Sparianthis caracarai, Rheims, 2020

Rheims, Cristina A., 2020, Revision of the spider genus Sparianthis Simon, 1880 (Araneae, Sparassidae Sparianthinae), Zootaxa 4890 (2), pp. 151-191 : 162-164

Sparianthis caracarai sp. nov.

Figs 32–38 , 143

Type material. Holotype: ³ from Brazil, Roraima Caracaraí, Arquipélago Mariuá-Jauaperi, Rio Jufari (-1.0167, -62.0833), 29 May 2012, C.A. Rheims et al. leg. ( IBSP 166272 ) . Paratype: 1♀, Brazil, Roraima, Caracaraí, Ar-quipélago Mariuá-Jauaperi, Rio Jufari , Bacaba (-1.0167, -62.0833), 27 May 2021, C.A. Rheims et al. leg. ( IBSP 166267 ) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Males of S. caracarai sp. nov. resemble those of S. chickeringi and S. ravida by the palp with mRTA represented by small, short, blunt projection, arising from tibia, close to vRTA ( Figs 34 , 50 , 139 ). They are distinguished from the latter species by wider embolus, bearing sub-apical keel-like projection (slender and without keel-like projection in the other species) ( Figs 33, 35 ). Females resemble those of S. boraris sp. nov. and S. ravida by the epigyne with anterior atrium smooth, as long as wide or slightly longer than wide ( Figs 29 , 36 , 140 ). They are distinguished from the latter species by anterior atrium smaller than median septum, internal ducts as wide as spermathecae and first turn mediad (anterior atrium larger than median septum, internal ducts slender, half spermathecae width, and first turn anteriad in the other species) ( Figs 36–38 ).

Description. Male (holotype): Prosoma brown; fovea dark brown; eye borders black; chelicerae darker than prosoma. Legs and palps lighter that prosoma. Labium pale brown, distally lighter. Endites pale yellowish brown, distally lighter. Sternum pale yellowish brown with darker margins. Opisthosoma pale gray; dorsally with dense dark brownish gray pattern of irregular marks laterally and 4–5 median chevrons on posterior half; ventrally with V-shaped line of muscle sigilla reaching half opisthosoma length. Total length 10.5. Prosoma: 5.0 long, 4.2 wide. Opisthosoma: 5.3 long, 3.2 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.30, 0.22, 0.15, 0.21; interdistances: 0.25, 0.07, 0.46, 0.27, 0.14, 0.08. Legs (2143): I: 17.5 (4.7, 2.4, 4.5, 4.7, 1.2); II: 17.7 (5.0, 2.5, 4.5, 4.5, 1.2); III: 13.4 (4.2, 2.0, 2.9, 3.3, 1.0); IV: 16.5 (4.8, 1.8, 3.7, 4.7, 1.5). Spination follows the generic pattern. Metatarsi III–IV with ventral distal preening combs. Palp: vRTA triangular in ventral view; tegulum with reduced retro-proximal protrusion; TBE squared with apical projection short and laminar; TBC wide, keel-like ( Figs 32–35 ).

Female (paratype): Coloration generally darker than male. Opisthosoma dorsally with cardiac mark yellowish, few scattered irregular marks laterally and 4–5 median chevrons down posterior half; ventrally with few, faint scattered spots laterally; muscle sigilla inconspicuous. Total length 8.4. Prosoma: 4.3 long, 2.8 wide. Opisthosoma 5.0 long, 3.0 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.26, 0.21, 0.14, 0.20; interdistances: 0.20, 0.11, 0.41, 0.25, 0.10, 0.08. Legs (1243): I: 9.8 (3.0, 1.3, 2.7, 2.3, 0.5); II: 9.7 (3.0, 1.4, 2.5, 2.3, 0.5); III: 7.7 (2.6, 1.2, 1.6, 1.8, 0.5); IV: 9.6 (3.0, 1.1, 2.2, 2.6, 0.7). Spination follows the generic pattern except tibia III: p0-0-1, v1p-2-2; tibia IV v1p-2-2; metatarsus III: p0. Metatarsi III–IV with ventral distal preening combs. Epigyne: epigynal field slightly trapezoid, as long as wide; median septum pentagonal, almost two times longer than wide ( Fig. 36 ). Vulva: glandular projection arising from duct at first turn; spermathecae large, irregularly shaped ( Figs 37–38 ).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Brazil, state of Roraima ( Fig. 143 ).

Figures

FIGURES 32–38. Sparianthis caracarai sp.nov. 32–34 male, holotype (IBSP 166272), left palp (32 prolateral, 33 ventral, 34 retrolateral); 36–38 female, paratype (IBSP 166267) (36 epigyne, 37 vulva, 38 schematic course of internal duct system). Scale lines: 1 mm. af = anterior furrow; dRTA = dorsal brach of RTA; lf = lateral furrow; mRTA = medial branch of RTA; pt = retroproximal protrusion; TBC = tegular projection at conductor base; TBE = tegular projection at embolus base; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA.

FIGURES 143–144. Distribution maps for Sparianthis spp. 143 S. beebei sp nov., S. caracarai sp. nov., S. granadensis (Keyserling), S. juruti sp. nov., S. magalopalpa (Caporiacco) and S. picta (Simon); 144 S. boraris sp. nov., S. chickeringi (Gertsch), S. crulsi (Mello-Leitão), S. humaita sp. nov., S. juazeiro sp. nov. and S. ravida (Simon).

FIGURES 48–53. Sparianthis chickeringi (Gertsch). 40–50 male (MCZ 69094), left palp (48 prolateral, 49 ventral 40 retrolateral); 51–53 female (MCZ 69094) (51 epigyne, 52 vulva, 53 schematic course of internal duct system). Scale lines: 1 mm. af = anterior furrow; ap = apical projection; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; lf = furrow fold; mRTA = median branch of RTA; pt = retro-proximal protrusion; sf = secondary furrow; TBC = tegular projection at conductor base; TBE = tegular projection at embolus base; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA.

FIGURES 137–142. Sparianthis ravida (Simon). 137–139 male (MPEG 15041), left palp (137 prolateral, 138 ventral, 139 retrolateral); 140–142 female (MPEG 30701) (140 epigyne, 141 vulva, 142 schematic course of internal duct system). Scale lines: 1 mm. af = anterior furrow; ap = apical projection; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; lf = lateral furrow; mRTA = median branch of RTA; TBC = tegular projection at conductor base; TBE = tegular projection at embolus base; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA.

FIGURES 26–31. Sparianthis boraris sp. nov. 26–28 male, paratype (MPEG 30638), left palp (26 prolateral, 27 ventral, 28 retrolateral); 29–31 female, paratype (MPEG 30636) (29 epigyne, 30 vulva, 31 schematic course of internal duct system). Scale lines: 1 mm. AA = anterior atrium; af = anterior furrow; ap = apical projection; dRTA = dorsal brach of RTA; lf = lateral furrow; mRTA = medial branch of RTA; MS = median septum; pt = retro-proximal protrusion; TBC = tegular projection at conductor base; TBE = tegular projection at embolus base; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA.