Sparianthis medina, Casas & Rheims, 2024

Casas, Cristian M. & Rheims, Cristina A., 2024, An update on the genus Sparianthis Simon, 1880 (Sparassidae: Sparianthinae), Zootaxa 5496 (3), pp. 343-369 : 357-361

Sparianthis medina spec. nov.

Figs 12A–E , 13A–D , 14A–G , 20

Type Material: Holotype: ♂, COLOMBIA: Cundinamarca: Medina (04°30’56.02”N, 73°20′51.32”W), 521 m, June–July 2000, C. Cortes leg ( MPUJ _ ENT0070573 ) . Paratypes: 1♀, with same locality as for holotype, 5–18 August 1999, C. Cortes leg ( MPUJ _ ENT0087073 ) ; 1♀, with same locality as previous specimen, January–February 2000, C. Cortes leg ( MPUJ _ ENT0087018 ) . Antioquia: 1♂, Município San Carlos, Vereda Las Palmas (06°06’15”N; 74°49’48.9”W), 600–650m, vegetación secundaria [secondary vegetation], red golpe, 5–18 May 2013, A. Vélez leg. ( CEUA 142001 ) ; 1♂, same data as previous specimen ( CEUA 142095 ) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Males of S. medina spec. nov. resemble those of S. chicaque spec. nov. ( Figs 5C–E , 7A–C ) and S. iguaque spec. nov. ( Figs 9A–D , 10C–E ) by the palps with tibia lacking mRTA and TBE bearing long apical projection, accompanying the embolus throughout most its length. They are distinguished from the latter species by palpal tibia bearing two retrolateral spines (absent in both latter species) and TBE laminar, subapically dilated and apically hook-shaped ( Figs 12D , 14B, D ) (TBE with apical projection pointed with a hyaline, fan-like projection in S. chicaque spec. nov. and laminar, shaped like a bowie knife blade, with rounded tip in S. iguaque spec. nov.). Females resemble those of S. chicaque spec. nov. ( Figs 6C–D , 7E–G ) in having the anterior and lateral furrows continuous and AA roughly the same size as MS. They are distinguished from the latter species by the AA oval, with anterior and lateral margins curved, by the MS with lateral margins extending into the AA and IDS with irregularly-shaped spermathecae (AA trapezoid, smooth, with anterior and lateral margins straight and IDS with elongate spermathecae in S. chicaque spec. nov.).

Description. Male (holotype): Prosoma brown, with irregular pattern of several tiny dark brown spots extending laterally; fovea and thoracic striae dark brown; cephalic region with two dark brown longitudinal bands; eye borders black; chelicerae light brown with two dark longitudinal stripes; legs brown, femora yellowish; labium brown; endites yellowish brown, lighter anteriorly; sternum yellowish brown.; opisthosoma brownish gray; dorsally with dense, indefinite dark brown pattern up anterior half and three chevrons down posterior half tapering to anterior side; laterally with pattern of dashed, diffuse dark brown lines; ventrally with few scattered dark spots; spinnerets brownish gray, lighter in ventral view ( Figs 12A–B ). Total length 6.36. Prosoma: 3.01 long, 2.74 wide. Opisthosoma: 3.06 long, 1.82 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.20, 0.17, 0.16, 0.15; interdistances: 0.44, 0.40, 0.52, 0.43, 0.46, 0.39. Legs (1423): I: 9.55 (2.69, 1.38, 2.74, 1.98, 0.76); II: 9.23 (2.70, 1.33, 2.61, 1.92, 0.67); III: 8.26 (2.39, 1.20, 1.99, 2.00, 0.68); IV: 9.80 (2.71, 1.06, 2.44, 2.57, 1.02). Spination follows the generic pattern except: femora I–III: r1-0-1; femur IV: r1-1-0; tibiae I–II: p1-0-0, r1-1-0; metatarsi I–II: p1-0-0, r1-0-0; metatarsi III–IV: p1-1-0, r1-1-0. Palp: tibia short, slightly longer than half cymbium length with three long prolateral spines (barely reaching the margin of the alveolus); dRTA with sub-squared base, extending apically and strongly curving ventrally, bearing blunt distal end; vRTA subsquared in ventral view; subtegulum visible between 3:00-3:30 o’clock; TBC keel-like, roughly 5 times wider than long; MS cup-shaped, partly hyaline with medially indented margin (in retrolateral view); embolus prong-like ( Figs 12C–E , 14A–D ).

