PORTERIA MISBIANKA SP. NOV.

FIG. 43

Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org:act: F81ABF78-1D6E-4D1C-87B6-9FCB0645118C.

Types: Female holotype from modified forest under rocks in Chile, VIII Región del Bío-Bío, Concepción Province, Estero Nonguén, elev. 90 m [-36.8766 – 72.9913 º] collected Nov 16, 1981 by N. Platnick and R.T. Schuh, collected in ‘modified forest under rocks’, deposited in AMNH (CASENT9044700) .

Etymology: Derived from ‘Miss Bianca,’ the leading lady mouse in the Disney movie ‘The Rescuers.’ This species is so named due to the resemblance of the epigyne to the face of this mouse. A noun in apposition.

Diagnosis: This species can be distinguished from other species by the simple topography of the epigyne, only two slit-like copulatory openings and small median scape (Fig. 43D, E); the ‘peak-forming’ copulatory ducts seen in ventral view through the cuticle (Fig. 43E) are also distinctive (and distinguish it from P. ajimayo). Internally, the ‘S’-shaped copulatory ducts are diagnostic (Fig. 43F). Porteria ajimayo has much longer copulatory ducts forming a complicated maze of loops (Figs 41B, 42B, D).

Description: Female: based on holotype. Markings as in Figure 43 A-C, white anterolateral lines, two adjacent posterior bands and pair of median spots. Total length 6.36. Carapace length 1.40 times width. Clypeus height 2 times AME diameter. ALE diameter 1.78 times AME diameter. Chelicera length 6.67 times clypeus height. Sternum length 1.12 times width. Cheliceral promargin with five teeth and one denticle. Leg formula not assessed, because many legs are missing from specimen, both leg IVs and either a right leg II or III, no palps present. Leg spination as follows: leg I: femur d1(r)-1-1(p)-1(r)-2-1(p)-2, patella d1-1, tibia d1(r), p0-1-1-0, r0-1-0-0, v2-2-2, metatarsus p0-1-1, r0-1-2, v2-2-2; unknown right leg II or III: right leg IV: femur d1-1-1(p)-1(r)-2, patella d1-1, tibia d1(r)- 0-1-0, p0-1-1-0, r0-1-1-0, v1(p)-1-2, metatarsus d2-0-0, p0-1-1, r0-1-1-2, v1(p)-1(p)-2, tarsus r0-1. Epigyne as in Figure 43D, E, a lightly sclerotized plate, tapering posterior to epigastric furrow; two sclerotized slits just anterior of epigastric furrow are the copulatory openings; between these openings is the scape which tapers posteriorly and originates just anterior to the copulatory openings (Fig. 43D); much of the anterior internal structures can be seen through the cuticle, most obvious the copulatory ducts converging to a peak with each other and connecting to a large circular receptacle (Fig. 43E). Vulva as in Figure 43F, consisting of a pair of long, ‘S’-shaped copulatory ducts running adjacent and parallel to each other initially in the middle of the vulva curving upwards and laterally to meet the ventral surface of the spermatheca stalk, adjacent to the spermatheca head. The stalk runs down the lateral side of the spermathecal bases and the head is located on the anterolateral surface of the stalk. Bases of spermatheca similar to those of P. ajimayo, but copulatory ducts much longer on P. ajimayo . Right and left Base 1 are contiguous, no gap; the connection between Base 1 and Base 2 is obscured by ducts, but Base 2 appears attached to the anterior margin of Base 1, projecting out laterally behind (ventral) the stalk. Because this is the only specimen, there was no SEM preparation of the vulva, so the Bennett’s gland pore was not explicitly seen but is likely on the lateral surface of Base 1 at the transition between Base 1 and 2 based on the morphology of other species. Pores are visible on the head of the spermatheca and can likely be found on the stalk as well, but they are not visible with a stereomicroscope. Fertilization ducts transparent, leaf like, attached to posterolateral corner of Base 1.

Leg measurements: leg I NA; leg II NA; leg III 7.98 (2.35, 2.61, 1.88, 1.14); leg IV 9.65 (2.68, 3.02, 2.68, 1.27); palp NA.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality at Estero Nonguén, Concepción (Fig. 76C).

Other material examined: None.

Notes: The type and only known specimen of this species was searched for at Parque Pedro del Rio Zañarto and in the nearby Cerro Caracol, a tree-lined hill and popular urban park, but Porteria was not found there during the 2013 trip. For future expeditions, the Reserva Nacional Nonguén seems like a promising place to look for P. misbianka, which is close to the type locality, contains one of the last remnants of deciduous forest in the area and is home to various rare and endemic species (http://www.conaf.cl/parques/reservanacional-nonguen/).

THE BUNNYANA SPECIES GROUP

A monophyletic group (Figs 73, 74) defined by the genitalic synapomorphies of both males and females (discussed below), easily distinguished from the second species group, the Albopunctata Grade. Model figures for the Bunnyana species group with genitalic parts labelled are Figure 64 (female genitalia of P. correcaminos) and Figure 68 (male genitalia of P. contulmo). Females have a deep median atrium in which the copulatory openings are sunken, with a wrinkled, flexible ventral wall, and two posterior invaginations of the epigynal cuticle near the epigastric fold (Figs 53A, 64A, B, 69A). Females in this species group are much more difficult to differentiate from one another, and many are sympatric, making it even more difficult to separate species. In males, the palp has a paracymbium in the form of a small, round projection on the retrolateral side of the cymbium near the distal edge of the bulb (Figs 46C, 47C, 51C, 67C). The LRTA is bent at the middle, so the apex is projecting out of the frontal plane, almost appearing as a 90° angle in lateral view (Figs 46C, 56C, 62C). The embolus base is also more shield like in the bunnyana group (Figs 46A, 56B).

Included neae species: Porteria alopobre, Porteria ariasbohartae, Porteria bunnyana, Porteria contulmo, Porteria correcaminos, Porteria faberi, Porteria torobayo .