Kiekie dietrichi, Omelko, 2023

Omelko, Mikhail M., 2023, Two new species of Kiekie Polotow & Brescovit, 2018 (Araneae: Ctenidae) from the highlands of Panama, Zootaxa 5323 (2), pp. 275-284 : 280-282

Kiekie dietrichi sp. n.

( Figs 6–10 , 15–18 , 23–26 , 31–35 , 38–39, 40–43 )

Material examined. Holotype ♂ and paratypes 4♀ ( ZMMU), PANAMA, Chiriquí Prov., Totumas Mt. , 8°53’3.24”N 82°40’41.05”E, 1900 m, 6– 9.02.2022 (M.M. Omelko).

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of Jeffrey Dietrich (Volcan, Panama), the owner of the Mount Totumas Cloud Forest resort, near where the new species was collected.

Diagnosis. Males of K. dietrichi sp. n. are very similar to those of K. almae sp. n. (see the diagnosis of the latter species). Both sexes of the new species are also similar to K. montanensis . Males of the new species can be easily distinguished by the large, curved RTA with a sharp tip (vs. tiny, straight, tip bifurcated; cf. Fig. 17 and fig. 9B in Polotow & Brescovit 2018), and the females are distinguished by kidney-shaped receptacles (Re) (vs. pear-shaped; cf. Fig. 34 and fig. 9D in Polotow & Brescovit 2018). In addition, by the shape of epigyne’s median plate the female of the new species is similar to that of K. curvipes ( Keyserling, 1881) , but can be easily distinguished by the small lateral tooth of epigyne (LT), pointing towards each other (vs. large, pointing downwards; cf. Figs 31–32 and fig. 6B in Polotow & Brescovit 2018).

Description. Male ( Figs 6–7 , 38 ). Total length 13.01. Carapace 6.86 long, 5.33 wide. Opisthosoma 5.97 long, 4.27 wide. Coloration in ethanol. Carapace light brown, with narrow yellowish median band, diamond-shaped and 2 tiny dark spots in ocular area. Lateral bands poorly visible, wavy. Fovea thin, black. Chelicerae dark brown. Sternum brown without pattern, with dark edges. Labium brown. Endites yellowish. Dorsal part of opisthosoma light brown with poorly visible cardiac mark and number of irregular gray spots. Lateral sides yellowish with a number of gray spots, ventral part yellowish with a number of tiny gray spots. Spinnerets yellowish. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.34, ALE 0.24, PME 0.40, PLE 0.31; AME–AME 0.23, AME–ALE 0.29, PME–PME 0.18, PME–PLE 0.36, AME–PME 0.11, ALE–PLE 0.12, clypeus height at AME 0.27, at ALE 0.58.

Leg measurements: I 25.19 (6.84, 2.78, 7.18, 6.12, 2.27), II 23.21 (6.52, 2.65, 6.38, 5.49, 2.17), III 20.69 (5.79, 2.64, 5.07, 5.12, 2.07), IV 28.53 (7.71, 2.60, 7.09, 8.51, 2.62). Femora of all legs light brown dorsally, yellowish ventrally. Other segments brown without annulation. Metatarsi IV not modified but with long lateral setae. Same setae on metatarsi III ( Fig. 10 ). For legs spination see Table 3 .

Live male with dark brown carapace (median band light brown with 2 black lateral spots anteriorly) and brown opisthosoma with a series of small black spots (see Fig. 38 ).

Palp as shown in Figs 15–18 , 23–26 . Tibia ca. 2.6 longer than wide, with 3 very long spines, longest ca. 0.7 of tibia length. RTA long, hook like in retrolateral view with its base near the distal edge of the tibia. Cymbium length/ width ratio ca. 2. Tip of cymbium about 0.28 of cymbial length, shorter than bulb. Subtegulum (St) large, oval, almost completely hidden by embolus (E) in ventral view. Sperm duct (SD) clearly visible mainly in retrolateral and apical view. Median apophysis (MA) comma-shaped in ventral view, cup-spahed in prolateral view, far not reaching conductor (C). MA diagonally positioned relative to longitudinal axis of the cymbium. Conductor (C) open fan-shaped, ca. 1.2 times wider than long with folded anterior edge, covering the embolus tip. E with wide base (Eb), starting at 7 o’clock position, thin, its tip slightly curved.

