Cyrtognatha rucilla ( Bryant, 1945 )

Dimitrov, Dimitar & Hormiga, Gustavo, 2009, Revision And Cladistic Analysis Of The Orbweaving Spider Genus Cyrtognatha Keyserling, 1881 (Araneae, Tetragnathidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2009 (317), pp. 1-140 : 73-92

Cyrtognatha rucilla ( Bryant, 1945) Figures 1D, 2A–E, 41–46

Agriognatha rucilla Bryant, 1945: 401 , fig. 33.

Agriognatha argyra Bryant, 1945: 397 , fig. 35. New synonymy (types examined, see below).

Cyrtognatha rucilla Wunderlich, 1988: 98 , fig. 193.

Agriognatha rucilla Dimitrov, Álvarez-Padilla & Hormiga, 2007: 760 , figs. 2A–F, 10C–D, 12A.

SYNONYMY JUSTIFICATION: Detailed examination of the type material from A. argyra (MCZ 20342) showed that Bryant’s drawings accompanying the original description of A. argyra are inaccurate. The apical apophysis of the conductor does not have the distinctive semi-spiral curvature depicted in the original illustrations ( Bryant, 1945: fig. 35). Furthermore, the rest of the structures of the male palp and the somatic characters are as in C. rucilla , and the only difference that can be observed is the size of the specimens. Since body size can vary significantly in A. rucilla , such difference in size in the type material of A. argyra is deemed insuffcient to consider A. argyra as a separate species.

TYPES: Agriognatha rucilla male holotype from Dominican Republic, Loma Rucilla Mountains , north of the Cordillera Central, 1500–2400 m. vi.1938, P. J. Darlington ( MCZ 22936; examined) .

Agriognatha argyra male holotype from Dominican Republic, Valle Nuevo , rain forest, Cordillera Central, 1828 m. vii.1938, P. J. Darlington ( MCZ 20342; examined) .

DIAGNOSIS: Cyrtognatha rucilla is very similar to C. espanola and C. simoni and this may cause identification problems. The most important male diagnostic character is the shape of the tip of the embolus: in ventral view in C. rucilla it is curved retrolaterally (fig. 41A, B), in C. espanola it is curved prolaterally, and in C. simoni it is almost straight. The shape of the embolus in prolateral view is very characteristic in each of these species and thus it is diagnostic. In C. rucilla the embolus is nearly straight prolaterally and its tip is S-shaped (fig. 41C); in C. espanola the embolus is arched and the tip of the embolus is additionally curved at almost 90 °; C. simoni has an embolus that is almost straight, and the tip of the embolus is curved at 90 °, as in C. espanola .

The shape of the male chelicerae provides additional diagnostic characters. In C. rucilla the male chelicerae (fig. 42B, E, G) are robust and divergent but the degree of divergence is smaller than in C. espanola . Cyrtognatha simoni has strongly divergent chelicerae but they are much thinner than in the other two species.

The females of C. rucilla can be easily distinguished from closely related species by the size and shape of the sacs in the female vulva (figs. 41G, 44D–G). Cyrtognatha rucilla has a median sac, which is almost the same size as the posterior sac, while in C. espanola and C. simoni the median sac is much smaller than the posterior one.

DESCRIPTION: Male (holotype). Habitus as in figure 42A–D. Carapace brown-yellowish darker anteriorly and with darker median band and lateral margins. Cephalothorax as in figure 46A, B. Fovea well marked (fig. 46A). Abdomen nearly cylindrical, brown-grayish with numerous guanine spots. The guanine spots are concentrated dorsolaterally and laterally, forming a distinctive pattern. Dorsally with two curvy, darker lines running in parallel. Distal dorsal tubercle reduced; proximal tubercle small. Total length 6.51. Cephalothorax 3.10 long, 1.86 wide, 1.24 high. Abdomen 3.41 long, 1.55 wide, 1.24 high. Sternum yellowish with darker margins with darker bands in front of the coxae; 1.24 long, 1.24 wide. Chelicerae moderately divergent, dark brown. Dorsal tooth large, close to the articulation of the cheliceral fang and with sharp tip curved prolaterally. The tip of the dorsal cheliceral tooth not bifurcated. Cheliceral fang with large outgrowth and distinct curvature before and after it. Chelicerae as in figure 42B, E, G, H. Clypeus height 1.2 times one AME diameter. AME diameter 0.16. AME and AME–PLE one AME diameter. AME–ALE distance more than two AME diameters. Distance between the PLE equal to their diameter. Femur I 5.58, 1.8 times the length of the cephalothorax. Pedipalp as in figures 41A–C, 43A–H, 44A, B. Male palp after expansion with KOH is shown in figure 41D–F. Palpal tibia length 0.25; cymbium length 0.62. Epiandrous fusules as in figure 42F.

