Schismatothele merida, Moeller & Weinmann & Guadanucci, 2023

Moeller, Wolf, Weinmann, Dirk & Guadanucci, José Paulo Leite, 2023, Genus Schismatothele Karsch, 1879 (Araneae, Theraphosidae): taxonomic notes and seven new species description, European Journal of Taxonomy 861, pp. 78-112 : 92-95

Schismatothele merida sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C9DAE81B-B294-44A1-BA38-AD993EB991C7

Figs 9–12 , 41–50 , 87 ; Table 3

Diagnosis

Males resemble those of S. quimbaya sp. nov. by the tegulum with ventral granular process near the base of the embolus on palpal bulb but differ from the palpal bulb with ventral granular process located in a bulge, presence of paraembolic apophysis, absence of palpal keels and by the palpal tibia with medium concavity ( Figs 41–44, 46–47 , 59–62, 65–66 ). Females differ from those of all other species, except S. caiquetia sp. nov., by the ventral receptacles of spermathecae fused at the base. Differ from those of S. caiquetia by the globose or subrectangular shape of dorsal receptacles ( Figs 48–50 ).

Etymology

The name is after the Merida Mountain range, present along the distribution area of this species.

Type material

Holotype VENEZUELA • ♂; Tachira, San Félix ; 8°6′44.12″ N, 72°13′49.17″ W; 23 Sep. 2002; D. Weinmann and F. Pribik leg.; MZSP 28411 .

Paratypes VENEZUELA – Tachira • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; MZSP 28414 , 28412 , 28413 .

Other material examined

VENEZUELA – Mérida • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; La Azulita; 10 Oct. 2000; D. Weinmann leg.; MZSP 8415 to 28418 . – Trujillo • 1 ♂; Escuque ; 26 Mar. 2000; F. Pribik leg.; MZSP 77128 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 5 Oct. 2000; MZSP 28422 • 1 ♀; Sabaneta ; 7 Oct. 2000; D. Weinmann leg.; MZSP 28421 .

Description

Male (holotype MZSP 28411)

COLOR (in alcohol). Carapace, chelicerae and legs reddish brown, labium and sternum brown, abdomen dark brown with five subtle light brown stripes ( Figs 9–10 ).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 20.74. Chelicerae basal segment: length 2.96. Carapace elongated: length 9.31, width 7.6. Abdomen: length 9.73. Clypeus absent. Eye tubercle slightly elevated, subrectangular: length 0.98, width 1.82. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior slightly recurved. Eyes and interdistances:AME 0.39, ALE 0.42, PME 0.26, PLE 0.35, AME–AME 0.19, AME–ALE 0.13, ALE–ALE 1.37, PME–PME 0.84, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE 1.26, AME–PME 0.07, ALE–PLE 0.15. Thoracic fovea straight, narrow, deep: width 1.24. Chelicerae basal segment with 9 well-developed teeth on furrow promargin, and a group of ca 25 small teeth on proximal area of furrow. Intercheliceral tumescence absent. Maxillae with ca 100 cuspules, located on anterior inner corner. Labium trapezoidal: length 0.9, width 1.7, with ca 180 cuspules. Sternum slightly oval: length 4.1, width 3.82; with three pairs of sigilla, posterior ones longer than the others with the same distance from the edge.

PALPAL BULB. Without keels with subrectangular tegulum. Ventral granular process on a bulge, near to the base of the embolus. Short embolus pointing upward. Paraembolic apophysis flat, pointing upward below embolus ( Figs 41–44 ). Cymbium with two asymmetric lobes, retrolateral longer and wider; prolateral lobe elongated and laterally flattened; retrolateral lobe with a distal retrolateral protrusion. Palpal tibia swollen, with short spines in a row separated in two groups, one apical group with 8–10 spines spines and one at tibia mid-length concavity with one strong spine ( Figs 46–47 ).

LEGS AND PALPS. Tibial spur I: prolatero-ventral spur composed of two separated branches; retrolateral branch slightly procurved, flattened on apex, with a small spine inserted subapically; prolateral branch shorter, slightly recurved with a contiguous spine ( Fig. 45 ). Metatarsus I bent retrolaterally to tibial spur. Superior tarsal claws without teeth. Tarsal scopulae: I and II entire with longitudinal band of conical setae, III and IV divided by longitudinal band of conical setae. Metatarsal scopulae not dense, extension: I on distal ¾, II on more than distal half, III on distal half, IV on less than half. Clavate tarsal trichobothria in two rows, each with ca 10 trichae, interspersed with filiform trichobothria of different lengths. Tarsus IV cracked. Leg formula 4123 ( Table 3 ).

SPINATION. Cymbium and tarsi without spines. Palp: femur 0; patella 0; tibia (r) 9 megaspines. Leg I: femur (p)0-0-1; patella 0; tibia (v) 1-2-ap2, (p) 0-0-1; metatarsus (v) 0-0-ap1, (p) 0-1-0, (r) 1-0-0.Leg II: femur (p)0-0-1; patella 0; tibia (v) 1-2-ap2, (p) 1-1-0; metatarsus (v) 0-0-ap1, (p) 0-1-0. Leg III: femur (p)0-0-1, (r)0-0-1; patella (r) 1; tibia (v) 0-1-ap2, (p) 1-1-ap1, (r) 2-2-ap1; metatarsus (d) 0-0-2, (v) 0-1- 1, (p) 0-1-1, (r) 1-2-1. Leg IV: femur (p)0-0-1, (r)0-0-1; patella 0; tibia (v) 1-1-ap2, (p) 1-0-1, (r) 2-2- ap1; metatarsus (d) 0-0-1, (v) 0-1-0, (p)1-0-ap1, (r) 1-4-ap2.

