Avicularia purpurea Kirk, 1990

Fukushima, Caroline Sayuri & Bertani, Rogerio, 2017, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of Avicularia Lamarck, 1818 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae) with description of three new aviculariine genera 01, ZooKeys 659, pp. 1-185 : 62-66

Avicularia purpurea Kirk, 1990 Figs 19, 105, 154-157, 158-165, 166-171, 172, 304

Avicularia purpurea Kirk, 1990: 15, figs 1-5 (holotype female, Ecuador, Tena [0°58'S, 77°48'W], approximately 500 m a.s.l., H. Hirschi col., 1989, BMNH 1990.5.22.1 and paratype female, Peru, H. Hirschi col., 1990, BMNH 1990.5.22.2; examined); Bullmer et al. 2006: 7, figs 16-19, 21; World Spider Catalog 2016.

Diagnosis.

Females of Avicularia purpurea resemble those of Avicularia merianae sp. n. by the spermathecae with weakly-sclerotized area at least same length of well-sclerotized area (Figs 154-157). They differ from Avicularia merianae sp. n. by the velvety black abdomen as well as legs and palps with dark short body setae with very intense purple sheen (Figs 168, 170). Males of Avicularia purpurea resemble those of Avicularia avicularia , Avicularia rufa . Avicularia juruensis , Avicularia variegata stat. n., Avicularia taunayi , and Avicularia merianae sp. n. by tibial apophysis on leg I with well-developed base and grouped spiniform setae distally (Fig. 163). They can be distinguished from all these species except Avicularia merianae sp. n. by cymbium lacking well-developed process on retrolateral lobe (Fig. 162). It differs from Avicularia merianae sp. n. by velvety black abdomen, and legs and palps with dark short body setae with very intense purple sheen (Figs 169, 171).

Material examinad.

1 female, Ecuador, Napo, 20 km East of Puerto Napo, Aliñahuí (1°0'S, 77°25'O), 450 m, V. D. & B. Roth col., January 1994 (CAS 11); 1 male, Ecuador, Napo, 25 km East of Puerto Napo [1°01'S, 77°43'W], jungle Aliñahuí, 450 m, E. S. Ross col, January–February 1991 (CAS 3).

Additional material.

COLOMBIA: Putumayo: Mocoa [1°09'N, 76°39'W], Vda. Pepino, 500 m asl, 1 female, T. Sanjuan col., 30 April 1997 ( ICN–Ar- 1990); ECUADOR: Napo: Puerto Napo, 20 km East, Aliñahuí (1°0'S, 77°25'W), 450 m, 1 male, V. D. & B. Roth col., June 1994 (CAS 7); [1°01'S, 77°43'W], 1 male, V. Roth col., June 1994 (AMNH RW52); Río Napo [2°00'S, 74°20'W], 1 female, Gerhard col., 1994 (IBSP 11597); Tena, Cabañas Aliñahui (1°02'54.00"S, 77°36'05.00"W), 1 female, R. Baxter col., August 1994, in silk retreat on side of tree (AMNH RW54); PERU: Loreto: Iquitos, Rio Momon, Amazon Camp (3°41'16.00"S, 73°16'48"W), T. Mason col., May 1994 (AMNH RW33); 1 male, W. Lamar col., 20 August 1997 (MNRJ 06913); Río Yarapa [4°31'S, 73°22'W], 1 female, R. C. West col., 16 November 1993, in a palm tree at night (AMNH RW44); Río Nanay [3°48'S, 73°23'W], 1 female, R. C. West col., 5 November 1993 (AMNH RW45); Ucayali Río Ucayali [7°34'S, 74°20'W], 1 female, R. C. West col., 14 November 1993, in silk retreat on a citrus tree (AMNH RW48).

Female.

