Masteria pecki Gertsch, 1982

Passanha, Victor & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2018, On the Neotropical spider Subfamily Masteriinae (Araneae, Dipluridae), Zootaxa 4463 (1), pp. 1-73 : 43

Masteria pecki Gertsch, 1982

( Figs 24 , 32 )

Masteria pecki Gertsch, 1982 Gertsch, 1982: 80 , figs 6–7.

Type. JAMAICA. ♀ holotype, Falling Cave (18°12’0”N; 77°28’1.2”W), Douglas Castle, Saint Ann Parish, 20.XII.1972, S. Peck leg., deposited in AMNH, examined.

Diagnosis. Females of Masteria pecki differ from those of other Neotropical species in the six vestigial eyes and oval spermathecae with long ducts ( Fig. 24A–B ). Male unknown.

Description. Female (Holotype, AMNH). Color: Carapace in dorsal and ventral views and legs yellowish brown, abdomen light brown. Total length 5.80. Carapace 2.76 long, 2.20 wide. Abdomen 3.04 long. Fovea 0.32. Clypeus 0.10. Ocular tubercle absent, eyes: 6 vestigial, posterior row slightly recurved ( Fig. 24A–B ). AME absent, ALE 0.11, PME 0.03, PLE 0.04. Basal segment of chelicerae with prolateral 14 teeth, with 14 smaller mesobasal teeth. Labium 0.48 long, 0.52 wide. Sternum 1.20 wide, 1.52 long. Palp: femur 1.72/ patella 0.80/ tibia 1.52/ tarsus 1.20/ total 5.24; Legs I: femur 2.60/ patella 1.32/ tibia 2.44/ metatarsus 2.12/ tarsus 1.40/ total 9.88; II: 2.16/ 1.08/ 2.00/ 1.88/ 1.20/ 8.32; III: 2.12/ 1.00/ 1.84/ 1.92/ 1.20/ 8.08; IV: 2.96/ 1.28/ 2.76/ 2.68/ 1.40/ 11.08; Leg formula 4123. Spination: palp: femur p1, patella d2b, v1-1, tibia d1, v2-2 -2, p1, tarsus d1b, v1 b-1; Legs I: femur p1, patella v1-1, p1-1, tibia v1-1 -1-3ap, p1-1, metatarsus v1-1 -3ap; II: femur p1, patella v1-1, p1-1, tibia v1-1 -3ap, p1, metatarsus v2-2 -3ap, p1; III: femur p1-1, patella v2, p1-1, r1, tibia d1-1, v1-2 -2-3ap, p1-1-1, r1-1-1, metatarsus d1, v2-2 -3ap, p1-1-1, r1-1; IV: femur p1-1, r1, patella v2, p1-1, r1-1, tibia d1, v1-1 -1-3ap, p1-1, r2-1-1, metatarsus d1- 1, v3-3 -3ap, p1-1-1, r1-1. Palpal claw with 15 teeth. Spermathecae bilobed and non-visible glandular area ( Fig. 24C– D ). PLS: basal, medial and apical, 1.00, 0.88, 0.69 long.

Distribution. Jamaica ( Fig. 32 ).

Note. The holotype is in bad condition. The female genitalia were incorrectly removed and that drawn in the paper does not match with the real genitalia (compare Gertsch, 1982: fig. 7 with figures 24C–D). After enzymatic treatment, it was possible to view the entire genitalia. Gertsch’s original figure of the genitalia include the tissue that includes and obscures the spermathecae. This tissue was immersed in enzyme and the spermathecae are here illustrated. Unfortunately, during the process of dissection of genitalia by Gertsch, the spermathecae were partially damaged on one side. The specimen has troglobitic characteristics, as six vestigial eyes and elongated slender legs. More details are not available due to the bad condition of the holotype.

Figures

FIGURE 24. Masteria pecki Gertsch, 1982. (female holotype, AMNH). A Carapace in dorsal view; B Vestigial eyes, dorsal view; C, D Female genitalia, dorsal view. Abbreviations: EnL, ental lobe; EcL, ectal lobe. Scale bar: A, B 1mm; C, D 50µm.

FIGURE 32. Distribution map of Masteria species.