Paratropis pukallucha new species

Figs 6–11, 29B, Map 1

Type material. Female holotype from Esmeraldas province, Cristóbal Colon (00.499804° –79.145808°) 484 m, 17 Feb. 2018, hand collecting, secondary forest, under log, E. Tapia, ECFN 079 (QCAZ). Paratypes: same data as holotype, 1 ♂, ECFN 078 (QCAZ); same data as holotype, 1♀, ECFN 080 (QCAZ); Esmeraldas province, 1♀, Malimpia, Cristobal Colon (00.499804° –79.145808°) 484 m, 15 May 2019, hand collecting under rock of 40 x 40cm, E. Tapia, ECFN 1304 (ZMH-A0025160) ; Esmeraldas province, 1 ♂, Quinindé (00°17’00’’, –79°20’00’’) [00.283458° –79.333212°] 100 m, 09. I. 2005, hand collecting, M. Durango ECFN 7228 (QCAZ) .

Other material examined. ECUADOR: Esmeraldas: Monterrey (–00.039292° –79.492039°) 196 m, 1 ♂, 19. Mar. 2016, E. Tapia, ECFN 863 (ZMH-A0003005) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a non-Latin combination of adjectives (invariable) taken from Kichwa language “puka” + “llucha” meaning “red coloration and bare” referring to the reddish coloration of the species, and body bearing few setae and soil particles.

Diagnosis. Females and males most resemble those of P. kapak sp. nov. and P. esmeraldas sp. nov. but females are differentiated those of from both species by their longer carapace (x 9.30, n = 3) versus (8.62) in P. esmeraldas sp. nov. and (x 7.27, n = 3) in P. kapak sp. nov. Furthermore, female spermathecae heads are slightly constricted (Fig. 8C–E) while, in P. esmeraldas sp. nov., the spermathecae heads are not constricted (Fig. 2C) and, in P. kapak sp. nov., the spermathecae are strongly constricted (Fig. 13C–E). Males are distinguished by their longer carapace, x 7.80, n = 3, versus 5.59 in P. esmeraldas sp. nov. and x 6.88, n = 3 in P. kapak sp. nov. Furthermore, males are distinguished from those of P. esmeraldas sp. nov. by their straight carapace margin (Fig. 10A), deeply notched in the latter (Fig. 4A), and straight embolus tip (Fig. 11B, E) smoothly curving in the latter (Fig. 5D); from P. kapak sp. nov. by their straight embolus tip (Fig. 11B, E) bent in the latter (Fig. 15B, E).

Description. (Female holotype): Total length: 20.04; carapace length: 9.24; carapace width: 8.15; abdomen length: 10.80. Coloration (live): Carapace orange-brown, slightly covered with soil; abdomen dark gray slightly covered with mud particles (Fig. 6A); legs orange, femur IV with black markings, patellae and tibia I–IV with black mark laterally, and metatarsi I–II brownish-black and tarsi I–IV brownish-black (Fig. 6A). CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace: orange, caput arched; fovea straight (Fig. 7A). Chelicerae dark reddish; promargin 10 teeth, retromargin 14 teeth. Labium sub-rectangular, 99 cuspules anteriorly (Fig. 8B). Maxillae longer than wide, anterior prolateral lobe elongated, conical; 68 cuspules spread over ventral surface; outer margin with 64 spinules (Fig. 8B). Sternum length 3.32; width 4.69, oval; three pairs of oval sigilla (Fig. 8B). EYES: Eight eyes on tubercle, height 0.72; AME 0.30; ALE: 0.35; PLE: 0.27, PME: 0.30; PME–PME: 0.67. ABDOMEN: Dorsally dark gray, slightly encrusted with soil, with six transversal rows of spatulate setae; laterally gray fewer and smaller spatulate setae; ventrally gray without spatulate setae (Fig. 7A, B). LEGS: Uniformly orange, lightly encrusted with soil particles. Macrosetae ventrally on tibia, metatarsi and tarsi III–IV; metatarsi and tarsi II. Spinules on leg I ventrally: pat: 1, tibia: 28, metatarsus: 48, tarsus: 21; tarsal scopula absent. Trichobothria: palpal tarsus: 9; tarsus: I:12, II: 10, III: 9, IV: 10; metatarsus I: 5, II: 4, III: 4, IV: 5 (Fig. 9A–H). Legs measurements: I 24.75(7.56/3.49/6.15/5.20/2.35); II 19.08 (5.68/2.38/4.71/4.06/2.25); III 16.68 (4.75/2.46/3.52/3.85/2.10); IV 24.73 (6.91/2.67/6.03/6.08/3.04); leg formula 4123. Tarsus I third claw present; tarsi II–IV without third claw; all paired claws with one tooth. GENITALIA: Two short spermathecae (2.1x longer than wide); spermathecal heads with slight constriction (Fig. 8C); spermathecal head rounded, as wide as long; stalks wider basally than apically (Fig. 8C).

