Lasiodora sertaneja, Bertani, 2023

Bertani, Rogério, 2023, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of Lasiodora C. L. Koch, 1850 (Araneae, Theraphosidae) with notes on related genera, Zootaxa 5390 (1), pp. 1-116 : 84-91

Lasiodora sertaneja n. sp.

( Figs 9 , 16 ─18, 225─254)

Diagnosis. Lasiodora sertaneja n. sp. males and females resemble those of L. franciscana n. sp. by the acicular stridulatory setae on the prolateral coxae (Figs 238─239), thick distal portion of embolus in male ( Figs 225 ─227) and short spermathecae in female (Fig. 230). They can be distinguished from those of L. franciscana n. sp. by the retrolateral distal maxilla covered with well-developed spiniform setae on its upper area ( Figs 236 ─237).

Etymology. The specific epithet refers to “sertanejo”, inhabitant of the “Sertão”, a Brazilian semi-arid hinterland region covered in a scrubby forest (Caatinga), where the new species is found.

Type material. Holotype male ( IBSP 343484 ) and paratype female ( IBSP 343485 ) from Brazil, state of Sergipe, Canindé de São Francisco , U.H.E. Xingó [9°36’S, 37°48’W], Equipe Universidade Federal de Sergipe, 1996.

Other material examined. BRAZIL: Pará: Irituia [1°50’S, 47°24’W], 1 male, L. D. Villares, 5 February 1971 ( IBSP 2604 ) ; Paraíba: without locality, 1 male ( IBSP ref. 29527) ; Pernambuco: Floresta, U.H.E. Itaparica (now U.H.E. Luiz Gonzaga) [8°49’S, 38°32’W], 1 male, 1 female, T. Brazil, January 1989, ref. 58016 ( IBSP 4931 A) ; 1 female, W. Bockermann, May 1988, refs 56598 ( IBSP 4931 E) ; 1 female, same collector and data ( IBSP 4931 D) ; 1 female, same collector and data ( IBSP 4931 H) ; 1 female ( IBSP 4931 G) ; 2 females ( IBSP 4931 C) ; 1 female ( IBSP 4931 F) ; Sergipe: Canindé de São Francisco , U.H.E. Xingó [9°36’S, 37°48’W], 1 female, 1 immature male, Equipe UFS, 1996 ( IBSP 343486 ) ; Capela [10°30’S, 37°3’W], 1 immature male, A. Giupponi, November 2008 ( MNRJ 5059 ) ; Itabaianinha [11°16’S, 37°47’W], 1 male, J. O. Dantas, 11 April 1997 ( IBSP 12040 ) ; Bahia: without locality data, 1 male, 28 April 1975, ref. 16254 ( IBSP 4150 B); Southern Bahia, 1 male, 15 March 1978, ref. 22552 ( IBSP 4150 A) ; Andaraí, Marimbus ( Isabel Preta ), Fazenda Ouro (12°46’9.53”S, 41°19’7.55W), 1 male, R. Bertani, C. S. Fukushima & R. H. Nagahama, 20 February 2008, BA 1485 ( MZUSP 78872 ) ; road junction Andaraí / Mucugê, in direction to Itaetê [12°51’S, 41°18’W], 1 female, P. Gnaspini & A. A. Silva, 09 December 2001 ( MZUSP 78873 ) ; Brumado [14°12’S, 41°40’W], 2 males, W. Tuchudin, refs 16000, 17842 ( IBSP 4127 ) ; 1 male, ref. 20219 ( IBSP 4127 B) ; Caetité (14°15’28.18”S, 42°32’20.43”W), 1 female, C. H. V. Rios, 13 April 2016 ( MNRJ 7766 ) ; Curaçá [8°59’S, 39°54’W], 1 female, R. G. Gurgel, 10 April 2003 ( DZUB 2195 ) ; Feira de Santana [12°15’S, 38°57’W], 1 male, F. Palinger ( IBSP 8763 ) ; Iraquara [12°14’S, 41°37’W], 1 female, A. L. Camargo, March 2005, ref. 94634 ( IBSP 11244 ) ; fazenda Pratinha (12°21’11.3”S, 41°32’48.2”W), track to cave, daytime, 1 male, R. Bertani, C. S. Fukushima, R. H. Nagahama, 16 February 2008, BA 1393, Campo 29 ( MZUSP 78874 ) ; Itaberaba [12°31’S, 40°18’W], 1 female, J. S. Sales, 26 November 1976, ref. 19565 ( IBSP 4464 ) ; Itaetê [12°58’S, 40°58’W], 2 males, D. Pedroso, 07 April 2005 ( MNRJ 5061 ) ; close to Gruta Poço Encantado [12°56’S, 41°01’W], 1 male, B. C. Cabral, 8 April 2004 ( DZUB 2328 ) ; Itiúba [10°41’S, 39°51’W], 1 male, Exp. Acad. Bras. Ci. 6–9 May 1973 ( MZUSP 28577 ) ; Jacobina, Itaitú [11°20’S, 40°29’W], 1 male, P. N. Rocha, 6 February 2018 ( DZUB 9010 ) ; Jequié [13°51’S, 40°5’W], 1 male, J. O. Santos, ref. 76026 ( IBSP 6442 ) ; Jequié, Jequiezinho [13°51’S, 40°5’W], 1 male, M. B. Carvalho, 27 February 2002 ( IBSP 9687 ) ; Manoel Vitorino [14°8’S, 40°14’W], 1 male, J. R. L. Araujo, 26 January 1977, ref. 19850 ( IBSP 4383 ) ; Morro do Chapéu [11°32’S, 41°9’W], 1 male, C. Q. Fortes, 21 March 1978, ref. 22596 ( IBSP 4377 ) ; Morro do Chapéu, Gruta dos Brejões, Centro Excursionista Universitário , 1 female, January 1973, ref. 10895 ( IBSP 2828 ) ; 1 immature male, Soc. Exc. Espeleológica de Ouro Preto , July 1967 ( MZUSP 6272 ) ; Paulo Afonso [9°24’S, 38°13’W], 2 immature males, F. K. R. Stutz, 3 August 1979, ref. 25578 ( IBSP 4458 ) ; Rodelas, Araticum, U.H.E. Itaparica [8°46’S, 38°49’W], 1 female, Equipe de Resgate de Fauna , 30 September 1988 ( IBSP 8544 ) ; U.H.E. Itaparica, 1 female, Usina Hidrelétrica São Francisco, 30 November 1988 ( IBSP 10098 ) ; Salvador [12°58’S, 38°30’W] 1 female, S. Lucas, ref. 28884 ( IBSP 6357 ) ; Santo Estevão, Porto Castro Alves [12°31’S, 39°11’W], 1 immature male, T. Brazil, August 1980 ( IBSP 4552 ) ; São Félix, Pedra do Cavalo dam [12°35’S, 39°0’W], 1 male, T. B. Nunes, July 1980, ref. 28278 ( IBSP 4559 ) ; Seabra [12°25’S, 41°46’W], 1 male, W. Pessoa & F. Ortiz, February 2019 ( MZUSP 78875 ) ; Senhor do Bonfim (sic Vila Nova Baia) [10°27’S, 40°11’W], 1 immature male, E. Garbe, identified as Lasiodora striatipes by Mello-Leitão 1920 ( MZUSP 152 , MZUSP 10885 ) ; Vitória da Conquista [14°52’S, 40°50’W], 1 female, C. C. Fagundes, 31 March 1967 ( IBSP 3813 ) .

