Medionops blades Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017

Martínez, Leonel, Sánchez-Ruiz, Alexander & Bonaldo, Alexandre B., 2021, The spider genus Medionops Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit (Araneae: Caponiidae) in Colombia, with the description of four new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 773, pp. 61-79 : 64-65

Medionops blades Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017

Figs 1 , 6 , 7A , 8A–B

Medionops blades Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit 2017: 122 , figs 1e, 2a–l, 3a–l, 4a–l, 5a–l, 6a–e (♀ ♂).

Medionops blades – Sánchez-Ruiz, Brescovit & Bonaldo 2020: 485, fig. 19e (♂).

Diagnosis

Males resemble those of M. carolinae sp. nov. in having similar copulatory bulb shape, but can be distinguished by the straighter embolus tip and by the size of the tegulum, only ½ as long as the cymbium length ( Figs 1E–F , 7A ) (in M. carolinae sp. nov., only ⅓ as long, Figs 2E–F , 7B ). Females of M. blades differ from those of M. carolinae sp. nov. by the wide, concave area below the genital opening ( Fig. 1G ) (in M. carolinae sp. nov., narrower and triangular, Fig. 2G ).

Material examined

Holotype COLOMBIA • ♂; Cundimarca department, Páramo de Monserrate , 40 km NE of Bogotá; 4°36′ N, 74°3′ W; alt. 2920 m; 23 Jul. 1968; H. Sturm leg.; AMNH.

Paratype COLOMBIA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; AMNH .

Additional material

COLOMBIA – Boyacá department • 1 ♂; Sotaquirá, Vereda Cuaguaní ; 5°48′32.8″ N, 73°15′10.9″ W; alt. 3502 m; 8–10 Jun. 2015; Y. Cifuentes and J. Moreno leg.; IAvH-I 3381 • 1 ♂; Paipa, Parque Municipal Ranchería ; 05°51′08.1″ N, 73°08′23.1″ W; alt. 3554 m; 21 Dec. 2014; J. Barrera, M. Castro and S. Mondragón leg.; IAvH-I 3391 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 05°50′56.6″ N, 73°07′46.8″ W; alt. 3390 m; 15–21 Dec. 2014; IAvH-I 3401 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 05°50′57.3″ N, 73°07′46.8″ W; alt. 3392 m; 15–21 Dec. 2014; IAvH-I 3411 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; IAvH-I 3382 • 1 ♂; Chaina, Santuario de Flora y Fauna Iguaque , Sector Chaina ; 5°25′ N, 73°27′ W; alt. 2730 m; 11 Jul. 2001; J. Barrera and B. Robles leg.; IAvH-I 3773 • 1 ♂; Sector Chaina, Quebrada Los Mudos ; 5°44′ N, 73°26′ W; alt. 2840 m; 5–9 Oct. 2002; P. Reina leg.; IAvH-I 3774 .

Natural history

The holotype was found in the Andean moorland complex of the eastern hills of Colombia ( Fig. 8A–B ) which is predominantly populated by plant species such as Espeletia grandiflora Humb. & Bonpl. and Cupressus sp.

Description

Male and female described by Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit (2017).

Variation

Males from the Boyacá department population ( Fig. 1A–B ) have the embolus tip somewhat more curved than those from Cundinamarca department (see images from types in Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit 2017: figs 2h, 6d). Females from the Boyacá population ( Fig. 1G ) have a narrower and more sclerotized area under the genital opening than those from the Cundinamarca population.

Distribution

Known from Cundinamarca and Boyacá in Colombia ( Fig. 6 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Medionops blades Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017. A–B, E–F. Male, Boyacá population (IAvH-I 3381). C–D, G–H. Female, Boyacá population (IAvH-I 3382). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Habitus, dorsal view. D. Habitus, ventral view. E. Left palp, retrolateral view. F. Left palp, prolateral view. G. External genitalia, ventral view. H. Internal genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–D = 1.5 mm; E–F = 0.7 mm; G = 0.5 mm; H = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: ap = anterior plate; ess = external sclerotization around spiracles; go = genital opening; re = receptaculum; ue = uterus externo.

Fig. 6. Distribution map of Colombian species of Medionops Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017.

Fig. 7. Drawings of the male copulatory bulbs (retrolateral view) in Colombian species of Medionops Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017. A. M. blades Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017. B. M. carolinae sp. nov. C. M. cauca sp. nov. D. M. luiscarlosi sp. nov. E. M. santarosa sp. nov. Scale bars = 0.5 mm. Abbreviations: e = embolus; t = tegulum.

Fig. 8. Habitats of Colombian species of Medionops Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017. A–B. Type locality of M. blades Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017, Páramo de Monserrate, Cundimarca department, Colombia. C–D. Type locality of M. carolinae sp. nov., Sutamarchán, Boyacá department, Colombia. E–F. Habitat of female paratype (IAvH-I 3771) of M. carolinae sp. nov., Sector Carrizal, Santuario de Flora y Fauna Iguaque, Boyacá department, Colombia.

Fig. 2. Medionops carolinae sp. nov. A–B, E–F. Holotype, ♂ (IAvH-I 3782). C–D, G–H. Paratype, ♀ (IAvH-I 3771). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Habitus, dorsal view. D. Habitus, ventral view. E. Left palp, retrolateral view. F. Left palp, prolateral view. G. External genitalia, ventral view. H. Internal genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–D = 1.5 mm; E–F = 0.7 mm; G = 0.5 mm; H = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: ap = anterior plate; b = area below genital opening; ess = external sclerotization around spiracles; go = genital opening.