Nops navassa, Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2018

Sánchez-Ruiz, Alexander & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2018, A revision of the Neotropical spider genus Nops MacLeay (Araneae: Caponiidae) with the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the Nopinae genera, Zootaxa 4427 (1), pp. 1-121 : 47-48

Nops navassa , new species

Figures 27J‒L ; 28A‒F

Types. Male holotype from Forest west of lighthouse (18°23′91″N, 75°00′81″W), Navassa Island, 75m, 30.vii‒4.viii.1998, W.E. Steiner & J.M. Swearingen, deposited in MNHNCu. Female paratype from Central forest area (18°23′99″N, 75°00′67″W), Navassa Island, 70m, 26.vii‒4.viii.1998, W.E. Steiner & J.M. Swearingen, deposited in MNHNCu.

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition, derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Males resemble similar congeners Nops pallidus n. sp. and Nops siboney ( Figs 29B‒C , 31B‒C ) by having a short and curved embolus with a differentiated texture on the surface of median part, but can be distinguished by the wider embolar tip and by lacking the sclerotized margin ( Fig. 28B‒C ). Females with receptaculum without invagination and uterus externus with wide base ( Fig. 28F ).

Description. Male (holotype): Carapace, chelicerae, labium, legs, endites and sternum yellowish orange ( Fig. 28A ); coxae lighter. Abdomen light gray, dorsal pattern as in figure 6I but almost unnoticeable, lighter ventrally. Anal tubercle and spinnerets light gray. Total length 9.2. Carapace 5.8 long, 3.8 wide. Sternum 3.9 long, 3.6 wide. Leg measurements: I: 3.9; II: 3.85; III: 3.6; IV: 4.25. Posterior unpaired claws short ( Fig. 27J‒L ). PLS longer than PMS. Palp with embolus shorter than palpal tibia, slightly curved, with a differentiate texture on the surface of median part ( Fig. 28B‒C ); wide embolar tip with two ventral short extensions.

Female (paratype): Carapace, chelicerae, labium, legs, coxas, endites and sternum as in male. Abdomen as in male ( Fig. 28D ). Anal tubercle and spinnerets light gray. Total length 9.4. Carapace 6.0 long, 3.9 wide. Sternum 4.05 long, 3.8 wide. Leg measurements: I: 4.2; II: 4.0; III: 3.8; IV: 4.5. Posterior unpaired claws and PLS as in male. External genital area with weakly sclerotized anterior plate and strongly sclerotized lep, remarkable ess ( Fig. 28E ). Internal genitalia with receptaculum without invagination and uterus externus with wide base ( Fig. 28F ).

Natural history. Holotype collected with pitfall cup traps in deep leaf litter, mixed interior forest on limestone; paratype collected with yellow pans in gap of mixed forest on limestone.

Distribution. Known only from Navassa Island ( Fig. 25A ).

Figures

FIGURE 25. A distribution of Nops hispaniola Sánchez–Ruiz, Brescovit, Alayón (triangle), Nops ernestoi Sánchez–Ruiz (stars) and Nops navassa n. sp. (square). B distribution of Nops pallidus n. sp. (stars) and Nops enae Sánchez–Ruiz (squares).

FIGURE 27. A–H Nops jaragua n. sp.; A–C female (Oviedo: AMNH); D–I male (Oviedo: FSCA); J–L Nops navassa n. sp., female (paratype), left leg IV. A internal genitalia, dorsal view. B receptaculum and uterus externus, dorsal view. C same, detail, dorsal view. D left palp, prolateral view. E tip of embolus, prolateral view. F tip of embolus, ventral view. G stridulatory pick, prolateral view. H pretarsal claws on left leg III, prolateral oblique view. I pretarsal claws on left leg IV, apical view. J left tarsus, retrolateral view. K unpaired claw, retrolateral view. L pretarsal claws, retrolateral oblique view. Abbreviations: ap—anterior plate, CwL—claw lever, dte—differentiated texture on embolus, ete—embolar tip extensions, pp—posterior plate, re—posterior receptaculum, ue—uterus externus.

FIGURE 28. Nops navassa n. sp.; A–C male (holotype); D–F female (paratype). A habitus, dorsal view. B left palp, prolateral view. C left palp, retrolateral view. D habitus, dorsal view. E external genital area, ventral view. F internal genitalia, dorsal view. Abbreviations: ap—anterior plate, dte—differentiated texture on embolus, ess—sclerotization around spiracles, go—genital opening, lep—lateral extensions of posterior plate, pp—posterior plate, re—posterior receptaculum, ue—uterus externus. Scale bars: 2 mm (A, D), 0.5 mm (B–C, E–F).

FIGURE 29. Nops pallidus n. sp., male (holotype). A habitus, dorsal view. B left palp, prolateral view. C left palp, retrolateral view. D habitus, ventral view. E spinnerets, ventral view. F cephalothorax, ventral view. G distribution map. Abbreviations: dte—differentiated texture on embolus, sm—sclerotized margin on embolar tip. Scale bars: 2 mm (A, D), 0.5 mm (B–C, E–F).

FIGURE 31. Nops siboney Sánchez–Ruiz; A–C male (holotype); D–F female (paratype). A habitus, dorsal view. B left palp, prolateral view. C left palp, retrolateral view. D habitus, dorsal view. E external genital area, ventral view. F internal genitalia, dorsal view. G distribution map. Abbreviations: ap—anterior plate, ess—sclerotization around spiracles, lep—lateral extensions of posterior plate, pp—posterior plate, re—posterior receptaculum, sm—sclerotized margin on embolar tip, ue—uterus externus. Scale bars: 2 mm (A, D), 0.5 mm (B–C, E–F).