Cubanops alayoni, Sánchez-Ruiz & Platnick & Dupérré, 2010

Sánchez-Ruiz, Alexander, Platnick, Norman I. & Dupérré, Nadine, 2010, A New Genus of the Spider Family Caponiidae (Araneae, Haplogynae) from the West Indies, American Museum Novitates 2010 (3705), pp. 1-44 : 18

Cubanops alayoni , new species

Figures 68–163

TYPES: Male holotype and female allotype taken under rocks at an elevation of 630 m at Paso la Mina , Monte Viset , 4 km S of Cruce de los Baños, Tercer Frente municipality, Santiago de Cuba, Cuba (May 12, 2004; R. Teruel), deposited in BSC (596).

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a patronym in honor of Giraldo Alayón, the first arachnologist to study these spiders in Cuba.

DIAGNOSIS: Males differ from those of the other members of the species group in having the tip of the embolus wide, extending far beyond the subdistal process, and bearing subdistal as well as distal tiny prongs (figs. 104, 155, 156). Females resemble those of C. granpiedra and C. tortuguilla but have the median portion of the sclerotized anterior margin as wide as the lateral portions (figs. 162, 163).

MALE: Total length 2.93 (figs. 68–106). Carapace pale yellow, with dark purple margins separated from median reticulations by distinct submarginal unmarked bands, reticulations darker laterally than medially. Sternum dark orange, with submarginal darkened spots opposite endites and coxae I and II. Abdominal dorsum dark purple, with four white chevrons, chevrons largest anteriorly. Femora, patellae, tibiae, and metatarsi darkened except for subproximal pale areas on femora and subdistal pale areas on patellae. Embolus long, narrow, subdistal process situated far from tip, distally curved; embolus tip wide, with subdistal as well as distal tiny prongs (figs. 104, 155, 156).

FEMALE: Total length 2.93 (figs. 107–163). Coloration as in male except sternum with slight darkenings opposite posterior coxae, abdomen with smaller white chevrons. Anterior receptaculum triangular, high, anteriorly rounded, with sclerotized anterior margin as thick medially as laterally (figs. 162, 163).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: CUBA: Holguín: Cerro Las Tinajitas, Rafael Freyre , June 18, 2001, under rock (R. Teruel, Y. Pérez, BSC 607 ) , 1 &, Oct. 9, 2002, under rock (R. Teruel, Y. Pérez, BSC 590 ) , 1 &; Loma de la Cruz , Sept. 20, 2000, under rock, secondary forest (R. Teruel, BSC) , 1 &. Santiago de Cuba: Jardin Botánico de Santiago de Cuba, Nov. 6, 1997, under rock (D. Maceira, BSC 594 ) , 2 &, June 17, 1998, under rock (A. Sánchez, BSC) , 1 &; La Cantera, Mella municipality, May 28, 2005, under rock (A. Sánchez, BSC 601 ) , 2 %; Lomas al N del Cobre , Sept. 10, 2000, under rock (R. Teruel, BSC) , 2 &; Paso la Mina, Monte Viset, 4 km S Cruce de los Baños , Tercer Frente municipality, May 12, 2004 (R. Teruel, BSC 592 ) , 1 %, 3 &.

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Cuba (Holguín and Santiago de Cuba provinces) .

Figures

FIGS. 68–75. Cubanops alayoni, new species, male. 68. Habitus, dorsal view. 69. Same, lateral view. 70. Carapace, dorsal view. 71. Same, lateral view. 72. Same, anterior view. 73. Sternum and mouthparts, ventral view. 74. Labium and endites, ventral view. 75. Labrum and endites, dorsal view.

FIGS. 76–83. Cubanops alayoni, new species, male. 76. Serrula, dorsal view. 77. Same, ventral view. 78. Chelicerae, anterior view. 79. Same, lateral view. 80. Same, posterior view. 81. Tip of right chelicera, posterior view. 82. Metatarsus and tarsus I, lateral view. 83. Distal tip of metatarsus I, ventral view.

