Scytodes cotopitoka, Rheims, Cristina A., Barreiros, José Augusto P., Brescovit, Antonio D. & Bonaldo, Alexandre B., 2005

Rheims, Cristina A., Barreiros, José Augusto P., Brescovit, Antonio D. & Bonaldo, Alexandre B., 2005, Notes on spiders of the genus Scytodes Latreille (Arachnida, Araneae, Scytodidae) from the Ferreira Penna Scientific Station, Pará, Brazil, Zootaxa 836, pp. 1-7 : 4-6

Scytodes cotopitoka new species

( Figs. 6–10 )

Types. Male holotype from Estação Científica Ferreira Penna, FLONA Caxiuanã, Melgaço, Pará, Brazil, 28/X/2003, J.A.P. Barreiros leg., deposited in MPEG 813. Paratypes: ɗ, 14/VII/2002, C. Pereira leg. (IBSP 44456); ɗ, 16/X/2003, J.A.P. Barreiros leg. (MPEG 812); Ψ, 25/X/2003, J.A.P. Barreiros leg. (MPEG 809); Ψ, 17/VIII/2003, J.A.P. Barreiros leg. (IBSP 44457), all from the same locality as holotype.

Etymology. The specific name is a combination of words taken from the Tiyrió indian language that means spitting animal (coto = animal; pito ka = spit).

Diagnosis. The males of S. cotopitoka n.sp. resemble those of S. balbina by the long, ventral sclerotized process (Rheims & Brescovit 2000: 723, fig. 2 B–C), but differ by the distal retrolateral hyaline membrane of the palpal bulb ( Fig. 7 ) and by the cymbium with two strong distal spines ( Fig. 6 ). The females differ from the remaining Scytodes by the sinuous lateral borders of the hyaline area of the female epigynal pouch ( Fig. 10 ).

Description. Male (MPEG 0813). Carapace pale orange with brown pattern of interconnected lines ( Fig. 6 ). Chelicerae pale orange with median longitudinal stripe on anterior half. Pedipalps pale orange with prolateral brown marks. Labium and endites pale yellow. Sternum cream colored with orange margins and brown marks in front of each coxae. Legs pale orange. Femora I–IV with pair of ventral, longitudinal brown stripes. Tibiae I–IV with black ends. Abdomen grayish with scattered black marks, longer on posterior half ( Fig. 6 ). Total length 2.70. Carapace slightly domed, 1.40 long, 1.20 wide. Eye diameters: PME 0.12, ALE 0.12, PLE 0.14. Lateral eyes on a tubercle. Chelicerae with subapical hyaline keel and very slightly conspicuous stridulatory ridges. Labium 0.10 long, 0.14 wide. Sternum 0.82 long, 0.64 wide. Leg measurements: I: femur 3.30/ patella 0.40/ tibia 3.90/ metatarsus 4.25/ tarsus 0.70/ total 12.55; II: 2.35/ 0.40/ 2.20/ 2.80/ 0.60/ 8.35; III: 1.50/ 0.40/ 1.25/ 1.55/ 0.45/ 4.15; IV: 2.25/ 0.40/ 2.20/ 2.45/ 0.60/ 7.90. Palpal femur with stridulatory pick long and slender on rounded and projecting socket. Bulb 0.62 long. Abdomen 1.30 long, 0.95 wide, covered with slender hairs.

Female. (MPEG 0809). Coloration pattern as in male. Total length 3.45. Carapace domed, 1.75 long, 1.40 wide. Eye diameters: PME 0.12, ALE 0.12, PLE 0.12. Lateral eyes on a tubercle. Chelicerae as in male. Labium 0.16 long, 0.24 wide. Sternum 0.88 long, 0.74 wide. Leg measurements: I: femur 2.50/ patella 0.35/ tibia 2.75/ metatarsus 3.05/ tarsus 0.60/ total 9.25; II: 1.95/ 0.35/ 2.00/ 2.20/ 0.50/ 7.00; III: 1.25/ 0.35/ 1.10/ 1.30/ 0.45/ 4.45; IV: 1.90/ 0.35/ 1.85/ 2.10/ 0.55/ 6.75. Palpal femur as in male. Epigynum with C­shaped positioning ridges and boomerang shaped epigynal pouch ( Fig. 9 ). Abdomen 1.70 long, 1.45 wide, as in male.

Variation. ɗ. Total length: 2.40–3.15; carapace: 1.30–1.50; femur I: 2.90–3.30. Ψ. Total length: 3.45–3.65; carapace: 1.65–1.80; femur I: 2.40–2.55.

Natural History. All specimens of Scytodes cotopitoka n. sp. were collected during the dry season in “Terra Firme” forests. The majority of the individuals (n=5) were collected with Winkler extractors in LBA experimental sites, two in treatment plots and three in control plots. Two additional individuals were collected manually, one in the leaf litter layer, during a looking down procedure, and another on small bushes, during a looking up procedure. This might indicate that this species is capable of occupying not only the leaf litter, but also the lower vegetation.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality.

Material examined. BRAZIL. Pará: Melgaço, Estação Científica Ferreira Penna, FLONA Caxiuanã, Ψ, 7–26/VIII/2003, J.A.P. Barreiros leg. ( MPEG 489), Ψ, 22/X/2003, J.A.P. Barreiros leg. ( MPEG 810).

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 10. Scytodes cotopitoka new species. 6. Male, body, dorsal view (scale line: 0.5 mm); 7. Left palp, prolateral view; 8. Left palp, retrolateral view (scale line: 0.25 mm); 9. Female, epigynum, ventral view; 10. Female epigynum, dorsal view (scale line: 0.1 mm).