Description. Male (IBSP 343484). Carapace 25.37 long, 23.49 wide, chelicera 10.51. Legs (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 22.20, 11.86, 17.38, 18.46, 9.60, 79.50. II: 20.92, 11.04, 15.69, 18.04, 9.74, 75.43. III: 18.75, 9.68, 14.48, 18.29, 9.56, 70.76. IV: 22.14, 10.87, 17.71, 25.63, 10.38, 86.73. Palp: 14.15, 8.28, 11.87, –, 4.40, 38.70. Midwidths: femora I–IV = 4.48, 5.08, 6.20, 4.94, palp = 3.42; patellae I–IV = 4.72, 4.81, 4.95, 4.60, palp = 3.46; tibiae I–IV = 3.78, 3.35, 3.61, 3.48, palp = 3.60; metatarsi I–IV = 2.17, 2.20, 2.25, 2.04; tarsi I–IV = 2.10, 2.13, 2.35, 2.21, palp = 3.22. Abdomen 24.00 long, 17.46 wide. Spinnerets: PMS, 3.18 long, 1.28 wide, 1.82 apart; PLS, 3.69 basal, 2.83 middle, 4.36 distal; midwidths 1.78, 1.35, 1.17, respectively. Carapace: 1.08 longer than wide; cephalic area moderately raised, thoracic striae conspicuous. Fovea: 3.59 wide. Eyes and eye tubercle: Tubercle 0.83 high, 2.36 long, 3.00 wide. Clypeus 0.46 wide. Anterior eye row procurved, posterior slightly recurved. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.61, ALE 0.66, PME 0.45, PLE 0.64, AME–AME 0.54, AME–ALE 0.31, AME–PME 0.24, ALE–ALE 1.98, ALE–PME 0.58, PME–PME 1.50, PME–PLE 0.14, PLE–PLE 2.19, ALE–PLE 0.38, AME–PLE 0.64. Eye group 2.92 wide, 1.47 long. Maxilla: Length 7.55, width 4.16. Cuspules: 273 spread over ventral inner heel. Labium: 3.26 long, 3.57 wide, with 153 cuspules spaced by ca. one diameter from each other on the anterior third center. Chelicera: basal segment with 13 teeth in row on promargin and denticles in basal area. Sternum: 11.10 long, 9.57 wide.

