Corythalia argentinensis Galiano, 1962

Bayer, Steffen, Höfer, Hubert & Metzner, Heiko, 2020, Revision of the genus Corythalia C. L. Koch, 1850, part 1: Diagnosis and new species from South America (Araneae: Salticidae: Salticinae: Euophryini), Zootaxa 4806 (1), pp. 1-144 : 43-45

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4806.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:722DB6C9-2C18-48EB-B202-7F2AFF47F49F
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D88781-FFBF-C178-66AB-FCD462D04BF0
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Corythalia argentinensis Galiano, 1962
status

Treatment

Corythalia argentinensis Galiano, 1962 View in CoL

Figs 21 View FIGURE 21 A–D, 58B, 62A, 65C, 68K, 72E, 76E

Corythalia argentinensis Galiano 1962: 18 View in CoL , figs 3–8 (description & illustration of ♂ & ♀). Holotype ♂ from ARGENTINA: Misiones : Departamento San Antonio, Ref. Piñalitos; [Exe.] Schiapelli-De Carlo leg. XI. 1954; MACN 5071 View Materials ; Paratypes (3 ♂, 6 ♀), most of them with the same data as for lectotype, except some of them from Dto. Santa María and partly with slightly differing collecting dates; MACN 5072–5076 View Materials & 4894, type not available as loan because of complicated export regulations of the state Argentina, thus not examined; however many photographical images of the holotype ♂ and of one ♀ paratype were kindly provided by Cristian J. Grismado with the permission of Martín Ramírez.

Diagnosis. Males distinguished from those of all other Corythalia species by the combination of the following characters: embolus (E) extremely short [clearly less than 1/4 the width of tegulum (T)]; width of embolus base (EB) circle distinctly less than 1/4 the width of T; E distally pointed and hardly reaching beyond distal margin of embolus base ( Figs 18A, 18C View FIGURE 18 , 36G View FIGURE 36 ); T broad and bulbous, proximally conically converging, but section covering palpal tibia still very broad and proximally rounded ( Figs 21A View FIGURE 21 , 65C View FIGURE 65 ); ventral tibial bump absent or tiny, in retrolateral view ventral margin of T reaching distinctly further ventrally than ventral margin of palpal tibia ( Figs 21B View FIGURE 21 , 68K View FIGURE 68 ). Females distinguished from those of all other Corythalia species by the combination of the following characters: epigynal windows (W) approximately oval, primary spermathecae (PS) visible through cuticle reaching far beyond posterior margin of W almost up to epigastric furrow ( Figs 21C View FIGURE 21 , 72E View FIGURE 72 ); secondary spermathecae (as chambered structures) absent, however, initial copulatory duct (CD) section close to the heads of spermathecae (HS) slightly broader than remaining sections of copulatory duct; HS quite conspicuous and arising laterally at the initial section of CD ( Figs 21D View FIGURE 21 , 76E View FIGURE 76 ).

