Tafana pastaza, De Oliveira & Brescovit, 2021

De Oliveira, Luiz Fernando M. & Brescovit, Antonio Domingos, 2021, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of ghost spiders of the genus Tafana Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Dionycha, Anyphaenidae), with the descriptions of twelve new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 742, pp. 1-77 : 28-30

Tafana pastaza sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:89787AA8-5ECB-4826-BA94-616D473519D5

Figs 8L , 16 , 32K , 35

Diagnosis

Males of Tafana pastaza sp. nov. differ from those of the other species of this genus by having the apophysis at the base of the embolus bifid, primary apophysis ‘S-shaped’ and secondary apophysis large, retrolateral projection of the cymbium keel-shaped ( Fig. 16C–E ). Females differ from the others by presenting internal copulatory ducts long and sinuous, with a globose extension proximally of the copulatory ducts ( Figs 16F–G , 32K ).

Etymology

The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality, Pastaza Valley.

Material examined

Holotype ECUADOR • 1 ♂; Tungurahua Province, Pastaza Valley , between Baños and Mera; [01°04′00″ N, 78°00′24″ W]; 1 Mar. 1949; W.C. Macintyre leg.; AMNH.

Paratype ECUADOR • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; AMNH .

Remark

The male specimen is in very bad shape, having lost the chelicerae and almost all the legs, and with the abdomen partially deteriorated ( Fig. 16A ).

Description

Male (holotype, AMNH)

COLOR. Exemplar discolored. Carapace reddish brown (16A). Labium, sternum and endites reddish brown. Legs reddish, only right femur IV and left femur III intact. Abdomen discolored ( Fig. 16A ).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 8.5, carapace length 3.3, width 2.9. Clypeus height 0.08. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.12, PME 0.12, PLE 0.1; AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.06, PME– PME 0.16, PME–PLE 0.20, ALE–PLE 0.06.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. III—femur 3.2; IV—femur 4.38.

PALP. Retrolateral tibial apophysis conical and curved, apical protuberance on the tibia in retrolateral view; cymbium with retrolateral projection keel-shaped; embolus long; subtegulum prolateral projected; ventral tegular process not present; sperm duct secondary loop reaching apex of the tegulum; median apophysis thick and curved at the apex ( Fig. 16C–E ).

ABDOMEN. Length 5.0, epigastric furrow 1.1 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 3.2 from base of spinnerets.

Female (paratype, AMNH)

COLOR. Exemplar probably discolored. Carapace reddish brown ( Fig. 16B ). Labium, sternum and endites reddish brown. Chelicerae reddish brown. Legs I–IV yellow, darker at tarsi. Abdomen yellowish gray with dark spots ( Fig. 16B ).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 9.3, carapace length 3.8, width 3.2. Clypeus height 0.12. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.1, ALE 0.18, PME 0.18, PLE 0.18; AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.04, PME– PME 0.2, PME–PLE 0.18, ALE–PLE 0.08. Chelicerae 1.6 long, with four promarginal teeth and five retromarginal denticles.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. I—femur 4.4 /patella 1.7/ tibia 4.7/ metatarsus 3.6/ tarsus 1.8 /total 16.2; II— 4.5/ 1.7/ 4.5 /3.4 / 1.7/ 15.8; III—3.3 /1.4 / 2.5/ 3.1/ 1.3/ 11.6; IV—3.9/ 1.4/ 3.3 /4.0 / 1.4/ 14.0.

LEG SPINATION. I—tibia v2-2-2, p1-1-1, r1-1-1, metatarsus v2-0-0; II—tibia v2-2-2, p1-1-1, r1-1-1, metatarsus p1-0-0, r1-1-0; III—tibia p1-1-0, r1-1-0.

EPIGYNUM. Hood circular; atrium small; epigynal plate without posterior region covered with sclerotized cuticle; lateral lobes chalice-shaped. Internally, copulatory ducts long and narrow; primary spermathecae oval; secondary spermatechae in the middle of the copulatory ducts; fertilization ducts long, two times the length of primary spermathecae ( Figs 16F–G , 32K ).

