Mesabolivar spinulosus ( Mello-Leitão, 1939 )

Huber, Bernhard A., 2018, The South American spider genera Mesabolivar and Carapoia (Araneae, Pholcidae): new species and a framework for redrawing generic limits, Zootaxa 4395 (1), pp. 1-178 : 79-81

Mesabolivar spinulosus ( Mello-Leitão, 1939)

Figs 315–318 , 340–345

Blechroscelis spinulosus Mello-Leitão, 1939: 173 (♂♀, Brazil: Paraíba).

Mesabolivar spinulosus: Huber 2000: 212 , figs 820–825. Machado 2007: 75 (Brazil: Paraíba, Ceará, Rio Grande do Norte, Piauí, Bahia). Carvalho & Avelino 2010: 6 (Piauí).

Type material. BRAZIL: Paraíba: ♂ lectotype, 1♀ paralectotype (designated in Huber 2000), MNRJ (58365), Soledade [7.07°S, 36.37°W], date unknown, leg. R. von Ihering (examined: Huber 2000).

New records. BRAZIL: Paraíba: 3♂ 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 19151), near Campina Grande (7°11.2’S, 35°48.8’W), 430 m a.s.l., 30.v.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho); 2 juvs in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br 15-238), same data . 1♀, ZFMK (Ar 19152), near Queimadas , rocky outcrop near road (7°21.07’S, 35°54.10’W), 500–550 m a.s.l., 30.v.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho); 2 juvs in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br 15-236), same data . 6♀, ZFMK (Ar 19153), Floresta Nacional da Restinga de Cabedelo, " Mata do Amém " (7°03.9’S, 34°51.2’W), 30 m a.s.l., 2.vi.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho).

Rio Grande do Norte: 2♂ 1♀, ZFMK (Ar 19154), Parque Estadual Mata de Pipa , outside park limits (6°13.70’S, 35°04.01’W), 50 m a.s.l., 4.vi.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho) . 3♂ 3♀, ZFMK (Ar 19155), degraded forest along Maxaranguape River (5°29.61’S, 35°17.09’W), 20 m a.s.l., 4.vi.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho) ; 1♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br 15-259), same data . 5♂ 7♀, ZFMK (Ar 19156), Caatinga near João Câmara (5°34.33’S, 35°55.28’W), 130 m a.s.l., 5.vi.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho) ; 1♂ 1♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br 15-260), same data . 5♂ 5♀ 1 juv., ZFMK ( Ar 19157), near Baraúna, Furna Feia cave (5°02.19’S, 37°33.62’W), 100 m a.s.l., 6.vi.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho) ; 1♂ in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br 15-261), same data . 1♂ 1♀, ZFMK (Ar 19158), near Baraúna, Caverna dos Macacos (5°02.33’S, 37°33.69’W), 100 m a.s.l., 6.vi.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho); 2 juvs in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br 15-263), same data . 1♂ 1♀, ZFMK (Ar 19159), near Baraúna, Gruta do Pinga (5°03.11’S, 37°32.37’W), 150 m a.s.l., 7.vi.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho) . 1♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br 15-269), near Felipe Guerra, Lajedo do Arapuá , Caverna do Sabonete (5°31.60’S, 37°37.43’W), 70 m a.s.l., 8.vi.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho) . 1♂, ZFMK (Ar 19160), near Felipe Guerra, Lajedo do Arapuá , Gruta do Vale (5°31.85’S, 37°36.96’W), 60 m a.s.l., 8.vi.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho).

Pernambuco: 3♂ 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 19161), rocky outcrop near João Alfredo (7°50.05’S, 35°37.65’W), 360 m a.s.l., 29.v.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho); 4 juvs in pure ethanol , ZFMK (Br 15-234), same data .

Ceará: 1♂ in pure ethanol, UFPI ( ARA 298 ), Parque Nacional de Ubajara, Gruta do Morcego Branco (3.833°S, 40.900°W), 535 m a.s.l., 4.ix.2012 (L.S. Carvalho).

