Selenops morro, Crews, Sarah C., 2011

Crews, Sarah C., 2011, A revision of the spider genus Selenops Latreille, 1819 (Arachnida, Araneae, Selenopidae) in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, ZooKeys 105, pp. 1-182 : 115-118

Selenops morro sp. n. Figs 165168206Map 13

Type material.

Holotype female from El Morro, Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic, 19.89233°N, 71.65688°W, 8.X.2006, 20-40 m, S. Crews, under rocks, bark, SCC06_069, (EME sel_614). Paratypes: Male, El Morro, Monte Cristi, Dominican Republic, 19.89233°N, 71.65688°W, 22.VII.2006, 20-40 m, L. Mahler, under rock beside road, (EME sel_582).

Other material examined.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Monti Cristi: same data as allotype, 1♀ (MNHNSD sel_580); same data as holotype, 2♀, 3 imm. (CAS sel_610, 615-616, 618).

Etymology.

The specific epithet comes from the name of the type locality. It is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

This small species is most similar to several endemic Cuban species, however females can be differentiated from all other spcies by a sinuous opening extending the width of the epigynal plate, and there appears to be epigynal pockets. These are separated and facing outward rather than facing one another as in other species (Figs 165-166). Males can be separated from other species by the presence of a unique conductor and embolus, both sinuous, the conductor arising behind another sclerite, extending beyond the edge of the bulb, and the embolus is s-shaped (Figs 167-168).

Description.

Paratype male: Color:carapace light yellowish, slightly darker laterally and medially; sternum pale yellow; chelicerae yellow, dusky markings anteromedially terminating halfway down, curving toward lateral margins, area below this medially is very pale; maxillae pale yellow; labium dusky yellow, lightening distally; abdomen dorsally pale yellow, with 2 curving dusky lines on each edge of anterior margin, lanceolate stripe narrow anteriorly, widening medially where edges of pattern go to lateral margins of abdomen, then return medially above posterior margin of abdomen, medial lanceolate stripe crossed by 3 chevrons and terminating in a small chevron, laterocaudal festoon barely visible; ventrally dusky yellow-grey, no markings; legs light yellow, darkening slightly distally, faint annulations, dusky spots anterolaterally on femora I. Carapace: 0.79 times longer than broad; fovea longitudinal, broad, very shallow. Eyes:AER nearly straight; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.175, ALE 0.05, PME 0.2, PLE 0.28; interdistances AME-PME 0.03, PME-ALE 0.08, ALE-PLE 0.28. PME-PME 0.80. ALE-ALE 1.38; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.28, PLE-PLE 1.45; clypeus 0.06 high. Mouthparts:chelicerae with a few stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:1.10 times longer than broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:leg I only slightly shorter than leg II; leg formula 2134; scopulae present on distal end of all 4 tarsi; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw per foot slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti d 1 –1– 0, pr 1 –0– 1, rl 1 –0– 1, v 2 –2–2– 2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 0, rl 1 –0– 0; leg II, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 1, d 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –0– 1, v 2 –2–2– 2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –0– 0, v 2-2; leg III, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 1, pr 1 –0– 1, d 1 –1– 0, v 2-2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –0– 0, v 2-2; leg IV, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 1, d 1 –0– 0, rl 1 –0– 1, v 2-1; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, v 2-2. Abdomen:with terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:Fm, spination d 0 –1– 4; cymbium oval in ventral view, slightly truncate posterolaterally, conductor arising medially on stout slightly sinuous stalk, anteriorly, conductor extends laterally, somewhat t-shaped, pointed, going beyond edge of cymbium, in other direction, conductor reconnects to bulb; embolus long, sinuous, s-shaped, beginning at 6 o'clock, curving laterally, then back, tapering distally, ending at 1 o'clock; MA narrow, long, curved distally into small single hook, arising at 3 o'clock, directed anterolaterally; RTA with two apophyses, lateral apophysis wide, quadrangular, distally truncate, the ventral apophysis short, narrow, distally rounded; RTA barely reaching cymbium in ventral view (Figs 167-168). Dimensions: Total length 4.65. Carapace length 2.55, width 3.23. Sternum length 1.65, width 1.50. Abdomen length 2.10, width 2.00. Pedipalp: Fm 1.00, Pt 0.25, Ti 0.35, Ta 0.75, total 2.35. Leg I: Fm 4.00, Pt 1.50, Ti 4.00, Mt 4.00, Ta 1.65, total 15.15. Leg II: Fm 4.00, Pt 1.25, Ti 4.00, Mt 4.25, Ta 1.75, total 15.25. Leg III: Fm 4.00, Pt 1.00, Ti 4.00, Mt 4.00, Ta 1.60, total 14.60. Leg IV: Fm 3.00, Pt 1.00, Ti 3.00, Mt 3.00, Ta 1.00, total 11.00.

