Mazax mokana, Silva-Junior & Martínez & Villarreal & Bonaldo, 2024

Silva-Junior, Cláudio J., Martínez, Leonel, Villarreal, Eduardo & Bonaldo, Alexandre B., 2024, Two fancy spines and a collar: a taxonomic review of the myrmecomorphic spider genus Mazax O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898 (Araneae: Corinnidae: Castianeirinae) in South America, European Journal of Taxonomy 968 (1), pp. 219-255 : 240-243

Mazax mokana sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6B63EE51-8D1A-4714-A21C-750D8D0C6CDC

Fig. 14

Diagnosis

Males of M. mokana sp. nov. resemble those of M. chickeringi in having a 4-4 tibia I ventral spination, the absence of a thoracic groove, and having AS II inserted on a small tubercle, but differ by the presence of an RTA ( Fig. 14I–J ) (absent in M. chickeringi ) and an embolus with two large keels ( Fig. 14I ) (one large keel in M. chickeringi ). Females resemble those of M. chickeringi by the tibia I ventral spination of 4-4 and by the absence of the modified AS II ( Fig. 14B ), but differ by having the CO positioned laterally to the spermathecae ( Fig. 14G ) (nearly superimposed on the spermathecae in ventral view in M. chickeringi ; Reiskind 1969: fig. 223) and by the curved CD (straight in M. chickeringi ; Reiskind 1969: fig. 222).

Etymology

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition referring to the Mokaná, the original occupants of northern Colombia. Mokaná means “without feathers”, which alludes to the absence of feathery hairs on the carapace of this species.

Material examined

Holotype COLOMBIA • ♂; Norte de Santander, La Honda, Playa de Belén ; 8°15′30″ N, 73°11′32″ W; 4 Nov. 2003; IBSP-221867 .

Paratypes COLOMBIA – Sucre • 1 ♀; Colosó, Estación Primates ; 9°32′42.5″ N, 75°24′05.98″ W; elev. 410 m; 6 May 2016; E. Villarreal leg.; IBSP-221918 • 2 ♂♂; same locality as for preceding; 5 May 2016; E. Villarreal leg.; IBSP-345141 . – Atlántico • 1 ♀; Usiacurí, Reserva Campesina La Montaña ; 10.767388° N, 75.042777° W; elev. 177–250 m; 4 Jul. 2016; L. Quijano leg.; IBSP-345142 .

VENEZUELA – Miranda • 1 ♂; Carrizal; 10°21′05″ N, 66°59′36″ W; Nov. 1960; G. Rodriguez leg.; ICN-Ar-4725 .

Other material

COLOMBIA – Atlántico • 1 ♀; Usiacurí, Reserva Campesina La Montaña ; 10°46′26″ N, 75°02′34″ W; elev. 177–250 m; 2016; L. Martínez leg.; IBSP-221896 • 2 ♀♀; same locality as for preceding; 9 Sep. 2009; L. Quijano leg.; IBSP-221922 . – Sucre • Colosó, Reserva Florestal de Coraza ; 9°31′48″ N, 75°21′05″ W; elev. 410 m; 9 Sep. 2010; A. Peñaloza and J. García leg.; IBSP-221907 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; IBSP-221886 • 1 ♂; San Marcos, La Sierra ; [8°39′49.69″ N, 75°07′59.87″ W]; elev. 20 m; Jun. 2003; MUSENUV-Ar 2808 . – Valledupar • 1 ♂; La Macuira, Monte Puma ; 10°36′8.6″ N, 73°17′02″ W; elev. 962 m; 18 Jul. 2015; Carbio team leg.; MUSENUV-Ar 2811 • 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Ecoparque Los Besotes, La Rosa ; 10°34′09.7″ N, 73°16′59.0″ W; elev. 976 m; Carbio team leg.; MUSENUV-Ar 2812 .

Description

Male (holotype)

COLORATION. Carapace red-brown, sternum of same color, chelicerae, sternum, and endites yellowish with spots darker. Legs: coxae I, II, and III white, coxa IV yellowish; I femora with proximal half darker and distal half yellowish-white, other segments yellowish; II and III femora yellowish, with black line on pro- and retrolateral sides, other segments yellowish; IV femora, tibiae, and metatarsi yellowish, with black line on pro- and retrolateral sides, tarsi yellowish. Abdomen gray, with dorsal scute dark brown, with white line along midline and two light spots ventrally, ventral sclerite dark brown.

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 4.65. Carapace 1.98 long, 1.11 wide. Abdomen 2.26 long, 1.33 wide. Sternum 0.90 long, 0.67 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.07, ALE 0.08, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.04, ALE–PLE 0.05, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.05, AME-PME 0.09. Legs: I – 1.32 / 0.40 / 1.38 / 1.13 / 0.80; II – 1.08 / 0.28 /0.95 / 0.83 / 0.65; III – 1.10 / 0.21 / 0.85 / 0.99 / 0.50; IV – 1.65 / 0.44 / 1.63 / 1.66 /0.67.

