A new genus and species of pouched goblin spider (Oonopidae, Araneae) from West Africa

Oonopidae or goblin spiders are very small (usually less than 2 mm), six-eyed, haplogyne spiders that are particularly abundant and diverse in the tropics and subtropics. In this talk, the morphology and ultrastructure of a new genus, widespread in West Africa but exceedingly rare in museum collections, is described and discussed. The genus single constituent species can be distinghuished from other oonopids by its peculiar type of carapace microsculpture and posteriorly situated epigastric groove. Externally, females lack specialized epigastric structures. The male has an inward-curved embolus and a ventral pouch , a deep depression between the labium and sternum that accomodates the tips of both emboli. Similar features have been documented from several known genera of Oonopidae (e.g. Grymeus Harvey, 1987, Silhouettella Benoit, 1979) and also occur in many presently undescribed genera.