Male (paratype ECFN 078): Total length: 17.63; carapace length: 9.89; carapace width: 9.61; abdomen length: 8.02. CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace dark reddish-brown, caput arched; fovea straight (Fig. 10A). Chelicerae dark reddish; promargin 13 teeth, retromargin 18 teeth. Labium sub-rectangular, 71 cuspules anteriorly (Fig. 10B). Maxillae longer than wide, anterior prolateral lobe elongated, conical; 61 cuspules spread over ventral surface; outer margin with 56 spinules (Fig. 10B). Sternum length 3.74; width 4.77, oval; three pairs of oval sigilla (Fig. 10B). EYES: Eight eyes on tubercle height 0.81; AME 0.30; ALE: 0.34; PLE: 0.21, PME 0.14; PME–PME: 0.66. ABDOMEN: Dorsally dark gray with beige patches, encrusted with soil, with six transversal rows of spatulate setae; laterally dark gray encrusted with soil, with smaller spatulate setae, ventrally gray encrusted with soil without spatulate setae (Fig. 10A, B). LEGS: Uniformly dark orange-brown, lightly encrusted with soil particles. Macrosetae ventrally on tibia, metatarsi and tarsi II–IV. Spinules on leg I ventrally: metatarsus 5, tarsus 1; tibia without conical process (Fig. 29B); apical scopula on tarsi I–III. Trichobothria: palpal tib: drl 4, dpl 5; tarsus I: 10, II: 9, III: 8, IV: 9; metatarsus I: 5, II: 4, III: 4, IV: 3/4. Legs measurements: I 36.55 (9.96/3.52/9.47/9.93/3.67); II 29.06 (7.52/2.71/7.44/8.00/3.39); III 25.45 (7.10/2.70/5.84/6.79/3.02); IV 30.96 (8.47/2.80/7.48/8.70/3.51); leg formula 1423. Tarsus I third claw present; tarsi II–IV without third claw; all paired claws with one tooth. GENITALIA: Palpal: tibia 3.52 length, 1.52 width; bulb + embolus length 3.82, bulb 1.13 width. Subtegulum with shallow notch in ventral view (Fig. 11B); bulb rounded; embolus curving smoothly; embolus tip straight (Fig. 11A–C).

Variation. Female (ECFN 080) carapace length: 8.60; abdomen length: 10.58; female (ECFN 1304) carapace length: 10.06; abdomen length: 11.68. Female body length: 19.18–21.74, x 20.31, n = 3. Male (ECFN 863) carapace length: 6.52; abdomen length: 6.45; male (ECFN 7228) carapace length: 6.99; abdomen length: 6.16; male body length: 12.97–17.63, x 14.59, n = 3.

Distribution. Only know from Esmeraldas province (Map 1).

Natural History. Specimens were collected at 484 m in foothill evergreen forest of the Occidental Cordillera of the Andes (BsPn01) (Guevara & Morales 2013a).