Female ( Figs 8–9 , 39 ). Total length 15.74. Carapace 7.09 long, 5.30 wide. Opisthosoma 7.72 long, 5.21 wide. Carapace brown (somewhat darker than in males) with narrow yellowish median band, diamond-shaped and 2 small gray spots in ocular area. Lateral bands poorly visible, thin, divided into several spots. Fovea thin, black. Chelicerae dark brown, almost black. Sternum dark brown without pattern. Labium dark brown, almost black. Endites brown with yellowish outer edge. Dorsal part of opisthosoma dark brown with poorly visible yellowish cardiac mark and series of gray spots. Lateral part uniformly brown. Ventral part of opisthosoma dark brown with tiny gray spots and yellowish spots forming V-mark. Spinnerets brown. Eye sizes and interdistaces: AME 0.26, ALE 0.25, PME 0.43, PLE 0.36; AME–AME 0.27, AME–ALE 0.39, PME–PME 0.19, PME–PLE 0.45, AME–PME 0.18, ALE–PLE 0.20, clypeus height at AME 0.24, at ALE 0.74.

Leg measurements: I 18.26 (5.12, 2.43, 5.00, 3.99, 1.72), II 16.93 (4.85, 2.43, 4.47, 3.58, 1.60), III 14.69 (4.30, 1.82, 3.61, 3.39, 1.57), IV 20.35 (5.51, 1.97, 5.14, 5.80, 1.93). All legs segments brown without annulation. For legs spination see Table 4 . Mt and Ta I–II, Ta III–IV with dense scopula.

Epigyne as shown in Figs 31–35 . Epigynal plate 1.3 times wider than long. Median plate (MP) with 2 more or less pronounced rounded projections (Pr) medially (cf. figs 31–32). Lateral teeth (LT) comparatively small, well developed, triangular in ventral view, with pointed tips in posterior view. Receptacles (Re) large, slightly curved. Copulatory ducts (CD) short, slightly bent. Fertilization ducts (FD) short, barely visible. The shape of the epigyne in Kiekie dietrichi sp. n. varies widely (cf. Figs 31–32 ).

Biology. All specimens were found on the litter of primary cloud forest ( Fig. 40–41 ).

Distribution. Type locality only ( Figs 40–43 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1–10. General appearance (1–4, 6–9) and legs (5, 10) of Kiekie almae sp. n. (1–5) and K. dietrichi sp. n. (6–10). 1, 6—male, dorsal; 2, 7—ditto, ventral; 3, 8—female, dorsal; 4, 9—ditto, ventral; 5—metatarsus IV; 10—metatarsi III–IV. Scale bars: 1–4, 6–9=5 mm; 10=2mm.

FIGURES 11–18. Male palp of Kiekie almae sp. n. (11–14) and K. dietrichi sp. n. (15–18). 11, 15—prolateral; 12, 16—ventral; 13, 17—retrolateral; 14, 18—dorsal. Scale bars=0.5 mm. Abbreviations: RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis.

FIGURES 19–26. Bulb of Kiekie almae sp. n. (19–22) and K. dietrichi sp. n. (23–26). 19, 23—prolateral; 20, 24—ventral; 21, 25—retrolateral; 22, 26—apical. Scale bars=0.5 mm.Abbreviations: C—conductor, E—embolus, EB—embolic base, MA— median apophysis, SD—sperm duct, St—subtegulum, Te—tegulum.

FIGURES 27–35. Epigyne of Kiekie almae sp. n. (27–30) and K. dietrichi sp. n. (31–35). 27, 31–32—intact, ventral; 28, 33—macerated, ventral; 29, 34—ditto, dorsal; 30, 35—ditto, posterior. Scale bars=0.5 mm. Abbreviations: CD - copulatory duct, CO—copulatory opening, FD—fertilization duct, LT—lateral tooth, MP—median plate, Pr—median plate projection, Re—receptacle.

FIGURES 36–41. Live paratypes of Kiekie almae sp. n. (36–37), K. dietrichi sp. n. (38–39) and their habitats in cloud forest of Totumas Mt. (40–41). 36, 38—male; 37, 39—female.

FIGURES 42–43. Geographic distribution records of Kiekie species known from Panama. The frame on Fig. 42 refers to the content of Fig. 43. 1—K. almae sp. n., K. dietrichi sp. n.; 2—K. barrocolorado Polotow & Brescovit, 2018; 3—K. curvipes (Keyserling, 1881); 4—K. montanensis Polotow & Brescovit, 2018; 5—K. panamensis Polotow & Brescovit, 2018; 6—K. sinuatipes (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1897).