Rothaeina petersoni Bennett, 2023

Bennett, Robb, Copley, Claudia & Copley, Darren, 2023, Revision of the western Nearctic spider genus Cybaeina including the description of Neocybaeina gen. nov. and Rothaeina gen. nov. (Araneae: Cybaeidae: Cybaeinae), Zootaxa 5318 (1), pp. 97-129 : 121-123

Rothaeina petersoni Bennett spec. nov.

Figs 2 , 48–49 , 56–57 , 64–65 , 75–79 , 86

Type material. U.S.A.: California: Holotype male. El Dorado County, 4 miles west of Kyburz , 9.ix.1959, W.J. Gertsch & V.D. Roth ( AMNH) . Paratypes. U.S.A.: California: El Dorado County, 3♁, Blodgett [Experimental Forest], 26.vii.2000, N. Rappaport et al. ( RBCM) ; 1♀, Blodgett [Experimental Forest], 24.viii.2000, N. Rappaport et al. ( RBCM) ; 16♀, 6 mi. E of Camp Connell , 10.ix.1959, W.J. Gertsch & V.D. Roth ( AMNH) ; 8♀, Echo Summit , 4 mi. SW Meyers , 7382′, 9.ix.1959, W.J. Gertsch & V.D. Roth ( AMNH) ; 4♀, 4 mi. W of Kyburz , 9.ix.1959, W.J. Gertsch & V.D. Roth ( AMNH) ; 1♀, 3 mi. W of Riverton , 9.ix.1959, W.J. Gertsch & V.D. Roth ( AMNH) ; Placer , 2♀, 6 mi. NE of Foresthill, 3480′, 27.xii.1986, D. Ubick ( CAS) ; Nevada, 1♁ 1♀, Lowell Hill , 25.vii.2000, N. Rappaport et al. ( RBCM) ; 1♁ 1♀, Lowell Hill , 23.viii.2000, N. Rappaport et al. ( RBCM) ; San Mateo , 1♀, Sam McDonald Park [nr. La Honda], 18.xi.1988, D. Ubick ( CAS) ; Sierra , 1♀, 5 mi. E of Camptonville, 3000′, 39 30′ N 120 29′ W, 16.viii.1996, D. Ubick ( CAS) ; 1♁, 5 mi. E of Camptonville , 3050′, 39 30′ N 120 29′ W, 10.viii.2001, D. Ubick & S. Ubick ( CAS) ; 6♀, Sierra City , 8.viii.2001, D. Ubick & S. Ubick ( CAS) ; 16♀, Sierra City, The Cups , 6.ix.1959, W.J. Gertsch & V.D. Roth ( AMNH) ; 1♀, Sierra City, Monarch Mine , 7.ix.1959, W.J. Gertsch & V.D. Roth ( AMNH) ; 1♁, 6 mi. E of Sierra City, SFSU Field Station , 5500′, 12–16.viii.1996, D. Ubick ( CAS) ; 1♁ 1♀, 10 mi. NE of Sierra City, Yuba Pass area , 4.viii.1999, J. Ledford ( CAS) ; 1♀, 10 mi. NE of Sierra City, Yuba Pass area , 7000′, 8.viii.2001, D. Ubick ( CAS) ; Tuolumne, 6♀, Pinecrest , 10.ix.1959, W.J. Gertsch & V.D. Roth ( AMNH) ; 12♀, Tamarack Flat, Yosemite National Park , 3.ix.1958 ( AMNH) ; 12♀, Tamarack Flat, Yosemite National Park , 11.ix.1959 W.J. Gertsch & V.D. Roth ( AMNH) . Oregon: Douglas, 1♁, 43 44′ 59′′ N 123 13′ 53′′ W, Territorial Hwy , nr. Anlauf , 23.ix.2003, P. Paquin & D. Wytrykush ( RBCM) ; 2♁ 2♀, 43 38′ 50′′ N 123 53′ 00′′ W, Mill Creek off Hwy 38, Elliot State Forest , 23.ix.2003, P. Paquin & D. Wytrykush ( RBCM) .

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym honouring the late Ronald Alexander Miles Peterson, a talented Canadian artist and friend of RB. Ron died, sadly young, in British Columbia in 1989 while RB was preparing the initial draft of this species description.

