Cryptocellus macagual, Botero-Trujillo & Carvalho & Florez D. & Prendini, 2021

Botero-Trujillo, Ricardo, Carvalho, Leonardo S., Florez D., Eduardo & Prendini, Lorenzo, 2021, Four New Species of “ Hooded Tick-Spiders ” (Ricinulei, Ricinoididae) from South and Central America, with Clarification of the Identity of Cryptocellus leleupi Cooreman, 1976, American Museum Novitates 2021 (3976), pp. 1-36 : 21-26

Cryptocellus macagual , sp. nov.

Figures 1 , 12–14 , 17D ; table 1

TYPE MATERIAL: Holotype ♂ ( ICN Ari 019), COLOMBIA: Caquetá: Florencia, Centro de Investigaciones Amazónicas Macagual ( CIMAZ), 01°30′5.364″N 75°39′46.26″W, 250 m, 27.iii–5.iv.2017, E. Flórez and students, pitfall trap.

DIAGNOSIS: Cryptocellus macagual most closely resembles C. chiruisla , C. guaviarensis , and C. leleupi . The four species share several characters of the male, including a pronounced median elevation (fig. 12A, B) and a distinct, granular, triangular surface (figs. 12B, 13A) of the cucullus, a wide movable finger of the chelicera (fig. 13A), a well-developed distal expansion proventrally on the tibia of leg I (fig. 13C), a tuft of long setae ventrodistally on the metatarsus of leg III (figs. 14E, F, 17D), and a robust femur of leg IV and, to lesser extent, legs I and III (fig. 14A–D, table 1). The male of C. macagual differs from the males of C. chiruisla , C. guaviarensis , and C. leleupi in the ventrolateral margins of the cucullus projecting beyond the ventral margin in anterior aspect (fig. 13A), a character not observed in the other species. Additionally, the tibia of leg I bears a distinct retroventral longitudinal carina (fig. 13C, E) and lacks a ventral notch in C. macagual , whereas the tibia of leg I bears a pronounced ventral notch but no retroventral longitudinal carina in C. chiruisla , C. guaviarensis , and C. leleupi . Finally, the prolateral and ventral surfaces of the metatarsus of leg I are unmodified in C. macagual (fig. 13C–E), whereas the prolateral surface is compressed, and the ventral surface distinctly expanded distally, in the other species.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific epithet is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality, the Centro de Investigaciones Amazónicas Macagual , in Caquetá, Colombia .

DESCRIPTION OF MALE: Based on the holotype (ICN Ari 019).

Measurements: Total length, 4.77 mm (table 1).

Coloration: Soma and appendages predominantly dark red; coxosternal region and legs II–IV metatarsus and tarsus reddish orange; pedipalps and legs I metatarsus and tarsus yellow. Carapace dorsolateral translucent areas yellow. Cheliceral manus yellow; fingers and finger dentition slightly reddish.

Setation: Soma and appendages covered with fine, translucent, bristlelike setae (figs. 12, 13, 14); setae on pedipalps shorter than elsewhere.

Tegument surface macrosculpture: Tegument without cuticular pits. Carapace densely covered with conspicuous, round, iridescent granules, smooth anteriorly (fig. 12A). Cucullus with flat, coarsely granular triangular surface ventrally (figs. 12B, 13A), two small granular surfaces on either side, remaining surface smooth. Coxosternal region predominantly smooth, intercoxal margins finely granular (fig. 12B). Opisthosoma, dorsal and ventral surfaces with granulation similar to carapace, except on raised surface of tergite XI which is smooth (fig. 12C, D). Pedipalp predominantly smooth (fig. 12B), retrolateral surfaces of trochanter 1, trochanter 2, and base of femur finely and sparsely granular. Legs with granulation similar to carapace (figs. 13C–E, 14).

Carapace: Carapace trapezoidal, as long as wide (table 1), broadest between coxae of legs II and III; lateral margins curved, converging anteriorly (fig. 12A); anterior margin linear in dorsal aspect, procurved in frontal aspect; posterior margin procurved; median longitudinal sulcus shallow, partial; paired lateral depressions present near lateral margins, adjacent to coxae of legs II; dorsolateral translucent areas well defined, visible in dorsal and lateral aspects, glabrous and slightly convex, aligned with intersection between coxae of legs I and II.

Cucullus: Cucullus dome shaped, wider than long (table 1); lateral margins markedly diverging ventrally (fig. 13A); ventral margin predominantly linear with ventrolateral margins projecting in anterior aspect, linear in ventral aspect; pronounced median elevation visible in dorsal and ventral aspects (fig. 12A, B); cucullus with flat triangular surface ventrally.

Chelicerae: Movable finger longer than fixed finger, greatly widened and hook shaped (fig. 13A); mucron sharp, not truncated; tooth row comprising seven or nine small, sharp teeth. Fixed finger tooth row comprising four small, sharp teeth and one markedly larger distal tooth.

Coxosternal region: Tritosternum very small, barely visible, not abutting coxae of legs I (fig. 12B); coxae of legs II–IV abutting one another medially along entire length; coxae of legs II, anterior and posterior margins not perpendicular to median axis, forming angle medially; coxae of legs II–IV progressively decreasing in length (table 1); coxae of legs II very narrow, of legs III and, to lesser extent, IV, very broad; suture between coxae of legs II approximately half length of suture between coxae of legs III.