Female (paratype from the type locality). Habitus and coloration as in male. Chelicerae lighter, yellowish, not divergent, and without dorsal tooth. Abdomen without distal tubercle. Proximal tubercles bigger than in males. Total length 7.44. Cephalothorax (fig. 46C, D) 2.48 long, 1.55 wide, 1.24 high. Abdomen 3.72 long, 1.86 wide, 1.98 high. Sternum darker than in male; 2.91 long, 2.79 wide. Clypeus 0.4 times one AME diameter. AME diameter 0.43. Eyes smaller than in male and PME slightly larger than the rest of the eyes. Vulva as in figures 41G, 44D–G. Copulatory ducts as in figure 44H. Ultrastructure of the copulatory ducts and the cuticle of the posterior sac are shown in figures 44I–J. Leg IV femur as in fig. 42I. Femur I 4.15, 1.67 times the length of the cephalothorax. Tracheal system as in figures 41H, I, 45E, F. Spinnerets as in figure 45A–D. Accessory glands near the spinnerets base (fig. 45G). Abdomen as in figure 46E, F.

Variation. Male cephalothorax length varies from 2.45 to 3.10 (n 5 12); in females from 2.20 to 3.40 (n 5 32). Total body length in males varies from 5.78 to 6.51 (n 5 12); in females between 6.12 and 9.28 (n 5 32). Male chelicerae are quite variable in the degree of divergence.

DISTRIBUTION: This species inhabits the Cordillera Central of the Dominican Republic and other high elevation areas of Hispaniola (fig. 5).

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED: Agriognatha rucilla . Paratypes: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Loma Rucilla Mountains , north of the Cordillera Central, 1500–2400 m, vi.1938, P.J. Darlington, 1 female (allotype, MCZ 66564) ; Loma Vieja , Cordillera Central south of Constanza, viii.1938, P.J. Darlington, 5 females ( MCZ 66546) ; Loma Rucilla Mountains , north of the Cordillera Central, 1500–2400 m, vi.1938, P.J. Darlington, 2 males, 7 females ( MCZ 44014) .

Agriognatha argyra . Paratypes: DOMINI- CAN REPUBLIC: Foothills of Cordillera Central south of Sandiago (Santiago?), 600– 1500 m. vi.1938, P. J. Darlington, 1 male ( MCZ 66547) ; Loma Rucilla Mountains, north of the Cordillera Central , 1500– 2400 m. vi.1938, P. J. Darlington, 1 male ( MCZ 66550) .

Other material: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: La Vega Prov., Constanza, Reserva Científica Valle Nuevo , pine forest, 18 ° 46 9 39.2 0 N, 70 ° 38 9 22.4 0 W, 2277 m, 11.IV.2005, F. Álvarez and S. Benjamin, 6 males, 17 females ( MCZ) ; Barahona Prov., Paraíso, Reserva Natural Cachote , cloud forest and secondary growth, 18 ° 05 9 54.8 0 N, 71 ° 11 9 22.0 0 W, 1220 m, 6– 9.IV.2005, G. Hormiga, F. Álvarez, and S. Benjamin, 1 male, 2 females ( MCZ) .

Cyrtognatha simoni ( Bryant, 1940) , new combination Figures 47–51

Agriognatha simoni Bryant, 1940: 355 , figs. 122, 124, 125.

Agriognatha simoni Dimitrov, Álvarez-Padilla & Hormiga, 2007: 762 , figs. 4–F, 10C–D.

TYPE: Male holotype from Cuba, Pico Turquino, vi.1936, P. J. Darlington ( MCZ 23102; examined) .

DIAGNOSIS: Cyrtognatha simoni together with C. espanola and C. rucilla form a group of closely related species that share numerous similarities and are difficult to distinguish. The males can be diagnosed by the shape of the tip of the embolus. In ventral view in C. simoni it is almost straight (fig. 47A), in C. espanola it is curved prolaterally, and in C. rucilla it is curved retrolaterally. The shape of the embolus in prolateral view is also diagnostic. In C. simoni the embolus is almost straight and its tip is curved at 90 ° (fig. 47C); in C. rucilla the embolus is nearly straight and its tip is S-shaped; in C. espanola the embolus is arched and its tip is additionally curved at almost 90 ° as in C. simoni . The shape of the male chelicerae provides additional diagnostic characters to differentiate these three species. Cyrtognatha simoni can be easily distinguished from the other two species by the strongly divergent and much thinner chelicerae (fig. 47H). In C. rucilla and C. espanola the chelicerae are much more robust. Females of C. simoni can be easily distinguished from closely related species by the size and shape of the sacs in the female vulva (figs. 47D, E, 48B, D, F, 49A).

