Zorocrates chamula, PLATNICK & UBICK, 2007

PLATNICK, NORMAN I. & UBICK, DARRELL, 2007, A Revision of the Spider Genus Zorocrates Simon (Araneae, Zorocratidae), American Museum Novitates 3579, pp. 1-44 : 27-29

Zorocrates chamula , new species figures 63–67 ; map 3

TYPE: Female holotype from an elevation of 2530 m at Laguna Chamula , microwave tower between Comitán and Amatenango del Valle, Chiapas, Mexico (Aug. 20, 1972; C. Mullinex, K. Lucas), deposited in CAS .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS: Males and females have not been collected together and are only tentatively matched here; males can easily be recognized by the pick-shaped median apophysis ( fig. 64 ), females by the large anterior epigynal protuberance ( fig. 66 ).

MALE: Total length 13. Coloration as in Z. chiapa . Leg spination: femora: I p0-0-2, r1-1-2; II p1-1-1, r3-2-2; III p1-1-2, r1-1-2; IV p1-1-1, r0-0-1; patellae IV r0-1-0; tibiae: I d0-0-0, r1-0- 1; II d0-0-0, p1-1-1, v4-2-2, r1-0-1; III r1-0-1; IV d1-1-1; metatarsi: I p0-1-1, v2-2-2, r0-1-0; II p0-1-1; IV r0-2-2. Cribellum present. Retrolateral tibial apophysis small, sharply pointed; median apophysis pick-shaped, with two long and one shorter projection; tegular apophysis distally bifid ( figs. 63–65 ).

FEMALE: Total length 13. Coloration as in male except abdominal dorsum with median longitudinal stripe reduced to rows of paired pale spots. Leg spination: femora: I d1-1-0, p0-0-2, r0-0-0; II d1-1-0, p0-1-1, r1-1-0; III p0- 1-1, r0-1-1; IV d1-1-0, p0-0-1, r0-0-1; patellae III, IV p0-0-0, r0-0-0; tibiae: I d0-0-0, p0-0-0, v2-4-2, r0-0-0; II d0-0-0, p0-0-1, v2-4-2, r0-0-0; III d1-1-0, r1-0-1; IV d1-0-0; metatarsi: I p0-0- 1, v2-2-2, r0-0-0; II p1-0-1, v2-2-2, r0-0-1; III r1-1-2; IV v3-2-2. Cribellum present. Anterior epigynal margin prolonged as posteriorly expanded projection; spermathecae ovoid ( figs. 66, 67 ).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: MEXICO: Chiapas: Comitán, Sept. 9, 1960 (UNAM), 13; Cruz Quemada , near Amatenango, July 24, 1950 m (C., M. Goodnight, AMNH), 13; Lagos de Montebello , Sept. 4, 1972 (C. Mullinex, K. Lucas, CAS), 13; Laguna Chamula , microwave tower between Comitán and Amatenango del Valle, Aug. 20, 1972, elev. 2530 m (C. Mullinex, K. Lucas, CAS), 1♀ ; 17 km SE San Cristóbal de las Casas , Sept. 2, 1972, elev. 2164 m (C. Mullinex, CAS), 8♀ .

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Chiapas, Mexico (map 3).

THE MISTUS GROUP

The remaining species seem to represent a single group. All the known males share a flattened and platelike median apophysis, often bizarrely modified in various ways. The females have pronounced posterior epigynal margins.

Zorocrates mistus O. P.-Cambridge figures 68–72 ; map 4

Zorocrates mistus O. P.- Cambridge, 1896: 176, pl. 21, figs. 9, 9a–g, 10, 10a (one female and two male syntypes from Omiltemi, Guerrero, Mexico, in BMNH, examined). – F. O. P.- Cambridge, 1902: 354, pl. 33, figs. 10, 10a , 11.

DIAGNOSIS: Males can easily be recognized by the huge, recurved median apophysis with a pronounced, prolaterally directed extension ( fig. 69 ), females by the relatively narrow anterior epigynal margin, posteriorly expand- ed epigynal midpiece, and wide posterior epigynal margins ( fig. 71 ).

MALE: Total length 8. Coloration as in Z. fuscus . Leg spination: femora: I p0-0-2, r1-1-1; II p0-1-1, r1-1-2; III p0-2-1; IV p0-1-2, r0-0-2; patellae IV r0-1-0; tibiae: I d0-0-0, p0-0-1, v4- 2-2, r0-0-0; II d0-0-0, p0-1-1, v4-2-2, r0-0-0; III r1-0-1; metatarsi: I p0-0-0, v2-2-2, r0-0-0; II p0-0-1, r0-0-0; III r1-2-2; IV p1-2-2. Cribellum possibly reduced but present. Retrolateral tibial apophysis relatively wide, prolaterally

65. Same, retrolateral view. 66. Epigynum, ventral view. 67. Same, dorsal view.

incised near tip; median apophysis occupying over half of bulbal length and width, with prolaterally directed extension; tegular apophysis tall retrolaterally, short prolaterally ( figs. 68–70 ).

FEMALE: Total length 9. Coloration as in male. Leg spination mostly unknown (most legs detached, mixed with those of one male syntype), only right leg I still attached, with femur d1-1-0, p0-0-2, tibia d0-0-0, p0-0-0, v4- 2-2, r0-0-0, metatarsus p0-0-0, v2-2-2, r0-0-0. Cribellum present. Anterior epigynal margin relatively narrow, recurved, midpiece expand- ed prolaterally, posterior margins protuberant; spermathecae with anteriorly directed lateral ducts ( figs. 71, 72 ).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: MEXICO: Guerrero: Omiltemi , elev. 7000–9000 ft (H. Smith, BMNH 1895.4.28.1341–1346), 23, 1♀ (syntypes) .

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Guerrero, Mexico (map 4).

Figures

Figs. 63–67. Zorocrates chamula, new species. 63. Left male palp, prolateral view. 64. Same, ventral view.

Figs. 68–72. Zorocrates mistus O. P.-Cambridge. 68. Left male palp, prolateral view. 69. Same, ventral view. 70. Same, retrolateral view. 71. Epigynum, ventral view. 72. Same, dorsal view.

Figs. 6–10. Zorocrates unicolor (Banks). 6. Left male palp, prolateral view. 7. Same, ventral view. 8. Same, retrolateral view. 9. Epigynum, ventral view. 10. Same, dorsal view.

Figs. 11–15. Zorocrates guerrerensis Gertsch and Davis. 11. Left male palp, prolateral view. 12. Same, ventral view. 13. Same, retrolateral view. 14. Epigynum, ventral view. 15. Same, dorsal view.