Female (MPUJ_ENT0087018, paratype): Prosoma reddish brown, with a pattern similar to that of the male, but darker; fovea and thoracic striae dark brown; cephalic region with two dark brown longitudinal bands; eye borders black; chelicerae brown with two dark longitudinal bands; legs brown; labium brown, distally lighter; endites brown, distally lighter; opisthosoma brownish gray; dorsally with undefined pattern covering the anterior half and two diffuse chevrons on posterior half; ventrally with several irregular brown spots; spinnerets brownish gray, lighter in ventral view ( Figs 13A–B ). Total length: 7.70. Prosoma: 3.11 long, 2.84 wide. Opisthosoma: 4.41 long, 2.72 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.20, 0.16, 0.13, 0.16; interdistances: 0.49, 0.57, 0.56, 0.48, 0.48, 0.39. Legs (4213): I: 8.68 (2.57, 1.30, 2.54, 1.70, 0.57); II: 8.93 (2.73, 1.36, 2.50, 1.80, 0.54); III: 7.89 (2.39, 1.25, 1.99, 1.73, 0.53); IV: 9.45 (2.76, 1.10, 2.41, 2.37, 0.81). Spination follows the generic pattern except: femora I–III: r1-0-1; tibia III: p0-0-0; tibia IV: d1-0-1; metatarsi I–III: v2-0-0. Epigyne: EF slightly longer than wide; AA oval, longer than wide; MS longer than wide, with two latero-posterior depressions ( Figs 13C , 14E ). Vulva: IDS with first winding anteriad; GP small bump, mediad at first winding; spermathecae irregular-shaped; FD antero-mediad ( Figs 13D , 14F–G ).

Distribution. Only known from the type locality ( Fig. 20 ).

Figures

FIGURES 5A–E. Sparianthis chicaque spec. nov., male (ICN-Ar-13557). A–B Habitus (A dorsal, B ventral); C–D Left palp (C prolateral, D ventral, E retrolateral). Scale lines: A–B = 2 mm; C–E = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 6A–D. Sparianthis chicaque spec. nov., female (ICN-Ar-13558).A–B Habitus (A dorsal, B ventral); C–D Genitalia (C epigyne ventral, D vulva dorsal). Scale lines: A–B = 2 mm; C–D = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 7A–G. S. chicaque spec. nov. A–D Male (ICN-Ar-13557), left palp (A prolateral, B ventral, C retrolateral, D detail of apical projection and embolus); E–G Female (ICN-Ar-13558), genitalia (E epigyne ventral, F vulva dorsal, G schematic course of IDS). AA = anterior atrium; af = anterior furrow; ap = apical projection of TBE; C = conductor; E = embolus; FD = fertilization duct; fw = first winding of IDS; GP = glandular projection; lf = lateral furrow; LL = lateral lobe; MS = median septum; SP = spermathecae. Scale lines: A–C, E–F = 0.5 mm; D = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 9A–D. Sparianthis iguaque spec. nov., male (MPUJ_ENT0070585), left palp (A prolateral, B ventral, C retrolateral, D detail of apical projection and embolus). ap = apical projection of TBE; C = conductor; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; E = embolus; MA = median apophysis; sap = subapical projection of TBE; TBC = tegular projection close to conductor; TBE = tegular projection close to embolus; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA. Scale lines: A–C = 0.5 mm, D = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 10A–E. Sparianthis matupiri spec. nov., male (IBSP 8877). A–B Habitus (A dorsal, B ventral); C–E Left palp (C prolateral, D ventral, E retrolateral). vRTA = ventral branch of RTA. Scale lines: A–B = 2 mm; C–E = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 12A–E. Sparianthis medina spec. nov., male (MPUJ_ENT0070573). A–B Habitus (A dorsal, B ventral); C–E Left palp (C prolateral, D ventral; E retrolateral). Scale lines: A–B = 2 mm; C–E = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 13A–D. Sparianthis medina spec. nov., female (MPUJ_ENT0087073). A–B Habitus (A dorsal, B ventral); C–D Genitalia (C epigyne ventral, D vulva dorsal). Scale lines: A–B = 2 mm; C–D = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 14A–G. Sparianthis medina spec. nov. A–D Male (MPUJ_ENT0070573), left palp (A prolateral, B ventral, C retrolateral, D detail of apical projection and embolus); E–G Female (MPUJ_ENT0087073), genitalia (E epigyne ventral, F vulva dorsal, G schematic course of IDS). AA = anterior atrium; af = anterior furrow; ap = apical projection of TBE; C = conductor; dRTA = dorsal Branch of RTA; E = embolus; FD = fertilization duct; fw = first winding of IDS; GP = glandular projection; lf = lateral furrow; LL = lateral lobe; MA = median apophysis; MS = median septum; SP = spermathecae; ST = subtegulum; TBC = tegular projection close to conductor; TBE = tegular projection close to embolus; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA. Scale lines: A–C, E–F = 0.5 mm; D = 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 20. Record map for S. boibumba spec. nov., S. cascalheira spec. nov., S. chicaque spec. nov., S. iguaque spec. nov., S. matupiri spec. nov., S. medina spec. nov. and S. tuparro spec. nov.