Wulfila, O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1895

Rivera-Quiroz, F. Andrés & Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando, 2019, Description of five new Wulfila (Araneae, Anyphaenidae) species from Mexico with comments on the taxonomy of the genus, Zootaxa 4712 (2), pp. 269-289 : 280

Wulfila unguis spec. nov.

Figures 9–11 , 14a

Type material: Holotype ♂: MEXICO: Veracruz: Xamaticpac, near the Pico de Orizaba National Park (19°07’30.1’’N, 97°04’0.1’’W, 1700 m), Feb. 9–17, 2014, D. F. Piedra-Jiménez leg. ( CNAN-T01354 ) . Paratypes: 1 ♀, with same data as holotype, except for: U. Garcilazo-Cruz leg. ( CNAN-T01355 ) . All the following, same data as holotype except as noted : 1 ♂, 19°07’33.0’’N, 97°04’05.8’’W, 1658 m, Apr. 19–27, 2013, Maira S. Montejo-Cruz leg. ( CNAN) . 1 ♀, F.A. Rivera-Quiroz leg. ( CNAN) . 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 19°07’33.0’’N, 97°04’05.8’’W, 1658 m, Apr. 19–27, 2013, F. J. Salgueiro-Sepúlveda leg. ( CAS) .

Other material examined: MEXICO: Veracruz: Atotonilco de Calcahualco , (19°08’30.2’’N, 97°12’21.5’’W, 2238 m), Oct. 4–14, 2012, 1♀ , F. M. Labarque. Xamaticpac , (19°07’30.1’’N, 97°04’0.1’’W, 1700 m), Feb. 9–17, 2014, 2♀, 1 ♂ ; Same locality, (19°07’33.0’’N, 97°04’05.8’’W, 1658 m), Oct. 2–11, 2013, 2♂ ; Feb. 9–17, 2014, 2♀, 2♂ ; for all previous: U. Garcilazo-Cruz, D. F. Piedra-Jiménez and Maira S. Montejo-Cruz leg. ( CAFC).

Etymology: The species epithet, a noun in apposition, from the Latin unguis (nail, claw), refers to the three claw-like structures found in the male palp PTV.

Diagnosis: Male pedipalp of W. unguis spec. nov. differ from W. luisi spec. nov. by having the PTV distal “claws” decreasing regularly in size and a narrower posterior lobe of the PTP ( Figs 15 a–b). Female genitalia of W. unguis spec. nov. differ from W. sublestus Chickering, 1940 and W. pulverulentus Chickering, 1937 ( Chickering 1940: figs 61, 63) by having a bigger atrium, the detail of the Cd and having small AB ( Figs 11 e–f).

Description: Male: Total length 4.37. Cephalothorax: length 1.87; width 1.37. Carapace glabrous, without pattern, lighter near the lateral and posterior edges, thoracic groove very difficult to see ( Fig. 9a ). Sternum glossy, color pale yellow. Precoxal triangles present, more visible on coxae III–IV, slightly darker than the sternum ( Fig. 9c ). Coxa II with two ventral projections, coxae III–IV with one ( Fig. 9b ). Endites almost square-shaped labium length ca. 1/2 of endites, same color as sternum. Chelicera: width 0.32, length 0.77; frontally with stout macrosetae ( Fig. 9a ); four promarginal and eight retromarginal teeth; fang length 0.47. Eyes: AER and PER straight in dorsal view ( Fig. 9a ); ALE diameter almost twice as big as AME; posterior eyes subequal in size. Clypeus about 2 times the diameter of AME.Abdomen: pale yellow; dorsal, lateral and ventral surfaces covered without small gray patches ( Fig. 9 a–c). Legs: light yellow; leg I and II with two pairs of ventral macrosetae on tibiae and metatarsi; length I 14.0; II 6.87; III 4.13; IV 8.12; formula I–IV–II–III. Pedipalp: light yellow, bulb and bRTA brown ( Figs 9 d–f); length 2.70. Distal portion of the bRTA harp-shaped, flattened and transparent ( Fig. 11d ). Bulb: PTV elongated, tip with three teeth increasing posteriorly in size; PTP flat and wide, with two lobes; PTs long and semi-transparent ( Fig. 14a ); MA semi-cylindrical and projecting retrolaterally ( Fig. 11a ).

Female: as in male except as noted ( Figs 10 a–e, 11e–f). Total length 4.87. Cephalothorax: length 1.87; width 1.12. Chelicera: width 0.30, length 0.77; three promarginal and six retromarginal teeth; fang 0.357. Coxae II–IV with dark prolateral markings. Abdomen without lateral spots ( Fig. 10b ). Leg length: I 11.87; II 7.0; III 3.87; IV 8.12; Pedipalp 2.70, with a row of eight retrolateral macrosetae ( Fig. 10a ). Epigyne dark, with semi-transparent cuticle; Co on the base of a big atrium ( Fig. 10d, e ; 11f ). Vulva: Cd long and narrow with small AB before the spermatheca; S sub-spherical; Fd long and thin, projecting anteriorly ( Fig. 11e, f ).

Variation: Males: total length mean 4.37 (range: 4.12 to 4.62), carapace length mean 1.92 (range: 1.87 to 2.0); width mean 1.32 (non variable). Females: total length mean 4.71 (range: 4.62 to 4.75), carapace length mean 1.84 (range: 1.75 to 1.87); width mean 1.25 (non variable).

Distribution: Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 15b ).

Biology: All specimens were collected in a Quercus forest with secondary plant growth. Adult specimens were found in May and October 2012. Specimens were caught by beating and direct collecting over vegetation.

Figures

FIGURES 9a–f. Wulfila unguis spec. nov., male. Habitus: a—dorsal, b—lateral, c—ventral. Palp: d—dorsal, e—retrolateral, f—ventral. Scale bars: a–c = 0.5 mm, d–f = 0.2 mm.

FIGURES 10a–e. Wulfila unguis spec. nov., female. Habitus: a—dorsal, b—lateral, c—ventral. Epigyne: d—ventral, e—dorsal (cleared). Scale bars: a–c = 0.5 mm, d–e = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 11a–f. Wulfila unguis spec. nov., genitalia. Male palp: a—ventral, b—prolateral, c—dorsal, d—retrolateral. Epigyne: e—dorsal, f—ventral. Scale bars: a–d = 0.4 mm, e–f = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 14a–d. Expanded male copulatory bulbs, retrolateral view: a—Wulfila unguis spec. nov., b—W. luisi spec. nov., c—W. conchamonile spec. nov., d—W. phantasma spec. nov. Scale bars: a–b = 0.1 mm, c–d = 0.15 mm.

FIGURE 15. Distribution map of the new Wulfila species. Inset a—showing species collected in Xilitla, San Luis Potosí: ● W. conchamonile spec. nov., and ▲ W. xilitlensis spec. nov. Inset b—showing species collected in Atotonilco and Xamaticpac, Veracruz: ♦ W. luisi spec. nov., + W. unguis spec. nov., and ★ W. phantasma spec. nov. Scale bars: a = 50 km, b = 10 km.