Nemesia tanit, Zonstein, 2019

Zonstein, Sergei L., 2019, New data on the spider genus Nemesia in Algeria (Araneae: Nemesiidae), Israel Journal of Entomology (Oxford, England) 49 (1), pp. 69-130 : 117-120

Nemesia tanit n. sp.

( Figs 135–140)

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:9A20DB8A-CD36-44A7-8AD6-9116AEE72A88 .

Etymology: The lion-headed Punic goddess Tanit was considered patroness of the ancient state Carthage; the species name is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis: The new species shares the combined presence of the retroventral preening comb on metatarsus IV and the minute-sized PMS with several South European species related to N. bristowei (see Diagnosis of N. algerina n. sp.), as well as with an undescribed Nemesia species from Tunisia. However, N. tanit n. sp. differs from all the above-noted species in the structure of the female copulatory organs. In N. tanit n. sp., the spermathecae appear to converge and slightly incline inwards, while in all the other noted species the left and right branches of the spermathecae are diverge and inclined outwards ( Fig. 139 cf. Fig. 156; Decae 2005: figs 32, 39, 67; Decae & Huber 2017: fig. 4F).

Description: Female (holotype MNHN 9964/AR4472; Fig. 135): Body length 11.15.

Colour in alcohol: carapace medium yellowish brown, with lighter yellowish medial stripe and narrow bands alongside lateral margins, eye tubercle brownish black; chelicerae medium reddish brown; sternum, labium, maxillae, pedipalps and legs light yellowish brown; sternum brownish yellow; most part of abdomen and PMS light brownish grey; darker dorsal abdominal pattern consisting of narrow median stripe crossed with several transverse chevrons medium brown.

Cephalothorax dorsally and ventrally as in Figs 136 and 138. Carapace 4.20 long, 3.29 wide. Eye tubercle as in Fig. 137. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.14(0.18), ALE 0.21, PLE 0.16, PME 0.13, AME–AME 0.14(0.10), ALE–AME 0.10(0.08), ALE–PLE 0.07, PLE–PME 0.03, PME–PME 0.37. Chelicerae: each furrow with 6 promarginal teeth and 20–25 small mesobasal denticles; rastellum with 5 heavy cone teeth and several smaller spikes in front of cheliceral fang. Labium 0.45 long, 0.86 wide. Sternum 2.34 long, 1.82 wide. Each maxilla with 4 cuspules confined to inner maxillary heel.

Palp and leg structures. Spines (femora III–IV with dorsoapical transverse row of 5–7 spines; patellae III–IV dorsally with numerous small spines; palpal tarsus and tarsi I–II each with 7–10 small ventral spines arranged in medial row; patellae I–II and tarsi III–IV aspinose). Palp: femur d1–1–2, dp1; tibia p1, v2–2–3; tarsus v2. Leg I: femur d1–1–1–1–2, pd1; tibia v1–1–2; metatarsus v2–1–3. Leg II: femur d1–1–1–1–2, pd1; tibia v1–1–2; metatarsus v2–1–3. Leg III: femur d 1–1–1–1; tibia p1–1, r1–1, v1–2–2; metatarsus p1–1–1, r1–1, v2–2–3. Leg IV: femur d 1–1–1–1; tibia r1–1, v2–2–2; metatarsus p1–1, r1–1–1, v2–2–3. Metatarsal preening comb present on metatarsus IV. Scopula entire and distal on metatarsus I, narrowly divided on palpal tarsus and tarsus I; widely divided on tarsus II; elsewhere absent. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 7–8 in each row on tibiae, 10–12 on metatarsi, 10–13 on tarsi, 8 on palpal tarsus. Palpal claw with 3 teeth on promargin. Paired claws on tarsi I–II, III, and IV with 3–4, 2–4, and 0–4 teeth in each row, respectively. Unpaired tarsal claw small and sharply curved.

Leg and palp measurements:

Palp I II III IV

Femur 2.11 2.95 2.44 2.23 3.07

Patella 1.23 1.72 1.51 1.33 2.06

Tibia 1.38 1.87 1.61 1.30 3.17

Metatarsus – 1.86 1.48 1.71 2.62

Tarsus 1.41 1.09 1.06 1.15 1.36

Total 6.13 9.49 8.10 7.72 12.28

Copulatory organs. Spermathecae robust and club-like, with slightly dilated heads, as in Fig. 139.

Spinnerets as in Fig. 140. PMS: length 0.26; diameter 0.12. PLS: maximum diameter 0.47; length of basal, medial and apical segments 0.54, 0.13, 0.08, respectively; total length 0.75; apical segment domed.

Male: Unknown.

Holotype: ♀ Algeria: Algiers Province: surroundings of Algiers (36°45′N 03°33′E), xi–xii.1886, other data are unknown (MNHN 9964/AR4472).

Paratype: Algeria: 1♀, collected together with the holotYpe .

Distribution: Known only from the type locality.