Diagnosis. The male of R. petersoni spec. nov. is distinguished by the combination of its short (length less than 1/2 width of patella), dorsad patellar apophysis with one or two large and one or two small peg setae at the tip ( Figs 56–57 , 64–65 ), and the simple, smoothly tapered, ventrad proximal arm of the tegular apophysis ( Figs 48– 49 ). Differentiating the male of this species from the males of the other three species with known males ( R. jamesi spec. nov., R. mackinleyi spec. nov., and R. sequoia comb. nov.) is discussed in the diagnosis of R. jamesi spec. nov.

The females of R. petersoni spec. nov. and R. sequoia comb. nov. are very similar; differentiating them from the females of the other species of Rothaeina gen. nov. is discussed in the diagnosis of R. beaudini spec. nov. Differentiating them from each other is attained by the relative size of the spermathecal “rings” visible through the epigynal integument: smaller diameter in R. petersoni spec. nov. ( Fig. 75 ) versus larger diameter in R. sequoia comb. nov. ( Fig. 80 ). Additionally, the copulatory ducts are usually separated at the atrium in the female of R. petersoni spec. nov. ( Figs 76–79 ) versus usually contiguous in R. sequoia comb. nov. ( Figs 81–83 ). Finally, distribution can be helpful; the two species are largely allopatric. The main body of the population of R. petersoni spec. nov. is found in the central Sierra Nevada of eastern California ( Fig. 86 ) while the population of R. sequoia comb. nov. is concentrated in northwestern California ( Fig. 85 ).

Description. As in diagnosis and description of the genus. Additional descriptive characters presented here. Abdomen pale gray, usually with faint pattern or pattern lacking.

Male (n=12). Medial component of retrolateral tibial apophysis ( Figs 56–57 ) reduced, demarked distally by single terminal basally articulated macroseta; distal component slightly extended distally. Tegular apophysis ( Figs 48–49 ) with small but prominent proximal basal projection; distal arm of tegular apophysis long, narrow, length about 2.5 times width.

Measurements (n=2). CL 2.05, 2.6; CW 1.60, 1.93; SL 1.12, 1.26; SW 1.11, 1.25. Holotype second (larger) specimen.

Female (n=93). Epigyne ( Fig. 75 ) with small, transverse, slightly bowed, medially located atrium. Vulva ( Figs 76–79 ) broad, width usually at least four times atrial height (measured as height of epigyne from epigastric groove to atrium); copulatory ducts usually separated, rarely contiguous, or nearly so ( Fig. 78 ), at atrium; spermathecal ducts convoluted; spermathecal heads dorsal, short distance anterolaterally from atrium; Bennett’s glands about midway on spermathecal ducts, usually readily observable in cleared dorsal view.

Measurements (n=26). CL 1.95–2.50 (2.24+0.17), CW 1.30–1.95 (1.67+0.17), SL 1.08–1.33 (1.19+0.08), SW 0.99–1.26 (1.12+0.08).

Distribution and natural history ( Fig. 86 ). There may be several disjunct populations of R. petersoni spec. nov. The main population is in the central Sierra Nevada of eastern California, U.S.A., from the Sierra City, Sierra County area south to Yosemite National Park in Tuolumne County and within that area the species is relatively common. Small apparent outlier populations are known from the San Mateo County area in central west coastal California, U.S.A., and the Douglas County area in central west coastal Oregon, U.S.A. The San Mateo County record is from a single female and possibly is a misidentification. The Douglas County records, however, include three males examined by the first author and appear to be valid. Males have been collected from late July through late September.

Figures

FIGURES 1–2. Cybaeina and Rothaeina gen. nov. species (1 C. minuta female from Tofino, British Columbia; 2 R. petersoni spec. nov. male from vicinity of Yuba Pass, California). 1 Eye group, anterior. 2 Patellae, tibiae, and metatarsi of legs I and II, ventral showing ventral tibial macrosetal pattern of 2(+1p)-2-2-2-2-0 on leg I and 2(+1p)-2-2-2-1-2-0 on leg II. AME—anterior median eyes, I—leg 1, II—leg II, Mt—metatarsus, Pt—patella, Ti—tibia.

