Selenops curazao Alayon-Garcia , 2001

Crews, Sarah C., 2011, A revision of the spider genus Selenops Latreille, 1819 (Arachnida, Araneae, Selenopidae) in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, ZooKeys 105, pp. 1-182 : 10-12

Selenops curazao Alayon-Garcia, 2001 Figs 3-6196Map 1

Selenops curazao Alayón-García 2001: 17-20, Figs 1-4 (♂, ♀, examined).

Type material.

Holotype male from, CarMaBI (Caribbean Marine Biology Institute), Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, H. Campbell, IX.1963 (MCZ, examined). Paratypes. Female from Piscadera Baai building, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, H. & L. Levi, 18-30.XII.1962 (MCZ, examined).

Other material examined.

NETHERLANDS ANTILLES: Bonaire: Altamira Ungu, along dirt road, 12°13.949'N, 68°20.703'W, ~100 m, 12.X.2004, S. Crews, under rocks in thornscrub, SCC04_038, 1♀, 2♂ (EME sel_059-060, 082); Nort di Saliña, Kaya Otomac, 12°10'39.86"N, 68°16'19.53"W, 11-12.X.2004, G. van Hoorn, in house, SCC04_037, 5♀, 4 imm. (EME sel_054-057, 061-065); Sabadaco, across street from cave, 12°11.587'N, 68°17.765'W, 11.X.2004, S. Crews, under rocks in pile from construction, SCC04_034, 1 imm. (EME sel_053). Curaçao: Carmabi Institute, 12°07.351'N, 68°58.132'W, sea level, 7.X.2004, S. Crews, under wood and rocks behind building, SCC04_026, 1♀, 2 imm. (CAS sel_047, 068, 217); Girouette Plantation, East of Schottegat Harbor, 12°07'57.38"N, 68°54'57.34"W, house of A. DeBrot, 8.X.2004, in house and in boulder pile outside of house, SCC04_032, 1♂, 4 imm. (CAS sel_048-052).

Diagnosis.

The females of this species most closely resemble Selenops isopodus found in Colombia and Selenops arikok sp. n., of which the males are unknown. Females can be distinguished from these species by the epigyne, as Selenops curazao has a narrow septum, and the internal copulatory organs are quite different (Figs 5-6). The male is easily differentiated from other species by the angular cymbium, the long twisted stalk of the conductor, and the shape of the tibial apophyses (Figs 3-4)

Description.

Holotype male: Color: carapace (holotype) brown-orange, duskier at lateral margins (recent) cephalic area not as contrasted with the rest of carapace, duskier in center and on sides of carapace, with white setae; sternum (holotype) orange-brown, darker at border (recent) pale yellow, slightly darker around border; chelicerae orange-brown with dusky longitudinal lines; maxillae (holotype) orangeish, lightening distally (recent) pale yellow, lightening distally; labium (holotype) orange-brown, lightening distally (recent) yellow-brown lightening distally; abdomen, dorsally cream-colored with some duskier flecks and dark festoon caudolaterally; ventrally, cream-colored; legs (holotype) orange-brown with light annulations which are darker ventrally and the me tatarsi and tarsi are darker (recent) dusky yellow with faint annulations which are more visible ventrally, with the metatarsi and tarsi darker. Carapace: 0.88 times longer than broad. Eyes: AER slightly recurved; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PME same as PLE, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.10, ALE 0.03, PME 0.28, PLE 0.28; interdistances AME-PME 0.03, PME-ALE 0.10, ALE-PLE 0.28. PME-PME 0.83 mm. ALE-ALE 1.45; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.30, PLE-PLE 1.53; clypeus 0.10 high. Mouthparts: chelicerae with a few stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum: as long as broad, posteriorly indented. Legs: leg I much shorter than legs II, III and IV; leg formula 2431; scopulae present on tarsi of all legs, and metatarsi of I and II; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti d 1 –1– 0, pr (R) 0 –1– 1, (L) 0 –0– 1, v (R) 1 –1–2– 2 (L) 2 –1–2– 2, rl 0 –1– 1; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 0, rl 1 –0– 0; leg II, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d (R) 1 –1– 1 (L) 1 –1–1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr (R) 1 –1– 0 (L) 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 0, rl 0 –1– 1, v 2 –2– 2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, v 2-2, rl 1 –1– 0; leg III, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –1– 0, d (R) 1 –1– 0 (L) 1 –0– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, v (R) 2 –2– 1 (L) 2 –2– 0; leg IV, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 0, rl 1 –1– 0; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, v 2-2, rl 1 –1– 0. Abdomen: with terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp: Fm, spination d 0 –1– 4; cymbium triangular in ventral view. Conductor large, arising from a long, slightly twisted stalk in the center of bulb, pointed laterally toward the 1 o'clock position, not extending beyond edge of bulb, curving retrolaterally around bulb; embolus long, slender, curved tapering distally, beginning at 6 o'clock, terminating at 12 o'clock; MA located at 3 o'clock position, directed distally, with stout base, tapering, and terminating in curved, single hook; RTA with two tibial apophyses, ventral process shorter and more angular than retrolateral process, which is slightly curved ventrally, slender, pointed distally, with small tooth at the base; tibial apophyses barely reach cymbium in ventral view (Figs 3-4). Dimensions: Total length 5.28. Carapace length 2.83, width 3.23. Sternum length 1.25, width 1.25. Abdomen length 2.45, width 1.68. Pedipalp: Fm 1.00, Pt 0.25, Ti 0.25, Ta 0.75, total 2.25. Leg I: Fm 3.00, Pt 1.20, Ti 3.00, Mt 2.80, Ta 1.40, total 11.40. Leg II: Fm 3.75, Pt 1.25, Ti 3.25, Mt 3.15, Ta 1.30, total 12.70. Leg III: Fm 3.25, Pt 1.00, Ti 3.20, Mt 3.00, Ta 1.25, total 11.70. Leg IV: Fm 3.80, Pt 1.00, Ti 3.00, Mt 3.00, Ta 1.25, total 12.05.