Redescription.CAS. Carapace: 15.4 long, 14.02 wide, 3.98 high. Chelicera: 5.38 long. Legs (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 11.69, 7.20, 8.54, 7.25, 5.15, 39.83. II: 10.74, 6.84, 7.99, 7.13, 4.89, 37.59. III: 9.75, 5.93, 7.33, 7.15, 4.42, 34.58. IV: 12.08, 6.47, 10.14, 9.51, 4.31, 42.51. Palp: 8.10, 5.10, 4.72, -, 5.41, 23.33. Midwidths: femora I–IV = 2.81, 3.08, 3.07, 2.90, palp= 2.38; patellae I–IV = 2.95, 2.70, 2.87, 2.98, palp= 2.57; tibiae I–IV = 2.39, 2.30, 2.56, 2.82, palp= 2.49; metatarsi I–IV = 1.92, 1.72, 1.86, 1.71; tarsi I–IV = 2.18, 2.19, 2.01, 2.13, palp= 2.36. Abdomen: 19.26 long, 13.62 wide. Spinnerets: PMS, 1.81 long, 1.19 wide, 1.07 apart; PLS, 2.28 basal, 1.09 middle, 2.74 distal; midwidths 2.38, 1.78, 1.41, respectively.

Carapace: 1.10 times longer than wide; cephalic region moderately raised, thoracic striae conspicuous.

Fovea: deep, recurve, 2.03 wide.

Eyes: eye tubercle 1.17 high, 2.21 long, 3.43 wide. Clypeus 0.12. Anterior row of eye procurve. Posterior row of eyes slightly recurve. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.75, ALE 0.72, PME 0.27, PLE 0.62, AME–AME 0.6, AME–ALE 0.47, AME–PME 0.25, ALE–ALE 2.19, ALE–PME 0.63, PME–PME 2.06, PME–PLE 0.23, PLE–PLE 2.67, ALE–PLE 0.48, AME–PLE 0.67.

Maxilla length to width: 1.89. Cuspules: 100-200 spread over ventral inner heel. Labium: 2.03 long, 2.46 wide, with 108 cuspules spaced by one diameter from each other on anterior half. Labio-sternal groove shallow and flattened, sigilla not evident.

Chelicera: basal segment with 14 teeth and some small teeth on promargin. Sternum: 7.56 long, 6.27 wide. Sigilla: three pairs, elipsoidal posterior, in 45°angle, less than one diameter from margin; fusiform median, less than one diameter from margin; anterior not evident.

Legs: Formula: IV=I II III. Length leg IV to leg I: 1.07. Clavate trichobothria: distal 1/2 of tarsi I–IV. Scopula: Tarsi I–IV fully scopulate, IV divided by a wide band of setae. Metatarsi I–II fully scopulate; III on distal 2/3; IV, on distal 1/3. IV divided by wide band of setae.

Type II urticating setae: 0.53-0.58 long, 0.011-0.014 wide.

Spermathecae (Fig. 154): two completely separated, not-twisted long spermathecae, with walls lacking projections or lobes and accentuated outwards curvature medially. Midwidth as wide as its base width and weakly-sclerotized area at least same length of well-sclerotized area.

Color pattern (Figs 168): carapace brown with golden short body setae with very intense purple sheen. Carapace border with long setae the same color as dorsal cara pace short body setae. Coxae, labium, sternum and maxillae brown, with the same color of ventral femora. All ventral parts, specially sternum, covered by longer setae. Legs and palps with brown short body setae with very intense purple sheen and brown long guard-setae. Leg rings on distal femora, tibiae and metatarsi whitish. Abdomen dorsum with long brown guard-setae homogeneously distributed and black short body setae, with velvety aspect (Fig. 304). Abdomen venter brown.

Male.

Description.

CAS. Carapace: 11.98 long, 10.74 wide, 2.85 high. Chelicera: 3.79 long. Legs (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 12.59, 6.43, 9.70, 9.13, 5.68, 43.53. II: 11.82, 5.86, 9.35, 8.78, 5.18, 40.99. III: 10.47, 5.26, 8.36, 8.54, 4.77, 37.40. IV: 13.16, 5.27, 11.04, 11.25, 4.68, 45.40. Palp: 6.97, 4.35, 5.55, -, 2.32, 19.15. Midwidths: femora I–IV = 2.08, 2.49, 2.18, 2.20, palp= 1.71; patellae I–IV = 2.22, 2.21, 2.15, 2.28, palp= 1.68; tibiae I–IV = 1.64, 1.73, 1.86, 1.89, palp= 1.65; metatarsi I–IV = 1.35, 1.31, 1.25, 1.23; tarsi I–IV = 1.63, 1.58, 1.65, 1.53, palp= 1.69. Abdomen: 13.09 long, 7.88 wide. Spinnerets: PMS, 1.57 long, 0.79 wide, 0.29 apart; PLS, 2.00 basal, 1.12 middle, 2.78 distal; midwidths 1.42, 1.29, 0.92, respectively.

