Curicaberis mitla, Rheims, Cristina A., 2015

Rheims, Cristina A., 2015, Curicaberis, a new genus of Sparassidae from North and Central America (Araneae, Sparassidae, Sparassinae), Zootaxa 4012 (3), pp. 401-446 : 433-435

Curicaberis mitla sp. nov.

Figs 5−6 , 9−16 , 77−80, Map 4

Type material: Holotype: ♂, Mitla [16°55’N, 96°24’W], Oaxaca, Mexico, August 1961, W.S. Miller leg. ( AMNH). Paratypes: 1♂, 1♀, Juquila Mixes [17°00’N, 96°45’W], Oaxaca, Mexico, 1977, W.S. Miller leg. ( AMNH); 2♂, Mitla [16°55’N, 96°24’W], Oaxaca, Mexico, 1962, W.S. Miller leg. ( AMNH); 2♀, same locality, 1962–1963, W.S. Miller leg. ( AMNH).

Additional material examined. MEXICO: Veracruz: 1♂, Rinconada (19°21’N, 96°33’W), 29 June 1941, H. Dybas leg. ( AMNH).

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition and refers to the type locality.

Diagnosis. Males of C. mitla sp. nov. resemble those of C. huitiupan sp. nov. and C. granada sp. nov. by the palp with dRTA short, vRTA1 conical and gently curved towards cymbium, vRTA2 conical and relatively blunt (Figs 55−56, 59−60, 77−78). They are distinguished by the vRTA1 arising from the base of the dRTA, forming a V in retrolateral view, and by the vRTA2 being longer than vRTA1 (Figs 77−78). Females are distinguished from the other species of the genus by the epigyne with median septum bearing pair of posterior median recesses and a tongue-like scape (Fig. 79).

Description. Male (holotype): Prosoma pale brown, darker brown along fovea, thoracic striae and lateral margins of cephalic region. Chelicerae pale brown. Legs and pedipalps orange, ventrally mottled with brown spots ( Fig. 5 ). Labium pale brown. Endites pale orange, darker at base. Sternum orange with pale brown margins. Opisthosoma pale orange; dorsally with brown lines around cardiac impression and mottled with brown spots laterally on anterior half and with four median brown chevron-like marks on posterior half ( Fig. 5 ), ventrally mottled with brown spots. Total length 10.7. Prosoma: 5.4 long, 5.4 wide. Opisthosoma: 5.3 long, 4.4 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.34, 0.32, 0.20, 0.22; interdistances: 0.24, 0.10, 0.42, 0.44, 0.28, 0.20. Legs (2143): I: 29.6 (7.9, 3.1, 8.0, 8.4, 2.2); II: 31.6 (8.6, 3.2, 8.7, 8.8, 2.3); III: 22.1 (6.7, 2.4, 5.6, 5.8, 1.6); IV: 25.5 (7.5, 2.7, 6.4, 7.2, 1.7). Palp: Subtegulum visible at 9:30 o’clock position. Embolus slightly bulging prolaterally, arising medially from tegulum. Conductor subdistally widened (Figs 77−78).

Female (AMNH, Mitla ): Coloration as in male but darker ( Fig. 6 ). Total length 17.9. Prosoma: 6.8 long, 7.0 wide. Opisthosoma: 11.1 long, 9.2 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.44, 0.40, 0.28, 0.34; interdistances: 0.38, 0.22, 0.70, 0.70, 0.50, 0.40. Legs (2143): I: 30.0 (8.6, 3.3, 7.5, 8.4, 2.2); II: 32.1 (9.2, 3.7, 8.2, 8.7, 2.3); III: 22.8 (7.2, 3.2, 5.4, 5.4, 1.6); IV: 26.4 (8.1, 3.2, 6.2, 7.1, 1.8). Epigyne: epigynal field roughly squared, as long as wide. Median septum slightly wider than long, with posterior margin surpassing the epigastric furrow by one-fourth septum length (Fig. 79). Vulva: copulatory ducts almost as long as spermathecae. Spermathecae round, one slightly larger than the other. Basal part of fertilization ducts wide, slightly more than half the copulatory duct width, distal part anterolaterad (Fig. 80).

Variation. Males (n = 6): total length 9.6–12.7; prosoma length 4.6–6.8; femur I length 7.5–9.5. Females (n = 3): total length 14.3–18.4; prosoma length 6.3–6.8; femur I length 7.9–8.6.

Distribution. Known from the states of Veracruz and Oaxaca, Mexico.

MAP 4. Distribution map for Curicaberis mitla sp. nov., C. pedregal sp. nov., C. potosi sp. nov., C. puebla sp. nov. and C. sanpedrito sp. nov.

FIGURES 77−80. Curicaberis mitla sp. nov. 77− 78 male, left palp (77 ventral, 78 retrolateral), 79− 80 female (79 epigyne, ventral view, 80 vulva, dorsal view). C = conductor; CD = copulatory duct; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; E = embolus; FD = fertilization duct; GP = glandular projection; LL = lateral lobes; MS = median septum; SP = spermathecae; ST = subtegulum; tls = tongue-like scape; vRTA1 = projection 1 of ventral branch of RTA; vRTA2 = projection 2 of ventral branch of RTA. Scale lines: 1 mm.

Figures

FIGURES 5 − 8. Habitus, dorsal view. 5 − 6 C. mitla sp. nov. (5 male, 6 female); 7 − 8 C. urquizai sp. nov. (7 male, 8 female). Scale lines: 2 mm.

FIGURES 9 − 12. Curicaberis mitla sp. nov., male. 9 right chelicerae, ventral view; 10 right endite, ventral view; 11 leg II, trochanter, ventral view; 12 leg I, metatarsus, trilobate membrane, dorsal view. Cx = coxa, Fe = femur, Tr = trochanter. Scale lines: 500 µm: 9, 11; 200 µm: 10, 12.

FIGURES 13 − 16. Curicaberis mitla sp. nov. 13 male, leg I, tarsus, trichobothrium, dorsal view; 14 male, leg I, tarsus, tarsal organ, dorsal view; 15 male, leg I, claws, prolateral view; 16 female, palpal claw, prolateral view. Scale lines: 10 µm: 13, 14; 100 µm: 15, 16.