Trachelas odoreus

Rivera-Quiroz, F. Andrés & Alvarez-Padilla, Fernando, 2015, Three new species of the genus Trachelas (Araneae: Trachelidae) from an oak forest inside the Mesoamerican biodiversity hotspot in Mexico, Zootaxa 3999 (1), pp. 95-110 : 103-107

Trachelas odoreus sp. n

Figures 35–51

Type material. ♂ holotype: MEXICO: Veracruz: Atotonilco de Calcahualco, near the Pico de Orizaba National Park (19°08'30.2"N, 97°12'21.5"W, 2 238 m), collected 21–30 May 2012 by F.J. Salgueiro-Sepulveda ( CAFC- UNAM).

♀ allotype from the same locality (19°08'17.4"N, 97°12'16.2"W, 2 300 m), collected 4–14 October 2012 by F.J. Salgueiro-Sepulveda (CAFC-UNAM).

Other material examined. N = 3. MEXICO: Veracruz: Atotonilco de Calcahualco, Plot I, 19°08'30.2"N, 97°12'21.5"W, 2 238 m, 21–30 May 2012, 1♂ (CAFC-UNAM); 4–14 October 2012, 1♀ (CAFC-UNAM). Same locality, Plot II, 19°08'17.4" N, 97°12'16.2"W, 2 300 m, 4–14 October 2012, 1♀ (CAFC-UNAM).

Etymology. The species epithet, formed from the Greek odontos (tooth) and the Dutch reus (big/giant), refers to the relatively large fangs that characterize Trachelas .

Diagnosis. The male of T. odoreus sp. n. is similar to T. lanceolatus and T. crassus sp. n. by having a large palpal tibia at least 0.6 times as long as the cymbium ( Figs 15 , 49 ; Platnick & Shadab 1974a: fig. 73), but it differs from these species by the E longer and curved clockwise ( Fig. 17 ; Platnick & Shadab 1974a: fig. 72) and having a longer RTA with hooked tip on ventral view ( Figs 17 , 51 ; Platnick & Shadab 1974a; fig. 72), respectively. Female genitalia is similar to T. bulbosus F.O. P.-Cambridge, 1899, by having a wide atrium with two symmetrical genital openings placed anteriorly, CD irregularly coiled and Ss very small compared to the S ( Figs 47, 48 : Platnick & Shadab 1974a: figs 70, 71). It differs from this species by having a heart-shaped atrium in ventral view ( Fig. 43 ), symmetrical CD, FD thinner, and S length almost two and a half times the width ( Figs 47, 48 ; Platnick & Shadab 1974a: figs 70, 71).

Description. Male: Total length 6.62. Cephalothorax: 3.5 long. Carapace glabrous without pattern, coloration light brown, darker in ocular area, becoming lighter towards posterior edge, thoracic grooves deep, darker in relation to surrounding cuticle ( Fig. 36 ). Lateral and dorsal surfaces same color, cephalic area higher than thoracic ( Fig. 38 ). Sternum glossy, almost same color as rear portion of carapace, darker at margins ( Fig. 40 ). AME closer together than to ALE. Clypeus about one diameter of AME. All eyes subequal in size ( Fig. 35 ). AER straight, PER procurved in dorsal view. Endites and labium dark brown, longer than wide, labium length ca. 3/4 of endites and darker in coloration. Chelicera heavily sclerotized, rugose cuticle, brown, darker than carapace. Three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Abdomen: 2.75 long, background pale grey. Dorsal surface dark yellow without scutum or pattern ( Fig. 36 ). Ventral surface light yellow, booklung covers pale yellow, epigastric area slightly sclerotized ( Fig. 40 ). Leg formula I-II-IV-III, light yellow, first pair slightly darker. Nineteen VCT, 30 VCM. Pedipalp light yellow, bulb same color as tibia ( Figs 37, 39 ), tibia long, about 0.6 times length of cymbium, RTA short and slightly hooked, about 0.3 times width of tibia ( Figs 49–51 ).

Female: as in male except noted. Total length 9.7. Cephalothorax: 4.0 long. Carapace dark red, slightly darker in the eye area ( Fig. 42 ). Sternum same color as rear portion of carapace ( Fig. 46 ). Chelicera same color as anterior portion of carapace ( Fig. 41 ). Abdomen: 5.5 long, background dark gray without scutum or characteristic pattern ( Fig. 42 ). Ventral surface dark grey, booklungs slightly red, epigastric area highly sclerotized ( Fig. 46 ). Legs reddish-yellow, first pair darker. VCT absent, 9 VCM. Epigynum ventrally dark red, atrium big, heart shaped, two separated copulatory openings placed anteriorly ( Fig. 43 ); CD extremely long and slender, irregularly curled ( Fig. 47 ). Oval elongated S that connects to a relatively short and stout FD, directly under S a bulge in the FD forms a small Ss ( Fig. 48 ).

Variation. Female: total length mean 9.7 (range: 8.9 to 10.6), carapace length mean 4.0 (range: 4.0 to 4.1. Female with no VCT present, VCM mean 7.5 (range: 6 to 9).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 52 ).

Biology. All specimens were collected in a Quercus forest with secondary plant growth. Adult specimens were found in May and October 2012. Specimens were caught by beating and direct collecting over vegetation.

Figures

FIGURE 52. Map of the locality where T. crassus, T. ductonuda and T. odoreus were collected near Pico de Orizaba (Veracruz) marked with an X. Scale bar = 200 km.

FIGURES 35 – 40. Trachelas odoreus sp. n., male. 35 Prosoma, anterior view; 36 Habitus, dorsal view; 37 Palp, retrolateral view; 38 Habitus, lateral view; 39 Palp, ventral view; 40 Habitus, ventral view. Scale bars: 35 = 0.5 mm; 36, 38, 40 = 1.0 mm; 37, 39 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 41 – 46. Trachelas odoreus sp. n., female. 41 Prosoma, anterior view; 42 Habitus, dorsal view; 43 Epigynum, ventral view; 44 Habitus, lateral view; 45 Epigynum, dorsal view; 46 Habitus, ventral view. Scale bars: 41, 42, 44, 46 = 1.0 mm; 43 = 0.5 mm; 45 = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 47 – 51. Trachelas odoreus sp. n., genitalia. 47 Epigynum, cleared ventral view; 48 Same, dorsal view; 49 Palp, prolateral view; 50 Same, retrolateral view; 51 Same, ventral view. Scale bars: 47, 48 = 0.1 mm; 49 – 51 = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 13 – 17. Trachelas crassus sp. n., genitalia. 13 Epigynum, cleared ventral view; 14 Same, dorsal view; 15 Palp, prolateral view; 16 Same, retrolateral view; 17 Same, ventral view. Scale bars: 13, 14 = 0.1 mm; 15 – 17 = 0.3 mm.