + 1.05 + 1.82 + 1.87 + 0.93 = 8.02; III 2.25 + 1.04 + 1.67 + 2.08 + 0.92 = 7.96; IV 2.66 + 1.14 + 2.25 + 3.00 + 1.05 = 10.10.

General appearance as in Fig. 42, female more robustly built than male. Carapace creamy-yellow, markings and setae as for male. AME separated by distance equal to ¼ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance less than 1⁄10 AME diameter; clypeus height equal to 4⁄5 AME diameter; PME very slightly smaller than PLE; PME separated by distance slightly less than ½ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance equal to ½ PME diameter; CW: PERW = 2.67:1. Chelicerae yellow-brown with black mottling; dentition as for male. Endites pale yellow-brown, cream prolaterally; labium pale yellow-brown, cream distally; sternum creamy-yellow, darker around margins. Legs creamy-yellow, with faint black mottling and black spots at spine bases; surface densely covered in black feathery setae, with yellowish feathery setae between markings and mottling; femora I–IV with distal band of black feathery setae; patellae with proximal and distal black bands; tibiae I–IV with ventral incomplete proximal band and broad median band; metatarsi I and II with faint proximal and distal bands, III and IV with faint proximal, median and distal bands. Leg spination: femora: I pl 2 do 3 rl 2, II pl 2 do 3 rl 2, III pl 2 do 3 rl 1, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 2; all femora with scattered erect ventral setae; patellae: all with do 1 distal seta; tibiae: I plv 2 rlv 2, II pl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, 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 spines, vt 3 setae; tarsi: pl 1 plv 1-3 rlv 1. Abdomen with creamyyellow dorsal scutum extending slightly more than ½ abdomen length; dorsum cream with yellow-brown lateral markings extending to spinnerets, pale along midline except for small brown spot at midpoint; markings covered in dense yellow-brown feathery setae, white and yellow feathery and short straight setae between them; spinnerets surrounded by narrow black ring; venter cream, covered in short straight black setae, with scattered feathery setae; epigastric scutum weakly sclerotised, pale creamy-yellow; inframamillary sclerite tinged with yellow, distinct. Epigyne with semi-circular anterior ridges, meeting medially, with copulatory openings along anterior margin, entering directly into anterior ST II (Fig. 112); ST II oval with lateral “nipple”, with broad duct on their mesal margin connecting ST II to posterior ST I; ST I C-shaped with sharp lateral bent; ST I as broad as ST II (Fig. 113).

Type material: Holotype 3: COMOROS: Grande Comore: Nioumbadjou, 11°46'S, 43°18'E, leg. R. Jocqué, 20.VIII.1981 (MRAC 158454).

Paratypes: COMOROS: Moheli: Miringoni, 12°17'S, 43°39'E, jardin, leg. R. Jocqué, 6–12.XI.1983 (piége Malaisse), 1Ƥ (MRAC 161162), 2imm. 13 1Ƥ (MRAC 160957).

Additional material examined: None.

Distribution: Endemic to the Comoros Islands in the Indian Ocean (Fig. 132).

Biology: Unknown.