Psalmopoeus pristirana, Dupérré & Tapia, 2024

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 : 500-506

Psalmopoeus pristirana n. sp.

Figures 3A, B ; 4A–F ; 5A–E ; 6A–D , map. 1

Type material. Male holotype from Ecuador, Cotopaxi province, San Francisco de Las Pampas, Pristirana Biological Reserve , hand collected at night walking in the ground near the wall of the cabin (-00.424351° -78.959237°) 1480 m, 27 Feb. 2020, E. Tapia, ECFN 9399 ( QCAZ) . Paratypes: 1 male, San Francisco de Las Pampas, Pristirana Biological Reserve , 1480 m, 15 February 2016, E. Tapia, N. Dupérré, A. Tapia, ECFN 902 ( QCAZ); 1 female, (- 00.42195° -78.95456°) 1346 m, 27 Feb. 2019, under wood planks, E. Tapia, Tapia-Caisaguano family, ECFN 1138 ( QCAZ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality, Pristirana Biological Reserve.

Diagnosis. Live coloration golden ( Fig. 3A, B ). Males most resemble P. cambridgei Pocock, 1895 , P. satanas , and P. irminia but are distinguished from all species by the presence of two spines on tibial apophysis of leg I ( Fig. 4E , arrows point to spines), and longer embolus (10x longer than wide), while all other species with one spine (see Cifuentes & Bertani 2022: figs 150, 187, 209, 221, 242, 253, 280, 297; Peñaherrera-R. & León-E. 2023: fig. 5) and embolus shorter: (9x longer than wide) in P. satanas and (6x longer than wide) in P. cambridgei and P. irminia . Females most resemble P. cambridgei , P. ecclesiasticus , P. satanas and P. chronoarachne but are distinguished as such, from P. cambridgei by their maxillary lyra compose of 8 setae ( Fig. 6C ), spermathecae straight with one large and one small rounded sub-apical lobe ( Fig. 6D ), the latter with maxillary lyra with 11 setae or more and spermathecae with 2–3 oval lobes ( Cifuentes & Bertani 2022; figs 153, 156). From P. satanas and P. ecclesiasticus , by their straight spermathecae ( Fig. 6D ), curved in the latter species ( Figs 2D , 8C ), and maxillary lyra compose of 8 setae ( Fig. 6C ), while maxillary lyra with 15–18 setae in ( Cifuentes & Bertani 2022; 79) and 12 setae respectively ( Fig. 2C ). From P. chronoarachne , by their straight spermathecae ( Fig. 6D ) while spermathecae strongly curved inward in the latter (Peñaherrera-R. & León-E. 2023: fig. 1).

Description. (Male holotype). Total length: 23.89; carapace: length 10.52; width: 8.73; height: 3.34; abdomen: length: 13.37; width: 9.06.

Coloration (live). Male with black carapace covered with yellow-golden setae; abdomen black, covered with black and yellow-golden setae, legs black covered with yellow-golden setae ( Fig. 3A, B ). Cephalothorax. Carapace longer than wide, cephalic region slightly raised; fovea straight, deep ( Fig. 4A ). Labium wider than long (1.57 long), with ~105 cuspules; maxilla (3.56 long) sub-rectangular, anterior lobe produced into conical process, bearing ~108 cuspules ( Fig. 4B ); maxillary lyra well-developed, composed of 11 thick setae disposed on a curved crescent line, longest setae flattened laterally ( Fig. 4C ). Sternum length: 5.56; width: 4.02; longer than wide, posterior angle acute, not separating coxae IV; covered with black setae; sigilla: posterior oval, median small oval, anterior not observed ( Fig. 4C ). Chelicerae. Total length: 4.66; dark reddish without rastellum; retromargin with 13 teeth and 13 denticles. Eyes. Eye tubercle slightly raised (1.82 high), wider than long; AME: 0.58, AME-ALE: 0.15, ALE: 0.48, PLE: 0.48; PME: 0.26, PME-PME: 1.62. Abdomen. Oval, covered with long yellow-golden setae and short black setae; spinnerets: PMS, 1.85 long, PLS, 4.04 long. Legs. Thick scopula present on tarsi, metatarsi I–II and palpal tarsi giving a spatulate appearance, metatarsi III-IV with short scopula clavate trichobothria on tarsi in double rows; single spine on apical ventral metatarsi III-IV; ITC absent; STC with 5–6 teeth. Legs measurements: I 46.53 (12.60/4.83/13.13/10.76/5.21); II 42.96 (12.37/4.33/10.90/10.35/5.01); III 37.12 (10.54/3.64/8.76/9.27/4.91); IV 43.73 (10.91/4.50/10.41/12.71/5.20); leg formula 1423.

