Nops blandus (Bryant, 1942)

Sánchez, Alexander, Brescovit, Antonio D. & Alayón, Giraldo, 2015, Four new caponiids species (Araneae, Caponiidae) from the West Indies and redescription of Nops blandus (Bryant), Zootaxa 3972 (1), pp. 43-64 : 44-45

Nops blandus (Bryant, 1942)

Figures 1–6 , 25–36 , 77 , 81

Caponina blanda: Bryant, 1942: 328 , fig.17 ( Male holotype from Christiansted, St. Croix, U. S. Virgin Island (17° 44' 37" N, 64° 42' 54" W), H.A. Beatty, deposited in MCZ 20539, examined).

Nops blandus: Chickering, 1967: 4 , fig. 1 (except specimen from Haiti MCZ 128296).

Nops blandus: Sánchez – Ruiz, 2005: 26, fig. 3 (except specimens from Dominican Republic IBSP 166393, 166394 and MNHNSD 09.1445).

Additional material examined. U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS: Saint John: vii.1966, A.M. Chickering, 2♂ 4♀ 12 imm. ( MCZ 128295). iii.1964, A.M. Chickering, 1♀ 2 imm. ( MCZ 128243). 11.vii.1974, reef bay trail, W.B. Muchmore, 1♀ ( AMNH). Coral Bay, near Butler's house (18° 20' N 64° 42' W), 22.vii.1975, W.B. Muchmore, 1imm. ( AMNH). Coral Bay (18° 20' N 64° 42' W), 4.v.1984, W.B. Muchmore, 5 imm. ( FSCA). Coral Bay (18° 20' N 64° 42' W), 9.iii.1984, W.B. Muchmore, litter rocks, 1♂ 1♀ 4 imm. ( FSCA). Europa Bay (18° 19' N 64° 43' W), iii.1984, W.B. Muchmore, pitfall trap in woodland, 2♀ 2 imm. ( FSCA). Europa Bay (18° 19' N 64° 43' W), iii– v.1984, W.B. Muchmore, pitfall trap, 5♂ 1 imm. ( FSCA). Yawzi Point (18° 18' 56" N, 64° 43' 32") W, iii–v.1984, W.B. Muchmore, pitfall trap, 1♂ ( FSCA). Saint Thomas: vii.1966, A.M. Chickering, 4 imm. ( MCZ 128242).

ii. 1964, A.M. Chickering, 1♀ 2 imm. ( MCZ 128244). BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS: Virgin Gorda: 18.viii.1966, A. Chickering, 2♂ 1♀ 3 imm. ( MCZ 128298).

Diagnosis. Males of Nops blandus resemble those of Nops finisfurvus n. sp. by having a short and weakly curved embolus, but can be distinguished by the form of the tip with just one small projection ( Fig. 5 ), a broader embolar base ( Fig. 77 ), and by having an oval bulb ( Figs. 25–27 ). Females can be distinguished by the wide, straight and sclerotized anterior margin of receptaculum, with a median concavity on the posterior wall, and a large membranous sac ( Figs. 33 , 81 ).

Redescription. Male (MCZ 128295): Carapace immaculate orange, elongated oval with a black and slightly elevated ocular tubercle; pars cephalica not elevated, pars thoracica slightly sloping posteriorly ( Fig. 28 ), thoracic groove absent. Two black, oval eyes of equal size, separated by about two–thirds their diameter ( Fig. 29 ). Chelicerae light orange. Endites orange except for anterior tips due a white membranous projection, wide, convergent but not touching, with middle part wider than distal and proximal margins and forming an obtuse angle of about 120 degrees ( Fig. 31 ), covered with scattered long setae. Labium orange, broad, fused to sternum along obsolete posterior groove, rounded and bordered in apical part ( Fig. 31 ). Sternum orange, darker at the edge, oval, surface with fine reticular lines with few weak pits and numerous stiff setae around the edge ( Fig. 31 ). Coxae light orange. Legs orange, formula 4123; metatarsi entire, anteriors with a median translucent ventral longitudinal keel and with a distal, translucent ventral extension of membrane between anterior tarsi and metatarsi; all tarsi subsegmented, with three claws, paired claws with 5 teeth, unpaired claw elongated and dorsally reflexed in all legs, without teeth. Trichobothria present on metatarsi and tarsi in a single row. Palp with tibia excavated ventrally; cymbium elongated rounded ( Figs. 1–2 ), ventral surface densely covered with strong setae, and an oval pad of fine chemoreceptor hairs on dorsal distal part ( Figs. 3–4 ), with a globose oval bulb ( Figs. 25–27 ); embolus weakly curved, distinctly shorter than tibial length ( Figs. 25, 27 ), base shorter than tibia width, tip of embolus with one small projection ( Figs. 5–6 ). Abdomen grayish green dorsally ( Fig. 29 ), lighter ventrally, but darker in distal part around spinnerets ( Fig. 30 ), with only slightly sclerotized epigastric and postepigastric scuta. Spinnerets light gray, six, in typical caponiid arrangement. Total length 5.40, carapace 2.00 long, 1.50 wide. Eyes 0.12 major diameter, 0.07 minor diameter. Leg measurements: I: femur 6.20/ patella 1.50/ tibia 6.70/ metatarsus 6.70/ tarsus 1.50; II: 6.00/ 1.50/ 6.50/ 6.60/ 1.80; III: 7.30/ 1.40/ 6.50/ 7.50/ 1.60; IV: 7.20/ 1.40/ 7.60/ 7.70/ 1.70. Sternum 1.70 long, 1.20 wide. Palpal tibia 1.10 long, 0.70 wide.

