Asemonea dentis, Pattammalsudhin & Sen, 2025

Asemonea dentis sp. nov.

Figs 1–3 View FIGURE 1 View FIGURE 2 View FIGURE 3 , 7 View FIGURE 7

Type material. Holotype ♂ (NZC-ZSI-9824/18) from INDIA: Meghalaya: Ri Bhoi District, Umran Dairy village, Anderson Tea Estate ( 25°47’42”N, 91°53’03”E), 810 m, a.s.l., 07.VII. 2024, leg. Souvik Sen. GoogleMaps Paratypes: 1♀ (NZC- ZSI-9825/18), same data as for holotype GoogleMaps . 1♀ (NZC-ZSI-9826/18), Meghalaya, Ri Bhoi District, Umshohphria Village ( 25°50’15.2”N, 91°39’58.7”E), 534 m, a.s.l., 06.VI.2024, leg. P. P. Sudhin. GoogleMaps

Etymology. The species name is a noun in apposition originating from the Latin word ‘dentis’, meaning tooth and referring to the presence of a stout retrolateral ventral tooth-like apophysis on the palpal femur.

Diagnosis. The male copulatory organ of Asemonea dentis sp. nov., is most similar to that of A. cristata Thorell, 1895 , from which it can be distinguished by the following combination of characters: femur with a stout retrolateral ventral tooth-like apophysis (see arrow in Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ) (absent in A. cristata ); FA broad, longer than wide, with a bifid distal region (ramified, with a stout basal region and almost fork-like in A. cristata ); DTA large and concave, without any spines (relatively small, flat, and bearing two peg-like spines in A. cristata ) (cf. Figs 2B–C View FIGURE 2 , 3A–B View FIGURE 3 with figs 11–13, 17–18 in Sudhin et al. 2020). The female genitalia of A. dentis sp. nov., can be distinguished from those of all other Asemonea species by the epigyne with a pair of large, strongly sclerotized, arched projections, covering almost the entire length of the plate, laterally with furrows, giving it a butterfly-wing-like appearance ( Figs 2D–F View FIGURE 2 , 3C–D View FIGURE 3 ).

Description. Male. ( Holotype, Figs 1A–C, G View FIGURE 1 , 2A–C View FIGURE 2 , 3A–B View FIGURE 3 ): Measurements: body length 4.44; carapace length 1.69, width 1.41; abdomen length 2.59, width 0.96. Ocular area length 0.70, width at ALE 1.07, at PLE 0.72. Eye diameters: AME 0.42, ALE 0.20, PME 0.14, PLE 0.17. Clypeus height at AME 0.81. Chelicerae 0.61 long, with 3 promarginal and 6 retromarginal teeth. Measurement of palp and legs: Palp: 2.17 (0.71, 0.34, 0.24, 0.88), leg I 5.84 (1.75, 0.57, 1.56, 1.45, 0.51), II 5.15 (1.58, 0.51, 1.32, 1.26, 0.48), III 5.71 (1.72, 0.52, 1.32, 1.54, 0.61), IV 6.95 (1.93, 0.57, 1.59, 2.14, 0.72). Leg formula: 4132. Spination. Palp: patella do 2. Legs: femur I–IV do 3 pl 1 rl 1; patellae I–IV spineless; tibia I–II do 2 pl 1 rl 2 plv 5 rlv 5, III do 1 pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1, IV do 2 pl 2 rl2 plv 3 rlv 2; metatarsi I–II pl 1 rl 1 plv 4 rlv 4, III pl 4 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 2, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 3 rlv 3; tarsi I–IV spineless. General appearance as in Figs 1A–C, G View FIGURE 1 . Carapace pear-shaped, moderately high, greenish-brown, covered with brown setae ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ); dorsally with broad sub-triangular pale-yellow marking on thorax centrally ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). Clypeus light green to pale yellow, about half diameter of AME, covered with brown setae. Chelicerae vertical, pale yellow, covered with white setae ( Fig. 1C View FIGURE 1 ). Endites light green, with paler inner region ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Labium light green, with paler tip ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Sternum pale yellow to light brown, covered with short white setae ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Abdomen slender, elongated ovoid, greenish-brown, covered with black setae ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ); anterolaterally with pair of faint irregular black longitudinal markings, posterolaterally with three pairs of faint black spots; medially with faint inverted Vshaped black marking; and posteriorly with black medial marking ( Fig. 1A View FIGURE 1 ). Venter light greenish-brown covered with short white setae, with pair of pale dotted lines ( Fig. 1B View FIGURE 1 ). Pedicel light greenish brown covered with black setae. All legs creamy white ( Fig. 1A–C View FIGURE 1 ); legs II–IV with black mottling on retrolateral sides of proximal and distal regions of tibiae.

