Drymusa huberi, Villarreal & Chamé-Vázquez, 2023

Villarreal, Osvaldo & Chame-Vazquez, David, 2023, First record of the false violin spider of the family Drymusidae (Araneae, Synspermiata, Scytodoidea) from Venezuela, with the description of a new species, Zoosystematics and Evolution 99 (1), pp. 273-280 : 273

publication ID

https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/zse.99.99227

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:86213715-F1FC-4838-BC47-8464DC0B9F4B

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/32F46572-64B6-40C6-94E8-5126B59DA6BC

taxon LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:act:32F46572-64B6-40C6-94E8-5126B59DA6BC

treatment provided by

Zoosystematics and Evolution by Pensoft

scientific name

Drymusa huberi
status

sp. nov.

Drymusa huberi sp. nov.

Figs 1-12 View Figures 1–12 , 13-20 View Figures 13–20 , 24 View Figures 21–32 , 49 View Figures 49–53 , 50 View Figures 49–53

Type data.

Venezuela • ♀ holotype: MIZA0105853; Yaracuy, La Guáquira; 10.2951°N, 68.6535°W; 120 m a.s.l.; 16 Feb 2020; O. Villarreal, B.A. Huber, Q. Arias C. leg.; forest along stream • Paratype: 1 ♂ same data as the holotype.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a name in apposition to honour the arachnologist Bernhard A. Huber in recognition of his prolific and excellent contributions to the taxonomy and systematics of the pholcid spiders of Venezuela and the world. Bernhard was also one of the collectors of the type specimens.

Diagnosis.

The vulva of D. huberi sp. nov. resembles those of D. canhemabae Brescovit, Bonaldo & Rheims, 2004 and D. colligata Bonaldo, Rheims & Brescovit, 2006 by the unbranched, long spermathecae (Figs 14 View Figures 13–20 , 17 View Figures 13–20 ). They differ by the spermathecae with a long stalk that is not coiled and the distal part globular (Figs 14 View Figures 13–20 , 17 View Figures 13–20 ), whereas D. canhemabae has coiled spermathecae (see Brescovit et al. (2004): fig. 5; Fig. 29 View Figures 21–32 ) and D. colligata has shorter spermatheca, with its distal part swollen (not globular) (see Bonaldo et al. (2006): fig. 6; Fig. 30 View Figures 21–32 ). Females of D. huberi sp. nov. also resemble those of D. dinora Valerio, 1971 by the long and broad epigastric plate, but D. huberi sp. nov. has a median hood on the post-epigastric plate, absent in D. dinora (see Valerio (1971): figs 8, 9; Fig. 20 View Figures 13–20 ), D. canhemabae , and D. colligata . Males of D. huberi sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from all congeneric species by having the embolus shorter than the bulb length (Figs 15 View Figures 13–20 , 16 View Figures 13–20 , 18 View Figures 13–20 , 20 View Figures 13–20 ).

Description.

Female (Holotype). Habitus. Carapace pear-shaped, pars cephalica elongated, with many long, procumbent setae (Figs 1 View Figures 1–12 , 9 View Figures 1–12 ). Opisthosoma elongated, with posterior two thirds attenuated and covered sparsely with long, brown setae (Fig. 2 View Figures 1–12 ). Colouration. Carapace yellowish, margins on pars thoracica tinged with purple-brown and a median broad V-shaped pattern; pars cephalica reticulated with purple-brown maculations (Fig. 1 View Figures 1–12 ). Chelicerae orange, with brownish maculations. Endites and labium purple-brown, the latter darker than the former. Sternum purple-brown, except on lateral margins, which are yellowish, with one darker spot on the posterior margin (arrow in Fig. 3 View Figures 1–12 ). Palp with femur and patella mostly yellowish, tinged with purple-brown on lateral sides; tibia and tarsus mostly purple-brown. Legs: femora mostly purple-brown, with one basal and one distal yellowish ring; patellae mostly purple-brown; tibiae mostly yellowish, with one basal, thin purple-brown ring and one distal purple-brown ring; metatarsi and tarsi yellowish. Dorsum of prosoma grey-white with three W-shaped dark brown bands, posterior third mostly dark brown (Fig. 2 View Figures 1–12 ). Venter purple-brown, with pale-yellowish spots on the epigastric area (Fig. 4 View Figures 1–12 ). Female genitalia. Epigastric plate rectangular, large and about half the opisthosoma length (Figs 4 View Figures 1–12 , 11 View Figures 1–12 ); posterior corners are more sclerotised than the plate (arrow in Fig. 13 View Figures 13–20 ). Post-epigastric plate crescent-shaped, with a small median hood. Vulva with the distal part of spermatheca globular, on long, thin stalks, arising on lateral corners of the epigastric plate (Figs 14 View Figures 13–20 , 17 View Figures 13–20 ). Spermatheca with gland ductules well-spaced on the distal half (Fig. 17 View Figures 13–20 ). Measurements. Carapace 1.32 long, 1.02 wide; eye diameters: PME 0.10, ALE 0.09, PLE 0.06; labium 0.30 long, 0.30 wide; sternum 0.69 long, 0.65 wide. Legs: I 10.8 (2.82, 0.36, 2.97, 3.06, 0.87), II 8.76 (2.46, 0.34, 2.49, 2.65, 0.82), III 6.87 (1.95, 0.39, 1.74, 2.04, 0.75), IV 8.59 (2.35, 0.33, 2.43, 2.61, 0.87). Leg formula: 1243.

Male (paratype). Habitus as the female (Figs 5-8 View Figures 1–12 , 10 View Figures 1–12 , 12 View Figures 1–12 ), except pars cephalic with few short setae, mostly on clypeal area, opisthosoma with posterior third attenuated. Colouration. As the female, but the purple-brown median pattern and lateral margins are narrower; the sternum maculation is light purple; palp yellowish with scattered purple-brown maculations, tarsus darker than other segments. Dorsum of opisthosoma with transversal bands narrower, elongated, fused with the next one; venter yellowish, except posterior third, which is light purple. Palp. Sub-cylindrical femur longer than tibia; tibia slightly more thickened than femur and slightly swollen at mid-length (Figs 15 View Figures 13–20 , 16 View Figures 13–20 , 20 View Figures 13–20 ). Bulb subspherical, slightly longer than wide (Figs 15 View Figures 13–20 , 16 View Figures 13–20 , 18 View Figures 13–20 ). Embolus spiniform, curved, directed ventral-retrolaterally and relatively short, about half the length of bulb (Figs 18 View Figures 13–20 , 19 View Figures 13–20 ). Measurements. Carapace 1.26 long, 1.05 wide; eye diameters: PME 0.12, ALE 0.09, PLE 0.07; labium 0.24 long, 0.27 wide; sternum 0.72 long, 0.72 wide. Legs: I missing, II 10.62 (2.97, 0.39, 3.09, 3.24, 0.93), III 7.77 (2.13, 0.36, 2.04, 2.40, 0.84), IV 10.20 (2.82, 0.36, 2.82, 3.09, 0.93). Leg formula: (1)243.

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality. See Fig. 53 View Figures 49–53 for the known distribution of all Drymusa species.

Natural history.

Both specimens were found in the leaf litter in a tropical dry forest along a streambed (Figs 51 View Figures 49–53 , 52 View Figures 49–53 ); this species shares the microhabitat with Ochyrocera sp. ( Ochyroceratidae ). For live specimens of D. huberi sp. nov., see Figs 49 View Figures 49–53 , 50 View Figures 49–53 .

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Drymusidae

Genus

Drymusa