Tutaibo carita Cajade new species

Figs 1, 2, 6, 9A, B

Type material. Holotype. URUGUAY: Durazno. Establecimiento La Selva, near La Paloma city, in natural grassland, 32°31’58.84”S, 55°44’18.84”W, 17–21.v.2022, collected with G-VAC, M. Cajade & M. Simó leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 14441) . Paratypes. URUGUAY: Same data, 1M (FCE-Ar 15577); Durazno, Establecimiento Rincón del Río, near La Paloma city, in firebreak of Eucalyptus dunnii Maiden afforestation in a landscape of natural grassland, 32°32’41.6”S, 55°42’41.4”W, 17–21.v.2022, collected with G-VAC, M. Simó & B. Maldonado leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 15083) ; Durazno, Establecimiento La Teja, near La Paloma city, in natural grassland, 32°40’17.42”S, 55°39’34.67”W, 17–21.v.2022, collected with G-VAC, M. Simó & Á. Laborda leg., 4FF, 4MM (FCE-Ar 14811) .

Additional material examined. URUGUAY: Artigas: Rincón de Franquia, in park forest, [30°12’21.01”S, 57°37’37.02”W], 17–18.xi.2015, collected with G-Vac, M. Simó leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 7707) ; same data, 1M (FCEAr 7711); same data, 1M (FCE-Ar 7717); same locality, in grassland of tussock grasses, 29–30.iv.2014, collected with G-Vac, S. Teijón leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 6108); Canelones: INIA Las Brujas, in “espinillar”, 34°39’41.17”S, 56°20’25.49”W, 21–28.iv.2014, collected with G-VAC, Brussa, Da Silva & Muñoz leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 5023); Cerro Largo: Paso Centurión, Aduana, in natural grassland, 32°8’1.89”S, 53°43’57.31”W, 4.xi.2027, collected with G-VAC, Á. Laborda & D. Hagopián leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 8696); Durazno: Establecimiento La Teja, near La Paloma city, in natural grassland, 32°39’25.81”S, 55°39’11.5”W, 17–21.x.2021, collected with G-VAC, M. Simó leg., 2FF (FCE-Ar 15038); same data, 1 M (FCE-Ar 15015); Establecimiento Rincón del Río, near La Paloma city, in natural grassland, 32°33’44.14”S, 55°42’26.78”W, 17.x.2022, collected with G-VAC, M. Simó & B. Maldonado leg., 2FF (FCE-Ar 15119); Establecimiento La Teja, near La Paloma city, in natural grassland, 32°40’11.26”S, 55°42’12.2”W, 17–21.x.2022, M. Simó & B. Maldonado leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 15064); same data, 1M (FCE-Ar 15050); Establecimiento La Teja, near La Paloma city, in a firewall (natural grassland), 32°39’32.76”S, 55°39’51.91”W, 17.x.2022, collected with G-VAC, M. Simó & B. Maldonado leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 15180); Establecimiento La Selva, near La Paloma city, in stand of E. dunnii afforestation, 32°31’57.75”S, 55°44’30.34”W, 23–26.x.2021, M. Simó & Á. Laborda leg., 1F, 1M (FCE-Ar 13764); Establecimiento Rincón del Río, near La Paloma city, in natural grassland, 32°32’40.52”S, 55°42’51.74”W, 19.x.2022, M. Simó & D. Hagopián leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 13920); same locality, 26.x.2021, M. Simó & D. Hagopián leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 13864); same locality, 26.viii.2021, M. Simó leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 13112); Establecimiento La Teja, near La Paloma city, in stand of E. dunnii afforestation, 32°39’41.45”S, 55°39’58.65”W, 26.x.2021, M. Simó & Á. Laborda leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 13798) ; Establecimiento La Selva, near La Paloma city, in firebreak of E. dunnii afforestation in a landscape of natural grassland, 32°31’56.53”S, 55°44’28.64”W, 17.x.2022, collected with G-VAC, M. Simó & B. Maldonado leg., 2 MM (FCE-Ar 15162) ; Establecimiento La Selva, near La Paloma city, in natural grassland, 32°31’58.84”S, 55°44’18.85”W, 17–21.x.2022, M. Simó & D. Hagopián leg., 4 MM (FCE-Ar 15135); Establecimiento Rincón del Río, near La Paloma city, in natural grassland, 32°33’43.19”S, 55°42’26.68”W, 26.viii.2021, M. Simó & Á. Laborda leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 13500); same data, 2FF (FCE-Ar 13552); same locality, 23.x.2021, M. Simó & B. Maldonado leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 13985); Establecimiento La Selva, near La Paloma city, in stand of E. dunnii afforestation, 32°31’24.65”S, 55°44’26.95”W, 26.viii.2021, M. Simó & Á. Laborda leg., 1F, 1M (FCE-Ar 13499) ; Establecimiento La Teja, near La Paloma city, in natural grassland, 32°40’17.3”S, 55°39’35.45”W, 26.x.2021, M. Simó & M. Cajade leg., 2FF (FCE-Ar 13675); same locality, 26.viii.2021, M. Simó & M. Cajade leg., 1F, 1M (FCE-Ar 13473); Estancia San Eduardo, in natural grassland, 32°35’59”S, 55°42’21”W, 7.x.2019, G. Pompozzi leg., (FCE-Ar 11353); Rocha: Laguna Garzón, “El Bonete”, [34°45’46.48”S, 54°32’45.39”W], 10.xii.2023, Hagopián, Mailhos, Panzera & Costa leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 15965); Salto: Arerunguá Stream basin, Estancia Los Venados, potrero El Corral, in natural grassland, 31°44’4.62”S, 56°44’45.83”W, 8.xi.2010, collected with pitfall trap, Á. Laborda leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 15984); Estancia Trote Largo, in natural grassland, 31°5’22”S, 56°46’57”W, 11.vi.2019, G. Pompozzi leg., 4FF, 2 MM (FCE-Ar 14246); Estancia Corrales viejos, in natural grassland, 31°21’36”S, 56°46’10”W, 14.xi.2019, G. Pompozzi leg., 21FF, 8 MM (FCE-Ar 14484); same locality, 11.ii.2020, G. Pompozzi leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 11480).