Legs: leg formula: I = IV II III. Length leg IV to I: 1.09. Stridulatory apparatus: Retrolateral maxilla: large spiniform setae on upper and lower areas, interspersed with plumose setae, middle area with some scattered small spiniform setae ( Figs 231 ─232). Leg I prolateral coxa: confluence of sutures region with ca. 15 reddish, acicular stridulatory setae and several short ones (Figs 233─234). Region above sutures with plumose setae and some curved spiniform setae. Region below sutures covered by plumose setae having very incrassate base (Fig. 235). Coxa I retrolateral face covered with plumose setae and a group of small spiniform setae on the upper region. Retrolateral face of coxae II–III lacking small spiniform setae. Coxa II prolateral face with same apparatus as in leg I, in legs III and IV the stridulatory setae are very slender. Scopula: Tarsi I–IV fully scopulate. Metatarsi I–II fully scopulated; III 1/2, IV 1/4 distal. Metatarsus IV divided by row of 2–3 setae. Spination: palp: femur p0-0-1, patella 0, tibia 2-2-1, p0-3-1; leg I: femur p0-0-1, patella 0, tibia v1-0-1ap, metatarsus 0; leg II: femur p0-0-1, patella 0, tibia v1-1-3ap, p0-1-1, metatarsus v2-0-3ap, p1-0-0; leg III: femur r0-0-1, patella 0, tibia v0-2-4ap, p0-1-0, r1-1-1, metatarsus v4- 2-3ap, p0-1-1, r0-0-1; leg IV: femur 0, patella 0, tibia v0-4-3ap, p0-0-1, r1-1-1, metatarsus v19(2ap), p0-1-1, r1-0-0. Urticating setae: Position, type and length range: MA, I, 0.29–0.34; LA, I, 0.26–0.33; MM, III, 0.75–0.78; LM, I, 0.32–0.37; MP, III, 0.75–0.79, LP, III, 0.75–0.77.

Palp ( Figs 225 –227). Bulb pyriform, embolus slightly longer than tegulum length, slightly flattened laterally at distal region, apex short and very thick. Prolateral keels present. PS forming embolus edge distally. A short. R sharp, with a series of very conspicuous denticles on its edge. SA well developed. Bifid tibial spur (Figs 228─229) with processes originating from common base, both straight, retrolateral longest and with a curvature at its distal portion. A single, flattened, rhomboidal spine contiguous to the internal upper face of retrolateral process, and four such spines at the internal face of prolateral process. Metatarsus I curved on its basal third, when folded touches apex of retrolateral process.

Color pattern (in alcohol): Carapace and chelicerae black. Carapace bordered with light brown short setae, chelicerae with some long light brown setae. Legs black with light brown long setae. Coxae of legs ventrally and sternum reddish brown, covered with short velvety dark brown setae. Labium and maxillae reddish brown. Abdomen black with abundant long reddish setae. Femora, patellae, tibiae and metatarsi of legs and palp with discrete light stripes. Apex of leg segments with whitish rings on apex.

Description. Female (IBSP 343485). Carapace 27.16 long, 23.61 wide, chelicera 14.97. Legs (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 19.15, 11.70, 14.70, 13.02, 8.01, 66.58. II: 17.54, 10.74, 12.80, 12.84, 6.98, 60.90. III: 16.03, 9.98, 11.25, 13.97, 7.27, 58.50. IV: 19.46, 10.02, 14.92, 19.22, 7.96, 71.58. Palp: 13.48, 8.77, 9.95, –, 8.82, 41.02. Midwidths: femora I–IV = 4.42, 4.58, 5.65, 4.84, palp = 3.59; patellae I–IV = 4.81, 4.92, 5.12, 5.00, palp = 3.91; tibiae I–IV=3.97, 3.76, 3.93, 4.16, palp = 3.47; metatarsi I–IV = 2.76, 2.74, 2.68, 2.38; tarsi I–IV = 2.70, 2.77, 2.83, 2.75, palp = 2.75. Abdomen 36.91 long, 26.12 wide. Spinnerets: PMS, 3.12 long, 1.65 wide, 2.16 apart; PLS, 3.80 basal, 3.31 middle, 4.58 distal; midwidths 2.46, 2.04, 1.41, respectively.

