Selenops curazao Alayón, 2001

Crews, Sarah C., Galvis, William, Torres, Richard A., Gutiérrez-Estrada, Miguel A., Sarmiento, Jessica & Esposito, Lauren A., 2021, The flattie spiders of the Selenops isopodus species group (Araneae: Selenopidae) with a review of Selenops records from Colombia, Zootaxa 4964 (1), pp. 61-82 : 65

Selenops curazao Alayón, 2001

Figs 2–3 , 8–11 , 21–22 , 34–35, 38 , 41, 44, 47 , 50, 52

Selenops curazao Alayón, 2001: 17–20 , figs 1–4 (♂, ♀). Crews 2011: 18, figs 3–6 (♂, ♀).

Type material: Holotype (designated by Alayón 2001): male, CarMaBI (Caribbean Marine Biology Institute), Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, September 1963 ( MCZ 44835, examined).

Paratype: female, Piscadera Baai building, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles, 18–30 December 1962, H. & L. Levi ( MCZ 44836, examined) .

Other material examined. See Crews (2011).

Diagnosis. Females of Selenops curazao can be differentiated from other members of the S. isopodus group by the sclerotized septum found within the median field of the epigyne ( Fig. 21 ). Such a septum is absent and the median field is weakly sclerotized in the other species of the group ( Figs 18, 20, 24, 26–27 ). The copulatory ducts curve outward laterally, then back inward medially, then out again before curving back on themselves dorsally ( Fig. 22 ). Additionally, when the genitalia is viewed caudally, it is much narrower dorsoventrally than in the other species ( Fig. 52 ). Males of S. curazao can be differentiated from other members of the S. isopodus group by the posteriorly rounded, rather than proximally protruded, tegulum ( Fig. 34 ). Also, the tip of the conductor is angular rather than rectangular ( Figs 34 , 41, 44, 47 , 50 ).

Description. See Crews (2011).

Distribution. Curaçao, Bonaire ( Fig. 60 ).

Life history and habitat preferences. This species has been collected under wood, rocks, cactus, and other debris on the ground, both near to and away from human dwellings. During the day, it can be found hiding in crevices near the ceiling molding in houses, emerging at night. It is found in dry thornscrub and dry forest ( Fig. 57 ). The female guards the white, flat, disc-shaped egg sac, and lays approximately 25– 50 eggs.

Figures

FIGURE 60. Map shows all known records of selenopids in Colombia (Col = Colombia; Ven = Venezuela; A = Aruba; B = Bonaire; C = Curaçao; pink square = S. arikok; yellow squares = S. isopodus; green squares = S. curazao; blue squares = S. bullerengue sp. nov.; white squares = member of isopodus group, but unclear which species; white diamond = undetermined juvenile; white diamond with orange border = a species for which we do not have adults, but it is clearly distinct; green circles = S. mexicanus; black circles = S. cocheleti; orange circles = S. curruganja; blue circles = S. geraldinae; red circle = S. lavillai.) Orange area indicates Cordillera Oriental as defined by Google Earth and references provided in the text.

FIGURES 1–6. Members of the Selenops isopodus species group. 1 S. arikok with egg sac and spiderlings; 2 Adult female of S. curazao from Santa Barbara, Curaçao; 3 S. curazao from Pannekoek, Curaçao; 4Adult female of S. isopodus from Barichara, Colombia; 5 Adult male of S. isopodus from Barichara, Colombia; 6 Adult male of S. isopodus missing several legs, Barichara, Colombia. Photos: 1, 4–6, Sarah Crews; 2–3, Carel de Haseth.