Palp: femur 7.17; patellae 3.39; tibia 6.72; bulb 1.06 width, length; 4.3. Tibial apophysis with two processes, retrolateral longer than prolateral; two spines at base of prolateral process, no spine on retrolateral process; with small rounded protuberance behind retrolateral process ( Fig. 4E, F ). Palpal tibia straight (5x longer than wide) ( Fig. 5A, B ); embolus long (10 x longer than wide) proximal portion straight; distal third curving smoothly to tip; tip ending wide and rounded ( Fig. 5C–E ).

Female (Paratype) (Color in ethanol). Total length: 30.41; carapace: length 12.66; width: 11.47; height: 4.70; abdomen: length: 17.75; width: 11.49.

Carapace longer than wide, cephalic region slightly raised, dark reddish-orange with black mark behind AME and pars cephalica, covered with pale setae; fovea straight, deep ( Fig. 6A ). Labium wider than long (2.07 long), with ~128 cuspules; maxilla sub-rectangular (5.10 long), anterior lobe produced into conical process, bearing ~198 cuspules ( Fig. 6B ); maxillary lyra well-developed, composed of 8 thick setae disposed on a curved crescent line, longest setae flattened laterally ( Fig. 6C ). Sternum length: 6.23; width: 5.58; longer than wide, posterior angle acute, not separating coxae IV; covered with black setae; sigilla: posterior oval, median small oval, anterior not observed ( Fig. 6C ). Chelicerae. Total length: 5.56; dark reddish without rastellum; retromargin with 11 teeth and 13 denticles. Eyes. Eye tubercle slightly raised (1.18 high), wider than long; AME: 0.58, AME-ALE: 0.16, ALE: 0.53, PLE: 0.57; PME: 0.4, PME-PME: 1.88. Abdomen. Oval, covered with yellow-golden setae and short black setae; spinnerets. PMS, 1.86 long, PLS, 5.25 long. Legs. Uniformly brown; thick scopula present on tarsi, metatarsi I–II and palpal tarsi giving a spatulate appearance, metatarsi III-IV with short scopula; clavate trichobothria on tarsi in double rows; single spine on apical ventral metatarsi III-IV; ITC absent; STC with 5–6 teeth. Legs measurements: I 42.66 (12.74/5.78/9.82/8.62/5.70); II 38.82 (11.12/4.44/9.52/8.04/5.70); III 34.63 (9.63/5.05/6.57/7.80/5.13); IV 41.71 (11.18/5.09/10.14/9.92/5.38); leg formula 1423.

Genitalia. Spermathecae with high membranous base; two elongated spermathecae (2.5x as long as wide), not curved inward with unique fold; apical lobe of spermathecae digitiform (1.5x longer than wide), with one large and one small sub-apical, rounded lobes ( Fig. 6D ).

Distribution. Ecuador: known only from the type locality in Cotopaxi province.

Natural History. Specimens were collected between 1346–1480 m in a foothill evergreen forest of the Chocó region of Ecuador (BsPn01) ( Morales et al. 2013).

Figures

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 3. Psalmopoeus pristirana n. sp., male holotype. A. Habitus, lateral view. B. Habitus dorsal view.

FIGURE 4. Psalmopoeus pristirana n. sp., male holotype. A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Sternum, labium, maxillae, coxae and chelicerae, ventral view. C. Maxilla, prolateral view. D. Palpal trochanter, ventral view (arrow point to pad setae). E. Left leg I tibial apophysis, ventral view (arrows point to spines). F. Left leg I tibial apophysis, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A, B = 5 mm; C–F = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 5. Psalmopoeus pristirana n. sp., male holotype. A. Palp, prolateral view. B. Palp, retrolateral view. C. Embolus, prolateral view. D. Embolus, dorsal view. E. Embolus, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A, B = 1.0 mm; C–E = 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.