Barronopsis arturoi Alayón 1993

Stocks, Ian Christopher, 2009, Systematics and natural history of Barronopsis (Araneae: Agelenidae), with description of a new species, Zootaxa 2270, pp. 1-38 : 31-33

Barronopsis arturoi Alayón 1993

Fig. 51

Barronopsis arturoi Alayón 1993: 3 , fig. 1 (male, female). Platnick 1997: 618. Platnick 2009.

Types. Male holotype, 8 male, 1 female paratypes from Las Tumbas; Pinar del Rio, Peninsula de Guanahacabibes, Cuba, (A. Ávila, G. Alayón collectors), holotype in MNHN (not provided for examination), paratypes retained by Alayón (1 examined). 1 male and 7 female paratypes collected from the type locality, August 1983 (Arturo Ávila, G. Alayón collectors), in GA (examined)

Diagnosis. Characters as for males of B. texana , except for apical section of the embolus. At ~540˚ from origin of loose coils, lamellae taper rapidly so that by ~700˚ embolus is thread-like. Apically, embolus is slightly curved and roughly parallel to apex of cymbium. Spermathecae distinctive (Fig. 50): crescent-shaped, tapering to a point caudally, with convexity toward midline.

Description. Tab. 2–5. Male: N=1. TW 3.04, CW 1.56, DSL 3.95, ITL 3.65.

Female: N=7. TW 3.04–3.50 (3.24±0.17), CW 1.67–1.94 (1.78±0.09), DSL 4.07–4.79 (4.36±0.24), ITL 2.96–3.34 (3.18±0.16). Atrial guides well separated, triangular ( Fig. 32 ). Copulatory ducts typical for B. texana group. Each spermathecal head tapers distally and becomes highly sclerotized, large diameter “S” shaped spermathecal stalk. Fertilization duct originates on the spermatheca distally and retrolaterally. Highly reduced sbd2 visible only in dorsal view, insertion dorsal to fertilization duct.

Natural history and distribution. Alayón (1993) descriptions of web structure and microhabitat suggest that they are similar to those of other aerial web building Barronopsis species. Webs are found from herblayer height to approximately 6m, where individuals occur in cavities in dead and living trees and in clusters of leaves. Specimens have also been found in association with the periphery of termitaria. This species is apparently restricted to woodlands at the extreme west of Peninsula de Guanahacabibes, Cuba.

Figures

FIGURE 32 – 36. Barronopsis stephaniae left palpus, SEM. Dorchester County, South Carolina. 32, scale bar = 100 µm. 33, scale bar = 100 µm. 34, scale bar = 50 µm. 35, scale bar = 10 0 µm. 36, scale bar = 100 µm.