Agyneta unguiserrata Cajade, 2023

Cajade, Manuel, Hagopián, Damián, Rodrigues, Everton N. L., Laborda, Álvaro, Maldonado, M. Belén & Simó, Miguel, 2023, Two new species of the spider genus Agyneta (Araneae, Linyphiidae) from Uruguay and Brazil, Zootaxa 5380 (6), pp. 562-576 : 568-574

Agyneta unguiserrata Cajade new species

Figs 3 , 4 , 6–8

Type material. Holotype. URUGUAY: Durazno, near La Paloma city, establecimiento Rincón del Río , in natural grassland, 32°32’40.52”S, 55°42’51.74”W, 26–29.viii.2021, M. Simó & M. Cajade leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 13431) . Paratypes. Same locality, 17–21.v.2022, Á. Laborda and D. Hagopián leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 13621 ); same locality, 19.x.2022, D. Hagopián & M. Simó leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 13918) .

Additional material examined. URUGUAY: Cerro Largo: Paso Arriera, Paraje Palleros, in flooded natural grassland 32°00’31.8”S, 54°28’56.5”W, 10.xi.2019, M. Simó & Á. Laborda leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 12780) ; same locality, 10.xi,2019, M. Simó & D. Hagopián leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 12886) ; same locality, 17–20.vii.2019, M. Simó & M. Cajade leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 11119) ; same locality, 17–20.vii.2019, M. Simó & M. Cajade leg., 1M (FCEAr 11088) ; Durazno: near La Paloma city, establecimiento Rincón del Río, in natural grassland, 32°33’43.19”S, 55°42’26.68”W, 26.x.2021, M. Simó & Á. Laborda leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 13936) ; same locality, 17–20.v.2022, M. Simó & Á. Laborda leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 14024) ; near La Paloma city, establecimiento La Teja, in natural grassland, 32°40’17.03”S, 55°39’35.45”W, 17.v.2022, M. Simó & B. Maldonado leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 13876) ; near La Paloma city, establecimiento Rincón del Río , in natural grassland, 32°32’40.52”S, 55°42’51.74”W, 23.x.2021, M. Simó & Á. Laborda leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 13976) ; near La Paloma city, establecimiento Rincón del Río , in natural grassland, 32°31’23.38”S, 55°44’23.14”W, 17–21.v.2022, M. Simó & D. Hagopián leg., 1F (FCE-Ar 14442) ; near La Paloma city, establecimiento Rincón del Río , in natural grassland, 32°31’25.53”S, 55°44’23.14”W, 17–21.v.2022, M. Simó leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 14472) ; same locality, 17–22.x.2022, M. Simó & B. Maldonado leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 15883) ; near La Paloma city, establecimiento Rincón del Río , in forestation firewall, 32°33’8.68”S, 55°41’15.47”W, 17–21.x.2022, M. Simó leg., 1M (FCE-Ar 15908) ; Montevideo: Melilla, in natural grassland, 34°43’57.10”S, 56°19’21.48”W, 24.xi.2021, D. Hagopián leg., 21FF, 8 MM (FCE-Ar 14212) ; Rivera: estancia Ypoá , in natural grassland, 31°43’53”S, 55°34’11”W, 9.vii.2019, G. Pompozzi leg., 11FF, 2 MM (FCE-Ar 14790) . BRAZIL: Paraná: Guaraqueçaba, Reserva Natural Serra do Itaqui, 25°17’19”S; 48°28’29”W, collected by looking down, 18.ix.2007, E. Alvarez leg., 1M ( MCN 45799 ) ; Antonina, Reserva Natural do Rio Cachoeira , 25°25’44”S; 48°42’43”W, pitfall-trap, 23.X.2005, Equipe Biota leg., 1M ( MCN 45807 ) . Palmas, Refúgio da Vida Silvestre dos Campos de Palmas , 26°32’39.36”S; 51°38’40.60”W, pitfall-trap, 22–29.x.2018, G. Galeti leg., 1M ( IBSP 343843 ) . Santa Catarina: Campo Belo do Sul , 27°53’56”S; 50°45’39”W, pitfall-trap, 14–18.xi.2007, T. G. Pinto leg., 1M ( MCN 44262 ) . Rio Grande do Sul: Rolante, riparian forest of Chuvisqueiro stream, 29°29’0”S; 50°9’16”W, pitfall-trap, 20–23.x.2010, G. Viegas leg, 6M, 4F ( IBSP 343844 ) ; Rolante , riparian forest of Areia stream, 29°27’56”S; 50°9’13”W, pitfall-trap, 19–22.x.2010, G. Viegas leg, 2M, 2F ( IBSP 343845 ) ; Taquará , riparian forest of Padilha stream, 29°24’11”S; 50°9’1”W, pitfall-trap, v.2010, G. Viegas leg, 2M, 1F ( IBSP 343846 ) ; Maquiné , riparian forest of Maquiné river , 29°40’47.99”S; 50°11’20.03”W, collected by beating tray, 14.ix.2008, E. N. L. Rodrigues leg., 1M ( IBSP 343847 ) ; São Miguel das Missões, 29°03'10"S; 53°50'44"W, 05–11.xi.2014, Lab. Bio. De Solo UFSM leg., 1M ( IBSP 343848 ) ; São Miguel das Missões, 29°03'10"S; 53°50'44"W, 01–07.xi.2015, Lab. Bio. De Solo UFSM leg., 2M ( IBSP 343849 ). Triunfo, Parque Braskem de Proteção Ambiental , 29°56'34"S; 51°43'04"W, collected by beating tray, 26.ii.2010, P. E. S. Rodrigues leg., 1M ( MCN 47101 ).