DESCRIPTION: Male (holotype). Habitus as in figures 47F–H, 48A. Carapace brownyellowish with darker coloration in the cephalic part. The rest with brown band medially and darker margins. Fovea well marked. Abdomen brown-grayish, cylindrical with few remains of guanine spots. Dorsally with darker line centrally. Laterally with darker markings and ventrally darker with two lighter longitudinal lines. Dorsal tubercles small. Total length 4.65. Cephalothorax 1.86 long, 1.42 wide, 0.99 high. Abdomen 2.79 long, 1.24 wide, 1.24 high. Sternum brownish, lighter adjacent to the labium; 0.87 long, 0.88 wide. Chelicerae dark brown, strongly divergent with well-developed dorsal tooth (figs. 47H, 49B–D). Dorsal tooth close to the fang articulation with sharp tip curved prolaterally. Cheliceral fang with well-developed outgrowth. Clypeus height equal to one AME diameter. AME diameter 0.12. All eyes nearly the same size. Distance between AME equal to their diameter; AME–ALE distance more than twice one AME diameter; AME–PLE distance one AME diameter. Distance between PLE less than their diameter. Femur I 4.96, 2.7 times the length of the cephalothorax. Pedipalp as in figures 47A–C, 50C–G, 51A– J. Palpal tibia length 0.25; cymbium length 0.81. Epiandrous fusules as in figure 49E. Spinnerets as in figures 49F–H, 50A, B.

Female (paratype from the type locality). Habitus and color pattern as in male but cephalothorax yellowish and lighter in color, with darker band medially. Chelicerae not divergent and without dorsal tooth. Total length 6.69. Cephalothorax 2.35 long, 1.73 wide, 1.24 high. Abdomen 4.32 long, 2.10 wide, 2.48 high. Sternum 1.05 long, 0.92 wide. Clypeus height 0.6 times one AME diameter. AME diameter 0.12. Femur I 3.72, 1.5 times the length of the cephalothorax. Vulva as in figures 47D, E, 48B–F, 49A.

Variation. Cephalothorax length varies from 1.86 to 1.98 in males (n 5 6) and from 2.29 to 2.48 in females (n 5 3). Total body length in males varies from 4.09 to 4.58 (n 5 6) and in females from 5.20 to 6.94 (n 5 3).

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Cuba, Santiago de Cuba and Guantanamo provinces (fig. 5).

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED: Paratypes: CUBA: Pico Turquino. vi.1936, P. J. Darlington, 1 female (allotype, MCZ 26241) ; Pico Turquino , vi 1936, P. J. Darlington, 4 males, 4 females ( MCZ 26242 1 female dissected) ; mountains north of Imias , 914– 1219 m. vi.1936, P. J. Darlington, 1 male, 2 females ( MCZ 26243 male used for SEM) .

Cyrtognatha bryantae (Chickering, 1956) , new combination Figures 52–57

Agriognatha bryantae Chickering, 1956a: 2 , figs. 1–5.

TYPE: Male holotype from Jamaica, Hardwar Gap, 27.vi.1954, A. M. Chickering ( MCZ 20613; examined) .

DIAGNOSIS: Cyrtognatha bryantae can be easily distinguished from similar congeners ( C. espanola and C. simoni ) by the arched embolus, which has a semitransparent membrane in prolateral view (fig. 52C). The latter two species lack such membrane. Further- more, C. bryantae differs from C. espanola and C. simoni in the shape of the paracymbium and in having the larger part of the embolus thinner distally (fig. 52A, C). Males can be also easily distinguished by the cylindrically shaped abdomen and the small- er distal tubercle of the abdomen. The females of these three species show significant differences in the morphology of the internal female genitalia. In C. bryantae (figs. 52D, E, 54A–D, G) the posterior sac is longer and widened distally and the median sac is absent. Both C. espanola (fig. 31D, E) and C. simoni (fig. 47D, E) have median sac.

