Scotinella poncei Chamé-Vázquez & Maldonado-Carrizales, 2023

Chamé-Vázquez, David, Guzmán-García, Carlos Ernesto & Maldonado-Carrizales, Juan, 2023, Two new species of Scotinella Banks, 1911 (Araneae: Phrurolithidae) from Mexico, with a discussion on the female genitalic morphology and intraspecific variation, Zootaxa 5351 (4), pp. 453-466 : 459-462

Scotinella poncei Chamé-Vázquez & Maldonado-Carrizales sp. nov.

Figures 41–58 , 61, 62

Type material. Holotype: 1 ♁ ( CARCIB-Ar-45 ): MEXICO: Michoacán, Morelia, Morelia City , ~ 9 km West of Morelia Historic Center (N19.69922°, W101.28174°, 2044m), J. Maldonado leg., 16/VII/2018.

Paratypes: 1 ♀ ( CARCIB-Ar-315 ), same data as for holotype, except 14/IV/2018 ; 1 ♀ ( CARCIB-Ar-316 ), same data as for preceding, except 19/VIII/2018 ; 1 ♁ 2 ♀ 2 imm. ( CARCIB-Ar-317 ), same data as for preceding, 14/V/2018 ; 1 ♁ 2 imm. ( CARCIB-Ar-318 ), same data as for preceding, 29/V/2019 ; 1 ♁ ( CARCIB-Ar-319 ), same data as for preceding, hand collecting, 25/II /????; 3 ♁ 1 imm. ( CARCIB-Ar-320 ), same data as for preceding, 14/ IV/2018 ; 1 ♀ ( CARCIB-Ar-321 ), same data as for preceding, hand collecting, 17/I/2019 ; 1 ♀ 1 imm. ( CARCIB-Ar-322 ), same data as for preceding, 16/V/2018 ; 1 ♀ ( CARCIB-Ar-323 ), same data as for preceding, 18/VIII/2018 ; 1 ♁ 1 imm. ( CARCIB-Ar-324 ), same data as for preceding, 16/VII/2018 ; 1 ♁ 8 imm. ( CAFBUM-80295 ), same data as for preceding, 16/XI/2018 ; 1 ♀ ( CAFBUM-80731 ), same data as for preceding, 13/VIII/2018 ; 2 ♁ 1 imm. ( ECOTAAR-011500 ), same data as for preceding, 16/II/2018 .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym in honor of Dr. Javier Ponce Saavedra (UMSNH), who significantly contributed to the knowledge of arachnids of Michoacán, Mexico.

Diagnosis. This species appears to be the northern sister species of S. garman sp. nov.; see the diagnosis of that species for details. Both sexes can be separated from those of S. garman sp. nov. by the coloration pattern of the opisthosoma and their smaller size.

Description. Male holotype. Coloration. Carapace brown, reticulated with dark brown maculations, most converging at the center ( Fig. 41 ). Chelicerae yellowish with brown lines. Labium and endites light brown, the former with posterior margin darker. Sternum light brown, profusely suffused with brown maculations except at the center ( Fig. 43 ). Legs with femora brown, darker mainly laterally, other segments pale yellow. Opisthosomal dorsum dark brown with broken median chevron, seen as three elongated marks followed by one whitish spot immediately above spinnerets; opisthosomal sides dark with whitish spots; shiny dorsal scutum covering entire opisthosomal length ( Fig. 42 ); venter with margins black, center with sparse dark grey spots interspersed with yellowish ones; epigastric area yellowish but center with dark maculations ( Fig. 44 ); thin, lateral sclerotized strips posterior of epigastric furrow (black arrow in Fig. 44 ). Carapace, sternum, eyes and cheliceral bristles as the previous species. Palp macrosetae: Fe d0-0-1. Leg macrosetae: Fe I p0-0-2, Ti I V5p, 5r, Mt I V4p, 3r, Ti II V5p, 4r, Mt II V4p, 3r, Mt III with preening brush. Measurements. Total length 1.82. Carapace 0.82 long, 0.69 wide. Opisthosoma 1.00 long, 0.63 wide. Sternum 0.51 long, 0.49 wide. Leg: I 2.51 (0.71, 0.25, 0.63, 0.59, 0.33), II 2.11 (0.61, 0.25, 0.45, 0.47, 0.33), III 1.80 (0.49, 0.22, 0.37, 0.43, 0.29), IV 2.79 (0.75, 0.29, 0.63, 0.69, 0.43).

Palp: Femur with broad and moderately deep groove below femoral apophysis, femoral apophysis hooked and nearer the base of the segment, setose apically. RTA bifid ( Figs 50, 51 ), dRTA longer than vRTA: dRTA mostly straight, acuminate and slightly curved on the distal third ( Fig. 51 ), without basal bump on dorsal margin ( Fig. 52 ); vRTA with blunt apex and striate. Cymbium with several modified setae around embolus tip. Tegulum protrudes ventrally and retrolaterally, rounded in retrolateral view ( Figs 50, 51 ). Embolus short, about one-third of bulb length, strongly curved dorsad (toward the cymbium) as seen retrolaterally ( Fig. 51 ), sinuous as seen ventrally ( Fig. 50 ). Embolar base is large, about the same length as the distal part of embolus ( Fig. 51 ). Conductor broad and slightly sclerotized ( Figs 50, 51 ).

