Selenops phaselus Muma, 1953

Crews, Sarah C., 2011, A revision of the spider genus Selenops Latreille, 1819 (Arachnida, Araneae, Selenopidae) in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, ZooKeys 105, pp. 1-182 : 112-115

Selenops phaselus Muma, 1953 Figs 161-164Map 13

Selenops phaselus Muma 1953: 42, Figs 71-72 (♂, examined).

Type material.

Holotype male: Kenskoff, Haiti, 2.IX.1934, 4500-5500', P.J. Darlington (MCZ, examined).

Other material examined.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Pedernales: Sierra de Baoruco, 26 km north of Cabo Rojo, trail off side of road, 18°06.490'N, 71°37.316'W, 24.XI.2004, S. Crews, under bark, SCC04_078, 1♀, 1 imm. (EME sel_ 159, 215); Las Abejas, Parque Nacíonal Sierra de Baoruco, 18°08.804'N, 71°37.164'W, ~1400 m, 24.XI.2004, S. Crews, cloud forest surrounded by pine forest, under bark, SCC04_077, 1♂, 1♀ (CAS sel_158, 160); Parque Nacíonal Sierra de Baoruco, Las Abejas, 18°08'30.2"N, 71°38'12.6"W, 10.X.2006, 1500 m, S. Crews, under bark, SCC06_072, 1♂, 2 imm. (MNHNSD sel_632-634). Barahona: Polo Coffee Plantation, 18.07.581 N, 71.16.113 W, 12.VII.2006, 970 m, L. Mahler, on tree, 2♀, 1 imm. (MNHNSD sel_565-566, 585). HAITI: Kenskoff: Belot-Montcel, 18°27'11.3"N, 72°21'06.4"W, 20-21.X.2006, 1566 m, S. Crews, E. Fernandez, under rocks, on buildings, stone walls at night, SCC06_076, 5♂, 2♀, 1 imm. (CAS sel_647-654).

Diagnosis.

Males can be separated from others by the very small RTA, with a quadrangular lateral apophysis and a rounded ventral apophysis, and the embolus which does not curve around the edge of the cymbium (Figs 161-162). The external female copulatory organs are similar to those of Selenops insularis , but the epigynal pockets are as long as the v-shaped genital opening, the internal copulatory organs are shaped differently, and there is no posterodorsal fold (Figs 163-164).

Remarks.

The leg formula given by Muma (1953) was 2341. My measurements give 2314. All of the leg lengths are very close, except for leg II, which is quite long. This is further evidence that leg lengths are probably not the best character to use to determine relationships in this genus. There is some variation in the female copulatory organs. In the majority of specimens, the longitudinal line separating the two lateral lobes is visible between the v-shaped genital opening and the epigynal pockets. In one specimen (sel_160), this line is not present, thus the lateral lobes are inconspicuous. There are no other differences noted in this specimen in genitalic or somatic characters. There is some variation in coloration in both males and females. Preserved specimens can range from a yellowish coloration to a darker more brownish-red coloration in both males and females. In life, the spider is a grey-green to blue-green, almost metallic, perfectly matching the wet, cloud forest lichens covering the trees and rocks on which it lives.

Description.

