Scytodes balbina, 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

Scytodes balbina n. sp.

( Fig. 2 )

TYPE MATERIAL. — Usina Hidrelétrica de Balbina. Balbina, Amazonas, 29.XI.1987, Eq. IBSP, 1 holotype ( IBSP 23044).

Reserva Florestal Adolfo Ducke. Manaus , Amazonas, 15.X.1987, A. J. Rafael, 1 paratype ( INPA) ; 18- 25.II.1992, A. D. Brescovit, 1 paratype ( MCN 22044) ; 14-22.VIII.1991, A. D. Brescovit, 1, 3 ( MCN 21376, IBSP 23708 ) ; 25.X.1995, H. Höfer, 1 paratype ( INPA) .

ETYMOLOGY. — The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Reserva Florestal Adolfo Ducke. Manaus, Amazonas, 26.VII.1973, L. Albuquerque, 1 ( INPA) ; 7.VIII.1992, H. Höfer et al., 1 ( SMNK 1013 ) .

DISTRIBUTION. — Northern Brazil (Amazonas).

DIAGNOSIS. — Scytodes balbina n. sp. differs from the other species, here described, by the male palpal bulb presenting a very long and distally curved embolus and a flattened distal hyaline projection ( Fig. 2B, C ). The female has large and laterally expanded seminal receptacles with a sclerotized area adjacent to their bases ( Fig. 2E ).

DESCRIPTION

Male (IBSP 23044)

Carapace yellow with brown pattern of short stains. Pedipalps yellowish with transversal brown bands. Labium and endites cream coloured with brownish bases. Sternum cream coloured with brownish margin. Legs yellow with interrupted brown transversal bands, except on tarsi. Abdomen cream coloured with dorsal black pattern consisting of three posterior transversal groups of markings and anterior scattered irregular stains ( Fig. 2A ).

Total length 3.13. Carapace, 1.50 long, 1.25 wide. Eye diameters: pme 0.12, ale 0.14, ple 0.14. Lateral eyes on tubercle. Chelicerae with subapical hyaline keel and lateral surface with three or four widely separated stridulatory ridges. Labium 0.14 long, 0.18 wide. Sternum 0.94 long, 0.88 wide.

Cymbium presenting long, slender distal spine. Bulb 0.50 long and medially constricted ( Fig. 2B, C ). Abdomen 1.50 long, 0.88 wide, rounded, covered with large feathery hairs.

Legs. I, femur 7.00; patella 0.50; tibia 7.00; metatarsus 8.38; tarsus 0.50; total 23.38. II, 5.75; 0.50; 4.38; 5.25; 0.75; 16.63. III, 4.05; 0.40; 2.13; 2.63; 0.50; 9.71; IV, 3.63; 0.38; 3.88; 4.63; 0.75; 13.27. Palpal femur presenting very short, thick stridulatory pick with round, projected socket.

Female (MCN)

Coloration pattern as in male.

Total length 4.25. Carapace 2.12 long, 1.75 wide. Eye diameters: pme 0.12, ale 0.14, ple 0.12. Lateral eyes on tubercle. Chelicerae as in male but with stridulatory ridges more conspicuous. Labium 0.24 long, 0.22 wide. Sternum 1.10 long, 0.86 wide.

Abdomen 2.12 long, 1.75 wide. Positioning ridge L-shaped. Fovea separated from each other by four times their width ( Fig. 2D ).

Legs. I, femur 5.25; patella 0.50; tibia 5.25; metatarsus 6.37; tarsus 0.62; total 17.99. II, 3.62; 0.50; 3.50; 4.12; 0.75; 12.49. III, 2.12; 0.37; 1.75; 2.12; 0.62; 6.98. IV, 3.62; 0.50; 3.25; 3.62; 0.75; 11.74. Palpal femur with stridulatory pick as in male.

Variation

Four males. Total length 3.50-3.62; carapace 1.62-1.75; femur I 7.25-7.50; bulb 0.42-0.60.

Four females. Total length 3.87-5.12; carapace 1.62-2.25; femur I 4.37-5.50.

Figures

FIG. 2. — Scytodes balbina n. sp.; A, male 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.