Tapinauchenius polybotes Hüsser, 2018

Cifuentes, Yeimy & Bertani, Rogerio, 2022, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of the tarantula genera Tapinauchenius Ausserer, 1871, Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1985, and Amazonius n. gen. (Theraphosidae, Psalmopoeinae), Zootaxa 5101 (1), pp. 1-123 : 52-54

Tapinauchenius polybotes Hüsser, 2018

( Figs 19 , 21–22 , 103–110 , 119 )

Tapinauchenius polybotes Hüsser, 2018: 78 , figs 7A–B, 8A–C, 9A–D; Cifuentes & Perafán 2020: 110, figs 4.6D, 4.8D.

Diagnosis. Females of Tapinauchenius polybotes resemble those of T. plumipes , T. cupreus , T. latipes and T. rasti by the spermathecae with a constriction near the tip, forming a small and strongly sclerotized lobe ( Fig. 110 ). They differ from T. plumipes by the tibiae III tip lacking an apical-ventral row of spiniform setae; and legs, carapace and chelicerae lacking a violet sheen. They differ from females of T. latipes by the longer spermathecae; from T. cupreus by the non-oval spermathecae shape, and from T. rasti by the geographic distribution on Saint Lucia Island on the Caribbean ( Figs 21–22 ). Males of T. polybotes resemble those of T. rasti by the short embolus less than 2.7 times subtegulum length ( Fig. 103 ). They differ from T. rasti by the embolus tip with a sinuous curvature in dorsal view ( Fig. 106 ).

Type material. Holotype male and female paratype from Saint Lucia, Lesser Antilles, Sanchez leg., B. Rast ded., 2013, deposited at SMF, not examined.

Other material examined. SAINT LUCIA: Anse Galet [13°55’41”N, 61°02’26”W], 1 female, H. Boos col. in silk retreat in low tree cavity, December 1979 ( MNRJ 7700 ) ; Grande Anse : [14°00’24”N, 60°53’13”W] 1 male, J. Burgess col. from silken retreat in tree cavities, 30 November 2007 ( MNRJ 7701 ) ; 1 female, same data and collector ( MZUSP 76532 ) .

Redescription. Male (MNRJ 7701). Total length, not including chelicerae or spinnerets 32.87. Carapace 15.39 long, 13.04 wide, 8.10 high. Chelicera: 7.76 long. Legs (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 14.55, 8.84, 13.56, 12.19, 6.25, 55.39; II: 13.89, 7.59, 11.68, 11.60, 5.11, 49.87; III: 12.55, 6.12, 9.71, 11.91, 5.37, 45.72; IV: 14.60, 7.01, 14.25, 14.82, 5.82, 56.50; Palp: 9.40, 5.56, 8.31, -, 2.97, 26.24. Midwidths: femora I–IV= 3.24, 3.08, 2.77, 2.59, palp= 2.00; patellae I–IV= 12.76, 2.85, 2.85, 2.92, palp= 2.24; tibiae I–IV= 2.62, 2.15, 2.20, 2.61, palp= 2.11; metatarsi I–IV= 1.66, 1.51, 1.32, 1.44; tarsi I–IV= 1.51, 1.54, 1.25, 1.37, palp= 2.07. Abdomen: 16.93 long, 9.99 wide. Spinnerets: PMS, 0.79 long, 0.76 wide, 0.20 apart; PLS, 2.10 basal, 2.03 middle, 3.48 distal; midwidths 1.27, 0.96, 0.63, respectively. Carapace: 1.18 times longer than wide; cephalic region slightly raised, thoracic striae conspicuous. Fovea: deep, straight, 0.85 wide. Eyes: tubercle 0.54 high, 2.17 long, 3.42 wide. Clypeus: absent. Anterior eye row straight, posterior recurved. Eye size and interdistances: AME 0.72, ALE 0.75, PME 0.52, PLE 0.69, AME–AME 0.51, AME–ALE 0.23, AME–PME 0.01, ALE–ALE 2.37, ALE–PME 0.47, PME–PME 1.85, PME–PLE 0.08, PLE–PLE 2.56, ALE–PLE 0.37. Maxilla: length to width 2.13. Cuspules: ca. 142 spread over ventral inner heel. Labium: 2.48 long, 2.22 wide, with ca. 138 cuspules spaced by one diameter from each other on anterior third. Chelicera: basal segment with 9 teeth in row. Sternum: 8.01 long, 6.02 wide. Sigilla: anterior very conspicuous.

Legs: Formula: I = IV II III. Length leg IV to leg I: 1.02. Scopula: Tarsi I–IV fully scopulate; IV with a few sparse setae. Metatarsi I–II fully scopulate; III 2/3 distal; IV 1/4 distal. IV divided by rows of setae. Spination: Palps and legs (ventral apical: tibia/metatarsi): Palp 0; I: 1 behind retrolateral process of tibial apophysis; II: 2/2; III 1/2; IV 0/2. Tibial apophysis ( Figs 107–109 ): two processes, retrolateral longer than prolateral, one spine at side of prolateral, one on apical part of retrolateral process. A conspicuous rounded protuberance behind retrolateral process. Metatarsus I folds on retrolateral side of tibial apophysis.

