Medionops simla (Chickering) Chickering, 2017

Sánchez-Ruiz, Alexander & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2017, A new genus with seven species of the Subfamily Nopinae (Araneae, Caponiidae) from the Neotropical region, Zootaxa 4291 (1), pp. 117-143 : 138-140

Medionops simla (Chickering) new combination

Figures 18 , 19A–F

Nops simla Chickering, 1967: 13 , figs 16–17. Nentwig, 1993: 97, figs 49a–c

Types. Male holotype from Simla = William Beebe Tropical Research Station, (10°41'1"N 61°17'W) Arima Valley, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago, 31.iii.1964, A. M. Chickering, deposited in MCZ 23096, examined. Female paratype, 25.iv.1964, other data as holotype, deposited in MCZ 128290, examined.

Additional material examined. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Trinidad: Simla = William Beebe Tropical Research Station , (10°41'1"N 61°17'W), Arima Valley, 25.iv.1964, A. M. Chickering, 1imm. ( MCZ 1 28289) . Arima, v.1953, N.L.H. Krauss, 2♂ (palp for SEM), 1 imm. ( AMNH) .

Diagnosis. Males and females resemble those of M. claudiae n. sp. in having the dorsal abdomen with five pairs of irregular dark gray spots forming two rows, but in M. simla n. comb. the irregular spots are touching ( Figs 18 A–B). Can be further distinguished by its large size (more than 5 mm total length); males with tip of embolus strongly curved, not acuminate, and wider at the end ( Figs 18 D–E, 19D–F); females with a deep median concavity on distal margin of receptaculum ( Fig. 18 F).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 5.1. Carapace 2.2 long, 2.0 wide. Sternum 1.9 long, 1.8 wide. Leg measurements: I: 3.2; II: 3.1; III: 2.9; IV: 3.5. Carapace dark orange; chelicerae, palps and legs orange; coxae and trochanters lighter. Endites, labium and sternum light orange. Abdomen whitish gray, dorsal pattern with five big pairs of irregular dark gray spots forming two rows, touching ( Fig. 18 A), posterior ventrally there is a pair of elongate dark gray spots, extending forward from spinnerets. Crista short, and gladius with the common shape among nopine. Palp with a spherical oval bulb, embolus longer than cymbium ( Fig. 18 D–E, 19A), tip of embolus curved and wider at the end ( Figs 18 D–E, 19D–F).

Female (paratype): Total length 5.5. Carapace 2.7 long, 2.5 wide. Sternum 2.4 long, 2.3 wide. Leg measurements: I: 3.4; II: 3.3; III: 3.1; IV: 3.6. Carapace, chelicerae, labium, legs, coxae, endites and sternum darker than the male. Abdomen as in the male, but somewhat darker ( Fig. 18 B). Anal tubercle and spinnerets lighter than abdomen. Crista and gladius as in male. External genitalia with a transversal short genital opening (go), wide sclerotization around spiracles, accentuated in both sides ( Fig. 18 C). Internal genitalia with a wide receptaculum, deep median concavity (mc) on distal margin; short proximal section of uterus externus (ue), not reaching length of receptaculum; broad and strongly sclerotized internal fold (if) ( Fig. 18 F).

Distribution. Known from Trinidad and Panama ( Fig. 21 ).

Figures

FIGURE 18. Medionops simla (Chickering) new comb. A male holotype, habitus, dorsal view. B female paratype, habitus, dorsal view. C external genitalia of female paratype, ventral view. D left palp of male holotype, prolateral view. E left palp of male holotype, retrolateral view. F female paratype internal genitalia, dorsal view. Abbreviations: ap—anterior plate, dmrdistal margin of receptaculum, ess—external sclerotization around spiracles, go—genital opening, if—internal fold, mcmedian concavity, re—receptaculum, pp—posterior plate, ue—uterus externus.

FIGURE 19. A – F Medionops simla (Chickering) new comb, left palp of male from Arima (AMNH). G – L Medionops tabay n. sp., left palp of male from La Montaña, Mérida (AMNH). A prolateral view. B tibial brush, prolateral view. C stridulatory pick at base of palpal femur, prolateral view. D tip of embolus, prolateral view. E tip of embolus, dorsal oblique view. F tip of embolus, dorsal view. G prolateral view. H ventral view. I detail of chemosensory setae path from cymbium, prolateral view. J tip of embolus, prolateral view. K tip of embolus, ventral view. L tibial brush, prolateral view.

FIGURE 21. Map of South America showing distribution of Medionops species. Triangle, Medionops blades n. sp.; plus sign, Medionops cesari (Dupérré) n. comb.; square, Medionops claudiae n. sp.; tears, Medionops murici n. sp.; diamond, Medionops ramirezi n. sp.; circles, Medionops simla (Chickering) n. comb.; heart, Medionops tabay n. sp.