Sparianthina saaristoi, Jaeger & Rheims & Labarque, 2009

Jaeger, Peter, Rheims, Cristina & Labarque, Facundo, 2009, On the huntsman spider genera Sparianthina Banks, 1929 and Anaptomecus Simon, 1903 from South and Central America (Araneae, Sparassidae), ZooKeys 16 (16), pp. 115-147 : 133-136

Sparianthina saaristoi sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AFA6E26E-B16E-4AF3-B268-4BE654281A89

Figs 71-73 , 79

Types. ♁ holotype from Venezuela, Merida, Mucuy, Tabay [08°38’N, 71°04’W], 17.VI.–2.VIII.1989, S. and J. Peck, AMNH. Paratypes: 4 ♁♁, Venezuela, Merida, El Valle, 15 km NE Merida [08°35’N, 71°08’W], 24.VI.–2.VIII.1989, S. and J. Peck (2 ♁♁ AMNH; 1 ♁ IBSP 99864; 1 ♁ SMF: PJ 1722 ) ; 2 ♁♁, Venezuela, Merida, Telef. Esta. La Montana [08°35’ N; 71°08’ W], 27.VI.–26.VII.1989, S. and J. Peck ( IBSP 99862 ; SMF: PJ 3116 ) .

Further material examined. VENEZUELA. Merida: 10 ♁♁, Tabay [08°38’N, 71°04’W], Mucuy, Send. Lag. Suero, 17.VI.–2.VIII.1989, S. and J. Peck ( AMNH) ; 1 ♁, 19.VI.–24.VII.1989, S. and J. Peck ( AMNH) ; 12 ♁♁, Merida [08°35’N, 71°08’W], Hechicera, Monte Zerpa, 22.VII.–2.VIII.1989, S. and J. Peck (8 ♁♁ AMNH, 2 ♁♁ IBSP 99863, 2 ♁♁ SMF: PJ 3114-3115 ) ; 4 ♁♁, Telef. Esta. La Montana , 27.VI.–26. VII.1989, S. and J. Peck ( AMNH) ; 2 ♁♁, El Valle, 15 km NE Merida , 24.VI.–2. VIII.1989, S. and J. Peck ( AMNH) ; Tachira: 1 ♁, Pregonero [08°01’N, 71°45’W], Presa Las Cuevas, 9.–31.VII.1989, S. and J. Peck ( AMNH) ; 1 ♁, Camp Siberia, Laldea , 10.–31.VII.1989, S. and J. Peck ( AMNH) .

Etymology. The species is dedicated to Michael Saaristo (1938-2008) for his many contributions to the taxonomy of spiders; name in genitive case.

Diagnosis. The males of Sparianthina saaristoi sp. n. are distinguished from those of the remaining species of the genus by the slender embolus without projections and by the RTA having only one dorsal branch ( Figs 71-73 ).

Description. Male (AMNH, holotype). Total length 7.6. Prosoma: 3.8 long, 3.0 wide. Opisthosoma: 3.8 long, 2.8 wide. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.22, ALE 0.28, PME 0.22, PLE 0.30, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PME

0.24, PME–PLE 0.26, AME–PME 0.20, ALE–PLE 0.18. Legs: I: femur 4.3, patella 1.5, tibia 4.3, metatarsus 3.9, tarsus 1.5, total 15.5; II: 4.8, 1.5, 5.0, 4.4, 1.7, 17.4; III: 3.9, 1.3, 3.5, 3.4, 1.3, 13.4; IV: 4.6, 1.3, 4.1, 4.6, 1.6, 16.2. Spination: femur I–III: p1-1-1; d0-1-1; r1-1-1; femur IV: p1-1-1; d0-1-1; r0-0-1; tibia I–II: d1-0-1; v2-2-2- 2-0; tibia III–IV: p1-0-1; d1-0-1; r1-0-1; v2-2-0; metatarsus I–II: v2-2-0; metatarsus III: p1-1-0; r1-1-0; v2-2-0; metatarsus IV: p1-1-2; r1-1-2; v2-2-0.

Palp as in diagnosis. Embolus and conductor arising from tegulum at a 9-o’clockposition. Sperm duct running marginally at the distal and proximal tegulum and submarginally at the retrolateral tegulum ( Fig. 72 ).

Colouration. Prosoma brownish orange, brown along fovea and thoracic striae. Eye borders black. Chelicerae orange-brown. Legs and pedipalps orange with brown markings at spine bases. Labium and gnathocoxae brownish-orange, distally lighter. Sternum pale orange with slightly darker margins. Opisthosoma yellowish-grey ( Fig. 79 ).

Female unknown.

Variation. Males (n=10). Total length 6.0-7.6; prosoma 2.9-3.8; femur I 3.9-4.8.

Distribution. North-western Venezuela, states of Merida and Tachira.

Figures

Figures 71-73. Sparianthina saaristoi sp. n. from Venezuela (♁ holotype). 71-73 Left ♁ palp (71 prolateral 72 ventral 73 retrolateral).

Figures 74-79. Sparianthina spp., habitus, dorsal. 74-75 S. selenopoides (74 ♁ 75 ♀) 76 S. milleri comb. n., ♁ 77 S. adisi sp. n., ♁ 78 S. deltshevi sp. n., ♁ 79 S. saaristoi sp. n., ♁.