Priscula Astrin et al. 2006: 445 Priscula Astrin et al. 2007: 21 Priscula Ven Huber et al. 2018: 59 On Venezuelan pholcid spiders (Araneae, Pholcidae) Huber, Bernhard A. Villarreal, Osvaldo European Journal of Taxonomy 2020 2020-10-01 718 1 317 9923R 3022704 Huber Huber 2020 [620,869,264,291] Arachnida Pholcidae Priscula Animalia Araneae 260 261 Arthropoda species paila sp. nov.   Figs 924–938, 1062     Prisculasp. –  Astrin et al.2006: 445(molecular data).    Prisculasp.1 –  Astrin et al.2007: 21(molecular data).    PrisculaVen02/80-85 – Eberle et al.2018(molecular data). —  Huber et al.2018: 59.    Diagnosis Distinguished from known congeners by shapes of procursus ( Figs 931–933; distally in lateral view slender and curved towards ventral, with distinctive prolateral pointed process), genital bulb ( Figs 934– 936; distinctive shape of main process, slightly spiraling and pointed), and by large epigynum with distinct transversal dark band separating anterior third from rest of plate ( Fig. 927).    Etymology The species name refers to the typelocality; noun in apposition.     Typematerial    VENEZUELA–  Monagas• ♂ holotype, ZFMK(Ar 22115), along trail from Cueva del Guácharoto Salto la Paila( 10.175° N, 63.558° W), ~  1100 ma.s.l.,  30 Nov. 2002( B.A. Huber).   Other material examined    VENEZUELA–  Monagas• 5 ♂♂, 11 ♀♀, 2 juvs, ZFMK(Ar 22116–17), and 1 ♂, 6 ♀♀in pure ethanol, ZFMK(Ven02/100-24), same collection data as for holotype. –  Sucre• 1 ♂, ZFMK(Ar 22118), Cascada el Chorro( 10.392° N, 63.633° W), ~  160 ma.s.l., near ground at river,  30 Nov. 2002(B.A. Huber).    Description  Male( holotype) MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 4.1, carapace width 1.9. Distance PME–PME 160 µm; diameter PME 150 µm; distance PME–ALE 160 µm; diameter AME 30 µm; distance AME–AME 30 µm. ALE and PLE larger than PME (diameter ALE 220 µm). Leg 1: 33.4 (8.7 +0.8+ 8.6+13.5 +1.8), tibia 2: 6.3, tibia 3: 4.3, tibia 4: 5.7; tibia 1 L/d: 48. COLOR (in ethanol). Carapace ochre-yellow with brown lateral marginal bands and wide median mark including ocular area, clypeus with large brown mark narrowing towards chelicerae; sternum light brown with slightly lighter and darker marks near bases of anterior coxae; legs ochre-yellow to light brown, with darker rings on femora subdistally and on tibiae proximally and subdistally; abdomen ochre-gray, dorsally and laterally densely covered with small black marks, with small white marks arranged in lines and small groups; ventrally grey with large brown marks in gonopore area and in front of spinnerets. BODY. Habitus similar to  P. lagunosa González-Sponga, 1999(cf. Fig. 874). Ocular area moderately raised, with small hump on posterior side. Deep thoracic groove. Clypeus unmodified. Sternum wider than long (1.15/0.90), unmodified. Abdomen higher than long, dorso-posteriorly pointed. CHELICERAE. As in Fig. 937, with short entapophyses, strong lateral projections, and pair of small frontal apophyses; without stridulatory ridges. PALPS. As in Figs 924–925; coxa unmodified, trochanter with short ventral process, femur very long, with small unsclerotized retrolateral process proximally, distally on ventral side strongly sclerotized and slightly protruding; patella ventrally reduced to narrow rim; tibia short relative to femur; procursus ( Figs 931–933) with distinctive distal elements: flat ventral process, heavily sclerotized prolateral pointed process, and extensive fringed membranous structures; genital bulb ( Figs 934–936) with small proximal sclerite connecting to tarsus, main apophysis slightly spiraling, flat and pointed, with sperm duct opening on retrolateral-dorsal side (arrow in Fig. 935), with strongly sclerotized transversal ridge on ventral side and whitish area between transversal ridge and main apophysis.   Figs 924–930.  Priscula pailaHuber sp. nov.; from Monagas, near Cueva del Guácharo (type locality; ZFMK Ar 22116–17). 924–925. Left male pedipalp, prolateral and retrolateral views. 926. Parasitized egg sac and two separated eggs; left egg non-parasitized, showing developing spiderling; right egg parasitized, showing early instar insect larva. 927–928. Epigynum, ventral and lateral views. 929– 930. Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views.   Figs 931–938.  Priscula pailaHuber sp. nov.; from Monagas, near Cueva del Guácharo (type locality; ZFMK Ar 22116–17). 931–933. Left palpal tarsus and procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 934–936. Left genital bulb, dorsal, retrolateral, and ventral views (arrow: sperm duct opening). 937. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 938. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.5 mm. LEGS. Without spines, with curved hairs mainly on tibiae and metatarsi 1–3, few distally on femora 1–3 and on tibiae 4; with more than usual short vertical hairs (but notin high density); retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 6%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all leg tibiae; tarsi without distinct pseudosegments but rather with many small platelets.  Male(variation) Tibia 1 inseven males (incl. holotype): 7.0–8.6 (mean 8.1). Some males with additional indistinct dark rings at about half length of femora and tibiae.  Female In general similar to male. Tibia 1 in 11 females: 4.6–5.4 (mean 5.0). Epigynum ( Figs 927–928) very large relative to abdomen, with distinct transversal dark band separating anterior third from rest of plate; lateral posterior corners whitish and slightly protruding. Without posterior epigynal plate. Internal genitalia ( Figs 929–930, 938) simple, with pair of oval pore plates converging anteriorly.    Distribution Known from two localities in the Venezuelan states Monagasand Sucre(Fig. 1062).   Natural history The spiders were found in a humid forest, where they built their small webs in cavities of the ground and in rock crevices. At Cascada el Chorro the male was found close to the stream, in a small cavity. Three egg-sacs contained about 30– 50 eggseach. In one of them, 48 of the 49 eggswere parasitized (presumably by a wasp; Fig. 926); the only non-parasitized egg was one in the center of the egg-sac. 4989416654 2002-11-30 ZFMK B. A. Huber Venezuela Ar 1100 10.175 Monagas 77 -63.558 Cueva del Guacharo 260 261 1 1 Monagas holotype 4989416622 2002-11-30 ZFMK B. A. Huber Venezuela Ar 1100 10.175 Monagas 77 -63.558 Cueva del Guacharo 260 261 25 17 6 Monagas 4989416453 near ground at river 2002-11-30 ZFMK B. A. Huber Venezuela Ar 1100 10.175 Monagas 77 -63.558 Cueva del Guacharo 260 261 25 17 6 Monagas