Antikuna valladaresi Ferretti, Kaderka & West, 2021

Kaderka, Radan, Ferretti, Nelson, Hüsser, Martin, Lüddecke, Tim & West, Rick, 2021, Antikuna, a new genus with seven new species from Peru (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae) and the highest altitude record for the family, Journal of Natural History 55 (21 - 22), pp. 1335-1402 : 1373-1384

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.1080/00222933.2021.1936680
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/897CFC2A-FFEC-FFCB-FEAF-FDE8FB9D35A6
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Antikuna valladaresi Ferretti, Kaderka & West
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Antikuna valladaresi Ferretti, Kaderka & West View in CoL , sp. nov.

( Figures 35–42 View Figure 35 View Figure 36 View Figure 37 View Figure 38 View Figure 39 View Figure 40 View Figure 41 View Figure 42 and 49 View Figure 49 , Tables 9 and 10)

Types: Male holotype ( MUSM ENT 0512927 ) from Peru, Junín, Yauli, next to Ticlio, 4,689 m a .s .l ., October , 2017, M . Valladares col ., female paratype ( MUSM ENT 0514020 ), female paratype ( MUSM ENT 0514021 ), the same data as in the holotype . Etymology: The specific name is a patronym dedicated to Manuel Valladares , a Peruvian naturalist who is devoted to the conservation of theraphosid spiders in Peru and who discovered this species .

Diagnosis: Males differ from all other congeners in having light brown legs with black femora ( Figure 35 View Figure 35 (a)), the palpal bulb with basally serrated PS keel, the SA keel terminates in a rounded projection ( Figure 40 View Figure 40 (c, d)) (pointed in other congeners), PS and PI keel are divergent on tegulum, tegular protuberance unipartite. In addition, males of A. valladaresi sp. nov. are distinguished by the retrolateral branch of tibial apophyses with a digitiform apex with a long and strong retrolateral spine ( Figure 39 View Figure 39 (b)). Females differ from all other congeners in the shape of the spermathecae ( Figure 42 View Figure 42 ).

Distribution and natural history ( Figures 36 View Figure 36 and 49 View Figure 49 ): A. valladaresi sp. nov. is known only from the type locality near Laguna Churuca, Morococha District, Yauli Province, Junin Region, Peru, at an elevation of 4,650 m a.s.l. Mature males were found at different times of the year during several field searches that did not correspond to a particular season associated with a dry or rainy season. Several females were found with an egg sac, which measured approximately 10 mm in diameter, again, at no particular time of the year. The temperature is the lowest in the winter month of June with the average temperature 4°C and the highest in the summer months of September to December with the average temperature 18°C, with nightfall dropping as low as 4°C. The driest months for precipitation are June to September with 0 mm and the wettest month is February with 14 mm of precipitation. Female, subadult or juvenile specimens were found on semi-arid tundra slopes of Andean Puna in either self-made retreats ranging 20 – 25 cm in length, directly underneath various-sized angular rocks lying on the surface of the ground. Some burrows angled down into the soil, all ending in a blind chamber. The burrow does not have apparent silk on entrances but the interior of the burrow has a light silk lining. The remains found in burrows indicated the diet consisted of a variety of small beetles and cockroaches. It was common to find the specimens of different life stages living under the same rock in individual burrows. The surface vegetation consisted mainly of montane bunchgrasses (Puna) and sparse low shrubs (M. Valladares, pers. comm.).

MALE (MUSM ENT 0512927) ( Figures 35 View Figure 35 (a) and 37 – 40): Total length: 19.05, carapace length 7.61, width 7.41, chelicerae with 9 teeth on promargin. Cheliceral teeth pattern from basal end: right side: vv-V-v-v-VVV-v, 5 small and 4 big teeth. Left side: vVV-v-VVVV-v, 3 small and 6 big teeth. Anterior eye row procurved, posterior eye row recurved. Eye sizes and interdistances ( Figure 37 View Figure 37 (c)): AME 0.24 (circular), ALE 0.38 (oval), PME 0.17 (oval), PLE 0.33 (oval), AME-AME 0.17, AME-ALE 0.05, PME-PME 0.59, PME-PLE 0.04, ALE-PLE 0.13, AME-PME 0.09, OQ length 1.02, width 1.27. Ocular tubercle length 1.03, width 1.31, clypeus absent. Fovea transverse, straight, deep, width 1.04, 5.20 from anterior edge of carapace. Labium length 1.06, width 1.34, anterior third with 8 cuspules, maxillae with 75 – 87 cuspules in basal half and short spiniform seae in apical half. Sternum length 3.15, width 2.97, three pairs of sternal sigilla located near coxae III (length 0.31, 0.16 from edge of sternum), coxae II (length 0.17, 0.21 from edge of sternum) and coxae I (length 0.09, 0.18 from edge of sternum). Leg pattern: I>IV>II>III. All leg segments uniform. Maxillary and trochanteral stridulatory bristles absent.

