Selenops simius Muma, 1953

Crews, Sarah C., 2011, A revision of the spider genus Selenops Latreille, 1819 (Arachnida, Araneae, Selenopidae) in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, ZooKeys 105, pp. 1-182 : 118-120

Selenops simius Muma, 1953 Figs 169-172194Map 10

Selenops simius Muma 1953: 27, Figs 46-48 (♂, ♀, examined).

Selenops simius : Alayón-García 2005: 21, Figs 12-15 (♂, ♀).

Type material.

Holotype male: South Bimini Island, Bahamas, V.1951, W. Gertsch, M.A. Cazier (AMNH, examined). Paratypes: Female, same data as holotype (AMNH, examined).

Other material examined.

BAHAMAS: South Bimini: 2-9.VIII.1951, C.,P. Vaurie, 1♀, 1♂ (AMNH). Rum Cay: Port Nelson, 15.III.1953, Hayden, Rabb, Giovannoli, 1♂ (AMNH). CAYMAN ISLANDS: Cayman Brac: National Trust House off West End Road, mass grave site, 19°42.019'N, 79°52.084'W, ~2', 3.X.2004, S. Crews, on rocks, trees at night, SCC04_025, 1♀, 2♂, 3 imm. (EME sel_023-028). Grand Cayman: Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park, vic. iguana pens, 19°19.042'N, 81°10.087'W, ~6 m, 2.X.2004, S. Crews, under bark, rocks, SCC04_022, 4 imm. (EME sel_046, 066-067, 080). Little Cayman: road across the street from Pirate's Point, 19°39.754'N, 80°06.032'W, 3.X.2004, S. Crews, under fallen palm frond at base of trunk, SCC04_023, 1♀ (CAS sel_022).

Diagnosis.

This species is similar to and can be difficult to separate from Selenops submaculosus . Males can be reliably separated by the following characters: the cymbium is very round, the conductor is larger and slightly curved upward at the distal point, the embolus extends beyond the cymbium at its point of origin, and the lateral branch of the RTA is slightly rounded distally in lateral view (Figs 169-170). Females can be separated from others by having a shorter, wider and more u-shaped genital opening, rather than a heart-shaped opening, the internal ducts are coiled more medially, and the ducts only come into contact with the posterior margin of the plate medially (Figs 171-172).

Remarks.

Muma (1953) reported the female to have the leg formula of 2314, however my measurements indicate 3142, once again attesting to the problems of using leg lengths to examine species relationships. This species is similar to its sister taxon, Selenops submaculosus , and can be difficult to distinguish. Muma (1953) distinguished males in the key, but not females. He mentioned that they were very similar, but that it was very easy to distinguish them based on structural differences, but did not suggest how to do so. Alayón-García suggested the two species can be distinguished by their size, with Selenops simius being smaller than Selenops submaculosus . After examining several specimens, is has been found that this does not always prove to be true. Yet, there are several genitalic characters that can be used to consistently distinguish these species. In the female, these include the genital openings, the shape and position of the internal ducts, and in the male, the shape of the cymbium, the conductor and the RTA.

Description.

