NERUDIA HOGUERA HUBER SP. NOV.

(FIGS 13, 14)

Z o o b a n k r e g i s t r a t i o n: u r n: l s i d: z o o b a n k. org:act: D72E218E-77C9-4026-AF20-DE2D591CFB 4F.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from known congeners by armature of male chelicerae (Fig. 1 3G, H; frontal apophyses in lateral position, relatively long, tip flattened, i.e. wide in frontal view, pointed in lateral view), by shape of procursus (Fig. 13A– C; slender, with simple pointed tip; similar to N. poma), by bulbal processes (Fig. 13D–F; ventral apophysis almost straight, longer than embolus), and by epigynum and female internal genitalia (Figs 13I, 14; epigynal plate with wide posterior indentation; internal genitalia with large median ‘receptacle’, with median sclerite similar to N. poma).

Type material: ARGENTINA – La Rioja: • ♂ holotype; between Chilecito and Famatina; 29.0027° S, 67.4855° W; 1300 m a.s.l.; 9 Mar. 2019; B. A. Huber and M. A. Izquierdo leg.; LABRE-Ar 586 • 2 ♀♀ paratypes; same data as holotype; ZFMK Ar 23889 .

Other material examined: ARGENTINA – La Rioja: • 3 ♀♀ in pure ethanol; same data as holotype; ZFMK Arg159 .

Etymology: The species epithet hoguera (from Spanish meaning ‘bonfire’) is taken from Pablo Neruda’s poem ‘Soneto 22’; noun in apposition.

Description

Male (holotype). Measurements: Total body length 1.53, carapace width 0.68. Distance PME–PME 60 µm; diameter PME 60 µm; distance PME–ALE 20 µm; distance AME–AME 15 µm; diameter AME 40 µm. Leg 1: 5.73 (1.55 + 0.25 + 1.60 + 1.73 + 0.60), tibia 2: 1.35, tibia 3: 1.10, tibia 4: 1.50; tibia 1 L/d: 23.

Colour (in ethanol): Prosoma and legs pale ochre-yellow; with indistinct ochre mark medially on carapace; legs without dark rings; abdomen monochromous light grey.

Body: Habitus as in N. poma (cf. Fig. 1B). Ocular area barely raised. Carapace with indistinct thoracic groove. Clypeus unmodified, only at rim slightly sclerotized. Sternum wider than long (0.48/0.44), with pair of distinct anterior processes near coxae 1. Abdomen globular.

Chelicerae: As in Figure 13G, H; with pair of frontal apophyses in lateral position, directed forward, tip flattened, i.e. wide in frontal view, pointed in lateral view; stridulatory files on pair of low lateral protrusions.

Palps: In general, similar to N. colina (cf. Fig. 4); coxa unmodified; trochanter with indistinct ventral projection; femur cylindrical, slightly widened distally, proximally with indistinct retrolateral hump and prolateral stridulatory pick (modified hair), femur relatively short (length/width: 1.81); patella short; tibia globular (length/ width: 1.05); procursus simple (Fig. 13A–C), slender, with simple pointed tip; genital bulb with weakly curved ventral apophysis, embolus partly membranous, shorter than ventral apophysis (Fig. 13D–F).

Legs: Without spines and curved hairs; with vertical hairs in two rows (prolateral, retrolateral) proximally on tibia 1 only; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 65%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1; tarsus 1 with ~eight pseudosegments, distally distinct.

Female: In general, similar to male but sternum without pair of anterior humps. Tibia 1 in five females: 1.20–1.55 (mean 1.46). Epigynum (Fig. 14A) anterior plate weakly protruding, trapezoidal, with wide posterior indentation; posterior plate large, simple. Internal genitalia (Figs 13I, 14B, D) with large median ‘receptacle’ and sclerite at median line.

Distribution: Known from type locality only, in Argentina, La Rioja (Fig. 3).

Natural history: The spiders were found by turning rocks in ravines on an arid slope. When disturbed, they moved slowly. They shared the microhabitat with two other Ninetinae: Nerudia ola and Gertschiola macrostyla .