Paratype female: carapace (type) brown-yellow, uniformly dark brown with white setae in cephalic region (recent) cephalic area not as contrasted with the rest of carapace, duskier medially and laterally; sternum pale yellow, darker around border; chelicerae (type) orange-brown, (recent) orange-brown with dusky medial area; maxillae pale yellow, lighter distally; labium dusky yellow, lightening distally; abdomen, dorsally cream-colored with some duskier flecks, dark festoon caudolaterally; ventrally, cream-colored; legs (type) tan with annulations from femora to metatarsi, tarsi uniformly tan; (recent) cream-yellow, darker distally, with annulations, except on tarsi, that don't completely encircle the leg. Carapace: 0.90 times longer than broad. Eyes: AER slightly recurved; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.13, ALE 0.05, PME 0.25, PLE 0.35; interdistances AME-PME 0.08, PME-ALE 0.11, ALE-PLE 0.30. PME-PME 1.18. ALE-ALE 1.98; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.40, PLE-PLE 2.00; clypeus 0.09 high. Mouthparts: chelicerae with stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:as long as broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:leg formula 3124; legs I and II with tarsal and metatarsal scopulae; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw per foot slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, r. 1 –1– 1; Ti d 0, v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; II, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; III, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –2– 1, rl 0 –0– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 0; Mt v 2 –2– 1; IV, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –0– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 0; Mt v 2 –2– 1. Abdomen:with terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:claw with 7 teeth. Epigyne:epigynal plate subtriangular, abruptly widening caudally, lateral lobes indistinct, with a roundish median field encircling septum, genital openings located laterodistally with respect to median septum; internal copulatory organs large, heavily sclerotized, sperm ducts large, slightly twisted, leading to roundish spermathecae, posterodorsal fold present, covers part of the spermathecae (Figs 5-6). Dimensions: Abdomen damaged. Carapace length 3.50, width 3.90. Sternum length 3.85, width 3.85. Pedipalp: Fm 0.90, Pt 0.40, Ti 0.25, Ta 1.00, total 2.55. Leg I: Fm 3.15, Pt 1, Ti 2.25, Mt 2.20, Ta 1.00, total 9.60. Leg II: Fm 3.15, Pt 1.00, Ti 2.25, Mt 2.00, Ta 1.00, total 9.40. Leg III: Fm 3.30, Pt 1.10, Ti 3.00, Mt 2.25, Ta 1.25, total 10.90. Leg IV: Fm 3.00, Pt 1.00, Ti 2.25, Mt 2.15, Ta 1.00, total 9.30.

Natural history.

This species has been collected under wood, rocks, cactus and other debris on the ground, as well as on, in, and near buildings, including houses. In houses it is common at night around the ceiling molding where it hides during the day. It has been found in dry, thornscrub habitat, dominated by Acacia (Fig. 196). The egg sac is flat, white, and disc-shaped, and is guarded by the female. One specimen laid 30-40 eggs which hatched about 2 weeks later. After about a week, the spiderlings emerged from the egg sac. The mother died about a week later.

Distribution.

Netherlands Antilles islands of Curaçao and Bonaire (Map 1).