Carapace: 1.15 longer than wide; cephalic area noticeably raised, thoracic striae conspicuous. Fovea: 4.84 wide. Eyes and eye tubercle: Tubercle 0.88 high, 2.46 long, 3.32 wide. Clypeus 0.64 wide. Anterior eye row procurved, posterior recurved. Eye sizes and inter-distances: AME 0.64, ALE 0.85, PME 0.60, PLE 0.89, AME–AME 0.45, AME–ALE 0.46, AME–PME 0.19, ALE–ALE 2.09, ALE–PME 0.60, PME–PME 1.57, PME–PLE 0.10, PLE–PLE 2.20, ALE–PLE 0.41, AME–PLE 0.67. Eye group 3.11 wide, 1.83 long. Maxilla: Length 8.86, width 4.70. Cuspules: 316 spread over ventral inner heel. Labium 3.65 long, 4.34 wide, with 183 cuspules spaced by ca. one diameter from each other on the anterior third center. Chelicera: basal segment with 10 teeth in row on promargin and denticles on basal area. Sternum: 13.00 long, 10.85 wide.

Legs: leg formula: I = IV II III. Length leg IV to I: 1.07. Stridulatory apparatus: Retrolateral maxilla: large spiniform setae on upper and lower areas, interspersed with plumose setae, middle area with some scattered small spiniform setae ( Figs 236 ─237). Leg I prolateral coxa: confluence of sutures region with ca. 20 reddish, acicular stridulatory setae and several shorter ones (Figs 238─239). Region above sutures with plumose setae and some curved spiniform setae. Region below sutures covered with plumose setae having very incrassate base (Fig. 240). Coxa I retrolateral face covered with plumose setae and a group of small spiniform setae on the upper region. Retrolateral face of coxae II─III lacking small spiniform setae. Coxa II prolateral face with same apparatus as in leg I; in legs III and IV the stridulatory setae are very slender. Scopula: Tarsi I–IV fully scopulate. Metatarsi I–II fully scopulated; III 1/2, IV 1/3 distal. Metatarsus IV divided by a row of 2–3 setae. Spination: palp: femur p0-0-1ap, patella 0, tibia v1-1-4(3ap), p1-2-2, r0-0-1; leg I: femur p0-0-1, patella 0, tibia v0-1-3ap, metatarsus v0-0-1ap; leg II: femur p0-0-1, patella 0, tibia v0-1-4ap, p1-1-1; metatarsus v1-0-3ap; leg III: femur 0, patella 0, tibia v0-1-2ap, p1-1-0, r1-1-1, metatarsus v4-0-4ap, p1-2-0, r0-1-1; leg IV: femur 0, patella 0, tibia v0-1-3(2ap), p0-0-1, r1-0-0, metatarsus v22(4ap), p0-0-1, r0-1-1. Urticating setae: Position, type and length range: MA, I, 0.27–0.31; LA, I, 0.29–0.34; MM, III, 0.70–0.73; LM, I, 0.30–0.32; MP, III, 0.76–0.79, LP, I, 0.31–0.34.

Spermathecae (Fig. 230): Two very short spermathecae separated by heavily sclerotized short area, spermathecal stalk narrower than wide spermathecal bulb.

Color pattern (in alcohol): As in the male.

Morphological variation. As with L. klugi , in this species, there is variation on the distribution and number of spiniform setae on the retrolateral maxilla of the palp. Spiniform setae on the upper region of the maxilla of palp are always present, whereas they are missing on lower, and sometimes the middle region on most specimens ( Figs 241 , 243). Specimens from the northern limit of distribution of the species, notably those from the right margins of Rio São Francisco (São Francisco River) have some spiniform setae on the lower and middle retrolateral area of palp maxilla ( Figs 231 ─232, 236─237). They have also conspicuous spiniform setae distributed on the prolateral coxae, mainly those of the legs I and II (Figs 239─240), which are not conspicuous on specimens from other regions (Figs 242, 244). These geographical morphological differences seem to form a cline, and thus they are herein considered to belong to the same species.