Female (MCZ 128295): Carapace, chelicerae, labium, legs, coxae, endites and sternum as in the male ( Figs. 34, 36 ). Abdomen as in the male, but darker. Anterior plate (ap) weakly sclerotized, almost reaching proximal part of abdomen ( Fig. 32 ); external sclerotization of spiracles (ess) darker, small, anteriorly starting from anterior spiracles (as), passing close to the lateral extensions of posterior plate (lep), extending posteriorly less than the width of posterior spiracles and ending in the posterior edge of posterior spiracles ( Figs 32 , 81 ). Internal genitalia with a wide, straight and sclerotized anterior margin of receptaculum (amr) with a concavity on the posterior wall, and a large membranous sac (ms) ( Figs. 33 , 81 ). Spinnerets as in male ( Fig. 35 ). Total length 5.80. Carapace 1.90 long, 1.30 wide. Eyes 0.12 major diameter, 0.07 minor diameter. Leg measurements: I: femur 7.00/ patella 1.40/ tibia 7.80/ metatarsus 7.90/ tarsus 1.90; II: 7.90/ 1.40/ 8.50/ 8.60/ 1.80; III: 7.60/ 1.40/ 7.50/ 8.60/ 1.60; IV: 7.00/ 1.40/ 7.40/ 7.30/ 1.70. Sternum 1.80 long, 1.40 wide. Palpal tibia 1.30 long, 0.80 wide.

Variation. Males from Virgin Gorda Island have slight differences in the base of embolus. Males (n=4): Total length 4.20−5.40, carapace 2.30−3.00 long, femur I 4.60−7.00 long. Palpal tibia 0.80−0.95 long, 0.40−0.45 wide. Females (n=6): total length 5.10−6.20, carapace 2.10−3.10 long, femur I 4.00−5.80. Palpal tibia 0.60−1.00 long, 0.20−0.25 wide. Palpal tarsus 0.70−1.05 long.

Distribution. British and U. S. Virgin Islands ( Fig. 84 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 6. Nops blandus (Bryant), male left palp. 7 – 8. Nops finisfurvus n. sp., male left palp. 1. Retrolateral view. 2. Dorsal oblique view. 3. Dorsal view. 4. Detail of oval pad of fine chemoreceptor hairs, dorsal distal view. 5. Tip of embolus, retrolateral view, arrow point at projection of tip. 4. Tip of embolus, prolateral view. 7. Prolateral view. 8. Tibial brush, prolateral view.

FIGURES 25 – 31. Nops blandus (Bryant), male. 25 – 27. Left palp. 25. Prolateral view. 26. Ventral view. 27. Retrolateral view. 28. Habitus, lateral view. 29. Habitus, dorsal view. 30. Habitus, ventral view. 31. Sternum and endites, ventral view. Scale line 0.5 mm. Abbreviations: bulb (b), embolus (e) and anterior curvature (c).

FIGURES 32 – 36. Nops blandus (Bryant), female. 32. Genital plate, ventral view. 33. Internal genitalia, dorsal view. 34. Habitus, lateral view. 35. Spinnerets, ventral view. 36. Sternum and endites, ventral view. Scale line 0.5 mm. Abbreviations: anterior plate (ap), lateral extensions of posterior plate (lep), external sclerotization around spiracles (ess), membranous sac (ms) and anterior margin of receptaculum (amr).

FIGURES 77 – 80. Line drawings of male genitalia of Nops species. 77. Nops blandus (Bryant). 78. Nops agnarssoni n. sp. 79. Nops finisfurvus n. sp. 80. Nops hispaniola n. sp. Scale line 0.5 mm. Abbreviations: bulb (b), embolus (e), embolar tip (ti), embolar base (ba) and anterior curvature (c).

FIGURES 81 – 83. Line drawings of internal female genitalia of Nops species. 81. Nops blandus (Bryant). 82. Nops hispaniola n. sp. 83. Nops finisfurvus n. sp. Scale line 0.5 mm. Abbreviations: anterior plate (ap), posterior plate (pp), lateral extensions of posterior plate (lep), external sclerotization around spiracles (ess), membranous sac (ms), anterior margin of receptaculum (amr), anterior spiracles (as) and posterior spiracles (ps).

FIGURES 84 – 85. Distribution maps. 84. Distribution in Puerto Rico and Virgin Island of Nops blandus (Bryant) (black circles), Nops agnarssoni n. sp. (black rhombus), Nops finisfurvus n. sp. (black squares) and Cubanops luquillo n. sp. (black triangle). 85. Distribution in Haiti and Dominican Republic of Nops hispaniola n. sp. (black circles).