Oaphantes Chamberlin & Ivie, 1943

Paquin, P., Dupérré, N., Buckle, D. J. & Ubick, D., 2020, Caves as a key habitat for rare and endemic species of the west coast of North America: a taxonomic revision of the spider genus Oaphantes (Araneae Linyphiidae), Zootaxa 4819 (2), pp. 349-363 : 350-351

Oaphantes Chamberlin & Ivie, 1943

Type species.— Oaphantes pallidulus ( Banks, 1904)

Diagnosis.— Males of the genus Oaphantes are diagnosed by the presence of a single setose tubercle on the ventral surface of the endites ( Figs 1 , 9 ) and a unique elongated, sickle-shaped embolus ( Figs 4 , 12 , 20 ). Females are diagnosed by the combination of the following characters: setose tubercles on the cheliceral surface, epigynum with an elongate scape and with secondary spermathecae ( Figs 6, 7 , 14, 15 , 22, 23 ). Furthermore, they are distinguished from Wubana species by their much longer scape and the highly reduced posterior median plate ( Figs 7 , 15 , 23 ) present in Wubana (Chamberlin, R. V. & Ivie, W. 1936: figs. 22, 24, 28, 34, 44, 49).

Description.— Moderately sized spiders (∼ 2.11–2.77), cephalothorax and appendages uniformly light yellow orange (130M), male carapace slightly to moderately elevated in the cephalic region. Eyes small or absent, when present, both eye rows straight, anterior median eyes (AME) smaller than others, contiguous ( Figs 2 , 10 ). Chelicerae light yellow orange (130M), promargin 0–5 teeth, retromargin 3–5 denticles, males with mastidion located anteromesally ( Figs 2 , 10 , 17 ), both sexes with setose tubercles on the cheliceral surface ( Figs 2 , 10 , 17, 18 ); cheliceral stridulatory organ present, in males with ∼ 20–22 striae, females ∼ 15–16 striae, associated with stridulatory pick set basally on the palpal femora. Male endites with single setose tubercle ( Figs 1 , 9 ). Legs long and slender, formula 1-4-2-3; tibia I–IV with 2 dorsal macrosetae; metatarsus I with a dorsal macroseta, patella with 1 dorsal macroseta; trichobothrium, Tm I 0.24–0.52, Tm IV absent; palpal tarsus of female with reduced terminal claw. Abdomen offwhite, sub-cylindrical and pointed apically, ventral surface of abdomen with oval striated epigastric plates located at antero-ventral margin and associated with stridulatory pick on coxae IV. Trachea unbranched and confined to the abdomen. Male palps rather complex and characterized by a large paracymbium (P) ( Figs 3 , 11 , 19 ), a long, thick embolus (E) extending beyond the cymbium ( Figs 4 , 12 , 20 ), a long and large embolic membrane (EM) ( Figs 3 , 11 , 19 ), the terminal apophysis (TA) and lamella characteristica (LC) of variable size and shape ( Figs 4 , 12 , 20 ). Palpal tibia with retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) ( Figs 3 , 11 , 19 ). Epigynum with broad margin extending to form an elongated scape (S) of variable length and width ( Figs 6 , 14 , 22 ); copulatory openings (CO) located on the underside of scape near the apex and associated with terminal pockets (TP) ( Figs 7 , 15 , 23 ); spermathecae (S) at anterior margin of the posterior median plate, secondary spermathecae (SS) present ( Figs 7 , 15 , 23 ).

Composition.— Oaphantes pallidulus (Banks) , Oaphantes cryophilus n. sp., Oaphantes prometheus n. sp.

Distribution.— Pacific Coast of North America, from British Columbia south to southern California.

Figures

FIGURES 1–8. Oaphantes pallidulus. 1, endite and chelicera of male, lateral view (arrow points to setose tubercle); 2, face of male, frontal view (arrow points to mastidion); 3, male palp, retrolateral view (arrow points to paracymbial keel); 4, male palp, prolateral view (arrow points to embolus spike): 5, embolic division of male palp, prolateral view; 6, epigynum, ventral view; 7, internal genitalia, dorsal view; 8, epigynum of female, lateral view. Scale bars for figures 1–4, 6–8 = 0.5mm, figure 5 = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 9–16. Oaphantes cryophilus. 9, endite and chelicera of male, lateral view (arrow points to setose tubercle); 10, face of male, frontal view (arrow points to mastidion); 11, male palp, retrolateral view; 12, male palp, prolateral view (arrow points to embolus dentation); 13, embolic division of male palp, prolateral view; 14, epigynum, ventral view; 15, internal genitalia, dorsal view, 16, epigynum of female, lateral view. Scale bars for figures 9–10, 14–16 = 0.5mm; figures 11–13 = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 17–24. Oaphantes prometheus 17, face of male, frontal view (arrow points to mastidion); 18, face of female, frontal view; 19, male palp, retrolateral view (arrow points to paracymbial keel); 20, male palp, prolateral view (arrow points to embolus blunt spike); 21, embolic division of male palp, prolateral view; 22, epigynum, ventral view; 23, internal genitalia, dorsal view, 24, epigynum of female, lateral view. Scale bars for figures 17–18, 22–24 = 0.5mm; figures 19–21 = 0.1 mm.