Ochyrocera luisarmasi, Pérez-González & Magalhaes, 2025

Pérez-González, Abel & Magalhaes, Ivan L. F., 2025, On Antillean ochyroceratines (Scytodoidea: Ochyroceratidae: Ochyroceratinae), with the description of three new species from Cuba, Zootaxa 5563 (1), pp. 264-289 : 280-281

Ochyrocera luisarmasi sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0F266829-065B-40F0-94C6-14A92EFFEDFF

Figs 1G–I , 2F–H , 3E–F , 11

Type material. CUBA. Artemisa: San Antonio de los Baños, forest next to Río Ariguanabo [~ N22.8954°, ~ W82.5030°], A. Pérez-González, A.L. Carbajal de la Fuente & L.F. de Armas coll., 15.i.2011, holotype male (IFM-2840) in the same vial as paratype female (IFM-2841), deposited in CZACC (ex-MACN-Ar 46505) .

Other material examined. None.

Etymology. Patronymic in honor of the renowned Cuban arachnologist (professor and friend) Luis F. de Armas, in recognition of a lifetime dedicated to zoology and natural history, as well as their remarkable contribution to the knowledge of several zoological groups, primarily the Antillean and Central American arachnid fauna.

Diagnosis. Can be distinguished from congeners by the following combination of characteristics: cephalotorax without two pointed tubercles behind the ALE; clypeus unarmed; chelicerae sexually monomorphic, male pedipalp with markedly slender conical cymbium with a very long sub-apical finger-like apophysis; tegulum large, ovoid, with a long ribbon-like embolus (1.92 times the tegulum’s length) oriented with an angle around 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tegulum; two chitinized abdominal pockets on the sides of the female abdomen; vulva with two weakly sclerotized wide putative receptacles and with an elongated columnar uterus externus with four constrictions ending in a very narrow neck. Can be easily separated from the morphologically closest species, O. mayabeque sp. nov., by the slender cymbium and the not heavily sclerotized and ribbon-like embolus ( Figs 1G–I , 2F , 3F ), contrasting with O. mayabeque sp. nov., which has a shorter conical cymbium and a tubular embolus heavily sclerotized with the surface striated and twisted-like appearance ( Figs 1A–C , 3B ). In O. luisarmasi sp. nov. the embolus is oriented with an angle around 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tegulum, whereas in O. mayabeque sp. nov. the embolus is oriented in a very acute angle. Regarding the female, O. luisarmasi sp. nov. can be differentiated from O. mayabeque sp. nov. by a larger columnar uterus externus and smaller receptacles and pore plates ( Figs 2G , 3E ).

Description. Male holotype (CZACC, IFM-2840). Total length 1.15. Carapace length 0.53, width 0.47. Abdomen length 0.60, width 0.45. Clypeus length 0.14. Eye diameters: PME 0.04, ALE 0.04, PLE 0.04. Sternum length 0.30, width 0.34. Palp: femur 0.28, tibia 0.21, tarsus 0.27, cymbial apophysis 0.16. Leg I: missing. II: 3.48 (0.96, 0.16, 1.04, 0.76, 0.56). III: 2.84 (0.79, 0.15, 0.81, 0.62, 0.47). IV: 3.73 (1.04, 0.17, 1.15, 0.80, 0.57).

The specimens in alcohol ( Fig. 11A–C ) have the cephalothorax mostly greenish yellow with side stripes and one incomplete medial stripe purplish blue, greenish yellow in the medial posterior section and two ovoid spots behind the eyes. Deep bluish (almost black) at the medial half around the eyes. Chelicerae suffused with light purplish blue. Abdomen dorsally mostly greenish white, without defined darker pattern, ventro-lateral suffused with purplish blue, darker around spinnerets. Endites suffused with purplish blue and sternum purplish blue with an incomplete medial greenish white longitudinal stripe, not reaching the posterior region. Palps suffused homogeneously with purplish blue except for the bulb. Bulb greenish white with the distal portion purplish blue and the embolus dark almost black. Legs: coxae greenish white basally and rest suffused with purplish blue, rest of the legs suffused with purplish blue.

PME anteriorly displaced forming a straight row with ALE. Ocular area slightly elevated. Clypeus large, unarmed, projecting forward. Anterior margin of labium notched. Abdomen oval, but not markedly elongated. Chelicerae sexually monomorphic. Palp ( Figs 1G–I , 2F , 3F ): femur cylindrical larger than tibia; patela very short, tibia slightly thicker than femur; cymbium very elongated with pointed tip, 1.3 the palpal tibia length, with a very long sub-apical (and far from the pedestal) finger-like apophysis carrying a cuspule at its tip. Dorsoapical region of the cymbium with higher number of setae including the larger and stronger ones. Cymbium basally with a protruding pedestal where the copulatory bulb inserts. Tegulum large, ovoid, markedly larger than wide and slightly shorter than cymbium; sperm duct diameter tapering abruptly from the distal end of strongly reniform fundus and running toward opening, with switchback loops before entering in the embolus. Embolus 0.36 in length, 0.02 in height, ribbonlike, with limit clearly marked with the tegulum, slender, tapering towards the end, 1.92 times the tegulum’s length. The embolus is oriented with an angle around 45 degrees with respect to the longitudinal axis of the tegulum.

Female paratype (CZACC, IFM-2841). Total length 1.52. Carapace length 0.58, width 0.52. Abdomen length 0.87, width 0.81. Clypeus length 0.18. Eye diameters: PME 0.04, ALE 0.05, PLE 0.04. Sternum length 0.32, width 0.35. Palp: femur 0.21, tibia 0.14, tarsus 0.22. Leg I: 4.34 (1.23, 0.17, 1.41, 0.93, 0.60). II: 3.48 (1.02, 0.17, 1.08, 0.73, 0.48). III: 2.87 (0.84, 0.14, 0.85, 0.62, 0.42). IV: 3.88 (1.10, 0.17, 1.22, 0.83, 0.56). Leg formula 1423.