Etymology. The species epithet is a noun in apposition, which refers to the loving diminutive of Carolina, the name of the first author’s wife.

Diagnosis. Males of Tutaibo carita sp. nov. can be distinguished from other Tutaibo species with the exception of T. phoeniceus (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1894) by the shape of the distal tegular sclerite, which has the proximal arm broad and curved outward (Figs 1A, 6A); distinguished from T. phoeniceus and other congeners by the position and shape of the prolateral tibial apophysis, which is subapical and peak-shaped (Figs 1A, 6A). Females of T. carita sp. nov. differ from others in the genus, except T. vel ox (Keyserling, 1886) by having a cavity in the margin of the anterior part of the epigynal plate (Figs 2A, B, 6C), and differ from T. velox by the shape of the anterior lobe of the dorsal plate: partially enclosed in T. carita sp. nov. (Figs 2A, 6C) instead of fully enclosed in T. velox (Fig. 8B; Miller 2007: fig. 138F), the size of the depressions in the posterior lobe of the dorsal plate: deep in T. carita sp. nov. (Figs 2A, 6C) as opposed to shallow in T. velox (Fig. 8B), and shape of the anterior cavity opening of the anterior process: rounded in T. carita sp. nov. (Figs 2A, 6C) rather than biconvex in T. velox (Fig. 8B; Miller 2007: fig. 138F).

Description. Male holotype (FCE-Ar 14441). Total length: 1.86. Carapace length: 0.77, width: 0.62. Clypeus height: 0.21. Sternum length: 0.47, width: 0.39. Chelicerae length: 0.23. Abdomen length: 1.08, width: 0.60, height: 0.55. Leg formula: I/IV/II/III. Leg lengths (I/II/III/IV): femora: 0.87/0.76/0.71/0.86; patellae: 0.17/0.17/0.18/0.18; tibiae: 0.80/0.62/0.53/0.74; metatarsi: 0.72/0.47/0.50/0.61; tarsi: 0.52/0.37/0.36/0.37; total: 3.08/2.39/2.28/2.76. Palp (femur, patella, tibia, cymbium): 0.27/0.09/0.15/0.43. Metatarsal trichobothria I‒III present, IV absent. TmI: 0.30. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME: 0.04, ALE: 0.05, PME: 0.05 and PLE: 0.05; AME-ALE: 0.05, PME-PLE: 0.06, AME-AME: 0.04, PME-PME: 0.08. Ocular region raised, eyes with black margins (Figs 1C‒E). Sparse setae present at ocular area, with two strong, stiff and contiguous procurved setae (Figs 1C, E). Clypeus glabrous. Carapace brown, narrowed anteriorly, longer than wide (Figs 1D, E). Chelicerae brown; chelicerae stridulatory striae ~22, ridged; chelicerae paturon with sparse small setae. Chelicerae promargin with six teeth in two groups (four and two teeth) (Fig. 1C), retromargin with four tiny teeth. Endites brown, lighter in the base, with setae. Labium dark brown. Sternum dark brown, with dispersed setae. Palps light brown. Legs long and slender, yellow. Dorsal tibial macrosetae 1-1-1-1. Abdomen elliptic, longer than wide, orange, (Figs 1D, E). Spinnerets pale light brown. Colulus present, ovoid, with setae. Palpal patella with one retrolateral macroseta. Palpal tibia with one retrolateral and one dorsal trichobothrium, a short rounded retrolateral tibial apophysis and a beak-shaped prolateral tibial apophysis (Figs 1A, 6A). Paracymbium L(turned)-shaped, with narrow base and long apex, with two setae (Figs 1A, 6A). Distal tegular sclerite with general shape as a cowboy hat, with hooked apophysis dorsodistally and inward curved proximal arm (1A, 6A). Distal suprategular apophysis long and narrow, with rounded apex (Figs 1B, 6B). Anterior radical process pointed (Figs 1B, 6B). Embolus coiled, long and distally narrow (Figs 1A, B, 6A, B).