Holotype male: Color: carapace (holotype) dark red-brown with patches of white setae (recent) uniform brown, some light colored setae; sternum (holotype) orange-brown, darker around border (recent) yellow darker around border; chelicerae (holotype) dark red-brown (recent) yellow-brown with black flecks anterolaterally; maxillae (holotype) light orange-brown, lightening distally (recent) dusky yellow; labium (holotype) orange-brown (recent) light dusky yellow, lightening distally; abdomen dorsally (holotype) yellow-grey with two w-shaped faded patches, one near the top of the abdomen and one near the end, festoon barely visible (recent) dark green-grey with a dark spot medially at most anterior portion of abdomen, some pairs of dark spots and some w-shaped marks, none distinct, dark festoon present; ventrally (holotype) grey, no distinct markings (recent) dusky yellow; legs (holotype) orange (recent) light yellow-tan with some darker annulations, not distinct, femora with dark flecks on anterolateral faces, annulations more obvious on distal part of legs, particularly at the patellar-tibial joint on the tibiae. Carapace: 0.93 times longer than broad; fovea longitudinal, broad, very shallow. Eyes:AER slightly recurved; PER slightly recurved; PME same size as AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.20, ALE 0.08, PME 0.20, PLE 0.23; interdistances AME-PME 0.13, PME-ALE 0.25, ALE-PLE 0.18. PME-PME 1.20. ALE-ALE 2.00; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.43, PLE-PLE 2.05; clypeus 0.10 high. Mouthparts:chelicerae with stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:1.09 times longer than broad, posteriorly indented. Legs: leg formula 2314; scopulae present on distal end of all 4 tarsi; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw per foot slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; Ti and Mt I and II with weak spines; II, Fm pr (L) 1 –0– 0, (R) 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; III, Fm pr 1 –0– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –0– 0; Ti v 1 –1– 0; Mt v 2-0; IV, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –1– 1; Ti v 1; Mt v 1. Abdomen:without terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:Fm, spination d 0 –1– 4; cymbium oval in ventral view; conductor large, arising medially on slightly curved stalk, pointed laterally, attached at lateral margin and medially, forming a circular space where stalk arises; embolus long, curved, though crossing bulb diagonally rather than curving around cymbial margin, basally wide, tapering abruptly, very slender, arising at 5 o'clock, terminating at 1 o'clock; MA wider basally, tapering distally,curving into small distal hook, arising at 3 o'clock; RTA with two apophyses; ventral apophysis curving ventrally, slightly tapered,rounded distally; lateral apophysis curving dorsally, triangular in ventral view, quadrangular in lateral view, slightly bifurcated distally; tibial apophyses barely reaching cymbium in ventral view (Figs 161-162). Dimensions: Total length 7.90. Carapace length 3.73, width 4.03. Sternum length 1.75, width 1.60. Abdomen length 4.18, width 3.03. Pedipalp: Fm 1.00, Pt 0.25, Ti 0.30, Ta 0.75, total 2.30. Leg I: Fm 4.75, Pt 1.75, Ti 3.85, Mt 3.30, Ta 1.50, total 15.15. Leg II: Fm 5.80, Pt 1.75, Ti 4.90, Mt 4.00, Ta 1.75, total 18.20. Leg III: Fm 5.25, Pt 1.25, Ti 4.00, Mt 3.75, Ta 1.25, total 15.50. Leg IV: Fm 5.00, Pt 1.00, Ti 3.90, Mt 3.50, Ta 1.50, total 14.90.

Female (sel_159): Color: carapace brown with some darker patches laterally, and some light colored setae; sternum dusky yellow, darker around border; chelicerae brown, darker laterally; maxillae brown, lightening distally; labium brown, lightening distally; abdomen dorsally tan with dark anteriorly, some chevrons caudally (difficult to see due to torn abdomen), dark flecks, festoon present; ventrally dusky grey with no markings; legs yellow to tan with dark annulations, annulations more prominent than in male, flecks on anterolateral face of femora as in male. Carapace: 0.91 times longer than broad; fovea longitudinal, broad, very shallow. Eyes: AER slightly recurved; PER slightly recurved; AME slightly larger than PME, AME largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.18, ALE 0.05, PME 0.15, PLE 0.15; interdistances AME-PME 0.15, PME-ALE 0.13, ALE-PLE 0.30. PME-PME 1.15. ALE-ALE 1.75; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.45, PLE-PLE 2.00; clypeus 0.13 high. Mouthparts: chelicerae with stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum: 1.14 times longer than broad, posteriorly indented. Legs: leg I only slightly shorter than legs II, III and IV; leg formula 2341; scopulae present on tarsi of all legs and metatarsi of legs I and II; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw per foot slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg II, Fm pr 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg III, Fm pr 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0; Ti v 1 –1– 0; Mt v 1-0; leg IV, Fm pr 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0; Ti v 1; Mt v 1. Abdomen: without tufts of setae. Pedipalp: claw with ca. 6 teeth. Epigyne: Epigynal plate triangular, v-shaped opening medially, genital openings located behind this, lateral lobes fused medially, long epigynal pockets present; internally, short ducts lead posterolaterally to round amorphous spermathecae, posterodorsal fold absent (Figs 163-164). Dimensions: Total length 6.50. Carapace length 3.40, width 3.73. Abdomen length 3.10, width 2.80. Pedipalp: Fm 0.75, Pt 0.35, Ti 0.45, ta 0.75, total 2.30. Leg I: Fm 3.75, Pt 1.25, Ti 2.75, Mt 2.00, Ta 1.10, total 10.85. Leg II: Fm 4.50, Pt 1.00, Ti 4.00, Mt 2.75, Ta 1.00, total 13.25. Leg III: Fm 5.00, Pt 1.15, Ti 3.00, Mt 2.75, Ta 0.90, total 12.80. Leg IV: Fm 4.00, Pt 1.10, Ti 3.00, Mt 2.75, Ta 1.10, total 11.95.

Natural history.

This species is known only from high elevation cloud forests. It has been collected under bark and under rocks, as well as on stone walls and buildings at night.

Distribution.

This species appears to be endemic to the southern part of the island of Hispaniola (Map 13).