ABDOMEN. Length 5.3, epigastric furrow 1.3 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 2.0 from base of spinnerets.

Distribution

Known only from Pastaza Valley, Ecuador ( Fig. 35 ).

Figures

Fig. 8. A–B, G–K. Tafana silhavyi (Caporiacco, 1955), ♂ (MNHN 11312). A. Cephalothorax, dorsal view.B. Chelicera, ventral view. G. Claws, tarsus I, prolateral view. H. Claws, tarsus IV, prolateral view. I. Tarsal organ, dorsal view. J. Tricobothrium, dorsal view. K. Slit sensilla, dorsal view. – C–F. Tafana maracay sp. nov. (MNHN 11314), ♀. C. Spinnerets, frontal view. D. Anterior lateral spinneret. E. Posterior median spinneret. F. Posterior lateral spinneret. – L. Tafana pastaza sp. nov. (AMNH), ♂, abdomen, tracheal system, ventral view. Abbreviations: Ac= aciniform gland spigot; ALS =anterior lateral spinnerets; CL=colulus; Ch =character; MaAm =major ampullate gland spigot; MiAm =minor ampullate gland spigot; MTr =median tracheae; PLS=posterior lateral spinnerets; PMS=posterior median spinnerets; Pi =piriform gland spigot; Tp=tartipore; TrSp =tracheal spiracle; 1stB =first bifurcation of median trachea. Scale bars: A=0.5 mm; B=0.3 mm; C =0.2 mm; D–E =0.04 mm; F–G=0.05 mm; H–J =0.01 mm; K =0.02 mm.

Fig. 16. Tafana pastaza sp. nov. (A, C–E =holotype, ♂, AMNH; B, F–G= paratype, ♀, AMNH). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, dorsal view. C. Left palp, ventral view. D. Left palp, retrolateral view (arrow indicating apical salience). E. Left palp, retrodorsal view (arrow indicating apical salience). F. Epigynum, ventral view. G. Vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: A=atrium; CD =copulatory ducts; CO=copulatory opening; E =embolus; FD =fertilization ducts; H =hood; LL = lateral lobes; MA =median apophysis; PA= patellar apophysis; pABE =primary apophysis of base of the embolus; RP= retrolateral projection; RTA=retrolateral tibial apophysis; sABE =secondary apophysis of base of the embolus; S1 =primary spermathecae; S2 =secondary spermathecae; ST=subtegulum, T=tegulum. Asterisks to globose membranous extension of proximal copulatory ducts. Scale bars: A–B =3.5 mm; C–E= 0.66 mm; F–G =0.25 mm.

Fig. 32. Female genitalia, digested. A. Arachosia praesignis (Keyserling, 1891) (Amaurobioidinae) (IBSP 87975). B. Xiruana gracilipes (Keyserling, 1891) (Anyphaeninae) (IBSP 166120). C. Aysha prospera Keyserling, 1891 (IBSP 19783). D. Anyphaena accentuata (Walckenaer, 1802) (MCN). E. Patrera fulvastra Simon, 1903 (MCN 24208). F. Tafana riveti Simon, 1903 (MCZ). G. Tafana straminea (L. Koch, 1866) (AMNH). H. Tafana quelchi (Pocock, 1895) (IBSP 32131). I. Tafana kunturmarqa sp. nov. (ICN-Ar). J. Tafana humahuaca sp. nov. (MACN-Ar 41788). K. Tafana pastaza sp. nov. (AMNH). L. Tafana nevada sp. nov. (AMNH). Abbreviations: CD =copulatory ducts; CO= copulatory opening; FD = fertilization ducts; H =hood; S1= primary spermathecae; S2 =secondary spermathecae. Asterisks to globose membranous extension of proximal copulatory ducts. Scale bars: A–B, D–I, K–L=0.25 mm; C=0.3 mm; J = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 35. Distribution map of species of Tafana.