Psalmopoeus satanas Peñaherrera-R. & León-E, 2023

Dupérré, Nadine & Tapia, Elicio, 2024, Description of a new Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895 species (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Psalmopoeinae) from the Chocó region of Ecuador, Zootaxa 5437 (4), pp. 495-509 : 497

Psalmopoeus satanas Peñaherrera-R. & León-E, 2023 .

Figures 1A, B ; 2A–G , map 1.

Psalmopoeus satanas Peñaherrera-R. & León-E., 2023: 190, f. 4A–D, 5A–D, 6A–B, 7A (Description male); f. 7B, 8A–B, 9 (female misidentification).

Material examined. Female from Pichincha province, La Union del Toachi, Reserva Otongachi (-00.321295° - 78.95163°) 900 m, Dec. 2015, hand collecting in tree below Monstera plant attached to a tree, close to station, E. Tapia, ECFN 906 ( QCAZ) .

Diagnosis. Live coloration, greenish-black ( Fig. 1A, B ). Females most resemble P. irminia Saager, 1994 , P. ecclesiasticus Pocock, 1903 , P. chronoarachne Peñaherrera-R. & León-E, 2023, and P. pristirana n. sp. but are distinguished as such, from P. irminia by their internal genitalia spermathecae curved inward ( Fig. 2D ), straight in the latter ( Cifuentes & Bertani 2022; fig. 283). From P. ecclesiasticus , by the spermathecae apical lobe rounded and wide ( Fig. 2D ) while digitiform in the latter ( Fig. 8C ). From P. chronoarachne , by their maxillary lyra composed of 12 thick setae, spermathecae not strongly curved inward and constricted apical apex ( Fig. 2D ) while the maxillary lyra is composed of eight thick setae, spermathecae strongly curved inward without constricted apex in the latter (Peñaherrera-R. & León-E. 2023; fig. 1). From P. pristirana n. sp., by their maxillary lyra composed of 12 thick setae ( Fig. 2C ) and spermathecae curved inward with rounded, wide apical lobe ( Fig. 2D ); while in the latter the maxillary lyra is composed of eight thick setae ( Fig. 6C ) and the spermathecae are not curving inward, with a digitiform apical lobe ( Fig. 6D ).

Description. (Female). Total length: 34.46; carapace: length: 13.06, width: 11.63, height 4.22; abdomen: length: 21.40, width: 14.97.

Coloration (live). Female with black carapace covered with black and yellow-greenish setae; abdomen black, reddish basally, covered with black and grayish setae, legs black covered with grayish setae ( Fig. 1A, B ).

Cephalothorax. Carapace longer than wide, cephalic region slightly raised; fovea straight, deep ( Fig. 2A ). Labium wider than long (2.10 long), with ~150 cuspules; maxilla (4.99 long) sub-rectangular, anterior lobe produced into a small conical process, bearing ~256 cuspules ( Fig. 2B ); maxillary lyra well-developed, composed of 12 thick setae disposed on a curved crescent line, longest setae flattened laterally ( Fig. 2C ). Sternum length: 6.62; width: 6.15; longer than wide, posterior angle acute, not separating coxae IV; covered with black setae; sigilla: posterior oval, median small oval, anterior not observable ( Fig. 2B ). Chelicerae. Total length: 4.7; dark reddish without rastellum; retromargin with 11 teeth and 8 denticles. Eyes. Eye tubercle slightly raised (1.65 high), wider than long; AME: 0.66, AME-ALE: 0.25, ALE: 0.74, PLE: 0.54; PME: 0.45, PME-PME: 1.81. Abdomen. Oval, covered with long grayish setae and short black setae; spinnerets: PMS, 1.67 long, PLS, 5.76 long. Legs. Thick scopula present on tarsi, metatarsi I–II and palpal tarsi giving a spatulate appearance ( Figs 1A, B ), metatarsi III-IV with short scopula; clavate trichobothria present on tarsi in double rows; single spine on apical ventral metatarsi III-IV; ITC absent; STC with 4-5 teeth. Leg measurements: I 43.86 (12.19/4.81/11.56/9.80/5.50); II 38.10 (9.70/4.64/10.39/8.59/4.78); III 33.21 (8.65/4.29/7.40/8.12/4.74); IV 43.75 (11.66/4.88/10.10/12.31/4.80); leg formula 1423. Genitalia. Spermathecae two, with short membranous base, elongated (2x as long as wide), curved inward, with unique fold; apical lobe of spermathecae rounded (0.9x longer than wide); with one sub-apical rounded lobe ( Fig. 2D ).

Male (see Peñaherrera-R. & León-E. 2023).

Distribution. Ecuador, know only from the type locality in Pichincha province.

Natural History. The female specimen was collected at 900 m in a low evergreen forest of the Chocó region of Ecuador (BsTc01) ( Morales et al. 2013).

Note. The female of P. satanas is redescribed here based on a female specimen collected at the type locality where the male holotype was collected, and described by Peñaherrera-R. & León-E. (2023: 190). Peñaherrera-R. & León-E (2023) described two female paratypes, one from La Magdalena (-0.2647° -79.0256°) and one from Los Bancos (0.0166° -78.8833°). Based on the information provided in Peñaherrera-R. & León-E (2023), the female paratype specimens have been collected about 10 km and 38 km away from the type locality respectively. Hence the female from the type locality described here (about 50 m from the male) is considered the female P. satanas . We were able to revise the labels for the two localities (La Magdalena and Los Bancos), in both cases, the latitude and longitude were estimated by the authors and were not taken from the labels. Furthermore, the altitude for the locality of La Magdalena was changed from 1500 m from the label to 900 m in Peñaherrera-R. & León-E. (2023). Information updates or changes should be noted in the paper (in brackets), in order not to confuse readers. It should be noted that Peñaherrera-R and León-E (2023: 190) mentioned the type locality as Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas province. However, the actual type locality, Otongachi Reserve (-0.3209 -78.9513), is located in Pichincha province. These two provinces are adjacent to each other, which sometimes leads to confusion.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Psalmopoeus satanas female (ECFN 906). A. Habitus, dorso-lateral view. B. Habitus dorsal view.

FIGURE 2. A–D. Psalmopoeus satanas female (ECFN 906). E–G. Psalmopoeus satanas male (MPEG.ARA 022980). A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Sternum, labium, maxillae, coxae and chelicerae, ventral view. C. Maxilla, prolateral view. D. Internal genitalia, dorsal view. E. Right embolus, prolateral view (photo by Dr Bertani, Instituto Butantan). F. Right embolus, dorsal view photo by Dr Bertani, Instituto Butantan). G. Right embolus, retrolateral view photo by Dr Bertani, Instituto Butantan). Scale bars: A, B = 5 mm; C, D = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 6. Psalmopoeus pristirana n. sp., female paratype. A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Sternum, labium, maxillae, coxae and chelicerae,ventral view. C. Maxilla, dorsal view. D. Internal genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars: A, B = 5.0mm; C, D = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 8. Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus Pocock, 1903. A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Sternum, labium, maxillae, coxae and chelicerae, ventral view. C. Internal genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars: A, B = 5.0mm; C = 0.5 mm.