Epeirotypus drune sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 619E7010-6456-4B4D-85B8-3797A33FD4D2

Figs 1, 21

Diagnosis

Females of Epeirotypus drune sp. nov. resemble those of E. bule sp. nov. by the body coloration overall dark gray (Figs 21A–C, 22A–C), but E. drune can be distinguished by the opisthosoma with three pairs of dorsal whitish-gray patches covered by sparsely thick dark gray flecks (Fig. 21A) and the vulval bifid sclerotized septum forming a wide, rounded, posterior curve (Fig. 21D), whereas E. bule have the opisthosoma with whitish-gray patches forming a ‘happy face’ in dorsal view (Fig. 22A) and have the bifid septum narrow (Fig. 22D).

Etymology

The specific name is derived from ‘drune’ which means ‘black’ in the Ngäbere language, currently spoken by the Ngäbe native people of Panama, and refers to the dark general coloration.

Type material

Holotype

PANAMA – Chiriquí Province • ♀; Parque Internacional La Amistad, Cerro Picacho, one-hectare PANCODING inventory; 8.890500° N, 82.618778° W; 2299 m a.s.l.; 12–17 Jun. 2008; M. Arnedo, L. Benavides, G. Hormiga, F. Labarque, L. Piacentini and M. Ramírez leg.; voucher code SAU1NCL062; DNA barcode SPIPA385-10; MIUP.

Paratypes

PANAMA – Chiriquí Province • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SAC1DHH012; preparation codes FML-00699, LNP-00545; DNA code epes7100; GenBank code PX096960; MACNAr 29084 • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SAU1NCL035; DNA code epes7240; GenBank code PX096962; MCZ • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SAU1NCR048; DNA code epes7237; GenBank code PX096961; CRBA.

Description

Female (paratype MACN-Ar 29084)

Total length 3.24. Prosoma: length 1.43, width 1.12, height 0.82. Sternum: length 0.70, width 0.55. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.14, PME 0.14, AME–PME 0.15. Opisthosoma: length 2.28, wide 2.47, high 2.10; with posterior lateral tubercles. Leg formula: 1243. Dorsal shield of prosoma dark laterally, yellowish-white centrally (Fig. 21A). Dorsum of ocular area dark (Fig. 21A–B). Thoracic area of prosoma laterally higher (Fig. 21B). Sternum yellowish-orange with dark borders (Fig. 21C). Opisthosoma color overall dark gray with three pairs of dorsal whitish-gray patches laterally covered by sparsely thick dark gray flecks (Fig. 21A–B). Opisthosoma with two lateral posterior tubercles connected ventrally by guanine silver stripe (Fig. 21C). Epigynal plate, booklung cover, tracheal spiracle, spinneret field and behind anal tubercle dark gray, surrounded by whitish-gray area (Fig. 21C). Legs I–II darker than III–IV, femora and patella greenish-brown, tibiae and metatarsi brownish-orange but distally dark, tarsi brownish-orange (Fig. 21A–C). Epigynal plate: domed, with transverse groove, central pit deep (Fig. 21B–C). Vulva: copulatory ducts massive, proximally with patch of gland ducts dorsally, heavily sclerotized distally inserting dorsolaterally posteriorly into spermathecae, spermathecae anteriorly sharp, sclerotized, and connate (i.e., fused one above the other), fertilization ducts sclerotized, relative small, emerging dorsally posteriorly from spermathecae, curving anteriorly to meet uterus externus (Fig. 21D).

Male

Unknown.

Records and biology

Records are limited to collections made at 2299 m a.s.l. in lower montane rainforest from Parque Internacional La Amistad (Fig. 1). Females have been collected mostly at night by looking up, although a specimen was collected during the day by cryptic technique.

Variation

Some females examined have the prosoma and opisthosoma completely dark.