Caponina alejandroi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: A3FDEA0F-C665-48D3-8F89-71B28114C022

Figs 1A–I, 2A–E, 5A–D, 6B

Diagnosis

Males of C. alejandroi sp. nov. resembles those of C. bochalema sp. nov. (Fig. 3E–G) by a short and pointed cymbium that does not reach over twice the tibia length, but can be distinguished by a smaller tegulum, pear-shaped in lateral view (its size is less than the cymbium length), by a thicker embolus with rhomboidal tip (Fig. 2A–C), and by having a more pronounced dorsal tubercle on the palpal femur (Fig. 1E–G). Females can be distinguished from other known species of Caponina by having long, boomerang-shaped internal pair of sclerotized bars (psb) with elongated and thin boomerang-shaped anterolateral extensions (ae) fused from the base to the middle of the pair of sclerotized bars (Figs 1H–I, 2D–E).

Etymology

The specific name is a patronym in honor of Alejandro Sánchez Barreda, the youngest son of the first author.

Type material

Holotype COLOMBIA • ♂; Boyacá Department, Santuario de Flora y Fauna Iguaque, El Caimo, Sector Chaina; 5°25′ N, 73°27′ W; alt. 2730 m; 24 Sep. 2003; A. Roberto leg.; IAvH-I 3747.

Paratypes COLOMBIA • 1 ♂; same collection data as for holotype; IAvH-I 3114 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; 12 Jul. 2001; IAvH-I 3755 • 1 ♂; Boyacá Department, Villa de Leyva, Colegio Antonio Nariño; 5°38′ N, 73°31′ W; alt. 2200 m; 21 Jul. 2002; E. Rodríguez leg.; IAvH-I 3750 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; L. Piña leg.; IAvH-I 3749 • 1 ♀; Boyacá Department, Vereda Sopotá, Finca El Peladero; 5°37′31.2′′ N, 73°32′37.9′′ W; alt. 2185 m; Oct. 2004; C. Fagua leg.; IAvH-I 3115 .

Description

Male (holotype, IAvH-I 3747)

COLORATION. Carapace pale orange (Figs 1A, 5A). Chelicerae, endites, labium, sternum and legs pale orange (Figs 1A, 5A). Abdomen pale beige (Fig. 1A–B), covered by many dark, short setae, epigastric region pale orange. Spinnerets pale beige.

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 3.53; carapace 1.36 long, 1.21 wide, 0.48 high; sternum 0.92 long, 0.88 wide; legs: I: 4.10; II: 3.84; III: 3.14; IV: 4.63; abdomen 2.15 long.

MORPHOLOGY. Carapace flat with soft cuticle. Six eyes, AME the largest, dark, separated by about half their diameter, ALE pale translucent, smaller than AME, PLE pale translucent and smaller than ALE. Palpal femur with protuberant dorsal tubercle and small prolateral stridulatory pick (Fig. 1E), cymbium short and pointed, tegulum pear-shaped in lateral view, with very long embolus directed anteriorly protruding ventrally from approximately middle surface of tegulum, embolus tip rhomboidal, very fine and sharp (Figs 1E–G, 2A–C).

Female (paratype, IAvH-I 3749)

COLORATION. As in male (Figs 1C–D, 5C–D).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.95, carapace 1.54 long, 1.30 wide, 0.36 high, sternum 0.93 long, 0.87 wide, legs: I: 4.57; II: 4.27; III: 3.50; IV: 4.55, abdomen 3.18 long.

MORPHOLOGY. Carapace and eyes as in male. External genitalia with wide epigastric furrow (Figs 1H, 2D); internal genitalia with long, anteriorly directed, boomerang-shaped pair of sclerotized bars, with elongated, boomerang-shaped anterolateral extensions fused from base to middle of sclerotized bars (Figs 1I, 2E).

Distribution

Known from Boyacá Department, Colombia (Fig. 6B).