NERUDIA GUIRNALDA HUBER SP. NOV.

(FIGS 1F, 25, 26)

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: 7EF740D6-19C7-4A45-97BA-2FB853B8FB 2F.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from most known congeners by shape of procursus (Fig. 25A–C; wide in lateral view, with prolateral–ventral ridge proximally), from the similar N. trigo by armature of male chelicerae (Fig. 25G, H; strong frontal apophyses pointing downward, with flattened tip; set with strong hairs), from some congeners also by bulbal processes (Fig. 25D–F; ventral apophysis slender, weakly curved, same length as embolus), and by epigynum and female internal genitalia (Figs 25I, 26; epigynal plate trapezoidal, medially light, much narrower than posterior plate; internal genitalia with posteriorly wide open receptacle; similar to N. colina and N. trigo).

Type material: ARGENTINA – Catamarca: • ♂ holotype; El Rodeo, trail to Cristo Redentor; 28.2229° S, 65.8677° W; 1460 m a.s.l.; 11 Mar. 2019; B. A. Huber and M. A. Izquierdo leg.; LABRE-Ar 590 • 3 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀, paratypes; same data as holotype; ZFMK Ar 23896 .

Other material examined: ARGENTINA – Catamarca: • 5 ♀♀, in pure ethanol (two prosomata used for molecular study); same data as holotype; ZFMK Arg 166, 167 • 1 ♀; same data as holotype; LABRE-Ar 538 • 1 ♂; El Rodeo; Jan. 1957; M.E. Galiano leg.; MACN 20015 part • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 1 juv.; Mutquin; ~ 28.32° S, 66.13° W; 2000 m a.s.l.; Jan. 1966; O. de Ferrariis leg.; MACN 20050 part.

Etymology: The species epithet guirnalda (Spanish for a ‘garland’) is taken from Pablo Neruda’s poem ‘Sed de ti’; noun in apposition.

Description

Male (holotype). Measurements: Total body length 1.40, carapace width 0.60. Distance PME–PME 70 µm; diameter PME 60 µm; distance PME–ALE 20 µm; distance AME–AME 15 µm; diameter AME 45 µm. Leg 1: 4.80 (1.37 + 0.23 + 1.23 + 1.40 + 0.57), tibia 2: 1.03, tibia 3: 0.87, tibia 4: 1.27; tibia 1 L/d: 18.

Colour (in ethanol): Prosoma and legs pale ochre-yellow; with indistinct Y-mark on carapace; legs without dark rings; abdomen ochre-yellow to light grey, with indistinct internal marks.

Body: Habitus as in Figure 1F. Ocular area barely raised. Carapace with indistinct thoracic groove. Clypeus unmodified, only at rim slightly sclerotized. Sternum wider than long (0.44/0.38), with pair of low anterior processes near coxae 1. Abdomen globular.

Chelicerae: As in Figure 25G, H; with pair of short frontal apophyses pointing downward, with flattened tip, i.e. wide in frontal view, pointed in lateral view; set with strong hairs; 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 length/width: 1.81; patella short; tibia globular (length/width: 1.05); procursus simple (Fig. 25A–C), wide but mostly semi-transparent in lateral view, with prolateral–ventral ridge proximally; genital bulb (Fig. 25D–F) with weakly curved ventral apophysis, embolus partly membranous.

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 62%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1; tarsus 1 with ~six pseudosegments, distally distinct.

Variation (male): Tibia 1 in six males (including holotype): 1.22–1.47 (mean 1.33).

Female: In general, similar to male but sternum without pair of anterior humps. Tibia 1 in ten females: 1.08–1.33 (mean 1.22). Epigynum (Fig. 26A) anterior plate weakly protruding, trapezoidal, medially light; posterior plate wide but short. Internal genitalia (Figs 25I, 26B–D) with posteriorly wide open receptacle.

Distribution: Known from two localities in the Cerro el Manchao region in Catamarca, Argentina (Fig. 3).

Natural history: At the type locality the spiders were found by turning rocks along the trail in low forest.