Antillena Bertani, Huff & Fukushima

Fukushima, Caroline Sayuri & Bertani, Rogerio, 2017, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of Avicularia Lamarck, 1818 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae) with description of three new aviculariine genera 01, ZooKeys 659, pp. 1-185 : 94-96

Antillena Bertani, Huff & Fukushima gen. n. Figs 226, 284, 285-292, 293-294

Avicularia rickwesti Bertani & Huff, 2013: 333, figs 2-19 (holotype female, Dominican Republic, Pedernales Province, Parque Nacional Jaragua, track into park (unmarked) between Manuel Goya (Manuell Goa [sic]) and Oviedo (17°48'41.5"N, 71°26'35.9"W), 83.3 m a.s.l., 09 July 2004, J. Huff and E. S. Volschenk leg., (collecting permit #01496), AMNH, and paratype female, Dominican Republic, Independencia Province: Parque Nacional Sierra de Baoruco, Rabo de Gato (18°18'39.1"N, 71°34'54.4"W), 408 m a.s.l., 10 July 2004, J. Huff & E. S. Volschenk leg., collection permit #01496, AMNH, examined); Kaderka 2016: 121, figs 2-11; World Spider Catalog 2016.

Etymology.

Named after the type locality, the Antilles, where Dominican Republic is located, and is considered feminine in gender.

Type species.

Avicularia rickwesti Bertani & Huff 2013, by monotypy.

Species included.

Antillena rickwesti (Bertani & Huff 2013) comb. n.

Diagnosis.

Female differs from those of other Aviculariinae species by having two very short and broad spermathecae, with distal half strongly sclerotized (Fig. 284). Additionally, they can be distinguished by spiniform setae in prolateral and/or retrolateral side of coxae I–IV. Males can be distinguished by the very flattened embolus with keels (Figs 285-288) as well as abdominal leaf pattern (Fig. 294).

Description.

see species description.

Material examined.

1 male, Dominican Republic, Pedernales Province, Jaragua National Park, Los Tres Charcos, road to Fondo Paradi (17°48'7.45"N, 71°26'5.41"W), R. C. West and J. Huff col., 20 February 2012, matured in captivity 10 April 2014 (AMNH).

Additional material.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Pedernales: 5 km south of Manuel Goya [17°52'N, 71°29'W], 1 female, R. C. West col., 20 February 2012, in silk retreat of scrub tree (AMNH RW01); Jaragua National Park, Los Tres Charcos, road to Fondo Paradi (17°48'7.45"N, 71°26'5.41"W), 1 female, R. C. West and J. Huff col., 20 February 2012 (AMNH).

Female.

See Bertani and Huff (2013).

Male.

Description.AMNH. Carapace: 10.4 long, 9.9 wide, 2.98 high. Chelicera: 6.7 long. Legs (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 9.9, 5.9, 7.7, 8.2, 4.8, 35.0. II: 9.6, 5.5, 7.6, 7.9, 4.6, 33.8. III: 8.1, 4.6, 6.6, 7.1, 4.1, 30.1. IV: 10.2, 5.2, 8.7, 8.4, 3.8, 36.3. Palp: 6.2, 3.6, 4.6, -, 2.5, 21.1. Midwidths: femora I–IV = 2.1, 1.9, 2.2, 2.1, palp=1.6; patellae I–IV =2.0, 2.0, 1.9, 2.0, palp=1.6; tibiae I–IV =1.8, 1.6, 1.6, 1.9, palp=1.7; metatarsi I–IV =1.1, 1.1, 1.0, 1.1; tarsi I–IV =1.1, 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, palp=1.3. Abdomen 14.9 long, 10.7 wide. Spinnerets: PMS, 0.9 long, 0.3 wide, 0.1 apart; PLS, 1.7 basal, 1.0 middle, 2.0 distal; midwidths 1.1, 0.8, 0.6, respectively.

Carapace: 1.24 times longer than wide; cephalic region raised. Fovea: deep, recurved, 1.6 wide.

Eyes: eye tubercle 0.6 high, 1.8 long, 2.5 wide. Clypeus absent. Anterior eye row procurve, posterior slightly recurve. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.60, ALE 0.43, PME 0.28, PLE 0.30, AME–AME 0.34, AME–ALE 0.32, AME–PME 0.16, ALE–ALE 1.78, ALE–PME 0.65, PME–PME 1.49, PME–PLE 0.07, PLE–PLE 1.94, ALE–PLE 0.54, AME–PLE 0.42.

Maxilla: length to width: 1.76. Cuspules: 128 spread over ventral inner heel. Labium: 1.3 long, 1.8 wide, with 61 cuspules spaced by one diameter from each other on anterior half. Labio-sternal groove shallow, flat, sigilla not evident.

Chelicera: basal segment with 12 teeth, second, fourth and fifth the larger; parallel basal row of six tiny teeth on promargin.

Sternum: 5.5 long, 4.5 wide. Sigilla: anterior pair not evident, the other ellipsoidal, less than half diameter from margin; posterior one time and half the diameter of the middle.

Legs: Formula: I=IV II III. Length leg IV to leg I: 1.04. Clavate trichobothria: 2/3 distal tarsi I–IV. Leg coxae with spiniform setae; absent on leg I and prolateral leg II, poorly developed on retrolateral leg I, prolateral and retrolateral leg III and prolateral leg IV. Scopula: tarsi I–IV fully scopulate. Metatarsi I–II fully scopulate; III 4/5, IV 1/2 distal scopulate. IV divided by a row of setae.

Type II urticating setae: 0.77-0.88 long, 0.014-0.018 wide.

Palp (Figs 285-288): globous bulb with small subtegulum lacking prominence on tegulum. Embolus: flattened, bearing three sharp keels: a prolateral superior on its distal half; a prolateral inferior for full embolus length; and an apical for two-thirds of embolus length. Embolus 1.5 long in retrolateral view. Medial portion and tegulum’s margin form an acute angle in retrolateral view. Proximal part slightly curved in frontal view; thin distal width, tapering distally; basal, middle, and distal width of 0.44, 0.37, 0.18, respectively. Tegulum: 1.31 long, 1.18 wide in retrolateral view. Cymbium subtriangular with subequal lobes. Cymbium with well-developed rounded process on retrolateral lobe, bearing thick setae (Fig. 289).

Tibial apophysis (Figs 290-292): single branch on prolateral leg I, with well-developed base and grouped spiniform setae distally. Male metatarsus I touches retrolaterally tibial apophysis’ setae when folded.

Color pattern (Fig. 294): carapace dark brown covered with abundant light brown short body setae especially on its margins. Legs, palps and chelicerae dorsally brown covered with light brown short body setae. Legs and palps with brown long guard-setae. Leg rings on distal femora, tibiae and metatarsi whitish. Abdomen dorsally dark brown with light pattern. Coxae, labium, sternum, maxillae and legs ventrally brown with light brown setae. Tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi ventrally darker. Abdomen ventrally greyish, distal third darker. Living specimens shows intense metallic pinkish short body setae over carapace, dorsal legs and palps. Abdomen is dorsally black with lighter leaf pattern.

Color pattern ontogeny.

See Bertani and Huff (2013) (Fig. 293).

Distribution.

Dominican Republic (Fig. 226).

Natural history.

See Bertani and Huff (2013).