Loxosceles diaguita sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:D3A0FA32-AC7E-4C34-9830-9A1C599653B4

Figs 3–6, 8D, 10

Diagnosis

Males are easily distinguished from other Neotropical Loxosceles by the shape of the palpal bulb, with a large embolus sided by a keel with several longitudinal grooves (Figs 3C–D, 6A–C). Females are distinguished by the robust, S-shaped stalks of the outer spermathecae and by the reduced inner spermathecae with long, thin stalks (Fig. 8D).

Etymology

The Diaguitas are a Native American tribe whose original territory covered northwestern Argentina and northern Chile, including portions of the Antofagasta Region, the type locality of the species. The name is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Type material

Holotype CHILE: ♂, II Región de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Taltal, 8.1 km NNW of Paposo, 24.93947 S, 70.49265 W, 114 m a.s.l., (MJR-loc-45), desert in bloom, matorrales, manual collecting, 27–29 Oct. 2011, M.J. Ramírez, A. Ojanguren and J. Pizarro leg. (MNHNCL 7946).

Paratypes CHILE: 2 ♀♀, same data as for holotype (MACN-Ar 30185, MNHNCL 7947); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Taltal, 6 km E of Paposo, 25.25 S, 70.25 W, 480 m a.s.l., 12 Oct. 1992, N. Platnick, R. Catley and P. Goloboff leg. (AMNH); 2 ♀♀, Taltal, 4 km E of Paposo, 25.3 S, 70.2 W, 20–50 m a.s.l., 11 Oct. 1992, N. Platnick, R. Catley and P. Goloboff leg. (AMNH); 1 ♀, Paposo, campamento base, 25.00767 S, 70.44678 W, 601 m a.s.l., 26–29 Oct. 2015, R. Botero-Trujillo, J.R. Pizarro-Araya, J.E. Barriga-Tuñón and F.A. Kong leg. (MACN-Ar 37212) .

Note

Males and females

Males and females have been matched because they have been collected in the same locality in two different expeditions.

Description

Male (holotype, MNHNCL 7946)

Carapace, labium, sternum and legs light brown; carapace lacking the dark-coloured violin-shaped median band typical of Loxosceles (Fig. 3A–B). Endites light brown, distally reddish brown. Palp light brown, with distal articles reddish brown. Opisthosoma light gray, with whitish cardiac area. Total length 7.31. Caparace 3.33 long, 3.06 wide. Clypeus 0.42 high. Eye diameters: ALE 0.17, PME 0.17, PLE 0.18. Sternum 1.76 long, 1.5 wide. Leg I: femur 6.38, patella 1.24, tibia 6.52, metatarsus 6.52, tarsus 1.47, total 22.13. II: 7.32, 1.3, 8.65, 7.98, 1.53, 26.78. III: 5.85, 1.22, 5.85, 5.85, 1.3, 20.07. IV: 6.38, 1.25, 6.38, 7.05, 1.5, 22.56. Leg formula 2413. Palpal femur 1.83 long, 0.28 wide. Palpal tibia 0.97 long, 0.4 wide. Palp with a short cymbium, a round and short tegular base, and a large and curved embolus with a sculptured keel running from its base to the tip (Figs 4, 6).

Female (paratype, MACN-Ar 30185)

Colour as in male, carapace hirsute (Fig. 3C). Total length 9.71. Caparace 4.26 long, 3.72 wide. Clypeus 0.57 high. Eye diameters: ALE 0.18, PME 0.18, PLE 0.2. Sternum 2.36 long, 1.93 wide. Leg I: femur 6.12, patella 1.43, tibia 6.92, metatarsus 5.99, tarsus 1.4, total 21.86. II: 6.92, 1.52, 7.71, 6.78, 1.4, 24.33. III: 5.85, 1.44, 5.45, 5.72, 1.34, 19.8. IV: 6.52, 1.47, 6.52, 5.05, 1.47, 21.03. Leg formula 2143. Palp tarsus 1.54 long, narrow (Fig. 3D). Spermathecae with a wide, sclerotized base. Inner spermathecae with long and thin stalks, which are laterally directed so that the outer spermathecae receptacles are placed medially relative to the inner spermathecae receptacles. Outer spermathecae larger than the inner spermathecae, with a robust, S-shaped stalk (Figs 5, 8D).

Variation

Male (n = 2): Total length 7.3–7.6, carapace 3.3–3.8 long, femur I 6.2–6.38 long. Palpal tibia 0.9–1.1 long, 0.4–0.5 wide. Female (n = 4): total length 9.7–10.8, carapace 4.0–4.4 long, femur I 5.8–6.4 long. Palpal tarsus 1.2–1.54 long.

Distribution

Known from three nearby localities near Paposo, Antofagasta, and northern Chile (Fig. 10).