Etymology. The species epithet is the combination of the Latin noun “unguis” (claw) and the Latin adjective “serratus” (serrated) and refers to the shape of the dorsal tibial apophysis of the male palp and the denticles present on the retrolateral margin of it.

Diagnosis. Males of A. unguiserrata n. sp. resemble those of A. straminicola ( Millidge, 1991) in having a long pointed dorsal apophysis (Fig. 389; Millidge 1991) but can be distinguished from this latter species and all others of the genus by having a dorsal tibial apophysis claw-shaped with denticles on the retrolateral margin ( Figs 3A, 3E , 6B ). Females differ from all South American species with the exception of A. propria (Fig. 400; Millidge 1991) by having a broad V-shaped proximal part of the scape and narrow lateral lobes, but can be distinguished from it and all others Agyneta by having two conspicuous elliptical processes ( Figs 4A–B , 7D ).

Description. Male (Holotype FCE–Ar 13431) Total length: 1.76; carapace length: 0.79, width: 0.62; abdomen length: 0.96, width: 0.64.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Eyes diameters and interdistances: AME: 0.05, PME: 0.06, ALE: 0.07 and PLE: 0.07; AME–ALE: 0.05, PME–PLE: 0.05, AME–AME: 0.03, PME–PME: 0.03. Eyes margined with black, suffused with black between AME and between ALE and PLE. Carapace ovoid, longer than wide, brown. Labium light brown. Sternum dark brown to light brown in the center, with scattered setae. Clypeus height: 0.13. Chelicerae length: 0.29; light brown; seta-tipped tubercles absent; promargin three denticles and pointed projection, retromargin one denticle and pointed projection near the base of the fang. Cheliceral stridulatory organ ~70 striae, uniformly spaced ( Fig. 6A ). ABDOMEN: Elliptic, longer than wide, dorsally dark gray with a medial transverse light gray stripe and light gray spot both anteriorly and posteriorly, ventrally dark gray to brown in the center ( Figs 3G–H ). Spinnerets and colulus dark gray. LEGS: light orange; leg I total length: 3.08; leg III total length: 2.55; Tm I: 0.28, Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Palpal retrolateral tibial apophysis pointed and sclerotized, with denticles in the retrolateral margin ( Figs 3A , 6B ); dorsal tibial apophysis highly developed, fanglike, with denticles in the retrolateral margin; two retrolateral trichobothria and a dorsal one ( Figs 3A , 6B ). Cymbium rounded; glabrous depression present, retrolateral cymbial tubercle rounded and smooth; dorsal cymbial tubercle truncated and smooth; ventral cymbial tubercle slightly acute and smooth ( Figs 3A–B , 6B–C ); membranous region present ( Figs 3A , 6B ); prolateral notch absent ( Fig. 3B ). Paracymbium apical pocket large; anterior pocket large, triangular, and membranous; posterior pocket absent ( Figs 3A , 6B ). Embolus tip pointed ( Figs 3B–C ); Fickert’s gland basal, elongated ( Fig. 3C ); ventral lamella smooth and hooked Fig. 3C ); thumb short, well below the embolus proper ( Fig. 3C ). Embolus proper peak rounded and set apically in the embolus ( Fig. 3C ). Anterior terminal apophysis membranous, long, wide and apically crenated ( Fig. 3D ); posterior terminal apophysis basal extension large, membranous, trisected and ensiform with thorns ( Figs 3D , 6B, 6D ); posterior terminal apophysis highly sclerotized and spiky ( Fig. 3D ); posterior terminal apophysis prong longer than wide and apically dentated ( Fig. 3D ); lamella characteristica longer than wide, with a lobe near the apex and thorns in the distal part ( Figs 3A, 3D , 6B, 6D ).