Opisthosoma: Opisthosoma oblong truncate, longer than wide (fig. 12C, D, table 1), broadest at tergite XII. Median sclerite of tergite X slitlike, trapezoidal, posterior margin shallowly emarginate medially; of tergites XI–XIII each with paired, shallow submedian depressions, lateral margins converging posteriorly on XI, subparallel on XII and XIII; of tergites XI and XII wider than long, of XIII as wide as long (table 1); of tergite XI with distinct, round raised surface medially; of tergite XIII, lateral margins forming right angle with posterior margin, posterior corners not protruding laterally. Sternites XI–XIII each with paired submedian depressions similar to tergites (fig. 12D). Pygidium basal segment, posterior margin with distinct notch dorsally and, to lesser extent, ventrally (fig. 13B).

Pedipalps: Femur robust (table 1), dorsal surface convex. Tibia longer than femur (table 1), slightly curved ventrally (fig. 12B), moderately swollen proximally, rest of segment noticeably narrower; elevated oval tubercles absent. Movable finger longer and more robust than fixed finger.

Legs: Leg II longest; femora width (at midline) increasing in order III <II <I <IV (table 1). Leg I femur markedly swollen in proximal two thirds (fig. 14A, B); tibia with well-developed, ventrally protruding, proventral and retroventral distal expansions (fig. 13C, E), proventral expansion slightly larger; tibia proventral surface moderately concave, without proximal protrusion; tibia with distinct retroventral longitudinal carina (fig. 13C, E); tibia without ventral notch; metatarsus ventral surface planar in distal two thirds, otherwise unmodified (fig. 13C–E). Leg II femur only, proximal end with moderate projection ventrally, protecting articulation with trochanter. Leg III metatarsus moderately swollen, deeply excavated dorsally (fig. 14E), with tuft of long setae ventrodistally (fig. 17D); metatarsal process situated basally near tibia, tapering and curving retrolaterally, apex rounded and dorsoventrally compressed (fig. 14E, F); lamina cyathiformis deeper than long, with markedly pointed apex (fig. 14F). Leg IV, trochanter 1 with moderate retroventral expansion (fig. 12B); femur markedly swollen (fig. 14C, D).

Copulatory apparatus: Sinistral copulatory apparatus abnormal. Dextral copulatory apparatus, fixed process S-shaped (figs. 14E, 17D); distal half with pronounced proventral ridge submedially (fig. 17D); apex acute, sublinear, moderately broad, directed subhorizontally; ventral surface with longitudinal fold subdistally (fig. 17D), retrolateral edge of fold smooth in lateral aspect, more developed than prolateral edge, which is slightly irregular. Movable process resting on shallow longitudinal groove along retrolateral surface of fixed process (fig. 17D); markedly shorter than fixed process, curved, narrowing distally; apex simple, entire.

FEMALE: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: Cryptocellus macagual is known only from the type locality in the department of Caquetá, Colombia (fig. 1) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Map of South and Central America, plotting known locality records of Cryptocellus canutama, sp. nov., Cryptocellus chiruisla Botero-Trujillo and Flórez, 2017, Cryptocellus goodnighti Platnick and Shadab, 1981, Cryptocellus guaviarensis Botero-Trujillo and Flórez, 2017, Cryptocellus islacolon, sp. nov., Cryptocellus jamari, sp. nov., Cryptocellus leleupi Cooreman, 1976, and Cryptocellus macagual, sp. nov. Horizontal lines separate groups of putative relatives.

FIGURE 12. Cryptocellus macagual, sp. nov., holotype ♂ (ICN Ari 019). A. Carapace and cucullus, dorsal aspect. B. Coxosternal region and cucullus, ventral aspect. C, D. Opisthosoma, dorsal (C) and ventral (D) aspects. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 13. Cryptocellus macagual, sp. nov., holotype ♂ (ICN Ari 019). A. Cucullus and chelicerae, anterior aspect. B. Posterior end of opisthosoma, dorsal aspect. C–E. Leg I distal segments, prolateral (C), dorsal (D), and retroventral (E) aspects. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 14. Cryptocellus macagual, sp. nov., holotype ♂ (ICN Ari 019). A, B. Leg I femur, prolateral (A) and dorsal (B) aspects. C, D. Leg IV femur, retrolateral (C) and dorsal (D) aspects. E, F. Leg III distal segments, prolateral (E) and retrolateral (F) aspects. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 17. A. Cryptocellus canutama, sp. nov., holotype ♂ (CHNUFPI 2215), B. Cryptocellus jamari, sp. nov., holotype ♂ (CHNUFPI 2221), C. Cryptocellus islacolon, sp. nov., holotype ♂ (OUMNH 2010-028-001), and D. Cryptocellus macagual, sp. nov., holotype ♂ (ICN Ari 019), leg III distal segments, prolateral aspect. Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Abbreviations: b.p., bending point; p.e., r.e., prolateral and retrolateral edges of ventral longitudinal fold; pv.r., proventral ridge; r.k., rounded knob; s.t., setal tuft; v.s., ventral swelling.