Plato guacharo (Brignoli, 1972)

Figures 11, 12, 23

Wendilgarda guacharo Brignoli, 1972: 372, figs 19–23 (male holotype and eight females paratypes from Cueva del Guacharo,

Monagas, Venezuela, 18.ii.1968, P. Strinati col., deposited in Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève, not examined). Plato guacharo: Coddington, 1986: 33; Lopez, 1996: 192, fig. 8.

Materials examined. VENEZUELA. Monagas: Caripe, Cueva del Guacharo (10°08'03.7"N, 63°21'14.9"W), 2♂, 2♀, xii.2002, A. Perez & A. Giupponi col. (MNRJ 12830, SEM 1♂, 1♀); 2♀, 26.iii.1957, P. San Martin col. (CAS) .

Diagnosis. Males of P. guacharo are identified by the short digitiform conductor apophysis rounded distally, small and strongly sclerotized (fig. 11B). Females are recognized by the conspicuous protuberance of the support in the transversal groove of the epigynal plate, which is transversally flattened (fig. 12D) and by the posteriorly bifid dorsal plate (fig. 12C).

Description. Male (MNRJ 12830). Carapace, sternum, labium and endites light brown. Chelicerae brown. Legs brown, except femurs II, III and IV dark brown. Abdomen grayish, length:0.9. Total length: 2. Carapace length: 1.16. Clypeus height: 0.28. Sternum: 0.52 in length and 0.5 in width. Eyes: AME: 0.1; AME-AME: 0.04; ALE-PLE: contiguous (0.08each); PME-PME separated by 0.07 (PME 0.09). Legs: I femur 1.39/ patella 0.46/ tibia 1.08/ metatarsus 0.8/ tarsus 0.6/ total 4.33; II 1.08/ 0.46/ 0.93/ 0.6/ 0.52/ 3.59; III 0.85/ 0.35/ 0.55/ 0.48/ 0.48/ 2.71; IV 1.06/ 0.35/ 0.7/ 0.54/ 0.46/ 3.11. Palp. Cymbial lamella short and recurved (fig. 11F).. Embolus with thick distal apophysis (fig. 11D). Abdomen oval.

Female (MNRJ 12830). Coloration as in male, except labium, endites and chelicerae dark brown. Abdomen oval, length: 1.74. Total length: 2.6; Carapace length: 1.25; Clypeus height: 0.25; Sternum: 0.65 in length and width; Eyes: AME: 0.08; AME-AME: 0.06; ALE-PLE: contiguous (0.09 each); PME-PME separated by 1 PME (0.1). Legs: I femur 1.5/ patella 0.54/ tibia 1.18/ metatarsus 0.85/ tarsus 0.67/ total 4.74. II 1.33/ 0.52/ 1.05/ 0.76/ 0.64/ 4.3. III 0.93/ 0.43/ 0.7/ 0.5/ 0.48/ 3.04. IV 1.12/ 0.43/ 0.81/ 0.68/ 0.56/ 3.6. Epigynum: epigynal plate uniformly sclerotized (fig. 12B, F). Dorsal plate poor sclerotized, partially covering spermathecae (fig. 12E). Copulatory ducts rounded (fig. 12C).

Variation. 2 males: total length: 2–2.16; carapace: 1.06–1.16; femur I: 1.39. 4 females: total length: 2.4–2.7; carapace: 1.02–1.25; femur I: 1.5–1.7.

Distribution. Caves in department of Monagas, Venezuela (fig. 23).