Nops maculatus Simon, 1893

Sánchez-Ruiz, Alexander & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2018, A revision of the Neotropical spider genus Nops MacLeay (Araneae: Caponiidae) with the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the Nopinae genera, Zootaxa 4427 (1), pp. 1-121 : 85-87

Nops maculatus Simon, 1893

Figures 56A‒G ; 57A‒F

Nops maculata Simon, 1893b: 449 . Female holotype from Caracas, Venezuela (no more data) (MNHN 10916; examined). Petrunkevitch, 1911: 133. Roewer, 1942: 316.

Nops maculatus: Bonnet, 1958: 3115 (emendation of N. maculata )

Nops craneae Chickering, 1967: 6 , fig. 4. Male holotype from Simla, Arima Valley, in close vicinity to the William Beebe Tropical Research Station (10°41′1″N, 61°17′0″W), Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago, 17.iv.1964, A. M. Chickering (MCZ 20920; examined). Female paratype from Trinidad, N.A. Weber (MCZ 128294; examined). New Synonymy

Remarks. Female holotype of Nops maculatus from Caracas, Venezuela is in bad condition of preservation. However, the abdominal pattern is intact, which matches with the abdominal pattern of other specimens examined from Venezuela, including males. All these Venezuelan specimens are conspecific with the types and other material examined of Nops craneae Chickering from Trinidad and Tobago. Therefore, both species are synonymized herein.

Additional material examined. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO : Trinidad: Trinidad (no more data), 1♀ ( MNHN 14257 ) . Ditto, 1♀ (MCZ 128288). Mount St. Benedict, Curepe (10°39′48″N, 61°23′54″ W), 30.v.1992, L.R. Hernandez, 1♀ (MNHNCu). Andrews Trace (off Blanchisseuse Rd. ), Arima Valley, St. George County, 16.vii.1979, L.N. Sorkin, 1♂ ( AMNH) . Maracas Bay (10°45′35″N, 61°26′34″W), ii.1972, J.A. Cooke, 1♀ ( AMNH) . Piarco (10°36′N, 61° 20′W), 3‒6.i.1955, A.M. Nadler, 1 immature ( AMNH) . Las Lapas road (off Blanchisseuse Rd. ) (10°43′11″N, 61°17′50″W), Arima Valley, St. George County, 23.vii.1979, L.N. Sorkin, 1♀ ( AMNH) . Balandra bay (10°43′11″N, 60°59′31″W), iv.1922, Reynolds, 2 immatures ( MCZ 128 293) . Same data as paratype, 2♀ (MCZ 128291). Simla , Arima Valley, iv. 1964, A. M. Chickering, 8 immatures ( MCZ 128292 ) . La Laja Rd. (sunny roadside) (10°42′N, 61°17′W), 500 m asl, Arima Valley, St. George County, 7.ii.1984, J. Coddington, 1♂ ( USNM) . Simla Research Station ( William Beebe Tropical Research Station , 10°41′1″N, 61°17′0″W), Arima Valley, St. George County, 13‒24.vii.1988, A.H. Wynn, 1♀ ( USNM) . VENEZUELA: Monagas: Caripito (10°6′39.62″N, 63°6′17.21″W), 15‒30.v.1942, W. Beebe, 1♀ ( AMNH) . 27 km. SW Caripe , 300 m elevation., 19‒31.vii.1987, S. Peck & J. Peck, 1♂ ( AMNH) . Cerro San Bonifacio (10°10'27.120"N, 63°28'59.160"W), iv‒vi.1964, Rondenal, 1♀ ( MACN 20138 ) . GUYANA: Cuyuni – Mazaruni: Kartabo (no more data), 1♂ ( AMNH) .

Diagnosis. Both sexes resemble the similar congener N. amazonas n. sp. by having similar abdominal pattern as in figure 6J, and PLS two times longer than PMS; but can be distinguished by having the embolus curved to the prolateral side in males ( Fig. 56B‒D ) and females with narrow invagination on receptaculum ( Figs 56G ; 57F).

Description. Male (MCZ 20920): Carapace dark reddish orange ( Figs. 56A ). Chelicerae, labium, endites, legs and coxae reddish orange, metarsi and tarsi lighter. Sternum reddish orange. Abdomen light pale gray, with an irregular, median, dark gray, stripe extends throughout the dorsum; on each dorsolateral sides there is a series of four irregular, elongated dark gray spot the last of which spreads and unite with the median stripe distally, and ventrally with a pair of larger gray spot in a ventrolateral position and two small, irregular and dark gray spot distally close to spinnerets ( Figs. 56A ). Anal tubercle and spinnerets whitish gray. Total length 9.5. Carapace 5.5 long, 4.7 wide. Sternum 4.5 long, 4.0 wide. Leg measurements: I: 4.1; II: 4.0; III: 3.7; IV: 4.25. Posterior unpaired claws small, as in other three‒clawed spiders. PLS longer than PMS. Palp with embolus distinctly longer than tibia, thin and curved to the prolateral side ( Fig. 56B‒D ); beveled embolar tip, with one ventral short extension ( Fig. 57D‒E ).

Female (MCZ 128294): Carapace, chelicerae, labium, legs, coxae, endites and sternum as in male, but a little darker. Abdomen as in male ( Fig. 56E ). Total length 10.1. Carapace 5.9 long, 5.0 wide. Sternum 4.95 long, 4.4 wide. Leg measurements: I: 4.3; II: 4.2; III: 3.8; IV: 4.4. Posterior unpaired claws and PLS as in male. External genital area with weakly sclerotized anterior plate, strongly sclerotized lep and remarkable ess ( Fig. 56F ). Internal genitalia with narrow invagination on receptaculum and uterus externus with narrow base ( Figs 56G ; 57F).

Distribution. Known from Venezuela, Guyana and Trinidad Island ( Fig. 57G ).

Figures

FIGURE 56. Nops maculatus Simon; A–D male (holotype); E–G female (paratype). A habitus, dorsal view. B left palp, prolateral view. C left palp, ventral view. D left palp, retrolateral view. E habitus, dorsal view. F external genital area, ventral view. G internal genitalia, dorsal view. Abbreviations: ap—anterior plate, ess—sclerotization around spiracles, go—genital opening, pp—posterior plate, re—receptaculum, ue—uterus externus. Scale bars: 2 mm (A, E), 0.5 mm (B–D, F–G).

FIGURE 57. Nops maculatus Simon; A–E male (Trinidad: AMNH); F female (Trinidad: MCZ 128291). A left palp, prolateral view. B left palpal tibia, prolateral view. C stridulatory pick, prolateral view. D tip of embolus, retrolateral view. E same, anterior view. F internal genitalia, dorsal view. G distribution of Nops maculatus Simon (circles), Nops flutillus Chickering (star), Nops ursumus Chickering (diamond), Nops coccineus Simon (square) and Nops variabilis Keyserling (triangles).