Niarchos tapiai, Platnick & Duperre, 2010

Platnick, Norman I. & Dupérré, Nadine, 2010, The Andean Goblin Spiders Of The New Genera Niarchos And Scaphios (Araneae, Oonopidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2010 (345), pp. 1-120 : 25-30

Niarchos tapiai , new species Figures 144–166

TYPES: Holotype male and allotype female taken in pitfall trap at an elevation of 2500 m at Río Chipia , Molleturo, Cuenca, 2.74572uS, 79.40892uW, Azuay, Ecuador (Jan. 20, 2010; E. Tapia), deposited in QCAZ (PBI_OON 434).

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a patronym in honor of Elicio Tapia, collector of the only known specimens, in recognition of his tremendous contributions to the success of the Niarchos Expedition.

DIAGNOSIS: This species is clearly most closely related to N. elicioi , sharing with it a greatly narrowed anterior projection on the male endites, a tiny retroventral projection on the male palpal bulb, and a hypertrophied embolar region, but can easily be distinguished by the shorter embolar region (figs. 152–156) of males and the arched posterior margin of the epigastric sclerite (figs. 165, 166) of females.

MALE (PBI_OON 434, figs. 144–156): Total length 1.85. Posterior eye row straight from above; PLE-PME separated by less than PME radius. Sternum surface finely reticulate. Endites with anterior projections erect, very narrow, tip curved posteriorly. Leg spination: tibiae: III v0-0-1p; IV v0-1p- 1p; metatarsi III v0-0- 1p. Embolar region almost as long as bulb; bulb with tiny basal projection on retroventral side (figs. 152– 156).

FEMALE (PBI_OON 434, figs. 157–166): Total length 2.27. Posterior eye row procurved from above. Leg spination: tibiae: III v0-0-1p; IV v0-1p-2; metatarsi: III v0-0-1p; IV v0-1p-2. Posterior margin of epigastric furrow strongly arched, followed posteriorly by triangular, unsclerotized atrium (figs. 165, 166).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Ecuador: Azuay: Luz María, Molleturo, Cuenca, 2.68918uS, 79.41537uW, Jan. 25, 2010, elev. 1910 m (E. Tapia, AMNH, MACN, QCAZ PBI_OON 435), 7 -, 2 U.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Azuay province, Ecuador.

Figures

Figs. 144–156. Niarchos tapiai, new species, male. 144. Habitus, dorsal view. 145. Same, ventral view. 146. Same, lateral view. 147. Carapace, dorsal view. 148. Habitus, anterior view. 149. Carapace, lateral view. 150. Epigastric region, ventral view. 151. Sternum and mouthparts, ventral view. 152. Embolus, ventral view. 153. Same, prolateral view. 154. Palp, prolateral view. 155. Same, ventral view. 156. Same, retrolateral view.

Figs. 157–166. Niarchos tapiai, new species, female. 157. Habitus, dorsal view. 158. Same, ventral view. 159. Carapace, dorsal view. 160. Sternum and mouthparts, ventral view. 161. Habitus, lateral view. 162. Same, anterior view. 163. Carapace, lateral view. 164. Epigastric region, ventral view. 165. Genitalia, ventral view. 166. Same, dorsal view.