Hexapopha brasiliana ( Bristowe, 1938 )

Feitosa, Níthomas M., Ott, Ricardo & Bonaldo, Alexandre B., 2023, Meeting the southern brothers: a revision of the Neotropical spider genus Hexapopha Platnick, Berniker & Víquez, 2014 (Araneae, Oonopidae), Zootaxa 5329 (1), pp. 1-150 : 101-105

Hexapopha brasiliana ( Bristowe, 1938)

Figs 67–69 ; Map 1

Gamasomorpha brasiliana Bristowe, 1938: 69 , f. 4 (two female syntypes from nests of Eutermes arenarius collected at Santa Catarina , Brazil, in 1923; BMNH 1938.10.18.5–6, examined).

Hexapopha brasiliana: Ott et al., 2019: 8 .

Diagnosis. Males resemble those of H. sorkini sp. nov. by the endite’s P1 with a prolateral process ( Fig. 72E ); they differ by that process being strongly serrated and bent upwards ( Fig. 69D ). Females differ from those of other species with U-shaped postepigastric scape fused to to a broad postepigastric plate (longer than wider or nearly as long as wide) (H. una sp. nov., H. baehrae sp. nov. and H. hone Platnick, Berniker & Víquez , Figs 7G–H , 62G–H ; Platnick et al., 2014, figs 85–86) as follows: from H. una sp. nov. by the genital duct narrow, situated on the anterior portion of the postepigastric plate (wide, almost reaching the posterior portioin of postepigastric plate in H. una sp. nov.); from H. baehrae sp. nov. and H. hone by the straigth arms of T-shaped genitalic process (procurved in H. baehrae sp. nov.; recurved in H. hone ) ( Figs 68F–H ).

Description. Male (PBI_OON 44500). Total length 1.60. CEPHALOTHORAX: carapace orange-brown, with Coxapopha -like pattern, pars cephalica domed in lateral view, surface of elevated portion of pars cephalica smooth, sides granulate, fovea present ( Figs 67B–C ). Eyes ALE oval, PME circular, PLE oval; posterior eye row recurved from above, straight from front; ALE separated by their radius to diameter, ALE-PLE separated by less than ALE radius, PME touching throughout most of their length, PLE-PME separated by less than PME radius ( Fig. 67E ). Sternum wider than long, orange-brown, median concavity absent, with radial furrows between coxae I–II, II–III, III–IV, furrow with rows of small pits, surface finely reticulate, without pits, microsculpture everywhere but front, anterior margin unmodified ( Figs 67D , 69A ). Mouthparts: Chelicerae distal region unmodified ( Fig. 67E ). Labium anterior margin anteriorly projecting at middle, wider than long ( Fig. 69B ). Endites with a median projection (mp), a prolateral process of P1, and P1 and P2; mp very short, directed anteriorly; P1 lamellar, situated posteriorly to mp, laterally to prolateral process, directed anteriorly, anterior margin serrated; prolateral process of P1 anterior margin serrated; P2 short, tip narrow, situated anteriorly to mp ( Figs 67F , 69B–E ). ABDOMEN: dorsum soft portions pale orange. Booklung covers small, very narrow. Dorsal scutum orange-brown, covering full length of abdomen, no soft tissue visible from above. Epigastric scutum not protruding. Postepigastric scutum orange-brown, almost semicircular, covering nearly full length of abdominal length. LEGS: orange-brown. GENITALIA: Epigastric region with sperm pore situated at level of posterior spiracles. Palp proximal segments pale orange; embolus tip flattened, not bent upwards; conductor present, without projections, enlarged from base to half, tapered tip ( Figs 67G–I , 69F–H ).

Female (PBI_OON 44501). Total length 1.71. CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace without any pattern, pars cephalica strongly elevated in lateral view, fovea absent ( Figs 68B–C ). Eyes PME touching ( Fig. 68E ). Sternum surface smooth. Mouthparts: Chelicerae, endites and labium pale orange; paturon distal region abruptly narrowed. Labium anterior margin not indented at middle ( Fig. 68D ). ABDOMEN: Dorsal scutum pale orange. Postepigastric scutum pale orange, covering about 3/4 of abdominal length ( Figs 68A–B,F ). GENITALIA: Ventral view: postepigastric plate relatively long, postepigastric scape present, tongue-shaped, copulatory orifice slit-shaped, sinuous, situated at the anterior part. Dorsal view: anterior genitalic process with straight arms; genital duct coiled ( Figs 68G–H , 69I–L ).

