Carepalxis, L. Koch, 1872

Ferreira-Sousa, Leonardo & Motta, Paulo César, 2022, Diagnostic notes on the spider orb-weaving genera Carepalxis and Ocrepeira (Araneae: Araneidae), with description of three new species from Central Brazil, Zootaxa 5087 (2), pp. 389-399 : 390-391

Key to female American Carepalxis

(modified from Levi, 1992)

1. Epigynum with a scape more than twice longer than its own medial width ( Figs. 2, 3 , 16, 17 )......................... 2

- Epigynum with a shorter scape or without scape ( Levi, 1992, figs. 6, 7, 11)....................................... 4

2. (1) Scape two times longer than the base of the epigynum ( Figs. 2, 3, 4 ); median plate hidden by lateral plates in posterior view ( Fig. 2 ); abdomen with one pair of tubercles ( Figs. 6, 9 )...................................................... 3

- Scape less than two times longer than the base ( Figs. 16, 17 ); posterior median plate visible in posterior view ( Fig. 18 ); abdomen with five pairs of tubercles ( Fig. 19 ).................................................... topazio n. sp.

3. (2) Scape straight (Levi, 1922, fig. 3), base of the epigynum four times wider than the width of the scape ( Levi, 1992, fig. 1)................................................................................................ camelus

- Scape slightly curved ( Fig. 3 ), base of the epigynum two and a half times wider than the width of the scape ( Fig. 2 ).............................................................................................. quasimodo n. sp.

4. (1) Epigynum without scape ( Levi, 1992, figs. 11, 13); abdomen subspherical with 1 or 2 pairs of anterior humps ( Levi, 1992, fig. 15); Mexico to Peru and Brazil.................................................................. salobrensis

- Epigynum with oval scape ( Levi, 1992, fig. 6); abdomen with 5 pairs of tubercles and 3 median, posterior tubercles ( Levi, 1992, figs. 8, 9); Baja California, Mexico................................................................. perpera

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. Carepalxis quasimodo n. sp. 1–5, Epigynum (1, posterior; 1 ventral; 3, lateral; 4, ventral without scape; 5, posterior, cleared). 6–10, Female habitus; 6–8, female from Brasília (6, dorsal; 7, lateral; 8, frontal); 9–10, female from Jaborandi (9, dorsal; 10 lateral).

FIGURES 16–21. Carepalxis topazio n. sp. 16–18, Epigynum (16, ventral; 17, lateral; 18, posterior). 19–21, Female habitus (19, dorsal; 20, frontal; 21, lateral). Voucher: 16–21, (DZUB 8699). Scale bars: genitalia, 0.25 mm; other drawings, 1 mm.