FIGS. 84–91. Cubanops alayoni, new species, male. 84. Extension of metatarsal membrane under tarsus I, ventral view. 85. Distal tip of metatarsus II, lateral view. 86. Leg III, lateral view (note unisegmented metatarsus). 87. Metatarsus IV, lateral view. 88. Tarsal organ from leg I, dorsal view. 89. Same, leg II. 90. Same, leg III. 91. Same, leg IV.

FIGS. 92–99. Cubanops alayoni, new species, male. 92. Claws of leg I, lateral view. 93. Same, leg II. 94. Same, leg III. 95. Same, leg IV. 96. Spinnerets, distal view. 97. Anterior lateral spinneret, distal view. 98. Posterior median spinneret, distal view. 99. Posterior lateral spinneret, distal view.

FIGS. 100–107. Cubanops alayoni, new species, male (except fig. 107). 100. Palp, retrolateral view. 101. Same, prolateral view. 102. Palpal femur, prolateral view. 103. Stridulatory pick at base of palpal femur, prolateral view. 104. Tip of embolus, prolateral view. 105. Tip of palpal tarsus, dorsal view. 106. Trichobothrial base from tibia III, dorsal view. 107. Female, carapace, anterior view.

FIGS. 108–115. Cubanops alayoni, new species, female. 108. Habitus, dorsal view. 109. Same, lateral view. 110. Carapace, dorsal view. 111. Same, lateral view. 112. Tarsal organ from leg I, dorsal view. 113. Same, leg II. 114. Same, leg III. 115. Same, leg IV.

FIGS. 116–123. Cubanops alayoni, new species, female. 116. Sternum and mouthparts, ventral view. 117. Labium and endites, ventral view. 118. Labrum and endites, dorsal view. 119. Serrula, dorsal view. 120. Chelicerae, anterior view. 121. Same, lateral view. 122. Same, posterior view. 123. Tip of right chelicera, posterior view.

FIGS. 124–131. Cubanops alayoni, new species, female. 124. Leg I, lateral view. 125. Distal tip of metatarsus I, and tarsus, lateral view. 126. Distal tip of metatarsus I, ventral view. 127. Extension of metatarsal membrane under tarsus I, lateral view. 128. Same, ventral view. 129. Metatarsus and tarsus II, lateral view. 130. Leg III, lateral view. 131. Metatarsus IV, lateral view.

FIGS. 132–139. Cubanops alayoni, new species, female. 132. Claws of leg I, lateral view. 133. Same, leg II. 134. Same, leg III. 135. Same, leg IV. 136. Claws of leg IV, oblique ventral view. 137. Trichobothrial base from tibia II, dorsal view. 138. Anterior respiratory system and genitalia, digested, dorsal view. 139. Anterior margin of receptaculum, dorsal view.

FIGS. 140–147. Cubanops alayoni, new species, female. 140. Spinnerets, distal view. 141. Anterior lateral spinneret, distal view. 142. Posterior median spinneret, distal view. 143. Posterior lateral spinneret, distal view. 144. Palp, prolateral view. 145. Same, retrolateral view. 146. Palpal femur, prolateral view. 147. Base of palpal femur, prolateral view, showing stridulatory pick.

FIGS. 148–156. Cubanops alayoni, new species, male. 148. Habitus, dorsal view. 149. Same, ventral view. 150. Carapace, dorsal view. 151. Sternum and mouthparts, ventral view. 152. Epigastric region, ventral view. 153. Left palp, prolateral view. 154. Same, retrolateral view. 155. Bulb and embolus, prolateral view. 156. Embolus tip, prolateral view.

FIGS. 157–163. Cubanops alayoni, new species, female. 157. Habitus, dorsal view. 158. Same, ventral view. 159. Carapace, dorsal view. 160. Sternum and mouthparts, ventral view. 161. Epigastric region, ventral view. 162. Internal genitalia, ventral view. 163. Same, dorsal view.