FIGURES 43–52. Rothaeina gen. nov. species, males (43–44 R. jamesi spec. nov. holotype; 45–47 R. mackinleyi spec. nov. from Beaver Sulphur Forest Camp, Oregon; 48–49 R. petersoni spec. nov. from near Kyburz, California; R. sequoia comb. nov. 50, 52 from Pepperwood, California, 51 from Carlotta, California), left pedipalp. 43, 45, 48, 50 Genital bulb, ventral. 44, 46, 49 Tegular apophysis and embolus, retrolateral. 47 Tegular apophysis and embolus, ventro-retrolateral. 51 Tegular apophysis, retrolateral. 52 Distal half of embolus, ventral. DA—distal arm of tegular apophysis, E—embolus, PA—proximal arm of tegular apophysis, TR—tegular ridge. Unlabelled arrows indicate dorsal keel (45–46 single shafted arrow) and basal projection (43, 48, 50 double shafted arrow) of proximal arm of tegular apophysis and small hooks (52 dashed arrow) on embolus.

FIGURES 53–59. Rothaeina gen. nov. species, males (53 R. jamesi spec. nov. holotype; 54–55 R. mackinleyi spec. nov. from Beaver Sulphur Forest Camp, Oregon; 56–57 R. petersoni spec. nov. from near Kyburz, California; 58–59 R. sequoia comb. nov. holotype), left pedipalp. 53–54, 56, 58 Patellar apophysis and tibia, retrolateral. 55 Patella, dorsal. 57, 59 Tibia and patella, dorsal. Cy—cymbium, dRTA—distal component of retrolateral tibial apophysis, mRTA—medial component of retrolateral tibial apophysis, PTA—patellar apophysis. Unlabelled arrow indicates basal hump of patellar apophysis (59). Note: in Figs 53, 58–59 the distal end of the mRTA is a rigid spine-like process; in Figs 56–57 the mRTA terminates distally in a basally articulated macroseta.

FIGURES 60–65. Rothaeina gen. nov. species, males (60–62 R. jamesi spec. nov. holotype; 63 R. mackinleyi spec. nov. from Beaver Sulphur Forest Camp, Oregon; 64–65 R. petersoni spec. nov. from near Kyburz, California), left pedipalp. 60 Proximal arm of tegular apophysis, ventral. 61 Medial component of retrolateral tibial apophysis, retrolateral. 62, 64–65 Patellar apophysis, dorsal. 63 Tip of proximal arm of tegular apophysis, retrolateral. Unlabelled arrows indicate diagnostic characters: basal projection of proximal arm of tegular apophysis (60); dorso-basal group of peg setae (62); dorsal keel of proximal arm of tegular apophysis (63); large and small peg setae (64–65).

FIGURES 75–79. Rothaeina petersoni spec. nov., females from California (75 from Kyburz; 76 from Sierra City; 77 from Tamarack Flat; 78 from Forest Hill; 79 from near Yuba Pass), copulatory organ. 75 Epigyne, ventral. 76–79 Vulva, dorsal). BG—Bennett’s gland, CD—copulatory duct, FD—fertilization duct, HS—head of spermatheca. Unlabelled arrows indicate atrial openings (75–76, 78 single shafted arrows), and ring-like loops of spermathecae (75–76, 79 double shafted arrows).

FIGURES 84–86. Distributions of Neocybaeina gen. nov. and Rothaeina gen. nov. species (84 Neocybaeina burnetti spec. nov. and N. xantha comb. nov.; 85 Rothaeina beaudini spec. nov., R. jamesi spec. nov., R. mackinleyi spec. nov., and R. sequoia comb. nov.; 86 Rothaeina petersoni spec. nov.) AZ—Arizona, CA—California, ID—Idaho, MT—Montana, OR—Oregon, NV—Nevada, UT—Utah, WA—Washington.

FIGURES 80–83. Rothaeina sequoia comb. nov. females from California (80–82 from Pepperwood; 83 from Scotia), copulatory organ. 80 Epigyne, ventral. 81–83 Vulva (81 ventral; 82–83 dorsal). BG—Bennett’s gland, CD—copulatory duct, FD—fertilization duct, HS—head of spermatheca. Unlabelled arrows indicate atrial openings (80, 82–83 single shafted arrows), and ring-like loops of spermathecae (80 double shafted arrows).