Schismatothele timotocuica, Moeller & Weinmann & Guadanucci, 2023

Moeller, Wolf, Weinmann, Dirk & Guadanucci, José Paulo Leite, 2023, Genus Schismatothele Karsch, 1879 (Araneae, Theraphosidae): taxonomic notes and seven new species description, European Journal of Taxonomy 861, pp. 78-112 : 100-103

Schismatothele timotocuica sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:231E08A0-0D32-40A6-A7BB-9E232EBAEC82

Figs 17–20 , 67–74 , 87 ; Table 6

Diagnosis

Males differs from those of all other species by the subrectangular tegulum, paraembolic apophysis slightly twisted retrolaterally with straight tip. Shares with those of S. caiquetia sp. nov., S. olsoni and S. merida sp. nov. the absence of keels on palpal bulb ( Figs 67–70 ). Females resemble those of S. caeri sp. nov. by the ventral portion of the spermathecae not fused at base ( Fig. 74 ) but differ from the dorsal portion of spermathecae globose, pointing inward ( Fig. 32 ) and by the presence of abdominal stripes ( Fig. 20 ).

Etymology

The name is in honor of the indigenous nation of Timoto-Cuica, natives of the Venezuelan Andes region, near the type locality.

Type material

Holotype

VENEZUELA • ♂; Mérida, Timotes ; 7 Oct. 2000; D. Weinmann leg.; MZSP 28420 .

Paratypes

VENEZUELA – Mérida • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; MZSP 26080 , 26081 , 77129 . – Trujillo • 1 ♂; Trujillo; 30 Mar. 2000; F. Pribik leg.; MZSP 67502 .

Description

Male (holotype MZSP 28420)

COLOR (in alcohol). Carapace, chelicerae and legs reddish brown, labium and sternum brown, abdomen dark brown with five conspicuous light brown stripes ( Figs 17–18 ).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 15.77. Chelicerae basal segment: length 2.62. Carapace elongated: length 7.17, width 5.93. Abdomen: length 7.43. Clypeus absent. Eye tubercle slightly elevated, sub-rectangular: length 0.69, width 1.43. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior slightly recurved. Eyes and interdistances: AME 0.29, ALE 0.43, PME 0.24, PLE 0.29, AME–AME 0.1, AME–ALE 0.1, ALE– ALE 0.82, PME–PME 0.69, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE: absence of the left PLE, AME–PME 0.11, ALE–PLE 0.09. Thoracic fovea straight, narrow, deep: width 0.79. Chelicerae basal segment with nine well-developed teeth on furrow promargin and a group of ca 20 small teeth on proximal area of furrow. Intercheliceral tumescence absent. Maxillae with ca 100 cuspules, located on anterior inner corner. Labium trapezoidal: length 0.91, width 1.39, with ca 180 cuspules. Sternum slightly oval: length 3.06, width 2.99, with three pairs of sigilla, posterior ones longer than the others with the same distance from the edge.

PALPAL BULB. Without keels, with subrectangular tegulum. Short and thin embolus pointing upward. Paraembolic apophysis, pointing upward below embolus, slightly twisted retrolaterally with straight tip ( Figs 67–70 ). Cymbium with two asymmetric lobes, retrolateral larger and wider; prolateral lobe elongated and laterally flattened; retrolateral lobe with a distal retrolateral protrusion. Palpal tibia swollen, with short spines in a row separated in two groups, one apical group with 4–5 spines and other at retrolateral midline with 4–5 spines near the ventral medial concavity ( Figs 72–73 ).

LEGS AND PALPS. Tibial spur I: prolatero-ventral spur with two separated branches; retrolateral branch slightly procurved, digitiform, with a small spine inserted subapically, prolateral slightly shorter, recurved and with contiguous spine ( Fig. 71 ). Metatarsus I bent retrolaterally to tibial spur. Superior tarsal claws without teeth. Tarsal scopulae: I and II entire with longitudinal band of conical setae, III and IV divided by longitudinal band of conical setae. Metatarsal scopulae not dense, extension: I on distal ¾, II on distal half, III on distal half, IV on less than half. Clavate tarsal trichobothria in two rows, each with ca 10 trichae, interspersed with filiform trichobothria of different lenght. Tarsus IV cracked. Leg formula 4123 ( Table 6 ).

SPINATION (proximal to distal). Cymbium and tarsi without spines. Palp: femur 0; patella 0; tibia (r) 8 megaspines. Leg I: femur (p) 0-0-1; patella 0; tibia (v) 1-3-ap2, (p) 0-1-1; metatarsus (v) 1, (p) 0-1-0. Leg II: femur (p) 1; patella (p) 1; tibia, (v) 2-3-ap3, (p) 1-1-0; metatarsus (v) 1-1-ap3, (p) 1-1-0. Leg III: femur (d) 0-1-3; patela 0; tibia (v) 1-1-ap3, (p) 1-1-0, (r) 2-2-0; metatarsus (v) 1-0-ap3, (p) 0-1-1, (r) 1-2-1. Leg IV: femur (p) 2; patela 0; tibia (v) 1-2-ap3, (p) 1-0-1, (r) 3-2-0; metatarsus (v) 0-2-ap3, (p) 0-1-1, (r) 1-1-0.