Description. Male [all aspects reproduced from Galiano (1962)]: carapace length 2.36, maximal carapace width 1.76, width of eye rectangle 1.43, opisthosoma length 2.33. EYES: AME 0.44, PME–PLE 0.19. Cheliceral furrow with 1 promarginal and 1 retromarginal teeth. MEASUREMENT OF PALP: palp 2.01 [0.71, 0.34, 0.21, 0.75]. COPULATORY ORGAN: embolus (E) extremely short; width of embolus base (EB) circle clearly less than 1/4 the width of tegulum (T); E distally pointed and hardly reaching beyond distal margin of embolus base ( Figs 21A View FIGURE 21 , 65C View FIGURE 65 ); T minimally narrower than cymbium, but very bulbous, proximally without distinct proximal tegulum lobe but very blunt conically converging with section covering palpal tibia still very broad and proximally rounded; sperm duct (though not completely recognisable) seems to be double-stacked S-shaped, occupying almost retrolateral 3/4 of tegulum ( Figs 21A View FIGURE 21 , 65C View FIGURE 65 ). Cymbium in ventral view ( Figs 21A View FIGURE 21 , 65C View FIGURE 65 ) distally conically converging and at distalmost section rounded. Palpal tibia short, broader than long ( Figs 21 View FIGURE 21 A–B, 65C, 68K) and ventral tibial bump (VTB) missing (in retrolateral view a tiny protrusion is visible which might be a vestigial VTB ( Figs 21B View FIGURE 21 , 68K View FIGURE 68 ). RTA quite narrow, with retrolatero-distal direction and dorsally with slight serration covering almost entire RTA ( Figs 21A View FIGURE 21 , 65C View FIGURE 65 ), in retrolateral view serration somewhat better recognisable (21B, 68K). COLOURATION: see genus description for conservative aspects. Carapace dark red-brown ( Fig. 58B View FIGURE 58 ), light scale hairs densely arranged, especially frontally. Legs dark brown to red-brown, except for coxae and trochanteres and tarsi III & IV being lighter ( Fig. 58B View FIGURE 58 ). Opisthosoma like noted in genus description under general dorsal colouration, except for chevron-like patch in central band missing ( Fig. 58B View FIGURE 58 ).

Female [all aspects reproduced from Galiano (1962)]: carapace length 2.59, maximal carapace width 1.76, width of eye rectangle 1.54, opisthosoma length 3.0. EYES: AME 0.44, PME–PLE 0.19. Cheliceral furrow with 1 promarginal and 1 retromarginal teeth. COPULATORY ORGAN: epigyne with oval epigynal windows (W); septum of W quite narrow ( Figs 21C View FIGURE 21 , 72E View FIGURE 72 ). Epigynal field just slightly broader than long ( Figs 21C View FIGURE 21 , 72E View FIGURE 72 ). Vulva with approximately round and relatively large primary spermathecae (PS), almost touching each other medially ( Figs 21D View FIGURE 21 , 76E View FIGURE 76 ); secondary spermathecae as such absent, but copulatory duct at initial section strongly curved, slightly widened and laterally in connection with heads of spermathecae (HS), the latter quite conspicuous ( Figs 21D View FIGURE 21 , 76E View FIGURE 76 ). Copulatory ducts initially with antero-lateral direction and very light and filmy. Main sections of the copulatory ducts (after meeting the HS) narrow and proximally curved, at distal 2/3 slightly curved. Fertilisation ducts narrow, arising antero-centrally on primary spermathecae, bent laterally ( Figs 21D View FIGURE 21 , 76E View FIGURE 76 ). COLOURATION: see genus description for conservative aspects. Carapace dark red-brown ( Fig. 62A View FIGURE 62 ), light scale hairs quite densely arranged, especially at clypeus. Legs brown to red-brown, except for coxae and trochanteres and tarsi III & IV being lighter ( Fig. 62A View FIGURE 62 ). Opisthosoma like noted in genus description under general dorsal colouration, except for chevron-like patch in central band missing ( Fig. 62A View FIGURE 62 ).

Remarks. Concerning the female sex the species C. verhaaghi sp. nov. is quite similar to C. argentinensis in general appearance of epigyne/vulva, in having very light and filmy copulatory ducts (CD) [initial section of CD as far as C. argentinensis is concerned, because of lack of secondary spermathecae (SS)!], relatively short connective ducts (main sections of CD, respectively), large primary spermathecae, very small SS (if at all present) with heads of SS arising laterally on the latter. It is possible that C. verhaaghi sp. nov. is closely related to C. argentinensis . It is diffcult to make predictions on possible relationships of C. argentinensis as far as the males are concerned. The male of this species shows quite unique characters (extremely small embolus and embolus base, bulbous tegulum, etc.). The male of C. fimbriata is at least moderately similar to C. argentinensis in having a very small embolus and a quite bulbous tegulum (T), however, T clearly shows a proximal lobe in C. fimbriata . Consequently, a relationship to C. fimbriata can neither be excluded nor unambiguously inferred from that information.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Misiones, Argentina.