Guaranita yaculica Huber, 2000

Huber, Bernhard A., Meng, Guanliang, Král, Jiří, Ávila Herrera, Ivalú M. & Izquierdo, Matías A., 2023, Revision of the South American Ninetinae genus Guaranita (Araneae, Pholcidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 900 (1), pp. 32-80 : 52-57

Guaranita yaculica Huber, 2000

Figs 2E – F , 14 – 20 , 32C

Guaranita yaculica Huber, 2000: 97 , fig. 378 (♂).

Guaranita yaculica – Huber 2014: 140. — Torres et al. 2015: 2, fig. 2a – b (♂); 2016: 10, figs 6, 13 – 15 (♀).

Guaranita yaculica ? – Eberle et al. 2018 (molecular data). — Huber et al. 2018: 55.

Diagnosis (amendments; see Huber 2000; Torres et al. 2016)

Distinguished from known congeners by size and shape of dorsal flap on procursus ( Fig. 15F ; rounded, larger than in the similar G. goloboffi ) and by female internal genitalia ( Fig. 16C – D ; membranous median sac, similar to G. munda but smaller; lateral elements straight, not curved as in G. munda ); from G. auadae sp. nov. and G. goloboffi also by narrower distal bulbal sclerite ( Fig. 15G ).

Material examined (new records)

ARGENTINA – Jujuy • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 1 juv.; Calilegua National Park, Guaraní trail , near camping area; 23.7612° S, 64.8517° W; 620 m a.s.l.; 15 Mar. 2019; B.A. Huber and M.A. Izquierdo leg.; ZFMK Ar 24123 • 2 ♀♀, in pure ethanol; same collection data as for preceding; LABRE-Ar 515 • 6 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀ (one male used for SEM); Calilegua National Park , ~ 1 km NW of headquarters; 23.7540° S, 64.8537° W; 710 m a.s.l.; 15 Mar. 2019; B.A. Huber and M.A. Izquierdo leg.; ZFMK Ar 24124 • 14 ♀♀, in pure ethanol (four prosomata used for molecular work; two females used for SEM); same collection data as for preceding; ZFMK Arg175 • 4 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀, 1 juv.; same collection data as for preceding; LABRE-Ar 514 • 7 ♀♀, 1 juv.; same collection data as for preceding; LABRE-Ar 520 • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; Calilegua National Park, Seccional Aguas Negras ; 23.7619° S, 64.8514° W; 605 m a.s.l.; 6 – 11 Dec. 2008; C. Grismado et al. leg.; MACN Ar 22134 • 1 ♀, in pure ethanol; same collection data as for preceding; MACN Ar 34688 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Calilegua National Park , entrance area; ~ 23.76° S, 64.85° W; ~ 620 m a.s.l.; 23 – 24 Sep. 1995; M. Ramírez, P. Goloboff and C. Szumik leg.; MACN Ar 19977 • 1 ♂, 2 juvs; Calilegua National Park , no precise locality information; 22 Dec. 1994; C. Grismado leg.; MACN Ar 19976 • 3 ♀♀; Calilegua National Park, Aguas Negras at ~ 1100 m, no precise locality information; 5 – 7 Aug. 1997; M. Ramírez and L. Compagnucci leg.; MACN Ar 19978, 19981 .

PARAGUAY – Boquerón • 1 ♂; Enciso , “T88.09.0 r1”; 21.2061° S, 61.6575° W; 255 m a.s.l.; 3 Nov. 2001; M. Leponce leg.; IRSNB • 1 ♂ prosoma; Enciso , “T90.09.0 r1”; 21.1998° S, 61.6608° W; 255 m a.s.l.; 4 Nov. 2001; M. Leponce leg.; IRSNB • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding, “T90.14.0 r1”; IRSNB • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding, “T90.12.0 r1”; IRSNB .

Redescription (amendments; see Huber 2000, Torres et al. 2016)

Measurements of male from Calilegua National Park: total body length 0.98, carapace width 0.45; distance PME–PME 45 µm; diameter PME 45 µm; distance PME–ALE 20 µm; distance AME–AME 20 µm; diameter AME 25 µm. Leg 1: 2.20 (0.62+ 0.14 +0.56 +0.54 +0.34), tibia 2: 0.46, tibia 3: 0.40, tibia 4: 0.68; tibia 1 L/d: 9; diameters of leg femora 0.10; of leg tibiae: 0.06. Tibia 1 in 16 males (incl. holotype): 0.50 – 0.62 (mean 0.57). Sternum slightly wider than long (0.33/0.31). Chelicerae as in Fig. 15A – C , 18A ; stridulatory files with ~17 – 23 ridges; distances between ridges proximally ~0.6 µm, distally ~2.3 µm ( Fig. 18B ). Pedipalp as in Fig. 14A – C ; tibia with two trichobothria; palpal tarsal organ capsulate, with small opening; procursus as in Fig. 15D – F and 18D – F , with large transparent ventral membrane, distinctive dorsal flap, and tip bent towards dorsal; genital bulb as in Figs 15G – I and 18D – F , with simple proximal sclerite, distal sclerite not widened in mid-section. Legs without spines and curved hairs; vertical hairs not seen in dissecting microscope but present on tibia 1 ( Fig. 19A – C ), apparently in two rows (one prolateral and one retrolateral); prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1, present on other leg tibiae; metatarsi 3 and 4 with few (1 – 3) slender hairs proximally on retrolateral-ventral side ( Fig. 19H ). Gonopore with four epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 17F ); spinnerets as in female ( Fig. 17D ; see below).