As in female, except:

Carapace: 1.12 times longer than wide; cephalic region not raised, thoracic striae inconspicuous.

Fovea: straight, 1.14 wide.

Eyes: eye tubercle 0.60 high, 1.73 long, 2.54 wide. Clypeus 0.30. Eye size and interdistances: AME 0.58, ALE 0.67, PME 0.22, PLE 0.42, AME–AME 0.48, AME–ALE 0.36, AME–PME 0.20, ALE–ALE 1.66, ALE–PME 0.74, PME–PME 1.52, PME–PLE 0.07, PLE–PLE 1.95, ALE–PLE 0.40, AME–PLE 0.43.

Maxilla: length to width: 2.07. Labium: 1.33 long, 1.92 wide, with 120 cuspules spaced by one diameter from each other on the anterior half.

Chelicera: basal segment with 11 teeth and some small teeth on promargin. Sternum: 5.78 long, 4.81 wide. Sigilla: three pairs, posterior and median rounded, large, less than one diameter from margin; anterior not evident.

Legs: Length leg IV to leg I: 1.04. Scopula: Metatarsi IV scopulate in distal 1/4. IV divided by band of setae.

Type II urticating setae: 0.78-0.83 long, 0.015-0.017 wide.

Palp (Figs 158-161): globous bulb with small subtegulum and developed prominence on tegulum. Embolus: not flattened, lacking keels, 3.5 long in retrolateral view, about 3.0 times tegulum’s length. Medial portion and tegulum’s margin form an acute angle in retrolateral view. Proximal part very curved in frontal view; thin distal width, tapering distally; basal, middle, and distal width 0.68, 0.18, 0.05, respectively. Tegulum: 1.96 long, 1.66 high in retrolateral view. Cymbium subtriangular with subequal lobes, lacking well-developed process on retrolateral lobe (Fig. 162).

Tibial apophysis (Figs 163-165): single branch on prolateral leg I, with well-developed base and grouped spiniform setae distally. Male metatarsus I touches retrolaterally tibial apophysis’ setae when folded.

Color pattern ontogeny.

Juveniles present green metallic sheen, all articles with blackish color and abdomen dorsum with central longitudinal black stripe connected with all transversal black stripes of each side (Fig. 167). When mature, both males and females lose this pattern (Figs 168-171).

Variation.

We found two different morphotypes among the examined material (Fig. 172). The northern form is the same holotype’s morphotype (Figs 168-169). The southern form has very discrete grizzled setae in palps and legs, and less intense purple sheen in short body setae of carapace, legs, and palps (Figs 170-171). Females of the southern form have abdomen with light brown guard-setae homogeneously distributed, with a couple of reddish brown lateral stripes until penultimate or ultimate molt, distinct from the velvety black dorsal abdomen of the northern morphotype. Males from southern and northern form showed no morphological difference among them (Figs 169, 171).

Distribution.

Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru (Fig. 105).

Natural history.

Specimens were found in anthrophized areas, such as cultivated areas and cattle pastures with dispersed trees, near Tena, Ecuador ( Kirk 1990). They are arboreals, making their retreats in tree holes, epiphytes, and inside houses and other human constructions ( Kirk 1990). Specimens of the southern form were found in natural cavities of living palms or citrus-like trees in open forested fringes or in gallery forest areas (Rick West, pers. comm.). They use bark and organic debris to camouflage the partially exposed webbed retreat, which lies about 25 cm from soil (Rick West, pers. comm.).