Palp ( Figs 103–106 ): tegulum length 1.57, width 1.66, embolus proximal width 0.36, length 3.56. Embolus proximal portion straight. Embolus length to tegulum: 2.27, thick and roughly straight proximal embolus and curved tip. Embolus distal portion narrows abruptly ending in curved tip.

Color pattern (preserved in alcohol): Carapace, legs, palpal femora, and tibiae brown-reddish; abdomen light brown. Booklungs dark.

Redescription. Female (MNRJ 7700). Total length, not including chelicerae or spinnerets 49.41. Carapace 22.95 long, 18.60 wide, 13.08 high. Chelicera: 12.06 long. Legs (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 16.98, 11.01, 13.87, 13.75, 6.96, 62.57; II: 15.86, 9.96, 12.79, 13.05, 6.85, 58.52; III: 14.72, 8.82, 11.65, 13.90, 6.82, 55.91; IV: 17.45, 9.70, 15.08, 17.71, 7.33, 67.27; Palp: 12.42, 7.06, 8.17, -, 9.55. Midwidths: femora I–IV= 3.69, 3.29, 3.93, 3.89, palp= 2.64; patellae I–IV= 3.72, 3.73, 3.91, 4.14, palp=2.96; tibiae I–IV= 3.46, 2.98, 2.98, 3.74, palp= 2.80; metatarsi I–IV= 2.47, 2.40, 2.09, 2.10; tarsi I–IV= 2.32, 2.25, 2.04, 2.15, palp= 2.14. Abdomen: 25.18 long, 15.97 wide. Spinnerets: PMS, 2.57 long, 1.22 wide, 0.30 apart; PLS, 3.44 basal, 5.05 middle, 5.85 distal; midwidths 2.12, 1.77, 1.33, respectively. Carapace: 1.23 times longer than wide; cephalic region slightly raised, thoracic striae conspicuous. Fovea: deep, straight, 0.99 wide. Eyes: tubercle 0.55 high, 2.17 long, 3.42 wide. Clypeus: absent. Anterior eye row straight, posterior slightly recurved. Eye size and interdistances: AME 0.71, ALE 0.75, PME 0.52, PLE 0.69, AME–AME 0.51, AME–ALE 0.23, AME–PME 0.21, ALE–ALE 2.37, ALE–PME 0.47, PME–PME 1.84, PME–PLE 0.09, PLE–PLE 2.56, ALE–PLE 0.37. Maxilla: length to width 1.83. Cuspules: ca. 154 spread over ventral inner heel. Labium: 3.07 long, 3.13 wide, with ca. 142 cuspules spaced by one diameter from each other on anterior third. Chelicera: basal segment with 10 teeth in row. Sternum: 11.40 long, 8.21 wide.

Legs: Formula: I = IV II III. Length leg IV to leg I: 1.07. Scopula: Tarsi I–IV fully scopulate; IV with a few sparse setae. Metatarsi I–II fully scopulate; III 1/2 distal; IV 1/3 distal. IV divided by rows of setae. Spination: Palps and legs (ventral apical: tibia/metatarsi): Palp 0; I: 0/0; II 2/0; III 2/ 2; IV 0/2.

Spermathecae ( Fig. 110 ): Two spermathecae completely separated, long and triangular, with an apical sclerotized lobe.

Color pattern (preserved in alcohol): Carapace, legs, palpal femora, and tibiae brown, with brown reddish shades, clear longitudinal stripes in patellae and femora; abdomen dark.

Distribution. Saint Lucia island ( Figs 21–22 ).

Figures

FIGURE 19. Single cladogram obtained with setk.run and concavity 10.239258 (continued), showing the resolution of Psalmopoeinae clade. Absolute and relative Bremer support are in each node.

FIGURES 21–23. 21, Map showing geographic records (dots) of Tapinauchenius species. 22, detail of the geographic records (dots) of T. sanctivincenti, T. latipes, T. polybotes and T. rasti. 23, detail of the geographic records (dots) of T. plumipes (red) and T. gretae n. sp. (black) in Central Amazonia, Brazil. Tapinauchenius plumipes (red), T. sanctivincenti (pink), T. latipes (green), T. brunneus (brown), T. cupreus (yellow), T. polybotes (purple), T. rasti (light blue), T. gretae n. sp. (black). MI = Mustique island; SL = Saint Lucia island; SV = Saint Vincent island; UI = Union island; TR = Trinidad; VE = Venezuela.

FIGURES 103–110. Tapinauchenius polybotes. (103–109) male (MNRJ 7701). (103–106) left bulb (mirrored). 103, retrolateral. 104, prolateral. 105, frontal. 106, dorsal. (107–109) left leg I tibial apophysis. 107, ventral. 108, prolateral. 109, retrolateral. (110) female (MNRJ 7700), spermathecae. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURES 119–121. 119, Tapinauchenius polybotes, living female from Saint Lucia Island. (120–121), Tapinauchenius rasti, 120, female from Union Island, Mount Tabor. 121, male from same locality. Photos: Rick C. West.