Scopulae: All tarsi 100% densely scopulate, metatarsi I 100%, metatarsi II 70%, metatarsi III 50%, metatarsi IV ascopulate. Tarsal scopulae I undivided, tarsal scopulae II divided by a narrow longitudinal band of setae, tarsal scopulae III, IV divided by a wide longitudinal band of setae. Dorsal face of all tarsi and cymbium with two irregular longitudinal rows of claviform trichobothria. Denticulation pattern of paired tarsal claws on left leg (prolateral/retrolateral row): I 1/1, II 2/2, III 2/3, IV 4/3. Plumose setae on retrolateral face of femur IV absent.

Spination: femora of legs I–IV and palps 0; patellae of legs I–IV and palps 0; tibiae I v 2-0-1, p 0-2-1, r 0-0-1, II v 3-2-2 (apical), p 0-1-1, r 1-1-1, III v 1-1-3 (apical), p 1-2-1, r 1-1-1, IV v 1-1-2 (apical), p 1-3-1, r 0-1-1 and tibiae of palps p 0-1-1; metatarsi I v 0-0-1 (apical), II v 0-1-4 (apical), p 0-1-1, III v 1-2-3 (apical), p 0-1-1 (apical), IV v 2-1-1-2 (apical), p 1-1-1, r 1-0-0, tarsi I – IV and tarsi of palps 0.

Palpal organ as in Figure 40 View Figure 40 , embolus short and tapering, retrolaterally curved, carrying four keels, PS, PI, A and SA keel. PS keel is subparallel with PI keel and diverging along the tegulum, PI keel terminates in a slightly developed semioval apical lobe. Except of this lobe, PS and PI keels are more developed in basal halves reaching the tegulum. A keel is slightly developed. SA keel terminates in a rounded projection instead of pointed tooth. Tegulum with a very short granulated apophysis (protuberance), projecting anteriorly, without depressions. Sperm pore is located between PI and A keel. Prolateral cymbial lobe without apical group of long spiniform setae ( Figure 38 View Figure 38 (a)). Prolateral cymbial lobe is distinctly larger than retrolateral one. Retrolateral face of palpal tibia without subapical process and without a field of short spiniform setae ( Figure 38 View Figure 38 (b)). Ventral face of palpal tibia with a group of long and strongly erected setae ( Figure 38 View Figure 38 ). Two unequal subapical apophyses are present on tibia I ( Figure 39 View Figure 39 ): a longer retrolateral tibial apophysis with a digitiform apex carrying a long, strong retrolateral spine, a shorter prolateral tibial apophysis with a single, retrolateral spine, shorter than the length of prolateral tibial apophysis. Metatarsus I curved on median portion and without basal or median protuberance on retrolateral face ( Figure 39 View Figure 39 ). When flexed, metatarsus I contacts both tibial apophysis.

Abdomen ( Figure 37 View Figure 37 (d)): urticating setae of type III are located in posterior patch. Size of the patch: length 3.23, width 3.95. PLS: length 2.93, basal segment 1.21, middle segment 0.61, apical segment 1.11, all digitiform. PMS: 0.53.

Colouration and covering setae: dorsal view ( Figure 35 View Figure 35 (a)): carapace, coxae and trochantera covered with bronze and whitish pubescence. Femora of legs and palps black, chelicerae, patellae, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi of legs white; patella, tibia and tarsus of palp white. Longitudinal stripes of patella inconspicuous, without covering setae. Abdomen black, dorsally covered with long red setae and patch of urticating hairs, which is orange, lateral faces of abdomen white. Ventral view: labium, sternum and maxillae reddish brown, legs dark brown. Spinnerets black.

