Alpaida itacolomi, Santos, Karina P. & Santos, Adalberto J., 2010

Santos, Karina P. & Santos, Adalberto J., 2010, Two new species of the orb-weaving spider genus Alpaida from Brazil (Araneae: Araneidae), Zootaxa 2336, pp. 61-66 : 62-64

Alpaida itacolomi new species

Figures 1–2 , 5–7

Type material. Holotype: Male from Parque Estadual do Itacolomi (20o22’S 43o32’W), Ouro Preto, State of Minas Gerais, Brazil, K.P. Santos et al. coll., 2–4.XI.2007, deposited in UFMG 2053. Paratype: Female from the same locality and date, deposited in UFMG 2037.

Etymology. The species epithet is a noun in apposition taken from type locality.

Diagnosis. Alpaida itacolomi males resemble those of A. calotypa (Chamberlin, 1916) and A. jacaranda Levi, 1888 by the massive, subsquare median apophysis, which has two dorsal projections ( Levi 1988: figs. 299, 505). It can be distinguished by the wide conductor that is divided into two parts by a median ridge, the longer, thinner (than in A. jacaranda ) and more curved (than in A. calotypa ) embolus, and by the apical apophysis without anterior-ventral projections ( Fig. 5 ). The epigynum is similar to that of A. monzon Levi, 1988 in the small scape ( Levi 1988: fig. 75). It can be recognized by the abdomen without anterior spines, the triangular epigynal scape, the m-shaped epigynal lips in ventral view ( Fig. 6 ) and the lips not-narrowing ventrally in posterior view ( Fig. 7 ).

Description. Male (holotype). Carapace pale-yellow, with a pair of lateral brown fields in the pars thoracica. Thoracic fovea slit-like. Chelicerae, labium, endites and sternum pale yellow. Legs I and II pale yellow from coxae to the middle of femur, remaining segments brown. Legs III and IV pale yellow from coxae to tibia, metatarsus and tarsus brown. Legs I and II with long tibial spines. Dorsum of abdomen gray, with a median, longitudinal white stripe and a pair of lateral black stripes, suffused with white spots. Lateral stripes with a pair of black spots. Posterior end of abdomen with a black spot. Sides gray, with a median longitudinal white stripe. Venter homogeneously gray, with sparse white spots ( Fig. 1 ). Total length 3.2, carapace 1.6 long, 1.1 wide. First femur 1.1, patella 0.6, tibia 1.1, metatarsus 0.9, tarsus 0.4. Second patella and tibia 1.3, third 0.8, fourth 1.3. Tegulum with an anterior-ventral bump. Median apophysis sclerotised, with a dorsal-basal pale field and two dorsal, lobe-like projections. Conductor sclerotised, with a rounded ventral projection. Embolus relatively short, filiform. Terminal apophysis convex ( Fig. 5 ).

Female (paratype). Colour as in male, except for all legs homogeneously pale-yellow, without long spines in tibiae I and II. Thoracic fovea absent. Dorsum of abdomen yellow, dark grey at the posterior end. Sides and venter homogeneously yellow ( Fig. 2 ). Total length 3.6, carapace 1.5 long, 1.2 wide. First femur 1.2, patella 0.5, tibia 1.7, metatarsus 0.8, tarsus 0.4. Second patella and tibia 1.4, third 0.9, fourth 1.2. Epigynum pale, with spermathecae visible through the transparent anterior integument. Posterior plate elliptical posteriorly projected ( Figs. 6, 7 ).

Natural History. The type specimens were both collected in an area of secondary, semideciduous Atlantic Forest.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Alpaida n. spp. 1 – 2, Alpaida itacolomi n. sp., habitus, dorsal view: 1, male (holotype); 2, female (paratype). 3 – 4, Alpaida tonze n. sp., same: 3, male (holotype); 4, female (paratype, UFMG 2038). Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 5 – 10. Alpaida n. spp. 5 – 7, Alpaida itacolomi n. sp.: 5, male (holotype), palp, ventral view; 6, female (paratype), epigynum, ventral view; 7, same, posterior view. 8 – 10, Alpaida tonze n. sp.: 8, male (holotype), palp, ventral view; 9, female (paratype, UFMG 2038), epigynum, ventral view; 10, same, posterior view. Abbreviations: A, terminal apophysis; C, conductor; E, embolus; L, epigynal lip;, M, median apophysis; N, epigynal notch; P, paracymbium; Pl, posterior median plate; S, scape; T, tegulum; Y, cymbium. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.