Female paratype (CARCIB-Ar-315). Coloration. Carapace orange-brown with sparse brown maculations ( Fig. 45 ). Chelicerae, labium, endites, and sternum as the carapace; sternum with darker margins ( Fig. 47 ). Legs as male. Opisthosomal dorsum mostly dark grey, with pair of large yellowish spots at the anterior margin, followed by one large median chevron at about half of the opisthosomal length, and then by a whitish spot immediately above spinnerets; without scutum ( Fig. 46 ); venter margins dark grey but center yellowish ( Fig. 48 ); epigastric area slightly sclerotized; sclerotized strips present (arrow in Fig. 48 ). Carapace, sternum, and eyes as male. Macrosetae: as male, except Ti I V6p, 6r. Measurements. Total length 2.37. Carapace 0.94 long, 0.76 wide. Opisthosoma 1.43 long, 0.90 wide. Sternum 0.61 long, 0.55 wide. Leg: I 2.99 (0.82, 0.35, 0.76, 0.67, 0.39), II 2.55 (0.71, 0.33, 0.55, 0.57, 0.39), III 2.13 (0.59, 0.25, 0.43, 0.49, 0.37), IV 3.26 (0.88, 0.33, 0.76, 0.78, 0.51).

Epigyne: epigynal plate longer than wide and sclerotized except on median indentation, which is slightly sclerotized (compare differences tinted color of Figs 53–58 ). Copulatory openings large, deep, touching, situated in the anterior third of the epigynal plate ( Fig. 53 ). Vulva: copulatory ducts restricted to the anterior half of epigynal length, directed posteriorly, then laterally, then again posteriorly toward primary spermathecae ( Fig. 54 ); the last third of ducts thinner than anterior one. Primary spermathecae somewhat pear-shaped, separated by half their diameter; digitiform secondary spermathecae relatively long, reaching the second loop of copulatory ducts, arising from the junction of copulatory ducts with spermathecae ( Fig. 54 ). Fertilization ducts attenuated distally, curved to lateral sides, about the same size of the secondary spermathecae ( Fig. 54 ).

Variation. The single median chevron could be complete ( Fig. 46 ), partially broken ( Fig. 61 ), or entirely broken ( Fig. 62 ), and may be followed by one thread-like chevron, which is barely perceptible (e.g., Fig. 61 ). Furthermore, the females have a striking difference in the size of the atrium and the copulatory openings. Some females have deep and wide atria ( Fig. 53 ). In contrast, others have small atria ( Fig. 57 ). However, we found an intermediate form ( Fig. 55 ). Nevertheless, the females share the condition where the spermathecae are somewhat pear-shaped (not as elongated as in S. garman sp. nov.), and the posterior part of the copulatory ducts does not reach the lateral margin of the primary spermathecae. Also, the secondary spermathecae are long, reaching the second loop of the copulatory duct. Besides, the median indentation is large, usually projecting far from the mid-length of the primary spermathecae (see Figs 53, 55, 57 ). Measurements: males (N=11): carapace length 0.82–0.92 (mean 0.86); width 0.67–0.80 (mean 0.71); females (N=8): carapace length 0.86–0.94 (mean 0.91); width 0.73–0.78 (mean 0.75).

Natural history. This species inhabits urban environments in Morelia city, and specimens have been collected outside of buildings on the sidewalk ( Maldonado-Carrizales et al. 2021). Males were found in February, April, May, July, and November, while females were found in January, April, May, and August. Therefore, both sexes seem to occur primarily during the dry season (January to May).

Distribution. This species is only known from the type locality; see Fig. 63 .

Remarks. Even when there is intraspecific variation in the size of epigynal atria and copulatory openings, all females seem conspecific. This is based on finding an intermediate form between distinct epigynal forms, and we did not find noticeable differences in the male palp. Although males and females also have intraspecific variation in the opisthosomal coloration, the pattern is quite different from S. garman sp. nov. (compare Figs 6 , 59, 60 vs. 45, 61, 62). Finally, several females of S. poncei sp. nov. have their copulatory openings occluded with mating plugs (see Fig. 53 ).

Figures

FIGURES 41–48. Scotinella poncei sp. nov. 41, 42. Male habitus, dorsal view; 43, 44. Same, ventral view (arrow points to postepigastric sclerotized strips); 45, 46. Female habitus, dorsal view; 47, 48, Same, ventral view. Scale bars 41–48: 0.50 mm.

FIGURES 49–58. Scotinella poncei sp. nov. 49. Male palp, prolateral view; 50. Same, ventral view; 51. Same, retrolateral view; 52. Same, dorsal view; 53, 55, 57. Cleared epigyne, ventral view; 54, 56, 58. Same, dorsal view. Scale bars 49–58: 0.10 mm. Abbreviations: Cb—cymbium, CD—copulatory ducts, CO—copulatory openings, E—embolus, in—indentation, dRTA— dorsal branch of RTA, vRTA—ventral branch of RTA, S1—primary spermathecae, S2—secondary spermathecae, T—tegulum, vpb—ventral-prolateral bulge.

FIGURE 59–63. Opisthosomal pattern variation of Scotinella garman sp. nov. (59–60) and Scotinella poncei sp. nov. (61–62). 63. Known distribution of Mexican Scotinella species.

FIGURES 1–8. Scotinella garman sp. nov. 1, 2. Male habitus, dorsal view; 3, 4. Same, ventral view (arrow points to postepigastric sclerotized strips); 5, 6. Female habitus, dorsal view; 7, 8. Same, ventral view. Scale bars 1–8: 0.50 mm.