Tafana quelchi ( Pocock, 1895 )

De Oliveira, Luiz Fernando M. & Brescovit, Antonio Domingos, 2021, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of ghost spiders of the genus Tafana Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Dionycha, Anyphaenidae), with the descriptions of twelve new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 742, pp. 1-77 : 21-23

Tafana quelchi ( Pocock, 1895)

Figs 13 , 32H , 34

Aysha quelchii Pocock, 1895: 140–143 , fig. 1 (syntypes: adult male and immature male from Monte Roraima [frontier between Brazil and Venezuela], deposited in BMNH, examined).

Anyphaena quelchii – Pocock 1900: 67, figs 2c–d. — Bonnet 1955: 347.

Tafana quelchii – Brescovit 1997: 89 (designation of lectotype and paralectotype).

Diagnosis

Males of Tafana quelchi differ from those of all other species in the genus by the presence of a bifid retrolateral tibial apophysis and by the apical prolateral tibial apophysis ( Fig. 13C–E ). Females are readily recognized by having the copulatory ducts coiled, covering the primary spermathecae ( Figs 13G , 32H ).

Material examined

Syntypes BRAZIL • 1 ♂, 1 immature ♂; Monte Roraima [frontier between Brazil and Venezuela]; J.J. Quelch leg.; BMNH 1895.3.30.1 .

Other material

GUYANA • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Monte Roraima [frontier between Brazil and Guyana]; 14 Mar. 1899; J.J. Quelch leg; BMNH 1899.3.14-23 .

VENEZUELA – Bolívar • 1 ♀; Monte Roraima; Parque Nacional Canaima, Trilha Chirimatá; [5°20′00″ N, 61°30′00″ W]; 15 Nov. 2001; M.O. Gonzaga leg.; IBSP 23131 .

Description

Male (BMNH 1895.3.30.1)

COLOR. Exemplar probably discolored. Carapace reddish brown, darker in cephalic region ( Fig. 13A ). Labium, sternum and endites reddish brown. Chelicerae reddish brown. Legs I–III brown, darker at tarsi. The metatarsus and tarsus of leg IV are lost. Abdomen brown with dark dorsal spots ( Fig. 13A ).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 11.3, carapace length 5.3, width 4.2. Clypeus height 0.175. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.15, ALE 0.22, PME 0.26, PLE 0.26; AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.05, PME–PME 0.18, PME–PLE 0.2, ALE–PLE 0.13. Chelicerae 1.95 long, with five promarginal teeth and seven retromarginal denticles.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. I—femur 5.1 /patella 2.3/ tibia 5.2/ metatarsus 4.6 / tarsus 2.2/ total 19.4; II— 5.0/ 2.3/ 4.8 /4.3 / 1.6/ 18.0; III—4.2 /1.9 / 3.5/ 3.9/ 1.4/ 14.9; IV—5.3 / 2.1 /4.6 / 12.0.

LEG SPINATION. I—tibia v2-2-2, p1-1-0, r1-1-0, metatarsus v2-0-0, p1-0-0, r1-0-0; II—tibia v2-2-2, p1-1- 0, r1-1-0, metatarsus p1-0-0, r1-0-0; III—tibia p1-1-0, r1-1-0; IV—tibia r1-1-0.

PALP. Retrolateral tibial apophysis branching and prolateral tibial apophysis short; cymbium without retrolateral projection; embolus long; apophysis at the base of the embolus short with the apex curved; median apophysis slender and curved; ventral tegular process with hyaline area; projected subtegulum; sperm duct in vertical position with secondary looping reaching the apex of the tegulum ( Fig. 13C–E ).

ABDOMEN. Length 5.6, epigastric furrow 0.89 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 2.75 from base of spinnerets.

Female (BMNH 1899.3.14)

COLOR. Exemplar probably discolored. Carapace brown, darker in cephalic region ( Fig. 13B ). Labium, sternum and endites reddish brown. Chelicerae reddish brown. Legs I–IV brown, darker at tarsi. Abdomen gray with dorsal spots ( Fig. 13B ).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 11.8, carapace length 5.3, width 3.9. Clypeus height 0.17. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.13, ALE 0.26, PME 0.25, PLE 0.25; AME–AME 0.38, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.26, PME–PLE 0.22, ALE–PLE 0.12. Chelicerae 2.65 long, with four promarginal teeth and eight retromarginal denticles.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. I—femur 4.95 /patella 2.3 /tibia 4.8 /metatarsus 4.1 / tarsus 0.0/ total 16.15; II— absent; III—absent; IV—4.5/ 2.1/ 4.7/ 6.1 /1.75 / 19.15.

LEG SPINATION. I—tibia v2-2-2, p0-1-0, r1-1-1, metatarsus v2-0-0, p1-0-0, r1-0-0; IV—tibia p1-1-1.

EPIGYNUM. Anterior field, hood circular; lateral lobes sinuous, largest in the anterior region; atrium wide with depression in the median field. Internally, copulatory ducts large and coiled, covering the primary spermathecae; secondary spermathecae rounded and fertilization ducts long ( Figs 13F–G , 32H ).

ABDOMEN. Length 6.5, epigastric furrow 1.17 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 3.25 from base of spinnerets.

Distribution

Venezuela ( Fig. 34 ).

Figures

Fig. 13. Tafana quelchi (Pocock, 1895) (A, C–E= ♂, BMNH 1895.3.30.1; B ♀, IBSP 32131; F–G=♀, IBSP 32131). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, dorsal view. C. Left palp, ventral view. D. Left palp, retrolateral view. E. Left palp, prolateral view. F. Epigynum, ventral view. G. Vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: A=atrium; ABE =apophysis of base of the embolus; aPTA= apical prolateral tibial apophysis; C= cymbium; CD =copulatory ducts; CO= copulatory opening; E =embolus; FD = fertilization ducts; H =hood; LL =lateral lobes; MA=median apophysis; PTA= prolateral tibial apophysis; RTA =retrolateral tibial apophysis; ST=subtegulum; S2 =secondary spermathecae; T =tegulum. Scale bars: A–B =3.5 mm; C–G =0.25 mm.

Fig. 32. Female genitalia, digested. A. Arachosia praesignis (Keyserling, 1891) (Amaurobioidinae) (IBSP 87975). B. Xiruana gracilipes (Keyserling, 1891) (Anyphaeninae) (IBSP 166120). C. Aysha prospera Keyserling, 1891 (IBSP 19783). D. Anyphaena accentuata (Walckenaer, 1802) (MCN). E. Patrera fulvastra Simon, 1903 (MCN 24208). F. Tafana riveti Simon, 1903 (MCZ). G. Tafana straminea (L. Koch, 1866) (AMNH). H. Tafana quelchi (Pocock, 1895) (IBSP 32131). I. Tafana kunturmarqa sp. nov. (ICN-Ar). J. Tafana humahuaca sp. nov. (MACN-Ar 41788). K. Tafana pastaza sp. nov. (AMNH). L. Tafana nevada sp. nov. (AMNH). Abbreviations: CD =copulatory ducts; CO= copulatory opening; FD = fertilization ducts; H =hood; S1= primary spermathecae; S2 =secondary spermathecae. Asterisks to globose membranous extension of proximal copulatory ducts. Scale bars: A–B, D–I, K–L=0.25 mm; C=0.3 mm; J = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 34. Distribution map of species of Tafana.