Rhitymna flores, Jäger, 2019

Jäger, Peter, 2019, Review of the huntsman spider genus Rhitymna Simon, 1897 (Araneae: Sparassidae), Zootaxa 4560 (3), pp. 441-462 : 455-457

Rhitymna flores spec. nov.

Figs 40–42 , 46–50 , 55–58 , 61

Type material. Holotype male ( PJ 3675 ): INDONESIA: East-Nusa Tenggara : Flores, Kelimoto [=Kelimutu][S 8°44'15.35", E 121°48'37.68"], 1400 m elevation, primary forest, C.R. & P.R. Deeleman leg. 16 August 1992, Coll. Deeleman (RMNH). Paratypes: 1 female ( PJ 3676 ), same data as holotype ( RMNH) .

Etymology. The species name is derived from the type locality; name in apposition.

Diagnosis. Small to medium-sized Sparassidae (body length of males: 8.9, females: 11.8), similar to R. ambae by having similar copulatory organs especially an embolus with prolateral indentation and apophysis in males and almost congruent course of the internal duct system ( Figs 40–42 , 46–50 ), but males distinguished by: 1. Distal embolic coil larger, slightly oval with embolic tip retrolaterad (smaller, circular with embolic tip proximad in R. ambae), 2. Embolic apophysis with right angle and apical tooth (slightly pointed and without such tooth in R. ambae), 3. RTA with distinct dorsal angle (without such angle in R. ambae); females distinguished by: 1. Epigynal plate with length/width=1.54 and epigynal field slightly longer than wide (plate length/width=2.3 and epigynal field wider than long in R. ambae), 2. Internal duct system with anterior windings narrow and heavily coiled (wide and less coiled in R. ambae).

Description. Male (holotype): PL 4.1, PW 3.9, AW 2.1, OL 4.8, OW 2.5. Eyes: AME 0.31, ALE 0.26, PME 0.24, PLE 0.26, AME–AME 0.18, AME–ALE 0.11, PME–PME 0.35, PME–PLE 0.36, AME–PME 0.26, ALE– PLE 0.19, clypeus height at AME 0.15, clypeus height at ALE 0.15. Cheliceral furrow with 3 promarginal, 4 retromarginal teeth, without denticles. Retromargin of chelicerae close to fang base with 3 bristles. Spination: Palp: 130, 0 0 1, 211[+1 thin bristle]1; legs: femur I–II 323, III 323(5), IV 322; patella I 0 0 1, II 101, III 001(0), IV 000; tibia I 2224, II 22(1)24, III–IV 2124; metatarsus I–II 2024, III 2025, IV 3035. Leg formula: 2143. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 6.5 (2.1, 1.0, 1.5, -, 1.9), I 24.6 (6.3, 2.3, 7.3, 6.6, 2.1), II 26.2 (6.9, 2.3, 7.7, 7.1, 2.2), III 16.3 (4.7, 1.8, 4.5, 3.8, 1.5), IV 20.6 (5.7, 1.9, 5.6, 5.6, 1.8). Metatarsi III–IV with ventro-distal spine within sparse scopula, IV with additional field of bristles.

Palp as in diagnosis ( Figs 40–42 ). Cymbium longer than tibia. RTA with pointed tip and distinct ridge in ventral view, arising distally from tibia. Embolus arising in a 6-o’clock-position from tegulum, embolic apophysis situated in a 11.30- to 12.30-o’clock-position. Spermophor visible in retrolateral half of tegulum, additionally in the retrolateral part of the embolus.

Colouration ( Figs 55–56 ). Yellowish-brown. Prosoma with head region slightly darker. Chelicerae deep light reddish-brown. Sternum and ventral coxae yellowish-brown without pattern, gnathocoxae and labium yellowishbrown, distally lighter. Legs yellowish brown with distal segments deeper yellowish-brown, legs dotted. Opisthosoma yellowish-brown with strongly pattern of patches and dots, in posterior half especially medially fused.

Female (paratype): PL 4.9, PW 4.7, AW 3.0, OL -, OW - (damaged). Eyes: AME 0.30, ALE 0.30, PME 0.23, PLE 0.25, AME–AME 0.29, AME–ALE 0.25, PME–PME 0.48, PME–PLE 0.52, AME–PME 0.30, ALE–PLE 0.26, clypeus height at AME 0.22, clypeus height at ALE 0.18. Cheliceral furrow with 3 promarginal, 4 retromarginal teeth, without denticles. Retromargin of chelicerae close to fang base with 3–4 bristles. Spination: Palp: 130, 0 0 1, 2121, 1021; legs: femur I–II 323, III–IV 321; patella I–III 0 0 1, IV 000; tibia I–III 2124, IV 2024; metatarsus I–II 2024, III 2025, IV 3036. Leg formula: 2143. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 7.0 (2.1, 1.0, 1.7, -, 2.2), I 20.6 (5.7, 2.3, 5.7, 5.2, 1.7), II 22.0 (6.2, 2.4, 5.9, 5.7, 1.8), III 14.6 (4.3, 1.8, 3.9, 3.3, 1.3), IV 17.9 (5.3, 1.9, 4.6, 4.6, 1.5). Metatarsi III–IV with ventro-distal spine within sparse scopula, IV with additional field of bristles.

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis ( Figs 46–50 ). Epigynal field with one pair of slit sensilla, one close to field, one included in the field. Epigynal plate wide with transversal ridge close to epigastric furrow. Copulatory openings situated antero-medially at epigynal plate, first windings of copulatory ducts membranous, broad, running a semi-circle to anterior, coiled parts of duct situated in anterior half medially. Fertilisation ducts widely separated, anteriad.

Colouration ( Figs 57–58 ). As in male but generally darker. Legs without distinct dots in distal segments and hind legs. Opisthosoma with pattern less distinct.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 61 ).

Figures

FIGURE 61. Records of Rhitymna species currently known (World Spider Catalog 2019 and works cited therein, records in this paper). Species with larger distribution ranges: stars—R. verruca, light triangles—R. plana, light squares—R. pinangensis. Inset: Sri Lanka.

FIGURES 40–45. Rhitymna spp., male copulatory organs (40–42 Rhitymna flores spec. nov., holotype from Flores, Indonesia; 43–45 Rhitymna senckenbergi spec. nov., holotype from Negros, Philippines). 40–41, 43–44 Left male palp (40, 43 ventral, 41, 44 retrolateral); 42 Embolus, distal part, ventral; 45 Left chelicerae, ventral, showing bristles close to fang base. aT—apical tooth of embolic apophysis, dA—dorsal angle of RTA, EA—embolic apophysis.

FIGURES 46–50. Rhitymna flores spec. nov., female paratype from Flores, Indonesia, copulatory organ. 46 Epigyne, ventral; 47, 49 Vulva; 48, 50 Schematic course of internal duct system (47–48 dorsal, 49–50 lateral). aW—anterior windings of internal duct system.

FIGURES 51–60. Rhitymna spp., habitus in ethanol. 51–52 Rhitymna deelemanae, female from Bali, Indonesia; 53–54 Rhitymna merianae spec. nov., holotype female from Bali, Indonesia; 55–58 Rhitymna flores spec. nov. from Flores, Indonesia (55–56 holotype male, 57–58 female paratype); 59–60 Rhitymna senckenbergi spec. nov., holotype male from Negros, Philippines.