Piauí: 1♂ 1♀ in pure ethanol, UFPI ( ARA 269 ), Parque Municipal da Pedra do Castelo (5.202°S, 41.687°W), 23.vii.2012 (L.S. Carvalho) ; 2♂ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, UFPI ( ARA 275 ), same data but 26.ii.2012 . 1♂ 1♀ 2 juvs in pure ethanol, UFPI ( ARA 0270 ), Ilha Grande de Santa Izabel, Povoado Saquinho (2.767°S, 41.805°W), 27.ii.2012 (L.S. Carvalho) . 2♂ 1♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, UFPI ( ARA 300 ), Parnaíba, Distrito de Irrigação dos Tabuleiros Litorâneos do Piauí (3.037°S, 41.779°W), 29.ii.2012 (L.S. Carvalho) . 3♂ 4♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, UFPI ( ARA 271 , 274 ), Coronel José Dias, Parque Nacional da Serra da Capivara [~ 8.8°S, 42.5°W], 7–10.vi.2012 (L.S. Carvalho) ; 1♂ in pure ethanol, UFPI ( ARA 284 ), Coronel José Dias, Parque Nacional da Serra da Capivara , near Desfiladero das Andorinhas (8.767°S, 42.478°W), 6.vi.2011 (L.S. Carvalho) . 3♂ 1♀ in pure ethanol, UFPI ( ARA 276 , 282 ), Floriano, Fazenda do Colegio Agricola de Floriano (6.762°S, 43.055°W), 5.i.2012 (L.S. Carvalho).

Bahia: 1♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br 15-181), Fazenda Morro de Pedra (12°31.6’–31.8’S, 40°36.1’–36.4’W), 490 m a.s.l., 14.v.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho).

Description (amendments; see Huber 2000). Measurements of a male from near Campina Grande: Total body length 4.1, carapace width 1.65. Distance PME-PME 140 µm, diameter PME 140 µm, distance PME-ALE 130 µm, distance AME-AME 30 µm, diameter AME 70 µm. Leg 1: 45.0 (11.9 + 0.7 + 11.6 + 18.7 + 2.1), tibia 2: 8.1, tibia 3: 6.1, tibia 4: 7.8; tibia 1 L/d: 64. Femora 1–4 width (at half length): 0.30, 0.27, 0.24, 0.24. Retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2%.

Body size and leg length extremely variable. Body length in largest male: 5.7. Tibia 1 in 31 newly examined males: 8.8–17.6 (mean 12.2). Spines in males most numerous on femora 1 and 2, fewer on femora 3 and 4 and on tibiae 1–3; apparently never present on tibiae 4; large males with disproportionately more spines than small males.

Females in general similar to male; spines usually present, in small females only on femora and tibiae 1, in large females on all femora and on tibiae 1–3 like in males. Body size and leg length extremely variable like in males. Tibia 1 in 30 newly examined females: 7.2–14.4 (mean 9.6). Epigynum anterior plate slightly variable in shape, even within localities ( Figs 340–345 ); anterior processes sometimes rather pointed, sometimes rounded. Sternum color variable (orange to brown).

Natural history. The spiders occupied a wide range of habitats, from forests to very dry Caatinga vegetation and caves. At Mata do Amém, they shared the space among buttresses with M. buraquinho ; at João Câmara, they were found on cacti, in direct sunlight; at Furna Feia and Pinga Caves they were found both within the cave and outside, where several specimens were greenish, possibly as a result of eating greenish insect larvae ( Fig. 318 ). For further data on defense behavior and microhabitat in populations from Piauí, gathered by L.S. Carvalho, see Huber et al. (2014b).

Distribution. Widely distributed in northeastern Brazil ( Fig. 734 ).

Figures

FIGURE 734. Known distributions of the Mesabolivar spinulosus group and of the M.bonita group.

FIGURES 315–326. Live specimens and habitus photos, Mesabolivar spinulosus group and M. xingu group. 315–318. M. spinulosus (Mello-Leitão, 1939), males from Campina Grande and Furna Feia Cave, females from Queimadas and Pinga Cave (feeding on caterpillar).319. M.murici sp. n., male from Murici. 320–321. M. serrapeladasp. n., male and female from Serra Pelada.322.M.amanayesp.n., male fromMarabá (ZFMK Ar19169).323–324.M.guaycolecsp.n.,male in dorsalandlateral views (CAS 9027305). 325–326.M.rudilapsi Machado et al., 2007, male and female from St. Hilaire/Lange.

FIGURES 340–351. Female epigyna in ventral and lateral views and cleared female genitalia in dorsal views, Mesabolivar spinulosus group. 340–345. M. spinulosus (Mello-Leitão, 1939), from Mata do Amém (340–341, at same scale, ZFMK Ar 19153), Piauí (342, UFPI, ARA 300), near João Câmara (343–344, at same scale, ZFMK Ar 19156), Morro de Pedra (345, ZFMK Br15-181). 346–348. M. murici sp. n. (ZFMK Ar 19162). 349–351. M. serrapeladasp. n. (ZFMK Ar 19168).