MORPHOLOGY. Carapace without feathery hairs, thoracic groove absent ( Fig. 14D ), sternum shield-shaped ( Fig. 14F ). Chelicerae with three promarginal teeth, median tooth largest, proximal tooth smaller than distal teeth, and two retromarginal teeth, subequal and equidistant. Abdomen constricted in middle, AS present, with tubercles reduced, feathery hairs on posterolateral side of dorsal scute ( Fig. 14E ), ventral scute present, rectangular ( Fig. 14F ). Palp with retrolateral tibial hair tuft, RTA thin and triangular, embolus short, twisted, directed prolaterally ( Fig. 14I–J ).

LEG MACROSETAE. Femur: I do 1-0-0; II do 1-0-0; III do 1-0-0; IV do 1-0-0. Tibia: I v 2-2-2-2; II v 2-2-2; III v 1-2-0, p 1-0-1, r 0-1-0; IV v 1-1-0, p 1-0-0, r 1-0-0. Metatarsus: I v 2-0-2; II =I; III v 2-2-2, p 1-0-1, r 1-0-0; IV v 2-2-2, p 1-1-1, r 0-1-0.

VARIATION (n = 2). Total length: 4.65–4.77. Carapace length: 1.98–1.31.

Female (IBSP-345142)

COLORATION. Carapace dark brown, chelicerae, endites, labium, and sternum brown. Legs: coxae II and III yellowish, coxae I and IV dark brown. I femora dark brown, distal portion yellowish, other segments of same color; II and III femora yellowish, pro- and retrolateral sides dark brown, other segments yellowish; IV femora, tibiae and metatarsi brownish, tarsi yellowish. Abdomen dark gray, with wide transverse white stripe; DS dark brown, ventrally gray, with two longitudinal stripes. Spinnerets brown.

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 5.68. Carapace 2.17 long, 1.28 wide. Abdomen 2.57 long, 1.33 wide. Sternum 1.00 long, 0.82 wide. Abdomen long, wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.11, ALE 0.12, PME 0.12, PLE 0.13. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.02, AME–ALE 0.04, ALE–PLE 0.02, PME–PME 0.04, PME–PLE 0.04, AME–PME 0.10. Legs: I – 1.59 / 0.48 / 1.68 /1.26 / 0.82; II – 1.40 / 0.48 /1.26 / 1.09 / 0.67; III – 1.32 / 0.42 / 1.06 /1.19 / 0.48; IV – 2.01 / 0.50 /0.98 / 2.05 / 0.61.

MORPHOLOGY. Carapace and sternum as in male ( Fig. 14–C ); chelicerae brown, with three teeth on promargin, median tooth largest, proximal tooth smaller than distal teeth, distal tooth situated closest to median tooth, two retromarginal teeth slightly separated, subequal. Abdomen slightly constricted in middle, AS II absent ( Fig. 14A–B ), ventral scute absent, tracheal scute present ( Fig. 14C ). Epigyne: ST II globose, ST I smaller than ST II, CD thin and short ( Fig. 14H ).

LEG MACROSETAE. Femur: I do 1-0-0; II do 1-0-0; III do 1-0-0; IV do 1-0-0. Tibia: I v 2-2-2-2; II v 2-2-2; III v 1-2-0, p 1-0-1, r 0-1-0; IV v 1-1-0, p 1-0-0, r 1-0-0. Metatarsus: I v 2-0-2; II =I; III v 2-2-2, p 1-0-1, r 1-0-0; IV v 2-2-2, p 1-1-1, r 0-1-0.

VARIATION (n = 4). Total length: 5.68–5.93. Carapace length: 2.17–2.30.

Natural history

The type material was manually collected in a tropical low and dry environment, in a fragment of secondary forest. The average yearly precipitation is close to 1233 millimeters, with an average temperature of 28°C and an average relative humidity of 83.5%.

Distribution

Known from Norte de Santander, Sucre, and Atlántico departments, Colombia ( Fig. 21 ).

Figures

Fig. 14. Mazax mokana sp. nov. A–C, G–H. Paratype, ♀ (IBSP-345142). D–F, I–J. Holotype, ♂ (IBSP- 221867). A. Dorsal view. B. Lateral view (black arrow indicates AS II). C. Ventral view. D. Dorsal view. E. Lateral view (black arrow indicates AS II). F. Ventral view. G. Epigyne, ventral view. H. Same, dorsal view. I. Palp, ventral view. J. Same, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: CD = copulatory duct; CO = copulatory opening; CP = chemocensory patch; E = embolus; FD = fertilization duct; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; ST I = primary spermatheca; ST II = secondary spermatheca. Scales: 0.5 mm.

Fig. 21. Distribution of the species of the Mazax spinosa group.