Scytodes auricula, Rheims & Brescovit, 2000

Rheims, Cristina A. & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2000, Six new species of Scytodes Latreille, 1804 (Araneae, Scytodidae) from Brazil, Zoosystema 22 (4), pp. 719-730 : 724-726

Scytodes auricula n. sp.

( Fig. 3 )

TYPE MATERIAL. — Morro Queimado. Parque Nacional da Serra do Divisor, Acre, 8.XI.1996, R. S. Vieira, 1 holotype ( IBSP 9092) and 1 allotype ( IBSP 9092), 1 paratype with same data of holotype ( IBSP 23707).

Reserva Extrativista de Humaitá. Rio Branco, Acre, 12.IV.1996, Eq. IBSP / SMNK, 1 paratype ( MNHN).

ETYMOLOGY. — The specific name is a Latin word that denotes the ear shaped fovea.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Reserva Extrativista de Humaitá. Rio Branco , Acre, 18.VII.1995, R. S. Vieira, 1 ( IBSP 7941 ) ; Reserva Extrativista de Catuaba , 9.IV.1996, Eq. IBSP / SMNK, 1 ( IBSP 8662 ) .

Lago Janauari. Manaus, Amazonas, 30.XII.1987, 1 ( INPA).

Ouro Preto. Rondônia, XII.1980, A. Cerrutti, 1 (MNRJ 13069).

Porto Nacional. Tocantins, 10-13.XII.1992, M. H. Galileo, 1 (MCN 23552).

Usina Hidrelétrica Sérgio Motta. Presidente Epitácio, São Paulo, I.1999, Eq. IBSP, 1 (IBSP21397).

DISTRIBUTION. — Northern, central western and southeastern Brazil.

DIAGNOSIS. — The male of Scytodes auricula n. sp. is similar to S. altamira n. sp. but differs in having a bulb with sickle-like embolus, distal projection with truncated tip and very small apophysis ( Fig. 3B, C ). The female is similar to S. mapia n. sp. but differs in the presence of a larger fovea with positioning ridge anteriorly extended ( Fig. 3D ) and in the presence of a globous pair of seminal receptacles with inconspicuous stalk and pair of diamond shaped seminal receptacles with sinuous stalk ( Fig. 3E ).

DESCRIPTION

Male (IBSP 9092)

Carapace yellow with delicate black pattern. Pedipalps yellow with few dorsal scattered brown stains. Labium and endites yellowish with brown margins. Sternum cream coloured with brown margins at base of each leg and along slight depressions toward centre. Legs yellow with two longitudinal black interrupted stripes along ventral side of femur and few longitudinal stains scattered along rest of leg, except on tarsi. Abdomen cream coloured with dorsal black pattern consisting of four pairs of transversal markings and some irregular stains scattered laterally and anteriorly.

Total length 5.25. Carapace slightly arched, 2.63 long, 2.00 wide. Eye diameters: pme 0.20, ale 0.18, ple 0.18. Lateral eyes on tubercle. Chelicerae with subapical hyaline keel. Lateral surface with nine to eleven stridulatory ridges. Labium 0.28 long, 0.40 wide. Sternum 1.25 long, 1.00 wide.

Cymbium with pair of prominent, curved distal spines ( Fig. 3B, C ). Bulb 0.64 long, medially constricted. Abdomen 2.75 long, 1.75 wide, rounded, covered with large feathery hairs.

Legs. I, femur 8.38; patella 0.75; tibia 8.50; metatarsus 12.13; tarsus 1.00; total 30.76. II, 5.62; 0.75; 5.25; 6.63; 0.75; 19.00. III, 3.25; 0.62; 2.63; 3.75; 0.75; 11.00. IV, 5.25; 0.62; 5.00; 6.13; 0.88; 17.88. Palpal femur presenting very short stridulatory pick with large triangular, projected socket.

Female (IBSP 8748)

Coloration pattern as in male ( Fig. 3A ).

Total length 6.00. Carapace slightly arched, 3.13 long, 2.38 wide. Eye diameters: pme 0.18, ale 0.14, ple 0.16. Chelicerae with subapical hyaline keel, lateral surface with seven to eight stridulatory ridges. Labium 0.22 long, 0.22 wide. Sternum 1.50 long, 1.00 wide.

Abdomen 2.88 long, 2.63 wide. Positioning ridge striated. Fovea separated from each other by one-third of their width ( Fig. 3D ). Internal genitalia with two pairs of seminal receptacles ( Fig. 3E ).

Legs. I, femur 4.88; patella 0.63; tibia 5.75; metatarsus 7.38; tarsus 0.75; total 19.38. II, 3.76; 0.75; 3.75; 7.38; 0.88; 16.52. III, 2.75; 0.63; 2.38; 2.63; 0.63; 9.02. IV, 3.75; 0.75; 3.63; 4.13; 0.88; 13.14. Palpal femur with stridulatory pick as in male.

Variation

Two males. Total length 4.12-5.25; carapace 2.25-2.62; femur I 5.37-8.37; bulb 0.64-0.70.

Four females. Total length 5.75-6.50; carapace 2.63-3.13; femur I 3.13-5.63.

Figures

FIG. 3. — Scytodes auricula n. sp.; A, female body, dorsal view; B, male left palpus, retrolateral view; C, male left palpus, prolateral view; D, female epygine, ventral view; E, female epygine, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.