FEMALE (MUSM-ENT 0514020) ( Figures 35 View Figure 35 (b) and 41 – 42): Total length: 20.92, carapace length 7.99, width 7.67, chelicerae with 10 – 11 teeth on promargin. Cheliceral teeth pattern from basal end: right side: vv-VVVVVVVV-v, 3 small teeth and 8 big teeth. Left side: v-V-VVVVVVVv, 2 small teeth and 8 big teeth. Anterior eye row slightly procurved, posterior eye row recurved. Eye sizes and interdistances ( Figure 41 View Figure 41 (c)): AME 0.37 (circular), ALE 0.33 (oval), PME 0.17 (oval), PLE 0.32 (oval), AME-AME 0.24, AME-ALE 0.11, PME-PME 0.65, PME-PLE 0.07, ALE-PLE 0.13, AME-PME 0.13, OQ length 0.97, width 1.40. Ocular tubercle: length 1.06, width 1.43, clypeus absent. Fovea transverse, procurved, width 1.26, 5.78 from anterior edge of carapace. Labium length 1.18, width 1.28, anterior third with 4 cuspules, maxillae with 87 – 94 cuspules in basal half and short spiniform setae in apical half. Sternum length 3.47, width 3.82, with three visible pairs of sternal sigilla located near coxae III (length 0.28, 0.31 from edge of sternum), coxae II (length 0.18, 0.27 from edge of sternum) and coxae I (length 0.09, 0.18 from edge of sternum). Leg pattern: I> IV>II>III. All leg segments uniform.

Scopulae: All tarsi 100% densely scopulate, metatarsi I 100%, metatarsi II 70%, metatarsi III 30%, metatarsi IV ascopulate. Tarsal scopulae I undivided, tarsal scopulae II, III divided by a longitudinal band of setae, in tarsi IV divided by a wide band of setae. Dorsal face of all tarsi and cymbium with two longitudinal rows of claviform trichobothria. Denticulation pattern of paired tarsal claws on left leg (prolateral/retrolateral row): I 3/5, II 4/3, III 2/2, IV 4/6. Plumose setae on retrolateral face of femur IV absent.

Spination: femora I, II p 0-0-1, III, IV 0, and femora of palps r 0-0-1, patellae I – IV and patellae of palps 0, tibiae I 0, II v 0-1-1, III v 0-1-3 (apical), IV v 0-1-1 (apical), r 0-1-1 and tibiae of palps v 0-1-2 (apical), p 1-0-1, metatarsi I v 0-0-1, II v 0-1-4 (apical), III v 1-0-6 (apical), p 0-1-1, r 0-0-2 (apical), IV v 1-2-2 (apical), r 1-1-2 (apical), tarsi I – IV and tarsi of palps 0.

Spermathecae ( Figure 42 View Figure 42 (a, b)): two separated seminal receptacles with distinct granulation. Each receptacle with apical portion rounded and pointing outwards and basal portion wider than apical one.

Abdomen ( Figure 41 View Figure 41 (d)): urticating setae of type III are located in oval posterior patch. PLS: length 2.77, basal segment 1.21, middle segment 0.52, apical segment 1.04, all digitiform. PMS: 0.87.

Colouration and covering setae: dorsal view ( Figure 35 View Figure 35 (b)): carapace bronze and black on cephalic area, coxae and trochantera light brown, chelicerae light grey, femora black, patellae, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi light grey, intermixed with long, pale setae. Patellae I, II and palpal patella with two unequal parallel longitudinal stripes covering with orange setae, patellae III, IV with two unequal diagonal stripes covered with orange setae. Abdomen ( Figure 37 View Figure 37 (d)) covered with short orange setae, circular posterior patch with long red setae, a small number of long red setae anteriorly on abdomen. Length of posterior patch: 4.33, width 4.54. Ventral view: sternum and labium light-brown, maxillae reddish-brown, coxae, trochantera, femora, patellae, tibiae and metatarsi light-brown. Spinnerets black.

Variation: The variation in the shape of spermathecae is shown in Figure 42 View Figure 42 . The second female paratype with carapace length 8.7 differs in the leg pattern IV>I>II>III (I>IV>II>III in described female paratype), labium with 5 cuspules, maxillae with 80 – 87 cuspules and the following cheliceral teeth pattern: right side: VVVVVVVVVv, 1 small tooth and 9 big teeth. Left side: V-VVVVVVVv-v, 2 small teeth and 8 big teeth.