Female paratype (FCE-Ar 15083). Total length: 2.06. Carapace length: 0.74, width: 0.61. Clypeus height: 0.15. Sternum length: 0.45, width: 0.43. Chelicerae length: 0.30. Abdomen length: 1.40, width: 1.07, height: 1.10. Leg formula: I/VI/II/III. Leg lengths (I/II/III/IV): femora: 0.86/0.78/0.58/0.92; patellae: 0.20/0.20/0.19/0.20; tibiae: 0.78/0.70/0.50/0.71; metatarsi: 0.69/0.60/0.54/0.64; tarsi: 0.50/0.49/0.34/0.37; total: 3.03/2.77/2.15/2.84. Palp (femur, patella, tibia, tarsus): 0.27/0.12/0.18/0.30. Metatarsal trichobothria I‒III present, IV absent. TmI: 0.34. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME: 0.05, ALE: 0.06, PME: 0.06 and PLE: 0.05; AME-ALE: 0.05, PME-PLE: 0.07, AME-AME: 0.04, PME-PME: 0.06. Eyes with black margins. Setae present at ocular area. Clypeus glabrous. Carapace brown (darker in ocular region), narrowed anteriorly, larger than wide (Figs 2C, D). Chelicerae brown. Chelicerae promargin with five teeth, retromargin with five teeth. Endites brown, lighter in serrula area, with setae. Labium light brown. Sternum dark brown, with dispersed setae. Palps light brown. Legs long and slender, yellow. Dorsal tibial macrosetae 1-1-1-1. Abdomen oval, longer than wide, pale orange (Figs 2C, D). Spinnerets pale light brown. Colulus present, ovoid, light brown, with setae. Palpal tibia with one dorsal trichobothrium; palpal tarsus with two dorsal, one ventral and three ventroectal macrosetae. Epigynum with round spermathecae (Fig. 2B). Copulatory ducts highly sclerotized (copulatory ducts encapsulation present), arising ectally from the spermathecae and following a sinuous path to the posterior part of the anterior lobe of the dorsal plate (Fig. 2B). Fertilization ducts originate in the posterior part of spermatheca and are directed the epigynum (Fig. 2B). Anterior process of ventral plate with rounded anterior cavity (Figs 2A, B, 6B) inwards. Dorsal plate posterior lobe oblong and anteriorly concave, with lateral depressions (Figs 2A, 6B); dorsal plate anterior lobe piriform, and not enclosed anteriorly (Figs 2A, 6B).

Variation: Males (n=5). Total length 1.84‒2.10; carapace length 0.77‒0.88, carapace width 0.61‒0.66; femur I 0.87‒0.92. Females (n=5). Total length 1.79‒2.20; carapace length 0.70‒0.77, carapace width 0.59‒0.61; femur I 0.81‒0.88. Males and females’ abdomen varies from pale to intense orange.

Distribution: Known only for Uruguay (Artigas, Canelones, Cerro Largo, Durazno, Salto, and Rocha Departments) (Fig. 9A).

Natural history: Tutaibo carita sp. nov. was found mainly in natural grasslands (Fig. 9B), herbaceous strata of park forests of Vachellia caven (Molina) Seigler & Ebinger (“espinillares”) and psammophilus forests and scrublands (also known as “restinga” in Brazil). Males were collected with G-Vac and pitfall traps, females with G-Vac. Some males leave the embolus inside the female epigyne after copulation (FCE-Ar 14484 and 15965).