Female (paratype MZSP 26081)

COLOR (in alcohol). As in male ( Figs 19–20 ).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 18.84. Chelicerae basal segment: length 3.8. Carapace elongated: length 7.07, width 5.71. Abdomen: length 9.31. Clypeus absent. Eye tubercle slightly elevated, subrectangular: length 0.76, width 1.58. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior slightly recurved. Eyes and interdistances: AME 0.34, ALE 0.45, PME 0.21, PLE 0.31, AME–AME 0.08, AME– ALE 0.12, ALE–ALE 0.92, PME–PME 0.74, PME–PLE 0.04, PLE–PLE 1.09, AME–PME 0.08, ALE– PLE 0.08. Thoracic fovea slightly procurved, narrow, deep: width 1.11. Chelicerae basal segment with 10–11 well-developed teeth on furrow promargin, and group of ca 30 small teeth on proximal area of furrow. Intercheliceral tumescence absent. Maxillae with about 100 cuspules, located at anterior inner

corner. Labium trapezoidal: length 0.91, width 1.55, with more than 100 cuspules. Sternum rounded: length 3.52, width 3.39; with three pairs of sigilla, posterior ones longer than the others with the same distance from the edge.

SPERMATHECAE. Heavily sclerotized, composed of two portions, dorsal and ventral unfused. Ventral portion with two digitiform unfused receptacles, slightly recurved. Dorsal portion with two globose receptacles, pointing inward, with granular aspect ( Fig. 74 ).

LEGS AND PALPS. Superior tarsal claws without teeth. Tarsal scopulae: I entire with longitudinal band of conical setae; II–IV divided by longitudinal band of conical setae. Metatarsal scopulae I–II denser than III–IV, extension: I–II on distal ¾, III on more than distal half, IV on less than half. Clavate tarsal trichobothria in two rows, each with ca 10 trichae, interspersed with filiform trichobothria of different lenghts. Tarsus IV not cracked. Leg formula 4123 ( Table 6 ).

SPINATION (proximal to distal). Tarsi without spines. Palp: femur 0; patella 0; tibia (v) ap3. Leg I: femur 0; patella 0; tibia 0; metatarsus (d) 1-0-ap1. Leg II: femur 0; patella 0; tibia 0; metatarsus (d) 1-1- ap1. Leg III: femur 0; patella (r) 1; tibia (d) 1-0-ap2, (v)0, (p) 0-1-1, (r) 1-1-0; metatarsus (d) 0-1-ap1, (p) 0-1-1, (r) 1-1-1. Leg IV: femur 0; patella 0; tibia (d)0-2-ap3, (p)0-1-1, (r) 0-1-ap1; metatarsus (d) 0-1-ap2, (p) 0-1-1, (r) 1-1-1.

Figures

Figs 17–22. Schismatothele spp. 17–20. Schismatothele timotocuica sp. nov.17–18. Holotype, ♂ (MZSP 28420). 17. Dorsal view. 18. Prosoma, ventral view. 19–20. Paratype, ♀ (MZSP 26081). 19. Dorsal view. 20. Prosoma, ventral view. – 21–22. Schismatothele wayana sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (MPEG 7363). 21. Dorsal view. 22. Prosoma, ventral view. Scale bars = 10 mm.

Figs 67–74. Schismatothele timotocuica sp. nov. 67–73. Holotype, ♂ (MZSP 28420). 67–70. Palpal bulb, prolateral (67), retrolateral (68), ventral (69), and dorsal (70) views. 71. Tibial spur, ventral view. 72–73. Palpal tibiae, right (72), and left (73). 74. Paratype, ♀ (MZSP 26081), permathecae, ventral view. Abbreviations: E = embolus; DS = dorsal receptacle; PA = paraembolic apophysis; VS = ventral receptacle. Black arrow show the retrolateral torsion of paraembolic apophysis. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 87. Distribution map for species of Schismatothele Karsch, 1879.

Figs 23–32. Schismatothele caeri sp. nov. 23–31. Holotype, ♂ (MZSP 47440). 23–27. Palpal bulb, prolateral (23), retrolateral (24), ventral (25), dorsal (26), and frontal (27) views. 28–29. Tibial spur, prolateral (28), and ventral (29) views. 30–31. Palpal tibiae, right (30), and left (31). 32. Paratype, ♀ (MZSP 47427). Spermathecae, ventral view. Abbreviations: A = apical keel; ASt = apical striae; DS = dorsal receptacle; E = embolus; PI = prolateral inferior keel; PS = prolateral superior keel; PT = prolateral tegular apophysis; VS = ventral receptacle. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.