Female (paratype MZSP 28412)

COLOR (in alcohol). As in male ( Figs 11–12 ).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 20.21. Chelicerae basal segment: length 3.56. Carapace elongated: length 8.26, width 6.7. Abdomen: length 11.78. Clypeus absent. Eye tubercle slightly elevated, sub-rectangular: length 0.77, width 1.56. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior slightly recurved. Eyes and interdistances: AME 0.38, ALE 0.39, PME 0.28, PLE 0.27, AME–AME 0.09, AME–ALE 0.10, ALE– ALE 0.85, PME–PME 0.7, PME–PLE 0.08, PLE–PLE 1.07, AME–PME 0.09, ALE–PLE 0.09. Thoracic fovea slightly procurved, narrow, deep: width 0.80. Chelicerae basal segment with 10–11 well-developed teeth on furrow promargin, and group of ca 30 small teeth on proximal area of furrow. Intercheliceral tumescence absent. Maxillae with ca 100 cuspules, located at anterior inner corner. Labium trapezoidal: length 1.01, width 1.69, with ca 180 cuspules. Sternum rounded: length 3.7, width 3.68; with three pairs of sigilla, posterior ones longer than the others with the same distance from the edge.

SPERMATHECAE. Heavily sclerotized, composed of two portions, dorsal and ventral. Ventral portion with two digitiform receptacles fused in the base, slightly recurved. Dorsal portion with two globose or subrectangular receptacles with granular aspect ( Fig. 48 ).

SUPERIOR TARSAL CLAWS WITHOUT TEETH. Tarsal scopulae: I–II entire with longitudinal band of conical setae, III-IV divided by longitudinal band of conical setae. Metatarsal scopulae dense in I–II and not dense in III–IV, extension: I–II on distal ¾, III on more than distal half, IV on less than half. Clavate tarsal trichobothria in two rows, each with ca 10 trichae, interspersed with filiform trichobothria of different lengths. Tarsus IV not cracked. Leg formula 4123 ( Table 3 ).

SPINATION (proximal to distal). Tarsi without spines. Palp: femur 0; patella 0; tibia (v) ap3. Leg I: femur 0; patella 0; tibia 0; metatarsus (d) 1-0-ap1. Leg II: femur 0; patella 0; tibia 0; metatarsus (d) 1-0-ap1. Leg III: femur 0; patella (r) 1; tibia (d) 0-0-ap2, (p) 0-1-1, (r) 0-1-0; metatarsus (d) 0-0-ap2, (p) 0-1-1, (r) 0-2-1. Leg IV: femur 0; patella 0; tibia (d)0-2-ap3, (p)0-1-1, (r) 0-0-ap1; metatarsus (d) 0-1-ap2, (p) 1-1-1, (r) 0-1-2.

VARIATION. Spermathecae may have malformation with hypersclerotization and absence of one of the ventral receptacles. Dorsal receptacles may vary between rounded to square overall shape ( Figs 49–50 ).

Figures

Figs 9–16. Schismatothele spp. 9–12. Schismatothele merida sp. nov. 9–10. Holotype, ♂ (MZSP 28411). 9. Dorsal view. 10. Prosoma, ventral view. 11–12. Paratype, ♀ (MZSP 28412). 11. Dorsal view. 12. Prosoma, ventral view. – 13–14. Schismatothele moonenorum sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (IBSP 168510). 13. Dorsal view. 14. Prosoma, ventral view. – 15–16. Schismatothele quimbaya sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (MZSP 47524). 15. Dorsal view. 16. Prosoma, ventral view. Scale bars = 10 mm.

Figs 41–50. Schismatothele merida sp. nov. 41–47. Holotype, ♂ (MZSP 28411). 41–44. Palpal bulb, prolateral (41), retrolateral (42), ventral (43), and dorsal (44) views. 45. Tibial spur, ventral view. 46– 47. Palpal tibiae, right (46), and left (47). 48–50. Paratypes, ♀, spermathecae, ventral view. 48. MZSP 28412. 49. MZSP 28422. 50. MZSP 28421. Abbreviations: DS = dorsal receptacle; E = embolus; PA = paraembolic apophysis; VGP = ventral granular process; VS = ventral receptacle. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 87. Distribution map for species of Schismatothele Karsch, 1879.

Figs 59–66. Schismatothele quimbaya sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (MZSP 47524). 59–63. Palpal bulb, prolateral (59), retrolateral (60), ventral (61), dorsal (62), and frontal (63) views. 64. Tibial spur ventral view. 65–66. Palpal tibiae, right (65), and left (66). Abbreviations: A = apical keel; ASt = apical striae; E = embolus; PI = prolateral inferior keel; PS = prolateral superior keel; VGP = ventral granular process. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.