Palp as shown in Figs 2A–C View FIGURE 2 , 3A–B View FIGURE 3 . Palpal segments pale yellow ( Fig. 2A–C View FIGURE 2 ). Femur with ventral furrow, retrolateral ventral tooth-like apophysis (arrowed in Fig. 3B View FIGURE 3 ), and broad apical apophysis longer than wide, bifid distally ( Figs 2C View FIGURE 2 , 3B View FIGURE 3 ). RTA with tapering end ( Figs 2C View FIGURE 2 , 3B View FIGURE 3 ). DTA broad, and concave in retrolateral view ( Figs 2C View FIGURE 2 , 3B View FIGURE 3 ); cymbium oval, distally tapering, covered with setae; tegulum ovoid in ventral view, ( Figs 2B View FIGURE 2 , 3A View FIGURE 3 ); ST with S-shaped sperm duct visible on retrolateral side ( Figs 2B View FIGURE 2 , 3A View FIGURE 3 ); embolus long, slender, whip-like, originating from posterior margin of tegulum ( Figs 2B View FIGURE 2 , 3A View FIGURE 3 ).

Female. ( Paratype, NZC-ZSI-9825/18) ( Figs 1D–F, H View FIGURE 1 , 2D–F View FIGURE 2 , 3C–D View FIGURE 3 ): Measurements: body length 4.45; carapace length 1.74, width 1.30; abdomen length 2.44, width 1.28. Ocular area length 0.70, width at ALE 1.06, at PLE 0.72. Eye diameters: AME 0.40, ALE 0.18, PME 0.18, PLE 0.14. Clypeus height 0.29. Chelicerae 0.61 long, with 3 promarginal and 6 retromarginal teeth. Measurement of palp and legs: Palp: 2.07 (0.71, 0.26, 0.36, 0.74), leg I 5.53 (1.61, 0.53, 1.54, 1.39, 0.46), II 5.06 (1.55, 0.50, 1.35, 1.22, 0.44), III 5.44 (1.65, 0.42, 1.39, 1.56, 0.51), IV 6.95 (1.87, 0.47, 1.59, 2.12, 0.68). Leg formula: 4132. Spination. Legs: femur I–IV do 3 pl 1 rl 1; patellae I–IV spineless; tibia I–II pl 1 rl 3 plv 5 rlv 5, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 1 rlv 1, IV do 1 pl 2 rl 2 plv 3 rlv 1; metatarsi I–II do 1 pl 1 rl 1 plv 4 rlv 4, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, IV pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1; tarsi I–IV spineless. General appearance as in Figs 2D–F, H View FIGURE 2 . In all details like male, except the following: carapace creamy-white, without any prominent markings ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ); lateral margins with broken black line between legs II and III, and dorsally with pair of faint black markings ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ). Clypeus creamy-white, covered with white setae ( Fig. 1H View FIGURE 1 ). Chelicerae creamy yellow ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ). Endites, labium, and sternum creamy-white ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ). Abdomen creamy-white with prominent black markings, covered with white setae ( Fig. 1D View FIGURE 1 ). Venter creamy white, without any prominent markings ( Fig. 1E View FIGURE 1 ). Legs II–IV with black mottling on retrolateral sides of proximal and distal regions of tibiae ( Fig. 1F View FIGURE 1 ).

Epigyne and vulva as shown in Figs 2D–F View FIGURE 2 , 3C–D View FIGURE 3 . Epigyne wider than long, with pair of large, strongly sclerotized, arched rims, laterally with furrows, giving it butterfly-wing-like appearance ( Figs 2D–E View FIGURE 2 , 3C View FIGURE 3 ); CO separated by about 4/5 of epigynal width ( Figs 2D–E View FIGURE 2 , 3C View FIGURE 3 ); CD long, connected to oval spermathecae inner-posteriorly ( Figs 2D–F View FIGURE 2 , 3C–D View FIGURE 3 ); FD sickle-shaped, located posteriorly ( Figs 2F View FIGURE 2 , 3D View FIGURE 3 ).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Meghalaya, India) ( Fig. 7 View FIGURE 7 ).