Thaumasia Perty, 1833

Cruz Da Silva, Estevam L. & Carico, James E., 2012, 3567, Zootaxa 3567, pp. 1-64 : 6

Thaumasia Perty, 1833

Figs. 1–155

Thaumasia Perty, 1833: 192 , pl. 38, fig. 5. Walckenaer, 1837: 561. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897: 94. Simon, 1898a: 313. Petrunkevitch, 1928: 104.

Type species. Thaumasia senilis Perty, 1833 , by original designation.

Diagnosis. The males of Thaumasia can be distinguished from those of Architis ( Santos, 2007b, fig. 2A) and Tinus ( Carico, 1976, fig. 8) by the well developed distal tegular projection and median apophysis and by the very long embolus ( Figs 34, 52, 56, 76, 84, 88, 98, 111, 115, 125, 130, 140, 144). The females can be distinguished from the latter genera by the epigynum with a slightly projected and laterally excavated middle field ( Figs 26, 44, 60, 68, 80, 92, 103, 104, 107, 119, 134, 137), by the slightly developed lateral lobes ( Fig. 60, 68, 80, 92, 103, 104, 107, 119, 134, 137), by the conspicuous copulatory ducts (CD1 and CD2) ( Figs 40, 45, 61, 71, 81, 93, 105, 108, 121, 135, 138) and by the small, rounded head of spermathecae ( Figs 42, 62, 73, 82, 94, 106).

Description. Small ( Thaumasia argenteonotata ) to large spiders ( Thaumasia oriximina sp. nov., Figs 7, 8, and T.velox , Fig. 6). Anterior eye row straight to slightly procurved, posterior recurved ( Figs 10–25). PLE and PME always larger than other eyes ( Figs 10–25). Chelicerae light brown to reddish-brown ( Figs 10–25), with a lateral tuft of small to long white bristles in males of most species ( Figs 10–25); promargin with three equidistant teeth, the central tooth is twice the size of each lateral; retromargin with three teeth ( Fig. 47). Sternum smooth, with scattered bristles. Labium usually smooth and light brown. Legs long and slender, leg III always the shortest. Tibiae I with conspicuous ventral pairs of macrosetae varying from four to five. Trichobothria of metatarsi with a smooth hood ( Fig. 95). Superior tarsal claws with eight to eleven teeth ( Figs 43, 49, 66, 75, 83, 97, 102, 110, 118, 124, 129, 139) and inferior with one or two teeth ( Figs 67, 129). Abdomen longer than wide, dorsum with one to two pairs of sigillae. Male palpi with an elongated cymbium ( Figs 32, 36, 52, 56, 78, 85, 90, 98, 113, 116, 126, 132, 142, 146, 150, 152), median apophysis conspicuous and with a large distal tegular projection ( Figs 31, 34, 52, 56, 76, 84, 88, 98, 111, 115, 125, 130, 140, 145, 148, 152); retrolateral tibial apophysis divided into an ental and an ectal branches ( Figs 37, 53, 59, 79, 86, 91, 100, 114, 116, 127, 133, 143, 147, 151, 153). Female epigynum with a slightly projected and laterally excavated middle field and a hood visible in ventral view ( Figs. 44, 60, 68, 80, 92, 104, 107, 119, 134, 137, 154); copulatory ducts divided in CD1 and CD2 ( Figs 41, 45, 61, 71, 81, 93, 105, 108, 122, 135, 138, 155), pocket membranous ( Fig 27, 45, 61, 72, 81, 93, 105, 108, 122, 135, 138, 155) and head of spermathecae conspicuous,with apical pores ( Figs 42, 62, 73, 82, 94, 106).

Distribution. Mexico to Argentina ( Figs. 1–4).

Composition. 17 species, ten of them newly described here.