Shearella browni Shear, 1978

Shearella browni Shear, 1978 View in CoL comb. rest.

Figures 17–19 View FIGURE 17 View FIGURE 18 View FIGURE 19 , 14 View FIGURE 14 A−D, 20D, G.

Monoblemma browni Shear, 1978: 23 View in CoL , figs. 57–61

( Male holotype from Périnet, Madagascar, III. 1969, W. L. Brown leg., deposited in AMNH, examined );

Sankaran & Sebastian, 2016: 447 View Cited Treatment (Transferred from Shearella View in CoL ).

Shearella browni View in CoL : Lehtinen, 1981: 54 (complementary description of male holotype).

Other material examined. MADAGASCAR. Andosibe , 1150m, (18°51'54.61"S, 48°27'24.44"E), Gary D. Alpert leg., 5.VII.1992, 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( MCZ-IZ 53665 ) GoogleMaps . Paratypes: same data as the holotype, 4 ♂ 5 ♀ ( AMNH) GoogleMaps , 1 ♀ ( AMNH, vchLAM-564 ); GoogleMaps 10 km SW of Antalaha, Ambohitsara , 20m, (14°57'4.18"S, 50°13'59.88"E), Gary D. Alpert leg., 4.II.1989, 1 ♀ ( MCZ-IZ 53667 ) GoogleMaps .

Justification of the transfer. Sankaran and Sebastian (2016) transferred this species to Monoblemma , suggesting that it better fit the diagnostic features of that genus. However, the only distinguishing feature separating this species from others in Shearella is the poorly elevated ocular tubercle. In contrast, the genital morphology of both males and females, as described herein, along with the species’ geographical distribution, supports its reclassification within Shearella . Males of Shearella possess a filiform, very thin embolus inserted on a subrounded copulatory bulb. Additionally, the spermatic duct forms a subapical loop internally. Females exhibit simple, rounded receptacles without internal glands and a short central process. The height of the ocular tubercle is variable within the genus: both Shearella browni Shear, 1978 , and Shearella lilawati Lehtinen, 1981 , have a low ocular tubercle, yet all Shearella species share the aforementioned morphological characters.

Diagnosis. Males of Shearella browni Shear, 1978 comb. rest. are very similar to those of Shearella alii Sankaran & Sebastian, 2016 and Shearella selvarani Lehtinen, 1981 by the very long embolus ( Sankaran & Sebastian, 2016: 444, figs. 1A–B, 2A–F, 3A–D; Lehtinen, 1981: 53, figs. 204, 209, 213) but can be distinguished by the embolus almost as long as the copulatory bulb ( Figs. 17G–J View FIGURE 17 , 19A–B View FIGURE 19 , 20D View FIGURE 20 ). Females are similar to those of Shearella lilawati Lehtinen, 1981 by the subrounded seminal receptacles, but can be distinguished by the smaller receptacles and thinner central process ( Figs. 19D–E View FIGURE 19 , 20G View FIGURE 20 ).

