Porteria fiura, Morrill & Crews & Esposito & Ramírez & Griswold, 2023

Morrill, Elizabeth, Crews, Sarah, Esposito, Lauren, Ramírez, Martín J. & Griswold, Charles, 2023, A revision of the genus Porteria and the phylogeny and biogeography of Porteriinae (Araneae: Desidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 198 (2), pp. 368-461 : 402-406

PORTERIA FIURA SP. NOV.

FIGS 27–30

Zoobank registration: urn: lsid: zoobank. org:act: D7676422-0EB3-461E-B74D-9CB5A7C44B99.

Types: Female holotype from Chile, X Región de los Lagos: Chiloé Province, Chiloé Island , Chiloé National Park , Sendero Tepual , 2.3 km NNE Cucao, S42º37.039’, W74º06.129’, elev. 1 m, January 16, 2013, C. Griswold, E. Morrill and D. Faber, ‘general collecting in bog forest dominated by Tepualia ’ deposited in MHNS ( CASENT9055645 ). Male paratype from Chiloé Island , no specific locality, December 15–18, 1985, L.E. Peña, AMNH ( CASENT9044672 ) .

Etymology: Named after La Fiura, an ugly, villainous woman who lives in the forest and clothes herself in moss; according to Chilote mythology, she seduces men and then drives them insane. Chiloé Island is the type locality, whose culture is rich in mythology. Sheet webs of P. fiura are often built on mossy substrates.

Diagnosis: Males can be distinguished from others in the Albopunctata Grade by the round, stubby RTA ( Figs 28B , 29B, C ) and the small tooth-like DTA ( Fig. 29D ). The embolus base is wider ( Fig. 29B ) than that of P. albopunctata and the embolus tip more hook shaped ( Fig. 29A ); embolus tip much shorter than in P. eddardstarki . Females most closely resemble P. albopunctata but can be distinguished by the sclerotized median area being dilated anteriorly in P. fiura as well as the presence of a prominent scape ( Figs 28E , 30A, B ). Internally, the spermatheca stalks are situated much farther apart in P. fiura than P. albopunctata ; Bennett’s gland pores large and conspicuous in dorsal view ( Figs 28F , 30B ).

Description: Male: based on paratype CASENT9044672. Markings as in Figure 27 A-C, dorsum of abdomen with yellow anterolateral lines followed by two posterior spots and two pairs of median spots; sternum with pale centre surrounded by dark grey border. Total length 5.63. Carapace length 1.37 times width. Clypeus height 2.29 times AME diameter. ALE diameter 1.71 times AME diameter. Chelicera length 6.28 times clypeus height. Sternum as long as wide. Femur I 1.37 times carapace length. Leg formula 4123. Cymbium length 3.25 times length of bulb. Cheliceral promargin with four teeth and one denticle. Leg spination as follows: palp: femur d1-1-3, patella d1-1, tarsus p0-0-1, v0-0-1(r); leg I: d1-1-1(p)-2, patella d1-1, tibia d1(r)-0-0, v0-0-2, metatarsus v0-2-2; leg II: femur d1-1-1(p)-2, patella d1-1, tibia d1(r)-0-0, p0-0-1-0, v0-1(r)-2, metatarsus d0-0-1, p1-0-1, r0-0-1, v0-2-1; leg III: femur d1-1(r)-2, patella d1-1, tibia d1(r)- 0-0, p0-1-1-0, r0-0-1-0, v0-1(r)-2, metatarsus d1(p)-0-1, p0-1-0-1, r0-1-0-1, v0-2-2, tarsus r0-1-1(v), v0-1; leg IV: femur d1-1(p)-2, patella d1-1, tibia d1(r)-0-0, p0-1-1- 0, v0-0-2, metatarsus d2-0-1, p0-1-1, r0-1-1-1, v0-0-2, tarsus r0-1. Palp as in Figures 28 and 29 , with four tibial apophyses: VTA triangular, flattened plate in ventral view, outline finger like in retrolateral view; RTA short and apex round, curved, directed ventrally; LRTA projected straight out of tibia, parallel to frontal plane. DTA small and tooth like; DTA and LRTA appear connected at fleshy base ( Fig. 28D ), like that of albopunctata . Tegulum without median concavity, outlined by dark sperm duct. Conductor originating on the midline of bulb, short and simple projection. Embolus base elongated, nearly the length of the bulb; embolus tip short, spiniform, curved like a hook to meet conductor. Paracymbium absent.

Leg measurements (right): leg I 13.50 (3.75, 4.50, 3.25, 2.00); leg II 11.15 (3.15, 3.50, 2.85, 1.65); leg III 10.55 (2.85, 3.25, 3.00, 1.45); leg IV 13.80 (3.75, 4.30, 4.20, 1.55); palp 4.85 (1.80, 1.10, –, 1.95).

