Epicratinus pegasus, Gonçalves & Brescovit, 2020

Gonçalves, Ricardo Antonio & Brescovit, Antonio Domingos, 2020, Taxonomic review and cladistic analysis of Neotropical spider genus Epicratinus Jocqué & Baert, 2005 (Araneae: Zodariidae) with description of eleven new species, Zootaxa 4886 (1), pp. 1-77 : 39-42

Epicratinus pegasus sp. nov.

Figs 18–19 .

Type. Male holotype from Ilha do Urubu, 9º23’35”S, 38º12’10”W, Paulo Afonso, Bahia, Brazil, 2008, E. Daniele, deposited in IBSP 20991. Paratype: 1♀, same data of holotype deposited in IBSP 124986 .

Additional material examined: BRAZIL, Bahia, Paulo Afonso, Ilha do Urubu , 9º23’35”S, 38º12’10”W, 4♁, 2008, E. Daniele ( IBSP 124983 ) ; 4♁ ( IBSP 124984 ) ; 5♁ ( IBSP 124985 ) ; 1♀ ( IBSP 124987 ) ; Rio de Janeiro, Paraí-ba do Sul, Fazenda Maravilha , 22º12’S, 43º16’W, 1♁, 16–18/VIII/2001, Equipe Biota ( IBSP 54095 ) .

Diagnosis. Males of E. pegasus sp. nov. are easily recognized by a dorsal apophysis and a retrolateral at the distal border of palpal patella, short RTA outside directed, a great conductor, with tip shaped like Tucano’s beak, TAEB in flap format, flat embolus. Females have the atrium externally shaped like a comma and spermathecae shaped like an inverted wing ( Figs 18 , 19 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun taken in apposition and is in reference to Pegasus, in mythology, is a winged horse of Perseus in the ancient Greek, symbol of immortality, and the wings refer to the shape of the female spermathecae.

Description. Male (IBSP 20991). Color: uniform brown carapace, brown sternum with a central dark orange part, brown chelicerae, burnt yellow coxae, predominantly brown legs; dorsal abdomen predominantly dark brown with 5 patches (2-2-1) and a large dorsal shield (larger than half abdomen) light brown colored, short bristles throughout the abdomen; abdomen dark brown with two lateral white patches (one on each side), a little sclerotinized, dark brown and orange over the epigastric furrow. Total length 4.00; carapace length 2.2; width 1.5; abdomen length 1.8; maximum length of spinnerets 0.2; chelicerae length 0.7; clypeus height 0.45. Eyes: diameters AME 0.09, ALE 0.1, PME 0.12, PLE 0.1. Interdistances AME-AME 0.06, AME-ALE 0.08, PME-PME 0.06, PME-PLE 0.22, ALE-PLE 0.05. Spinulation: I: Fe d1-2-0, p0-0-1, r0, v0; Pa d0, p0, r0, v0; Ti d0, p0, r0, v1-1-0; Me d0, p0- 0-1, r0-0-1, v2-2-0. II: Fe d1-2-1, p0-0-1, r1-1-1, v0; Pa d0, p0, r0, v0; Ti d0, p0-1-2, r0, v1-1-2; Me d0, p0-1-2, r0, v2-1-2. III: Fe d3-3-2, p3-0-1, r0, v0; Pa d0-0-1, p0-1-0, r0-1-0, v0; Ti d1-1-0, p1-0-1, r1-1-0, v2-2-2; Me d0-1-2, p1-1-1, r1-1-1, v2-2-2. IV: Fe d1-2-1, p0-0- 1, r0-0-1, v0; Pa d0-0-1, p0-1-0, r0-1-0, v0; Ti d1-1-0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0, v2-2-2; Me d1-1-1, p1-1-2, r2-1-2, v2-3-3. Formula: 4123.

Measurements of legs:

Palp. tibia with medium bristles in a row along the retrolateral margin and a long bristle in the middle of the prolateral margin; short ATR directed outwards; cymbium with no concavity, three distal spines; subtegulum with a curved ridge; wide conductor, with tip shaped like Tucano’s beak; TAEB in flap format; lanceolate tegular apophysis; flat embolus, very conspicuous.

Female (IBSP 124986). Color: dark brown carapace, dark orange sternum, reddish brown chelicerae, pale yellow coxae, dark yellow legs; dorsal abdomen predominantly dark brown with 5 white patches (2-2-1) and innumerable pale yellow little dots, short bristles throughout the abdomen; pale white with white speckled dots on the sides, dark brown center like V, a little sclerotinized, light yellow and dark orange above of the epigastric furrow. Total length 6.7; carapace length 3.35; width 2.275; abdomen length 3.2; maximum length of spinnerets 0.4; chelicerae length 0.9; clypeus height 1.05. Eyes: diameters AME 0.125, ALE 0.15, PME 0.125, PLE 0.25. Interdistances AME-AME 0.05, AME-ALE 0.125, PME-PME 0.15, PME-PLE 0.475, ALE-PLE 0.1. Spinulation: I: Fe d1-1-0, p0-0-1, r0, v0; Pa d0, p0, r0, v0; Ti d1-0-0, p0, r0, v1-1-1; Me d0, p0-1-0, r0, v2-2-3. II: Fe d1-1-0, p0-0-1, r0, v0; Pa d0, p0, r0, v0; Ti d1-0-0, p0, r1-0-0, v1-1-1; Me d0, p0-1-0, r0, v2-1-2. III: Fe d1-1-1, p1-0-1, r0-0-1, v0; Pa d0-0-1, p0- 1-0, r0-1-0, v0; Ti d1-1-0, p0-1-1, r0-1-1, v2-2-2; Me d2-2-2, p0-1-1, r0-0-1, v2-2-2. IV: Fe d1-2-1, p0-0-1, r0-0-1, v0; Pa d0-0-1, p0-1-0, r0-1-0, v0; Ti d1-1-0, p0-1-1, r0-1-1, v2-2-2; Me d2-1-2, p0-1-0, r0-1-1, v2-3-2. Formula: 4132.

Measurements of legs:

Epigynum. Atrium circular and comma shaped. Spermathecae in wing shape pointed upwards and with visible chambers.

Variation. Males (n = 10): total length 3.86‾4.1, carapace 2.1‾2.3, femur I 1.32‾1.39. Females (n = 2): total length 6.6‾6.7, carapace 3.32‾3.35, femur I 1.88‾1.9.

Distribution. Brazil (northeast region and center of Rio de Janeiro) ( Fig. 41 ).

Figures

FIGURE 18.A. Epicratinus pegasus sp. nov. (IBSP 20991) Habitus male, dorsal view. B. Male, ventral view. C. (IBSP 124986) Female, dorsal view. D. Female, ventral view. (Scale = 2 mm).

FIGURE 19. A. Epicratinus pegasus sp. nov. (IBSP 124983) Male palp, dorsal view. B. (IBSP 124983) and C. (IBSP 124984) Ventral view. D. (IBSP 124986) Epigynum, ventral view. E. (IBSP 124987) Vulva. F. Vulva. (Scale in A, B = 0.5; C = 0.3; D, E, F = 0.2 mm).

FIGURE 41. Area of occurrence of Epicratinus anakin sp. nov., E. ehonda sp. nov., E. pegasus sp. nov. and E. stitch sp. nov. (clade C).