Wulfila luisi, Rivera-Quiroz & Álvarez-Padilla, 2019

Rivera-Quiroz, F. Andrés & Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando, 2019, Description of five new Wulfila (Araneae, Anyphaenidae) species from Mexico with comments on the taxonomy of the genus, Zootaxa 4712 (2), pp. 269-289 : 276-279

Wulfila luisi spec. nov.

Figures 6–8 , 14b

Type material: Holotype ♂: MEXICO: Veracruz: Atotonilco de Calcahualco, near the Pico de Orizaba National Park (19°08’17.4’’N, 97°12’16.2’’W, 2300 m), Oct. 4–14, 2012, F.J. Salgueiro-Sepúlveda leg. ( CNAN-T01350 ).

Paratypes: 1♀, with same locality as holotype, Oct. 4–14, 2012, M. A. Hernández-Patricio leg. ( CNAN-T01351 ) . All the following, same data as holotype except as noted : 1♂, 19°08’30.2’’N, 97°12’21.5’’W, 2238 m, Feb. 15–24, 2013 F. J. Salgueiro-Sepúlveda leg. ( CNAN) . 1♀, May 21–30, 2012, F.A. Rivera-Quiroz leg. ( CNAN) .

Further material examined: MEXICO: Veracruz: Atotonilco de Calcahualco , (19°08’30.2’’N, 97°12’21.5’’W, 2238 m), Feb. 15–24, 2013, 1♂, F. Álvarez-Padilla leg. ( CAFC) .

Etymology: The species epithet is dedicated to Luis Álvarez Padilla, brother of the second author.

Diagnosis: Male pedipalp of W. luisi spec. nov. differs from W. albus ( Platnick 1974: fig. 93; Platnick 1978: fig. 1; Brescovit 1997a: fig. 18) by having only three distal “claws” on the tip of the tegular ventral projection (PTV) and a shorter stouter MA ( Figs 8d , 14b ); differs from W. unguis spec. nov. by having the PTV distal “claws” irregular in size and a wider posterior lobe of the PTP ( Figs 14 a–b). Female genitalia of W. luisi spec. nov. differ from W. xilitlensis spec. nov. by having longer AB projected ventrally and spermatheca wider than the Cd ( Figs 5 a–b; 8e–f).

Description: Male: Total length 5.50. Cephalothorax: length 2.25; width 1.37. Carapace glabrous, without pattern, lighter near the lateral and posterior edges, thoracic groove very difficult to see ( Fig. 6a ). Sternum glossy, color pale yellow. Precoxal triangles present, more visible on coxae III−IV, slightly darker than the sternum ( Fig. 6c ). Coxa II with two ventral spurs, coxae III−IV with one spur similar to W. unguis spec. nov. ( Figs 9 b–c). Endites almost square-shaped, labium length ca. 1/2 of endites, same color as sternum. Chelicera: width 0.40, length 1.25; frontally with stout macrosetae ( Fig. 6a ); four promarginal and eight retromarginal teeth; fang length 0.67. Eyes: AER and PER straight in dorsal view ( Fig. 6a ); ALE diameter almost twice as big as AME; posterior eyes subequal in size. Clypeus about 2 times diameter of AME. Abdomen: pale yellow, dorsal surface covered withsmall gray patches; lateral surface with same pattern ( Figs 6 a–b); ventral surface without markings ( Fig. 6c ). Legs: light yellow; leg I and II with two pairs of ventral macrosetae on tibiae and metatarsi; length: I 16.87; II 7.87; III 5.25; IV 10.10; formula I–IV–II–III. Pedipalp light yellow, bulb brown ( Figs 6 d–f); length 3.30. Distal portion of the bRTA harp-shaped, flattened and transparent ( Fig. 8d ). Bulb: PTV elongated, tip with three teeth roughly the same size; PTP flat and wide, with two lobes; PTs long and semi-transparent ( Fig. 14b ); MA semi-cylindrical and projecting retrolaterally. ( Figs 6f , 8a ).

Female: as in male except as noted ( Figs 7 a–e; 8e–f). Total length 5.62. Cephalothorax length 2.37; width 1.75. Chelicera: width 0.30, length 0.85; eight promarginal and 11 retromarginal teeth; fang 0.35. Coxae II–IV with dark prolateral markings; coxae and legs with small iridescent scales. Legs length: I 17.62; II 10.25; III 7.50; IV 11.37. Pedipalp 3.40. Epigyne red, with semi-transparent cuticle. Co near the posterior edge of the epigina ( Fig. 7e ; 8f ). Vulva: Cd almost as long and wide as the S with a small AB before the spermatheca; Fd narrow, projecting anteriorly ( Figs 7e ; 8 e–f).

Variation: Males: total length mean 5.25 (range: 5.12 to 5.50), carapace length mean 2.25 (non variable); width mean 1.44 (range: 1.37 to 1.50). Females: total length mean 5.62 (range: 5.6 to 5.7), carapace length mean 2.25 (range: 2.12 to 2.37); width mean 1.62 (range: 1.50 to 1.75). In both sexes some specimens show darker marking and a few do not show markings at all.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 15b ).

Biology: All specimens were collected in a Quercus forest with secondary plant growth. Adult specimens were found in May and October 2012. Specimens were caught by beating and direct collecting over vegetation.

Figures

FIGURES 5a–b. Wulfila xilitlensis spec. nov. Epigyne: a—dorsal, b—ventral. Scale bar: a–b = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 6a–f. Wulfila luisi spec. nov., male. Habitus: a—dorsal, b—lateral, c—ventral. Palp: d—dorsal, e—retrolateral, f—ventral. Scale bars: a–c = 0.5 mm, d–f = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 7a–e. Wulfila luisi spec. nov., female. Habitus: a—dorsal, b—lateral, c—ventral. Epigyne: d—ventral, e—dorsal (cleared). Scale bars: a–c = 0.5 mm, d–e = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 8a–f. Wulfila luisi spec. nov., genitalia. Male palp: a—ventral, b—prolateral, c—dorsal, d—retrolateral. Epigyne: e—dorsal, f—ventral. Scale bars: a–d = 0.5 mm, e–f = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 9a–f. Wulfila unguis spec. nov., male. Habitus: a—dorsal, b—lateral, c—ventral. Palp: d—dorsal, e—retrolateral, f—ventral. Scale bars: a–c = 0.5 mm, d–f = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 14a–d. Expanded male copulatory bulbs, retrolateral view: a—Wulfila unguis spec. nov., b—W. luisi spec. nov., c—W. conchamonile spec. nov., d—W. phantasma spec. nov. Scale bars: a–b = 0.1 mm, c–d = 0.15 mm.

FIGURE 15. Distribution map of the new Wulfila species. Inset a—showing species collected in Xilitla, San Luis Potosí: ● W. conchamonile spec. nov., and ▲ W. xilitlensis spec. nov. Inset b—showing species collected in Atotonilco and Xamaticpac, Veracruz: ♦ W. luisi spec. nov., + W. unguis spec. nov., and ★ W. phantasma spec. nov. Scale bars: a = 50 km, b = 10 km.