Distribution. Brazil, from the northern boundaries of the states of Bahia and Sergipe in the north, to the extreme north of state of Minas Gerais in the south ( Figs 253 ─254). The São Francisco River seems to be a dispersal barrier to the species in the north. A record for state of Pará ( Figs 17 ─18) is questionable (see distribution and notes on natural history of Lasiodora above).

Natural history. Lasiodora sertaneja n. sp. specimens are found in areas of the biome Caatinga but, as discussed above in “distribution and notes on natural history” under Lasiodora genus, they seem to occur in small patches of forested areas, such as riparian or hillside forests.

The predation event on the bat Pteronotus personatus (Wagner) ( Mormoopidae ) recorded by Dias et al. (2015) in a cave in the state of Sergipe, Brazil, was probably done by a specimen of L. sertaneja n. sp.

Leite et al. (2019) reported the predation of the lizard Ameivula nigrigula (Arias, De Carvalho, Rodrigues & Zaher) by an adult Lasiodora sp. in Itaguaçu, state of Bahia, Brazil, area of occurrence of L. sertaneja n. sp. However, I failed to recognize the single image provided as L. sertaneja n. sp. or any other Lasiodora species. The image resembles Acanthoscurria natalensis Chamberlin , a species that also occurs in that region.

Figures

FIGURE 16. Strict consensus of three cladograms obtained with setk.run and concavity 7.8125. All characters non-additive. Fit = 7.38251, length = 161.30. Absolute/relative Bremer support are in each node. The names of the genera and species in the cladogram are in accordance with the results obtained in the cladistic analysis carried out here, and do not consider the new genera and transfers proposed by Galleti-Lima et al. 2023.

FIGURE 17. Map of Brazil and its relief, showing geographic records of L. benedeni (yellow square), L. camurujipe n. sp. (inverted orange triangle), L. franciscana n. sp. (blue dot), L. klugi (red dot), L. parahybana (light blue triangle), L. sertaneja n. sp. (pink star), and L. subcanens (purple hexagon). “?” represents questionable records.

FIGURES 225─230. Lasiodora sertaneja n. sp. (225─229) male holotype (IBSP 343484). (225─227) left palp bulb. 225, retrolateral. 226, prolateral. 227, dorsal. (228─229) left tibial apophysis. 228, ventral. 229, prolateral. 230, female paratype (IBSP 343485), spermathecae, dorsal. Scale bar = 1mm.

FIGURES 231─235. Lasiodora sertaneja n. sp., male holotype (IBSP 343484), stridulatory apparatus. (231─232) left maxilla, retrolateral. 231, general view. 232, detail of spiniform setae on upper and lower areas. (233─235) left coxa I, prolateral. 233, general view. 234, detail of stridulatory setae. 235, detail of area below suture. Scale bar = 1 mm.

FIGURES 236─240. Lasiodora sertaneja n. sp., female paratype (IBSP 343485), stridulatory apparatus. (236─237) left maxilla, retrolateral. 236, general view. 237, detail of spiniform setae on upper and lower areas. (238─240) left coxa I, prolateral. 238, general view. 239, detail of stridulatory setae. 240, detail of area below suture. Scale bar = 1mm.

FIGURES 241─244. Lasiodora sertaneja n. sp., stridulatory apparatus, variation. (241─242) male (IBSP 4377). 241, left maxilla, retrolateral. 242, left coxa I, prolateral. (243─244) male (IBSP 8763). 243, left maxilla, retrolateral. 244, left coxa I, prolateral. Scale bar = 1mm.

FIGURES 253─254. Maps showing records of Lasiodora sertaneja n. sp. in northeastern and southeastern Brazil. 253, relief. 254, biomes. Forested areas of Fig. 254 are in green shades, on east (Brazilian Atlantic Forest) and on west (Amazon). Brown areas are of Cerrado; and pinkish, Caatinga. There is a questionable record, not represented in the map, for the state of Pará, Brazil.

FIGURES 8–15. Stridulatory setae of prolateral coxa I, males. 8, L. parahybana, Brazil, state of Pernambuco, Cabo de Santo Agostinho. 9, L. sertaneja n. sp. (IBSP 4127B). 10, L. camurujipe n. sp. (MNRJ 7764). 11, L. franciscana n. sp. (IBSP 8050). 12, L. subcanens (IBSP 9546). 13, L. klugi (MNRJ 7742). 14, L. benedeni (IBSP 84328). 15, L. klugi, Brazil, state of Bahia, Ilhéus. Scale bar = 1 mm.