The specimens in alcohol ( Fig. 11D–F ) have the cephalothorax, endites and sternum coloration as in males. Palps greenish yellow, suffused with purplish blue distally. Legs: coxae and trochanters greenish yellow suffused with purplish blue, femora greenish yellow proximally and reddish purple distally, patella greenish yellow, tibiae reddish purple, metatarsi and tarsi reddish purple with greenish yellow apex.

Eyes arrangement, clypeus, and anterior margin of labium as in males. Abdomen oval (almost spherical); epigastric furrow as wide as ventral abdomen, with two chitinized abdominal pockets on the sides of the abdomen; booklungs modified into bundles of tracheae, without the leaf-like trachea described for adult male by Hormiga et al. (2007), opening through independent spiracles; posterior tracheal spiracle positioned closer to spinnerets and consists of pair of tracheal bundles that open to small atrium and short muscle apodemes in central anterior margin of the atrium.

Vulva ( Figs 2G–H , 3E ) without the “cul-de-sac” type (sensu Austad, 1984) spermathecae, but with two weakly sclerotized wide putative receptacles without evidence of glandular pores; elongated columnar uterus externus with four constrictions, ending in a very narrow neck and with a moderate wider base; two elongated pore-plates at the base of the receptacles with numerous glandular ducts.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality (San Antonio de los Baños, Artemisa, Cuba) ( Fig. 13 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Left male palps. A–C. Ochyrocera mayabeque sp. nov. holotype (CZACC, IFM-2832). A. Prolateral. B. Ventral. C. Retrolateral. D–F. Ochyrocera maestra sp. nov. (CZACC, IFM-2842).D. Prolateral. E. Ventral. F. Retrolateral.G–I. Ochyrocera luisarmasi sp. nov. (CZACC, IFM-2840). G. Prolateral. H. Ventral. I. Retrolateral. Scale bar: 0.2 mm (all figures to scale).

FIGURE 2. Genitalia observed under transmitted light. A–B. Ochyrocera mayabeque sp. nov., female paratype (MACN-Ar 46049), vulva, digested and lactic acid cleared, dorsal. C. Ochyrocera mayabeque sp. nov., male paratype (MACN-Ar 46048), right palp, clove oil cleared, prolateral. D. Ochyrocera maestra sp. nov., female (CZACC, IFM-2843), vulva, digested and lactic acid cleared, dorsal. E. Ochyrocera maestra sp. nov., male holotype (CZACC, IFM-2842), right palp, clove oil cleared, prolateral. F. Ochyrocera luisarmasi sp. nov., male holotype (CZACC, IFM-2840), left palp, clove oil cleared, prolateral. G–H. Ochyrocera luisarmasi sp. nov., female paratype (CZACC, IFM-2841), vulva, digested and lactic acid cleared, dorsal. Abbreviations: AP: abdominal pocket, ATr: anterior tracheae, NUE: neck of the uterus externus, PP: pore plate, PTr: posterior tracheae, R: putative receptacle, UE: uterus externus.

FIGURE 3. Genitalia drawings. A. Ochyrocera mayabeque sp. nov., female paratype (MACN-Ar 46049), vulva, dorsal. B. Ochyrocera mayabeque sp. nov., male paratype (MACN-Ar 46048), right palp, prolateral. C. Ochyrocera maestra sp. nov., female (CZACC, IFM-2843), vulva, dorsal. D. Ochyrocera maestra sp. nov., male holotype (CZACC, IFM-2842), right palp, prolateral. E. Ochyrocera luisarmasi sp. nov., female paratype (CZACC, IFM-2841), vulva, dorsal. F. Ochyrocera luisarmasi sp. nov., male holotype (CZACC, IFM-2840, mirrored left palp, prolateral. Abbreviations:AP: abdominal pocket, ATr: anterior tracheae, CA: cymbial apophysis, E: embolus, m29: muscle 29, m30: muscle 30, NUE: neck of the uterus externus, Pe: pedestal, PL: paraembolic lamina, PP: pore plate, PTr: posterior tracheae, R: putative receptacle, S: spermophore, UE: uterus externus. Scale bar: 0.1 mm (all figures to scale).

FIGURE 11. Ochyrocera luisarmasi sp. nov., habitus of male (A–C, D, F) and female (D–G) (CZACC, IFM-2840, IFM-2841). A. Dorsal. B. Lateral. C. Ventral. D. Dorsal. E. Ventral. F. Lateral. G. Genital region, ventral. Abbreviations: AP = abdominal pocket. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A–F), 0.2 mm (G).

FIGURE 13. Distribution of ochyroceratines in Cuba, including taxa previously assignable to Fageicera (red symbols) and taxa previously assignable to Ochyrocera (black symbols). The clade containing the Li et al. (2020) Fageicera concept is demarcated into a square and is divided into a western and an eastern clades, labeled respectively W and E. The clade containing the type species of Fageicera (i.e., Dumitrescu & Georgescu’s original concept) corresponds to the eastern clade (E). The dated tree is re-drawn based on Li et al. (2020); branch supports are posterior probabilities, and only values smaller than 1 are shown. The time scale is in millions of years. Yellow bars represent confidence intervals in the estimated time of divergences. The blue bar in the background indicates the timing of the formation of the hypothesized land bridge of GAARlandia.