Redescription. Male (based on holotype AMNH and complemented with a male MCZ-IZ 53665). Total body length 1.99, carapace length 0.90, width 0.76, height 0.58. Clypeus height 0.19. Eyes arranged in a compacted group: four eyes, ALE 0.08, PLE 0.04; PLE very close to each other. Sternum sub-trapezoidal, with recurved sides and straight posterior edge, length 0.56, width 0.77. Chelicerae (paturon) length 0.18. Legs: Leg I—femur 0.74/ patella 0.25/ tibia 0.57/ metatarsus 0.36/ tarsus 0.41/ total 2.35; II—0.56/ 0.23/ 0.47/ 0.29/ 0.28/ 1.86; III— 0.57/ 0.24/ 0.43/ 0.23/ 0.21/ 1.69; IV—0.76/ 0.20/ 0.69/ 0.45/ 0.38/ 2.48. Abdomen length 1.10, width 0.92. Body coloration light reddish-brown, carapace marginally darker with small marginal granules ( Figs. 17A–F View FIGURE 17 , 18A–D View FIGURE 18 ). Legs light brown, metatarsi and tarsi yellowish. Spinnerets light brown. Carapace: cephalothorax reticulate, with small granules on posterior side, sub oval-shaped, anterior edge projected; four eyes arranged in a compacted group, ocular tubercle low, ALE>PLE, ALE and PLE close to each other; clypeus very high and anteriorly projected with straight anterior edge ( Figs. 17A–F View FIGURE 17 , 18A–D View FIGURE 18 ); thoracic region reticulate, high, thoracic very short, transversal ( Figs. 17A View FIGURE 17 , 18A View FIGURE 18 ); Chelicerae with developed laminar, canaliculate frontal apophysis, anteriorly positioned ( Figs. 17B View FIGURE 17 , 18A, C View FIGURE 18 ); endites sub-quadrangular, anteriorly narrow and projected; labium wide with a median deep depression; sternum rugose almost as long as wide ( Figs. 17C View FIGURE 17 , 18C View FIGURE 18 ). Legs with fine setae, femora with granulated cuticle, tibiae-tarsi cuticle striated, tarsi slightly longer than metatarsi. Opisthosoma: with some white, fine setae on posterior edge ( Figs. 17F View FIGURE 17 , 18C View FIGURE 18 ); dorsal scutum oval-shaped, smooth; ventral scutum (pulmonar scutum) finely reticulated with straight posterior edge ( Figs. 17F View FIGURE 17 , 18C View FIGURE 18 ); with three lateral scuta, extending to the posterior side of the anal plate, lateral regions with some very small free sclerites ( Figs. 17E View FIGURE 17 , 18C View FIGURE 18 ); postgenital scutum narrow, rectangular, long; preanal scutum rectangular, approximately as wide as the pulmonar scutum, with straight lateral edges. Six spinnerets surrounded by the anal plate ( Figs. 17F View FIGURE 17 , 18C View FIGURE 18 ). Palp: femur cylindric, thin with several setae on the cuticle; patella very short with long setae; tibia swollen with simple and long setae; cymbium very short; bulb large, subrounded; spermatic ducts very wide at base, filiform towards embolus; embolus very long, almost as long as bulb ( Figs. 17G–J View FIGURE 17 , 19A–B View FIGURE 19 , 20D View FIGURE 20 ).

Female (MCZ-IZ 53665). Total body length 1.15, carapace length 0.53, width 0.46, height 0.38. Clypeus height 0.17. Eye diameters and interdistances: ALE 0.04, PLE 0.03; PLE and ALE close to each other. Sternum length 0.33, width 0.34. Chelicerae (paturon) length 0.20. Leg measurements: Leg I—femur 0.42/ patella 0.12/ tibia 0.24/ metatarsus 0.22/ tarsus 0.23/ total 1.24; II—0.36/ 0.14/ 0.25/ 0.21/ 0.20/ 1.17; III—0.27/ 0.14/ 0.22/ 0.18/ 0.15/ 0.98; IV—0.42/ 0.14/ 0.36/ 0.24/ 0.20/ 1.38. Abdomen length 0.81, width 0.64. Coloration as male, but paler, legs uniformly brown, paler, metatarsi and tarsi yellowish ( Fig. 18 View FIGURE 18 D−F). Carapace: cephalothorax rugous; eyes arranged in a compacted group ALE>PLE; clypeus high, anteriorly projected ( Fig.18D View FIGURE 18 ); thoracic region rugous ( Fig. 18D View FIGURE 18 ); Chelicerae with poorly developed frontal apophyses; endites subquadrangular-shaped with the wide basal edge, narrowing towards the distal edge ( Fig. 5D View FIGURE 5 ); labium trapezoidal-shaped and wider that long ( Fig. 18F View FIGURE 18 ); sternum rugose with few setae on margins ( Fig. 18F View FIGURE 18 . Opisthosoma: covered with white and black fine setae ( Fig. 18F View FIGURE 18 ); scuta as in the male. Genitalia orifice small, placed at posterior edge of epigynal fold; central process very short; seminal receptacles small, membranous, rounded; vulval ducts short, thin ( Figs. 19D–E View FIGURE 19 , 20G View FIGURE 20 ).

Distribution. Only known from Madagascar.