NERUDIA COLINA HUBER SP. NOV.

(FIGS 1A, 4–8)

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. o r g: a c t: 7 B 3 5 8 F E A - C 1 C A - 4 8 4 1 - B B D A - DF46379B51C0.

Diagnosis: Distinguished from known congeners by shapes of procursus (Fig. 5A–C; with subdistal ventral sclerite, partly semi-transparent flat tip) and by armature of male chelicerae (Fig. 5G, H; frontal apophysis with wide and flat tip, in frontal view slightly bifid; similar to N. poma); from some congeners also by bulbal processes (Fig. 5D–F; ventral apophysis distally slender, curved towards ventral, same length as embolus) and by epigynum and female internal genitalia (Figs 5I, 6; epigynal plate with indistinct posterior and anterior median indentations; internal genitalia with posteriorly wide open ‘receptacle’; similar to N. guirnalda).

Type material: ARGENTINA – Jujuy: • ♂ holotype; between San Salvador and Purmamarca, ‘site 2’; 23.8849° S, 65.4613° W; 2150 m a.s.l.; 16–17 March 2019; B. A. Huber and M. A. Izquierdo leg.; LABRE-Ar 584 • 3 ♂♂, 4 ♀♀ , paratypes (one male used for SEM); same data as holotype; ZFMK Ar 23883 .

Other material examined: ARGENTINA – Jujuy: • 14 ♀♀, in pure ethanol (two females used for SEM; three female prosomata used for molecular study); same data as holotype; ZFMK Arg 178 • 2 ♀♀; same data as holotype; LABRE-Ar 537 • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, in pure ethanol; between San Salvador and Purmamarca, ‘site1’; 23.8866° S, 65.4588° W; 2100 m a.s.l.; under rocks; 16–17 Mar. 2019; B. A. Huber and M. A. Izquierdo leg.; LABRE-Ar 549 • 2 ♀♀, 1 juv., in pure ethanol; same data as preceding; LABRE-Ar 559 .

Etymology: The species epithet colina (Spanish for ‘hill’) is taken from Pablo Neruda’s poem ‘Poema 1’; noun in apposition.

Description

Male (holotype). Measurements: Total body length 1.75, carapace width 0.72. Distance PME–PME 70 µm; diameter PME 50 µm; distance PME–ALE 20 µm; distance AME–AME 15 µm; diameter AME 40 µm. Leg 1: 5.94 (1.60 + 0.27 + 1.60 + 1.77 + 0.70), tibia 2: 1.37, tibia 3: 1.10, tibia 4: 1.50; tibia 1 L/d: 21.

Colour (in ethanol): Prosoma and legs mostly pale ochre-grey; ocular area, thoracic groove, and clypeus light brown; legs without dark rings; abdomen monochromous grey.

Body: Habitus as in N. poma (cf. Fig. 1B). Ocular area barely raised. Carapace with indistinct thoracic groove. Clypeus unmodified except for pair of indentations for genital bulb at rest (Fig. 7A). Sternum wider than long (0.52/0.36), with pair of distinct anterior processes near coxae 1. Abdomen globular.

Chelicerae: As in Figure 5G, H; pair of frontal apophyses directed downwards, with slightly bifid tip slightly flattened in lateral view (Fig. 7A, C); stridulatory files on pair of low lateral protrusions (Fig. 7C).

Palps: As in Figure 4; coxa unmodified; trochanter with indistinct ventral projection; femur cylindrical, only slightly widened distally, proximally with indistinct retrolateral hump and prolateral stridulatory pick (modified hair); patella short; tibia globular; procursus (Fig. 5A–C) simple, in lateral view slightly directed towards dorsal, with distinctive subdistal ventral sclerite and partly semi-transparent flat tip; genital bulb (Fig. 5D–F) with ventral apophysis distally slender, curved towards ventral, embolus partly membranous.

Legs: Without spines and curved hairs; with slightly higher than usual density of short vertical hairs on tibia 1 (Fig. 8A, B); retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 70%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1; tarsus 1 with seven to eight pseudosegments, distally distinct. Variation (male): Tibia 1 in five males (including holotype): 1.50–1.73 (mean 1.62). Abdomen variably dark.

Female: In general, similar to male but sternum without pair of anterior humps and tibiae with few vertical hairs. Tibia 1 in nine females: 1.37–1.63 (mean 1.49). Epigynum (Fig. 6A) anterior plate weakly protruding, with anterior and indistinct posterior indentations; posterior plate large, simple. Internal genitalia (Figs 5I, 6B–D) with posteriorly wide open ‘receptacle’.

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

Natural history: The spiders were found by turning stones and rocks on an arid slope (Fig. 45A). They shared the microhabitat with a second species of Ninetinae, an unidentified species of Guaranita . They seemed to prefer large stones and rocks that were close to vegetation. When disturbed, they ran rapidly but remained on the rock. No webs were seen.