Epeirotypus kwakwa sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 0258B6F6-96F3-46B5-B866-E1D33917F3D6

Figs 1, 14–15

Diagnosis

Males and females of Epeirotypus kwakwa sp. nov. resemble those of Epeirotypus chavarria by the ovoid opisthosoma lacking lateral posterior tubercles (Figs 14A–C, 15A–C; Coddington 1986: figs 56– 57), common in the other species of the genus, but E. kwakwa can be distinguished by an olive-green pattern on the dorsum of the opisthosoma that resembles the number eight (Figs 14A, 15A), whereas E. chavarria have the opisthosoma off-white (Coddington 1986: figs 56–57). Females of E. kwakwa can also be distinguished by the vulval bifid sclerotized septum forming a squared angle posteriorly (Fig. 15D), whereas E. chavarria have the bifid septum forming a rectangle (Coddington 1986: fig. 60).

Etymology

The specific name is derived from ‘kwä, kwä’ which means ‘eight’ in the Ngäbere language, currently spoken by the Ngäbe native people of Panama, and refers to the dorsal coloration pattern of the opisthosoma forming the number eight.

Type material

Holotype

PANAMA – Chiriquí Province • ♂; Reserva Forestal Fortuna, Quebrada Honda, one-hectare PANCODING inventory; 8.750083° N, 82.239083° W; 1135 m a.s.l.; 7–12 Jun. 2007; M. Arnedo, D. Dimitrov, G. Hormiga, F. Labarque and M. Ramírez leg.; voucher code SFU2NCH029; DNA barcode SPIPA403-10; MIUP.

Paratypes

PANAMA – Chiriquí Province • 1 ♂; same data as for holotype; voucher code SFD1D8R010; preparation codes FML-00687, LNP-00270; DNA code epes1120; GenBank code PX096942; MACNAr 28996 • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SFD1NBL015; preparation codes FML-00697, LNP-00267; DNA code epes1058; GenBank code PX096940; MACN-Ar 28995 • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SFD1DAR018; DNA code epes1166; GenBank code PX096941; MCZ • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SFC1N8H018; DNA barcode SPIPA404-10; MCZ • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SFC1NCD018; DNA barcode SPIPA400-10; MCZ.

Other material

PANAMA – Chiriquí Province • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SFD1NCD016; DNA barcode SPIPA402-10; MACN-Ar 28993 • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SFU1N7H029; DNA barcode SPIPA401-10; MACN-Ar 28994 • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SFC1NAR016; DNA code epes1168; GenBank code PX096944; CRBA • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; voucher code SFU1NCD030; DNA code epes1167; GenBank code PX096943; CRBA • 2 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; MCZ • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; MIUP • 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; MACN-Ar 28992 • 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; CRBA.

Description

Male (paratype MACN-Ar 28996)

Total length 1.53. Prosoma: length 1.19, width 0.76, height 0.78. Sternum: length 0.43, width 0.37. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.08, PME 0.09, AME–PME 0.10. Opisthosoma: length 1.25, width 0.85, height 0.94; without tubercles. Leg formula: 1243. Dorsal shield of prosoma dark olive-green laterally, yellowish-white centrally forming irregular band (Fig. 14A–B). Dorsum of ocular area yellowish-white (Fig. 14A). Thoracic area of prosoma laterally higher (Fig. 14B; see “shoulders” in Coddington 1986). Sternum greenish-yellow with olive-green borders (Fig. 14C). Dorsum of opisthosoma olive-green with three pairs of whitish-gray patches laterally, all fused, and two middle whitish-gray patches (Fig. 14A–B). Epiandrium, booklung cover, tracheal spiracle, spinneret field and behind anal tubercle olive-green, surrounded by whitish-gray area (Fig. 14C). Legs I–II darker than III–IV, femora yellowish-white, patella, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi orange (Fig. 14A–C). Palp: paracymbium wider than long, tegulum retrolaterally massive, tegular spur rounded, median apophysis rounded, distally notched, with projection extending distally, conductor reduced, partially covering embolus, embolus long, bulky and distally acute (Fig. 14D–F).

Female (paratype MACN-Ar 28995)

Total length 2.59. Prosoma: length 1.01, width 0.72, height 0.59. Sternum: length 0.46, width 0.39. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.08, PME 0.10, AME–PME 0.09. Opisthosoma: length 1.74, width 1.55, height 1.37. Leg formula: 1243. Coloration olive-greener than male (Fig. 15A–C). Sternum with two olive-green patches close to sternal pits (Fig. 15C). Spinneret field surrounded by olive-green line (Fig. 15B–C). Epigynal plate olive-green (Fig. 15C), domed, with transverse groove, central pit deep (Fig. 15C). 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. 15D).

Records and biology

Records are limited to collections made at 1135 m a.s.l. in premontane rainforest from Reserva Forestal Fortuna (Fig. 1). Males and females have been collected mostly at night by looking down, although some specimens were also collected at night by looking up and cryptic techniques, and others during the day by looking down.