Scytodes domhelvecio, Rheims, Cristina A. & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2009

Rheims, Cristina A. & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2009, New additions to the Brazilian fauna of the genus Scytodes Latreille (Araneae: Scytodidae) with emphasis on the Atlantic Forest species, Zootaxa 2116, pp. 1-45 : 18

Scytodes domhelvecio new species

Figs. 59–61

Type material: Holotype: female from Parque Estadual do Rio Doce [19°29'– 19°48' S; 42°28'– 42°38' W], Marliéria , Minas Gerais, Brazil, 1–10 September 2003, Equipe Biota, deposited in IBSP 92403.

Paratypes: BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Marliéria , (Parque Estadual do Rio Doce) [19°29'– 19°48' S; 42°28'– 42°38' W], 2Ƥ, 1–10 September 2003, Equipe Biota ( IBSP 92441, MZSP 28957). Espírito Santo: Linhares (Reserva Florestal Vale do Rio Doce) [19°25' S; 40°04' W], 1Ƥ, June 1997, J. Raizer ( IBSP 14869).

Other material examined. BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Alto Caparaó (Parque Nacional do Caparaó) [20°26' S; 41°52' W], 2Ƥ, 1–7 May 2002, Equipe Biota ( IBSP 92298; 92300).

Etymology. The specific name honours the Archbishop Dom Helvécio Gomes de Oliveira for his efforts to preserve the Rio Doce area that culminated with the creation of the Vale do Rio Doce State Park in 1944.

Diagnosis. Females of Scytodes domhelvecio n.sp. resemble those of S. caratinga n.sp. by the ridged positioning ridges ( Figs. 57, 60 ) and by the round spermathecae on short stalks adjacent to hyaline pockets ( Figs. 58, 61 ). They are distinguished by the larger, rounded hyaline pockets, medially touching each other and by the small, slightly rounded, lateral sclerotized area ( Fig. 61 ).

Description. Male. unknown.

Female (Holotype, IBSP 92403). Carapace very pale orange with brown pattern as shown on Fig. 59 . Chelicerae pale orange with dorsal, longitudinal brown stripe. Pedipalps yellow with scattered brown markings. Labium and endites pale yellow. Sternum pale yellow with brown markings in front of each coxae. Legs yellow. Femur I–IV with ventral pair of longitudinal brown stripes. Metatarsi with scattered brown markings. Abdomen whitish gray with very faint brown pattern ( Fig. 59 ). Total length 3.8. Carapace domed, 1.8 long, 1.6 wide. Eye diameters: PME 0.10, ALE 0.10, PLE 0.12. Lateral eyes on a tubercle. Chelicerae with subapical hyaline keel and five stridulatory ridges. Labium 0.08 long, 0.18 wide. Sternum 0.96 long, 0.80 wide. Leg measurements: I: femur 2.4, patella 0.4, tibia 2.1, metatarsus 2.1, tarsus 0.5, total 7.5; II: 2.0, 0.4, 1.9, 1.5, 0.5, 6.3; III: 1.3, 0.4, 1.0, 1.4, 0.5, 4.6; IV: 2.0, 0.4, 1.6, 1.9, 0.5, 6.4. Palpal femur with stridulatory pick short and stout on triangular and projected socket. Epigynum with ridged positioning ridges separated from each other by twice their width ( Fig. 60 ). Vulva with small, round spermathecae adjacent to large, rounded hyaline pockets, touching each other and with a small slightly rounded lateral sclerotized area ( Fig. 61 ). Abdomen 2.0 long, 1.5 wide, covered with slender hairs.

Variation. Five females: total length 3.4–3.8; carapace 1.8–2.0; femur I 2.2–2.4.

Distribution. Transition area between Atlantic Forest and Cerrado. Eastern state of Minas Gerais to Espírito Santo.

Figures

FIGURES 52 – 61. 52 – 55. Scytodes maromba n. sp. 52. Male habitus, dorsal; 53 – 55. Left male palp (53 prolateral, 54 retrolateral, 55 detail of distal region, dorsal). 56 – 58. Scytodes caratinga n. sp. 56. Female habitus, dorsal; 57 – 58. Female epigynum (57 ventral, 58 dorsal). 59 – 61. Scytodes domhelvecio n. sp. 59. Female habitus, dorsal; 60 – 61. Female epigynum (60 ventral, 61 dorsal) (K = keel; SP = sclerotized process). Scale lines: 0.5 mm.