Wulfila conchamonile, Rivera-Quiroz & Álvarez-Padilla, 2019

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 : 271-274

Wulfila conchamonile spec. nov.

Figures 1–3 , 14c

Type material: Holotype ♀: MEXICO: San Luis Potosí: Xilitla, Xilitla City near Las Pozas (21°23’50’’N, 98°59’38’’W, 685 m), Aug. 27–31, 2011, F.A. Rivera-Quiroz leg. ( CNAN-T01346 ) . Paratypes: All the following, same data as holotype except as noted : 1 ♂, Aug. 27–31, 2011, U. Garcilazo-Cruz leg. ( CNAN-T01345 ) . 1 ♂, Nov. 14–18, 2011, U. Garcilazo-Cruz leg. ( CNAN) . 1 ♀, M. A. Hernández-Patricio leg. ( CNAN) . 1 ♂, Nov. 14–18, 2011, F.A. Rivera-Quiroz leg. ( MCZ) . 1 ♀, O. Caballero-Hernández leg. ( MCZ) . 2♂, August 27–31, 2011, U. Garcilazo- Cruz leg. ( CAS) . 2♀. August 27–31, 2011, U. Garcilazo-Cruz leg. ( CAS) .

Further material examined: MEXICO: San Luis Potosí: With same locality as holotype, Aug. 27–31, 2011, 1♀ ; Nov. 14–18, 2011, 1♀, 1♂ ; Mar. 23–30, 2012, 5♀, 9♂; and Jun. 10–15, 2012, 5♂; for all previous: U. Gar- cilazo-Cruz, D. E. Álvarez-Martinez, M. A. Hernández-Patricio, F. J. Salgueiro-Sepúlveda, F.A. Rivera-Quiroz and R. S. González-Contreras leg. ( CAFC) .

Etymology: The species epithet, a noun in apposition, from the Latin concha (pearl) and monile (necklace) refers to the shape of the final portion of the copulatory duct.

Diagnosis: Male pedipalp of W. conchamonile spec. nov. differs from that of W. albens ( Platnick 1974: fig. 83, 84) by lacking a bifurcation on the distal portion of the MA and having a longer bRTA ( Figs 1f ; 3a , c–d). Female genitalia of W. conchamonile spec. nov. differ from all other Wulfila species by having very long Cd with semispherical sac-like structures ( Figs 2e ; 3 e–f).

Description: Male: Total length 3.75. Cephalothorax: length 1.50; width 1.0. Carapace glabrous, without pattern, slightly darker in ocular area, thoracic groove very difficult to see ( Fig. 1a ). Sternum glossy, color pale yellow. Precoxal triangles present, more visible on coxae III–IV, slightly darker than sternum ( Fig. 1c ). Coxae without spurs, coxae III–IV with dark marks on the prolateral surface. Endites same color as sternum. Labium black, longer than wide, length ca. 1/2 of endites ( Fig. 1c ). Chelicera: width 0.23, length 0.65; same color as the cephalic region four promarginal and seven retromarginal teeth; fang length 0.42. Eyes: AER straight, PER almost straight in dorsal view ( Fig. 1a ); ALE almost twice as big as AME; posterior eyes subequal in size. Clypeus about 1/2 the diameter of AME. Abdomen: pale yellow; dorsal surface without marking; lateral surface with three black spots longitudinally distributed ( Fig. 1b ); ventral surface with three black spots: near the pedicel, over the epigastric furrow and before the tracheal spiracle ( Fig. 1c ). Legs: light yellow, tibia and metatarsi with a dark ring on its distal portion; leg I and II with two pairs of ventral macrosetae on tibiae and metatarsi; length: I 14.12; II 7.0; III 4.87; IV 8.37; formula I–IV–II–III. Pedipalp: light yellow, bulb reddish ( Figs 1 d–f); length 2.30. Distal portion of bRTA flattened and transparent, bifurcating at the tip ( Fig. 3d ). Bulb: PTV square-shaped, flat and transparent on a ventral view; PTP conical and slender, almost as long as the MA; PTs semitransparent, as long as the PTP ( Fig. 14c ); MA rhomboid distally, projecting retrolaterally ( Figs. 1f , 3a ).

Female: As in male except as noted ( Figs 2 a–e; 3e–f).Total length 4.12. Cephalothorax: length 1.62; width 1.12. Chelicera: width 0.23, length 0.52; five promarginal and eight retromarginal teeth; fang 0.30. Clypeus slightly higher than in male. Coxae II–IV with dark prolateral markings. Abdomen: without lateral spots ( Fig. 2b ); ventral surface with, one dark spot near the tracheal spiracle ( Fig. 2c ). Legs length: I 12.50; II 6.25; III 4.37; IV 7.75. Pedipalp 2.20. Epigyne: red, with semi-transparent cuticle; Co in a shallow atrium ( Fig. 2d ; 3f ). Vulva: Cd long and narrow, with a great number of sac-like sections that resembles a pearl necklace; S sub-spherical; Fd short and narrow projecting anteriorly ( Figs 3 e–f).

Variation: Males: total length mean 3.65 (range: 3.50 to 3.80), carapace length mean 1.40 (range: 1.37 to 1.60); width mean 1.07 (range: 1.0 to 1.25). Females: total length mean 4.12 (range: 4.0 to 4.20), carapace length mean 1.50 (range: 1.50 to 1.60); width mean 1.05 (range: 1.0 to 1.12). In both sexes some specimens show darker markings and a few do not show markings at all.

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

Biology: All specimens were collected in a tropical forest with secondary plant growth. Most specimens were caught by beating and direct collecting from vegetation; one specimen was collected in the leaf litter.

Figures

FIGURES 1a–f. Wulfila conchamonile 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 2a–e. Wulfila conchamonile 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 3a–f. Wulfila conchamonile spec. nov., genitalia. Male palp: a—ventral, b—prolateral, c—dorsal, d—retrolateral. Epigyne: e—dorsal, f—ventral. Scale bars: a–d = 0.3 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.