DESCRIPTION: Male (holotype). Habitus as in figure 53A–D. Carapace brown, darker frontally with dark brown edges and with darker pigmentation starting at the PLE, which extends centrally, reaching the fovea. Fovea well marked. Abdomen elongated, gray-brownish and with greenish tones. Reflecting guanine spots almost completely lost in this specimen (but present in paratypes). Dorsally with distinctive pattern centrally (fig. 53A), delimited by lighter grayish longitudinal lines. Total length 4.00. Cephalothorax 1.75 long, 1.32 wide, 0.87 high. Abdomen 2.25 long, 1.17 wide, 1.00 high. Sternum yellowish with darker margins; 0.87 long, 0.80 wide. Clypeus height one AME diameter. AME diameter 0.12. Distance between AME slightly larger than their diameter; AME–ALE distance 2.5 times one AME diameter; AME– PME distance 1.5 times one AME diameter. Distance between PME equal to their diameter. All eyes surrounded by darker pigmentation. Chelicerae (figs. 53B, 55A–C) dark brownish, divergent with a well-developed dorsal tooth. Dorsal tooth close to the fang articulation, with sharp tip and with a very well-pronounced prolateral curvature. Cheliceral fang with well-developed outgrowth. Femur I 3.72, 2.1 times the length of the cephalothorax. Pedipalp as in figures 52A–C, 55E–G, 56A–F. Palpal tibia length 0.17; cymbium length 0.75. Epiandrous fusules as in figure 55D. Leg IV femur as in figure 54I. Spinnerets as in figures 56G, 57A–C.

Female (paratype from the type locality). Habitus and coloration as in male. Abdomen with a well-developed conical distal tubercle, which is situated in its distal third. Chelicerae not divergent, lighter colored, and without dorsal tooth. Total length 5.14. Cephalothorax 1.86 long, 1.55 wide, 0.93 high. Abdomen 3.28 long, 1.65 wide, 2.17

3 Mm; B: 2 Mm; C: 10 Mm.

high. Sternum darker colored than in male; 0.93 long, 0.93 wide. Clypeus height 0.3 times one AME diameter. AME diameter 0.11. Femur I 1.86, equal to the length of the cephalothorax. Vulva as in figures 52D, E, 53E, 54A–H.

Variation. Cephalothorax length varies from 1.22 to 1.75 in males (n 5 32) and from 1.81 to 1.96 in females (n 5 27). Total body length varies from 3.18 to 4.00 in males (n 5 32) and from 4.60 and 5.39 in females (n 5 27).

DISTRIBUTION: This species in known only form the island of Jamaica (fig. 5).

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED: Paratypes: JAMAICA: Hardwar Gap , 27.vi.1954, A. M. Chickering, 1 female (allotype, MCZ 20613) ; Hardwar Gap , 24.vi.1954, A. M. Chickering, 4 males, 3 females ( MCZ 24555) ; Hanover Parish, Askenish, trail to Dolphins Head , 24.vi.1954, A. M. Chickering, 1 male, 1 female ( MCZ 24556) ; Hardwar Gap , 27.vi.1954, A. M. Chickering, 1 male, 2 females ( MCZ 24559) ; Blue Mts., Main Range , 1524–2133 m, vii.1934, P. J. Darlington, 6 males, 2 females ( MCZ 24554, 24558 ) ; Blue Mts., SW side of the Main Range , 914– 1219 m, 13.vii.1934, P. J. Darlington, 3 males, 6 females ( MCZ 24557, one of the females dissected) ; Hardwar Gap , Portland Parish, 1402 m. 28.iv.1955, A. F. Archer, 2 females ( AMNH) . Other material: JAMAICA: Hardwar Gap , St. Andrew Parish, 2.x.1957, A. M. Chickering, 4 males ( MCZ 66553, one male used for SEM) ; Hanover Parish, Askenish, trail to Dolphins Head , 24.vi.1956, A. M. Chickering, 1 male subadult ( MCZ 66554) ; St. Andrew Parish, Hermitage reservoir, 5.xi.1957, A. M. Chickering, 5 males, 1 female ( MCZ 66555) ; St. Andrew Parish, Hermitage reservoir. 30.x.1957, A. M. Chickering, 2 males ( MCZ 66556) ; St. Ann Parish, 3 miles S. Moneague, St. Ann’s Bay Rd , 7.xi.1957, A. M. Chickering, 1 male ( MCZ 66557) ; Portland Parish, Yseen Hills ( Yaseen ?), 12.xi. 1963, A. M. Chickering 1 male, 1 female ( MCZ 66539) ; Hardwar Gap. 22.ii.1955, A. M. Nadler, 1 male ( AMNH) ; Hardwar Gap , Portland Parish, 1402 m. 28.iv.1955, A.F. Archer, 1 male ( AMNH) ; Hardwar Gap , 17.iii.1955, A. M. Nadler, 1 male, 2 females ( AMNH) ; Hardwar Gap. 6.xii.1954, A.M. Nadler, 1 female ( AMNH) ; Portland, John Crown Mts. , 7 mi. WSW of Ecclesdown, 17.viii.1958, Archer, Carr, and Bergey 2 females, 1 male subadult ( AMNH) ; Hardwar Gap , Portland Parish, 1402 m. 28.vii.1953, A. F. Archer, 2 male palps in the vial, 3 females ( AMNH)