Holotype female: Color:carapace dusky yellow, 2 dark smudges in cephalic area, dusky around border, and medially, clypeus darker and black around PLEs extending to edge of carapace; sternum pale yellow; chelicerae same dusky yellow as cephalothorax, with 2 medial stripes joining midway down and curving around, leaving a lighter area below; maxillae pale yellow, lighter distally; labium dusky yellow, lightening distally; abdomen dorsally pale yellow, with 2 curving dusky lines on each corner of anterior margin, lanceolate pattern, begins narrow, widens medially where edges of pattern go to edges of abdomen, then back to the center just above the posterior margin, medial lanceolate stripe crossed by 3 chevrons and terminating in a small chevron, laterocaudal festoon barely visible; ventrally cream colored; legs yellow with prominent annulations, on femora, rings don't always completely connect, but areas are particularly dark where spines emerge. Carapace: 0.95 times longer than broad; fovea longitudinal, broad, very shallow. Eyes:AER nearly straight; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.15, ALE 0.08, PME 0.28, PLE 0.30; interdistances AME-PME 0.03, PME-ALE 0.08, ALE-PLE 0.28. PME-PME 0.98. ALE-ALE 1.63; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.33, PLE-PLE 1.63; clypeus 0.08 high. Mouthparts:chelicerae with a few stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:1.07 times longer than broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:leg I only slightly shorter than leg 3; leg formula 3124; scopulae present on tarsi of all legs and metatarsi of legs I and II; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw per foot slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –1– 0; Ti d 0, v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg II, Fm pr 1 –0– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –1– 0; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg III, Fm pr 1 –0– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –0– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 0; Mt v 2-2; leg IV, Fm pr 1 –0– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0; Ti v 1-2; Mt v 2-1. Abdomen:with terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:claw with 7 teeth. Epigyne:sinuous margin medially extending entire width of plate, genital openings located behind this at lateral margins, epigynal pockets present, facing laterally rather than medially; internally, ducts small, thin, directed medially to laterally, touching medially, coiling laterally, fertilization ducts located and directed laterally, small, thin posterodorsal fold present covering internally ducts posteromedially (Figs 165-166). Dimensions: Total length 6.95. Carapace length 3.15, width 3.33. Sternum length 1.60, width 1.50. Abdomen length 3.80, width 3.30. Pedipalp: Fm 1.00, Pt 0.25, Ti 0.35, Ta 0.80, total 2.40. Leg I: Fm 2.90, Pt 1.00, Ti 3.40, Mt 1.75, Ta 0.85, total 9.90. Leg II: Fm 3.00, Pt 1.00, Ti 2.75, Mt 1.90, Ta 0.90, total 9.55. Leg III: Fm 3.00, Pt 1.00, Ti 3.50, Mt 2.00, Ta 0.90, total 10.40. Leg IV: Fm 3.00, Pt 0.85, Ti 2.50, Mt 2.00, Ta 1.00, total 9.35.

Natural history.

Found under rocks and bark in dry thornscrub (Fig. 206).

Distribution.

Endemic to Hispaniola and appears to be very narrowly distributed on the Monti Cristi Peninsula located in the central part of the North Coast of Hispaniola (Map 13).