Description: Female: based on CASENT9055645, from Chiloé National Park. Markings as in Figure 27 D-F. Total length 5.80. Carapace length 1.34 times width. Clypeus height 1.86 times AME diameter. ALE diameter 1.71 times AME diameter. Chelicera length 6.15 times clypeus height. Sternum as long as wide. Femur I 1.24 times carapace length. Leg formula 4123. Cheliceral promargin with five teeth and one denticle. Leg spination as follows: palp: d1-1-3, patella d1-1, tibia d2-0-1(r), tarsus d2-0, p0-1-1-0, r0-1-1-0, v2-1(r)-3; leg I: femur d1-2-1(p)-2, patella d1-1, tibia d1(r)-0-0, v0-2- 2, metatarsus p0-0-1, r0-0-1, v2-2-1; leg II: femur d1-1- 1(p)-2, patella d1-1, tibia d1(r)-0-0, p0-1-1-0, v0-2-2, metatarsus p0-1-0-1, r0-1-0-1, v1(r)-2-2; leg III: femur d2-1-1(p)-2, patella d1-1, tibia d1(r)-0-0, p0-1-1-0, r0-0- 1-0, v0-1(r)-2, metatarsus d1(p)-0-2, p0-1-0-1, r0-1-0- 1, v2-2-1, tarsus r0-1, v0-2; leg IV: femur d1-0-1(p)-2, patella d1-1, tibia d1(r)-0-0, p0-1-1-0, r0-1-1-0, v0-2-2, metatarsus d2-1(r)-2, p0-1-0-1, r0-1-0-1, v2-2-1, tarsus r0-2, v0-2. Epigyne as in Figures 28E, F and 30A, C , lightly sclerotized except for narrow median area which is dilated anteriorly where the scape originates; scape small and finger like, pointed posteriad; copulatory openings inconspicuous, located just anterior to scape, divided by fleshy septum; internal structures visible through cuticle, most prominently two large circular patches on either side of sclerotized area. Vulva ( Figs 28F , 30B, D ) with anterior, short copulatory ducts joining the spermathecal stalk just posterior to head of spermatheca. Head situated at the anterior apex of stalk, pores present. Stalks banana shaped, bowed out laterally, pores present. Base 1 large circular structure with large Bennett’s gland pore in its centre when viewed dorsally; fertilization duct attached to Base 1 on median posterior corner. Base 2 joining the anterior margin of Base 1, somewhat crescent shaped; copulatory duct resting on anterior surface of Base 2. In total, the two receptacles look like one large, ovoid receptacle; scanning electron micrograph shows the division of the two bases in more detail ( Fig. 30B ).

Leg measurements: leg I 12.17 (3.32, 4.20, 2.85, 1.80); leg II 10.25 (2.95, 3.40, 2.45, 1.45); leg III 9.70 (2.80, 3.00, 2.55, 1.35); leg IV 12.65 (3.45, 4.00, 3.55, 1.65); palp 3.92 (1.32, 1.32, –, 1.28).

Variation: (N = 3). Total length 3.9–5.76. Carapace length 1.27–1.37 times width. Clypeus height 1.67–2.2 times AME diameter. ALE diameter 1.67–2.2 times AME diameter. Chelicera length 5–6.18 times clypeus height. Sternum length 1–1.04 times width. Femur I 1.08–1.26 times carapace length. Cheliceral promargin with four teeth and one denticle left, five teeth right.

Distribution: Only known from Chiloé Island and on the mainland in Palena, 70 km south of Chaitén ( Fig. 76C ).

Other material examined: X Región de los Lagos: Chiloé Province, same locality as holotype, nine females, CAS ( CASENT9055645 ); Palena Province , 70 km S of Chaitén, elev. 500 m, January 16, 1986, N.I.

Platnick, P.A. Goloboff, R.T. Schuh, ‘wet streambank’, one female, AMNH ( CASENT9044706 ).

Notes: Webs were found near ground level on fallen logs and low branches with retreats leading into the hollows of the trees, which were wet. Porteria was the predominant web along with austrochilids, orb weavers and linyphiids. Only females were collected on the 2013 expedition and were found in forest near the southern shore of Lago Huillinco; they were not found on the northern shore. In the southern sector of Chiloé National Park, they were found in high density along the Tepual Trail, and it is likely that males would have been found if we had been able to night collect. Male and female were tentatively matched by locality information. The only other species that has been found on Chiloé Island is P. bunnyana . Because this species has been collected with other males outside of the island, and never together with females of P. fiura , the unique male from Chiloé is hypothesized to be the same species as the female holotype. It is also noteworthy that one female specimen of P. fiura was found on the mainland, across the bay, south of El Chaitén; a lack of sampling in the area between Alerce Andino National Park and Torres del Paine could be obscuring the true range of this species, making it seem nearly endemic to Chiloé when this could merely be a sampling bias. This inadequate sampling applies to P. albopunctata as well, and possibly more undescribed species are awaiting discovery in southern Chile.

Figures

Figure 27. Habitus of P. fiura sp. nov. A-C, male from Chiloé Island CASENT9044672. A, dorsal view. B, ventral view. C, lateral view. D-F, female from Chiloé National Park CASENT9056299 and 9055645. D, dorsal view. E, ventral view. F, lateral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figure 28. Genitalia of P. fiura sp. nov. A-D, male from Chiloé Island CASENT9044672. A, left palp, retrolateral view. B, ventral view. C, prolateral view. D, dorsal view. E, F, female from Chiloé, CASENT9055645. E, ventral view. F, dorsal view, showing internal structures. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figure 29. Left male palp of P. fiura sp. nov. AMNH paratype, CASENT9044672, Chiloé Island. A, prolateral view. B, ventral view. C, retrolateral view. D, tibia, dorsal view. Illustration by Rachel Diaz-Bastin.

Figure 30. Scanning electron micrograph of epigynum and vulva of P. fiura sp. nov. from Chiloé National Park, CASENT9055645. A, ventral view. B, dorsal view. C, close-up of scape and copulatory openings. D, head of spermatheca.

Figure 76. A, records of Porteria species in Chile. B, distribution of P. eddardstarki sp. nov.—the northernmost record is Fray Jorge National Park. C, records of species with restricted distributions, and of P. albopunctata sp. nov. in southern Chile. D, distribution of P. ajimayo sp. nov.—the southernmost records are in Reserva Costera Valdiviana and Alerce Costero National Park. E, distribution of P. bunnyanasp. nov.—the southernmost record is in Chonchi, Chiloé Island.