Holotype male: Color: carapace orange-brown, darker medially, dark patches laterally; sternum yellow, darker around border; chelicerae light brown-orange, lighter laterally; labium light brown, lightening distally; abdomen dorsally (holotype) cream with darker grey lanceolate medial stripe and chevrons caudally, festoon present (recent) cream, with two spots in center of abdomen, festoon present; ventrally cream with no markings; legs yellowish, annulations not distinct. Cephalothorax: 0.87 times longer than broad; fovea longitudinal, broad, very shallow. Eyes:AER nearly straight; PER slightly recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.13, ALE 0.06, PME 0.18, PLE 0.20; interdistances AME-PME 0.03, PME-ALE 0.10, ALE-PLE 0.20. PME-PME 0.73. ALE-ALE 1.13; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.23, PLE-PLE 1.30; clypeus 0.03 high. Mouthparts:chelicerae with a few stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:as long as broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:leg formula 2314; scopulae present on tarsi of all legs and metatarsi of legs I and II; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw per foot slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 0; Ti d 1 –1– 0, pr 1 –0– 1, rl 1 –0– 1, v 2 –2– 2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, v 2-2; II, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 1, d 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –0– 1, v 2 –2– 2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –0– 0, v 2-2; III, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 1, rl 1 –0– 1, d 1 –1– 0, v 2-2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –0– 0, v 2-2; IV, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 1, rl 1 –0– 1, d 1 –0– 0, v 2-2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –0– 0, v 2 –2– 0. Abdomen:with terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:Fm, spination d 0 –1– 4; cymbium round to teardrop shaped in ventral view, strongly dorsoventrally compressed; conductor large arising from medially from a nearly straight stalk, T-shaped, extending laterally beyond cymbium, pointed posteriorly at tip; embolus very long, curved, originating at 4 o'clock, terminating at 3 o'clock, extending beyond edge of cymbium at origin; MA arising at 3 o'clock, directed laterally, very small, tapering, slightly hooked distally; RTA with two apophyses; ventral process ¼ the size of lateral process, rounded, curving ventrally, lateral process large, rectangular, curving slightly ventrally, rounded distally in lateral view; tibial apophyses extending at least ¼ length of cymbium in ventral view (Figs 169-170). Dimensions: Total length 5.05. Carapace length 2.30, width 2.65. Sternum length 1.60, width 1.60. Abdomen length 2.75, width 1.95. Pedipalp: Fm 1.20, Pt 0.25, Ti 0.30, Ta 1.00, total 2.75. Leg I: Fm 4.75, Pt 1.75, Ti 5.00, Mt 4.75, Ta 2.00, total 18.25. Leg II: Fm 5.00, Pt 1.75, Ti 5.00, Mt 5.00, Ta 2.00, total 18.75. Leg III: Fm 5.50, Pt 1.75, Ti 5.10, Mt 4.80, Ta 2.00, total 19.15. Leg IV: Fm 4.75, Pt 1.40, Ti 4.60, Mt 4.70, Ta 1.85, total 17.30.

Paratype female: Color:carapace (paratype) orange-brown, white setae, no noticeable markings (recent) orange-brown, but slightly darker laterally; sternum dusky yellow, darker around border; chelicerae brown, darker laterally, lighter medially; labium light brown lightening distally; abdomen dorsally (paratype) cream to tan with dark spots medially and laterally, in pairs medially, one w-shaped mark caudally, with a slightly upward curving line and a single dot beneath, festoon prominent (recent) two most-prominent dots in center of abdomen, not at the top; ventrally cream; legs yellow-brown with faint darker brown annulations; Carapace: 0.9 times longer than broad; fovea longitudinal, broad, very shallow. Eyes:AER slightly recurved; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PME largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.20, ALE 0.05, PME 0.28, PLE 0.23; interdistances AME-PME 0.05, PME-ALE 0.10, ALE-PLE 0.35. PME-PME 0.98. ALE-ALE 1.58; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.38, PLE-PLE 1.80; clypeus 0.10 high. Mouthparts:chelicerae with a few stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum: as long as broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:leg I only slightly shorter than II and III; leg formula 3142; scopulae present on all 4 tarsi and tibia and metatarsus of leg I; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw per foot slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –0– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg II, Fm pr 1 –0– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –0– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg III, Fm pr 1 –0– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –0– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 0; Mt v 2-2; leg IV, Fm pr 0 –0– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0; Ti v 2 –2– 0; Mt v 2-1. Abdomen:with terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:claw with 9 teeth. Epigyne:u-shaped medial depression, genital openings located at lateral margins, plate sinuous along posterior margin, epigynal pockets present; internally, small ducts lead to large coiled ducts, posterodorsal fold present medially, covering ducts posteromedially, rounded (Figs 171-172). Dimensions: Total length 7.48. Carapace length 3.23, width 3.60. Sternum length 1.60, width 1.60. Abdomen length 4.25, width 3.43. Pedipalp: Fm 0.80, Pt 0.25, Ti 0.40, Ta 0.80, total 2.25. Leg I: Fm 3.00, Pt 1.50, Ti 3.10, Mt 2.75, Ta 1.00, total 11.35. Leg II: Fm 3.10, Pt 1.00, Ti 2.80, Mt 2.00, ta 1.00, total 9.90. Leg III: Fm 4.00, Pt 1.00, Ti 3.00, Mt 2.75, Ta 1.10, total 11.85. Leg IV: Fm 3.25, Pt 1.20, Ti 2.75, Mt 2.50, Ta 1.00, total 10.70.

Natural history.

This species has been taken under rocks and bricks in dry tropical forest, under bark, within epiphytes, in houses, on rocks and trees at night (Fig. 194), and under fallen palm fronds. The female guards a white, disc-shaped egg sac. One specimen was observed eating a roach at night.

Distribution.

Known from mainland Cuba and the surrounding islands and cays, all of the Cayman Islands, and South Bimini and Rum Cay in the Bahamas (Map 10).