FIGURES 7–17. Members of the Selenops isopodus species group. 7 Holotype female of S. arikok (EME sel_068) from Arikok National Park, Aruba; 8 Paratype female of S. curazao (MCZ 44835) from the Piscadera Baai building, Curaçao, Netherlands, Antilles; 9 Holotype male of S. curazao (MCZ 44836) CarMaBi, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles; 10 More recently collected female specimen of S. curazao (CASENT 9067826) from Dos Pos, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles; 11 More recently collected male specimen of S. curazao (CASENT 9058453) from Girouette Plantation, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles; 12 Female of S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12894) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia; 13 Male of S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12895) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia; 14 Female of S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-1735) Barichara, Santander, Colombia; 15 Holotype male of S. marilus (MCZ 21988) from Lara, Venezuela; 16 Holotype female of S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12898) from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia; 17 Paratype male of S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12899) from Finca de Ovi, hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia.

FIGURES 18–29. Genitalia of females from the Selenops isopodus species group. 18–20, 23 S. arikok (EME sel_068) from Arikok National Park, Aruba (18 epigyne, 19 endogyne, 20 epigyne) with colors corresponding to parts of the genitalia mentioned in the text for comparison among taxa of the S. isopodus group: orange = COs, pink = MF, yellow = EP, 23 endogyne with colors corresponding to parts of the genitalia mentioned in the text for comparison among taxa of the S. isopodus group, arrows indicate path from CDs to spermathecae and FDs, showing how the CDs fold under themselves in the dorsal direction, teal=CDs, blue-violet=SS, red=PS, yellow=FDs, green= PF; 21–22 S. curazao (CASENT 9067826; ABC_062) from Dos Pos, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles (21 epigyne, 22 endogyne); 24–25 S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12894) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia (24 epigyne, 25 endogyne); 27–28 S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-1735) from Barichara, Santander, Colombia (27 epigyne, 28 endogyne); 26, 29 S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12898) from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia (26 epigyne, 29 endogyne).

FIGURES 30–40. Palps from males of the Selenops isopodus species group. 30–33, 39 Palp of S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12895) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia (30, 32 ventral, 31, 33 retrolateral, 39 dorsal) with colors corresponding to the parts of the palps mentioned in the text for comparison among taxa of the S. isopodus group: green = vRTA, orange = dRTA, pink = T, where tegulum narrows basally, the pink becomes brighter, indicating the inconspicuous origin of the E, purple = C, yellow = MA, arrow indicates extended tegulum with lack of retrolateral indentation; 34–35, 38 Palp of S. curazao (CASENT 9058453) from Girouette Plantation, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles (34 ventral, 35 retrolateral, 38 dorsal); 36–37, 40 S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12899) from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia (36 ventral, 37 retrolateral, 40 dorsal).

FIGURES 41–49. Palps from males of the Selenops isopodus species group emphasizing the conductor, a diagnostic character among species of the group. 41, 44, 47 S. curazao (CASENT 9058453) from Girouette Plantation, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles (41 retrolateral, 44 dorso-retrolateral, 47 prolateral); 42, 45, 48 S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12895) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia (42 retrolateral, 45 latroventral, 48 prolateral); 43, 46, 49 S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12899) from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia (43 retrolateral, 46 latroventral, 49 prolateral). Abbreviations: C=Conductor.

FIGURES 50–55. 50–51 Palps of males of the S. isopodus group. 50 Rostral view of expanded palp showing shape of conductor of S. curazao (CASENT 9058453) from Girouette Plantation, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles; 51 Caudal view of palp of S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12899) showing the tip of the conductor in an unexpanded palp from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia; 52–55 Caudal views of epigynes of the S. isopodus group. 52 S. curazao (CASENT 9067826) from Dos Pos, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles; 53 S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12894) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia; 54 S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-1735) from Barichara, Santander, Colombia; 55 S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12899) from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia.

FIGURES 56–59. Habitats of species of the S. isopodus group. 56 Habitat of S. arikok, Arikok National Park, Aruba (photo Jake Scott); 57 Habitat of S. curazao Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles (photo Carel de Haseth; 58 Habitat of S. isopodus Barichara, Colombia (photo by Sarah Crews); 59 Habitat of S. bullerengue sp. nov., El Roble, Biological Station Tierra Santa (photo Richard Torres).