Female paratype (FCE-Ar 13621). Total length: 1.40; carapace length: 0.59, width: 0.52; abdomen length: 0.86, width: 0.63.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Eyes diameters and interdistances: AME: 0.05, PME: 0.06, ALE: 0.07 and PLE: 0.07; AME–ALE: 0.02, PME–PLE: 0.02, AME–AME: 0.01, PME–PME: 0.02. Eyes margined with black, suffused with black between AME and between ALE and PLE. Carapace ovoid, longer than wide, brownish orange. Labium brown. Sternum brown, with scattered setae. Clypeus height: 0.11. Chelicerae length: 0.32; brownish orange; seta-tipped tubercles absent; promargin four denticles, retromargin five denticles. Cheliceral stridulatory organ ~54 striae, narrowly spaced throughout ( Fig. 6C ). ABDOMEN: Elliptic, longer than wide, dark gray with median and posterior transverse gray stripe ( Figs 4E, 4F ). Spinnerets and colulus dark gray. LEGS: light orange, leg I total length: 2.62; leg III total length: 2.22; palpal tarsal claw absent; Tm I: 0.32, Tm IV: absent. Colulus present. GENITALIA: Epigynum with proximal part of scape triangular (margins convex and widen to the anterior part), longer than tall, with two conspicuous elliptical processes ( Figs 4A, 4B , 7D ); epigynal slits crescent; lateral lobes elongated and crescent in the extremes; pit hook depression absent; stretcher elongated ( Fig. 4A , 7D ). Median part of the scape long and wide; genital pores at the base of lateral lobes pockets ( Fig. 4C ). Internal genitalia with a large, reniform dorsal receptacula ( Figs 4B–D ).

Variation. Total length (6 males): 1.76–2; carapace length: 0.77–0.87, width: 0.60–0.67; leg I total length: 3.08–3.52; leg III total length: 2.29–2.64. Total length (6 females): 1.40–2.04; carapace length: 0.59–0.79, width: 0.47–0.55; leg I total length: 2.62–3.28; leg III total length: 2.04–2.49. Coloration in females is quite variable. Some individuals lack the median transverse and posterior dark gray stripe in the abdomen and have a uniform pale gray abdomen.

Natural history: Agyneta unguiserrata n. sp. was found in natural grasslands and riparian forests. Males were collected using pitfall traps, G-Vac, looking down and beating tray, females with pitfall traps.

Distribution: Known from southern Brazil and Uruguay. The species was recorded for Cerro Largo, Durazno, Montevideo and Rivera departments of Uruguay and states of Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil ( Fig. 8 ).

Figures

FIGURE 3. Agyneta unguiserrata n. sp. Male. A, palp, retrolateral view. B, palp, prolateral view. C, embolus, prolateral view. D, radical division, retrolateral view. E, palp tibia, dorsal view. F, cymbium, mesodorsal view. G–H, male habitus. Scale bars (A–F): 0.2 mm, (G–H): 1 mm.

FIGURE 4. Agyneta unguiserrata n. sp. Female. A, epigynum, ventral view. B, internal genitalia, ventral view. C, internal genitalia, dorsal view. D, internal genitalia, lateral view. E–F, female habitus. Scale bars (A–D): 0.2 mm, (E–F): 1 mm.

FIGURE 6. Agyneta unguiserrata n. sp. Male, SEM images. A, chelicerae. B, pedipalp (retrolateral view). C, pedipalp (prolateral view). D, detail of the lamella characteristica. E, dorsal and ventral tubercles (enclosed box of Fig. 5C). Scale bars (A–C): 0.1 mm, (D–E): 0.05 mm.

FIGURE 7. Agyneta hum n. sp. (A, B) and Agyneta unguiserrata n. sp. (C, D) Females, SEM images. A and C, chelicerae. B and D, epigynum. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 8. A, Map distribution of Agyneta hum n. sp. (black circles) and Agyneta unguiserrata n. sp. (white squares). B, riparian native forest (Arévalo, Cerro Largo, Uruguay), A. hum n. sp. preferred habitat. C, grassland (near La Paloma city, Durazno, Uruguay), A. unguiserrata n. sp. habitat in Uruguay.