Tibia 1 in 33 females: 0.48 – 0.64 (mean 0.55). Female chelicerae without stridulatory ridges ( Fig. 18C ). Female internal genitalia with median membranous sac (receptacle?) ( Fig. 16C – D ); apparently with small pore plates ( Fig. 32C ). Each ALS ( Fig. 17B – C ) with one strongly widened spigot, one long pointed spigot, and five cylindrical spigots (of which one is much wider than the others); each PMS with two conical spigots; PLS without spigots. Palpal tarsal organ capsulate with small opening (diameter of opening 1.1 µm); leg tarsal organs with very small openings (diameters 0.7 – 0.9 µm; Fig. 20A – C ). Metatarsi 3 and 4 with long slender hairs as in male ( Fig. 19G ).

Natural history

At Calilegua National Park, the spiders were collected in forest leaf litter ( Fig. 34C ). Two egg-sacs contained five and six eggs, respectively.

Distribution

Most known records are from northern Argentina and north-eastern Paraguay ( Fig. 33B ). The single record from Corrientes in Torres et al. (2015) is dubious (misidentified G. munda ?).

Figures

Fig. 2. Guaranita Huber, 2000, live specimens. A–B. G. dobby Torres et al., 2016; females with egg-sacs from NW of Campo Quijano. C–D. G. munda (Gertsch, 1982); male and female with eggsac from E of Nono. E–F. G. yaculica Huber, 2000; male and female from Calilegua National Park. G–H. G. auadae Huber sp. nov.; male and female with egg-sac from between San Salvador and Purmamarca. I–J. G. goloboffi Huber, 2000; male and female from NW of Chumbicha.

Fig. 14. Guaranita yaculica Huber, 2000; male from Calilegua National Park (ZFMK Ar 24124). Left pedipalp, prolateral (A), dorsal (B), and retrolateral (C) views. Scale bar = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 15. Guaranita yaculica Huber, 2000; male from Calilegua National Park (ZFMK Ar 24124). A–C. Chelicerae, frontal, lateral, and ventral views. D–F. Left procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. G–I. Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 16. Guaranita yaculica Huber, 2000; females from Calilegua National Park (ZFMK Ar 24124). A. Abdomen, ventral view. B. Cleared epigynum, ventral view. C–D. Cleared epigyna of two specimens, dorsal views. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (B–D at same scale).

Fig. 17. Guaranita yaculica Huber, 2000; from Calilegua National Park (ZFMK Ar 24124, Arg175). A. Female prosoma, frontal view. B. Female spinnerets and anal cone. C. Female ALS. D. Male ALS. E. Female abdomen, ventral view. F. Male gonopore and epiandrous spigots. Scale bars: A, E = 100 µm; B–C, F = 10 µm; D = 2 µm.

Fig. 18. Guaranita yaculica Huber, 2000; from Calilegua National Park (ZFMK Ar 24124). A. Left male chelicera. B. Stridulatory file on male chelicera. C. Left female chelicera, showing absence of stridulatory file. D–F. Right male palp, retrolateral, retrolateral-dorsal, and dorsal views; arrow: tarsal organ. Abbreviations: b, genital bulb; p, procursus. Scale bars: A, D–F = 20 µm; B–C = 10 µm.

Fig. 19. Guaranita yaculica Huber, 2000; from Calilegua National Park (ZFMK Ar 24124, Arg175). A. Male right tibia 1, retrolateral view. B. Detail of previous figure, showing short vertical hairs (among regular hairs). C. Short vertical hairs on male left tibia 1, prolateral-ventral view. D. Chemoreceptive hairs (arrows) on female left tarsus 3. E. Sensory organs on left female palpal tarsus (arrow: short vertical hair). F. Pore with cuticular rim (arrow) on right female metatarsus 1. G. Slender hairs (arrows) on female metatarsus 4. H. Slender hair (arrow) on male left metatarsus 4. Abbreviations: sl = slit sense organ; to = tarsal organ. Scale bars: A = 100 µm; B–E, G–H = 10 µm; F = 2 µm.

Fig. 20. Guaranita yaculica Huber, 2000; from Calilegua National Park (ZFMK Ar 24124, Arg175). A. Tarsal organ on female tarsus 2. B. Tarsal organ on female tarsus 3. C. Tarsal organ on female tarsus 4. D. Tip of female left tarsus 2, prolateral view. E. Tip of female left tarsus 1, prolateral view. F. Tip of male right tarsus 2, retrolateral view. G. Tip of female left tarsus 3, prolateral view. H. Tip of female right tarsus 4, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A–B = 2 µm; C = 1 µm; D–H = 10 µm.

Fig. 32. Guaranita Huber, 2000, female internal genitalia; arrows point at possible pore plates. A. G. dobby Torres et al., 2016; from NW of Campo Quijano. B. G. munda (Gertsch, 1982); from E of Nono. C. G. yaculica Huber, 2000; from Calilegua National Park. D. G. auadae Huber sp. nov., from between San Salvador and Purmamarca. E. G. goloboffi Huber, 2000; from NW of Chumbicha. Scale bar = 0.1 mm (all at same scale).

Fig. 34. Typical habitats of species of Guaranita Huber, 2000 in Argentina. A. NW of Campo Quijano (Salta), G. dobby Torres et al., 2016. B. E of Nono (Córdoba), G. munda (Gertsch, 1982). C. Calilegua National Park (Jujuy), G. yaculica Huber, 2000. D. Between San Salvador and Purmamarca (Jujuy), type locality of G. auadae Huber sp. nov. E. SW of Alemanía (Salta), G. goloboffi Huber, 2000. F. W of Cafayate (Salta), G. goloboffi.

Fig. 33. Known distribution of Guaranita Huber, 2000. Inset: map of South America, showing all known records. A–B. Known distributions of individual species. Question marks denote dubious outliers (Torres et al. 2015, 2016; not restudied) that need confirmation.