Other material examined. Brazil. Santa Catarina. Blumenau : Parque Estadual do Tabuleiro (27º55’S, 48º42’W) Jan. 10–20, 2003, Equipe Biota leg., 2♁ ( IBSP 60492 , PBI _ OON 44497 ); 1♁ ( IBSP 60488 , PBI _ OON 44500 ) ; 1♀ ( IBSP 60489 , PBI _ OON 44501 ) ; 1♀ ( IBSP 60494 , PBI _ OON 44498 ) ; 1♀ ( IBSP 60493 , PBI _ OON 44502 ); Parque Natural Municipal Nascentes do Rio Garcia , Jan. 21, 2005, R.C. Francisco leg., 1♁ ( IBSP 68396 , PBI _ OON 52509 ); 1♁ ( IBSP 68404 , PBI _ OON 52514 ); 1♁ ( IBSP 68403 , PBI _ OON 52604 ); 1♁ ( IBSP 68402 , PBI _ OON 52605 ); 1♁ ( IBSP 68397 , PBI _ OON 52606 ); 1♁ ( IBSP 68401 , PBI _ OON 52607 ); 1♁ ( IBSP 68400 , PBI _ OON 52608 ) ; 1♀ ( IBSP 68399 , PBI _ OON 52609 ) .

Distribution. Known only from the state of Santa Catarina , Brazil ( Map 1 ).

Figures

MAP 1. Distribution of Hexapopha

FIGURES 7A–H. Hexapopha una sp. nov., female (IBSP 64441; PBI_OON 51576). A–B habitus. A, dorsal view. B lateral view. C–E carapace. C dorsal view. D ventral view. E anterior view. F abdomen, ventral view. G–H epigastric region. G ventral view. H dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1mm.

FIGURES 62A–H. Hexapopha baehrae sp. nov., female (MCN 8554; PBI_OON 46377). A–B habitus. A dorsal view. B lateral view. C–E carapace. C dorsal view. D ventral view. E anterior view. F abdomen, ventral view. G–H epigastric region. G ventral view. H dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1mm.

FIGURES 67A–I. Hexapopha brasiliana (Bristowe), male (IBSP 60492; PBI_OON 44497). A–B habitus. A dorsal view. B lateral view. C–E carapace. C dorsal view. D ventral view. E anterior view. F mouthparts, ventral view. G abdomen, ventral view. H–I left palp. H prolateral view. I retrolateral view. Scale bars: 0.1mm.

FIGURES 68A–H. Hexapopha brasiliana (Bristowe), female (IBSP 60493; PBI_OON 44502). A–B habitus. A dorsal view. B lateral view. C–E carapace. C dorsal view. D ventral view. E anterior view. F abdomen, ventral view. G–H epigastric region. G ventral view. H dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1mm.

FIGURES 69A–L. Hexapopha brasiliana (Bristowe), SEM images. A–H male (IBSP 60492; PBI_OON 44497). I–L female (IBSP 68399; PBI_OON 52609). A carapace, ventral view. B mouthparts, ventral view. C–E endites. C lateral view. D ventral view (asterisk: prolateral process of P1). E detail of D, showing median projections and projection P2. F left palp, retrolateral view. G–H embolus. G prolateral view. H retrolateral view. I epigastric region, ventral view. J detail of I, showing slit-shaped opening. K internal genitalia, dorsal view. L detail of K, showing genital duct. Abbreviations: as, anterior sclerite; d, duct; mp, median projection; ps, posterior sclerite; P, projection; sc, postepigastric scape.

FIGURES 72A–I. Hexapopha sorkini sp. nov., male, SEM images (AMNH; PBI_OON 46280). A–B carapace. A lateral view. B ventral view. C–D mouthparts, ventral view. E right endite, ventral view, detail of projections (asterisk: prolateral process of P1). F–G right palp. F retrolateral view. G prolateral view. H–I embolus. H retrolateral view. I prolateral view. Abbreviations: mp, median projection; P, projection.