Paratropis pukallucha, Dupérré & Tapia, 2024

Dupérré, Nadine & Tapia, Elicio, 2024, Seven new species of the enigmatic spider genus Paratropis Simon, 1889 (Mygalomorphae, Paratropididae) from Ecuador, Zootaxa 5519 (4), pp. 451-486 : 458-464

Paratropis pukallucha new species

Figs 6–11 , 29B , Map 1

Type material. Female holotype from Esmeraldas province, Cristóbal Colon (00.499804° –79.145808°) 484 m, 17 Feb. 2018, hand collecting, secondary forest, under log, E. Tapia, ECFN 079 ( QCAZ). Paratypes: same data as holotype, 1 ♂, ECFN 078 ( QCAZ); same data as holotype, 1♀, ECFN 080 ( QCAZ) ; Esmeraldas province, 1♀, Malimpia, Cristobal Colon (00.499804° –79.145808°) 484 m, 15 May 2019, hand collecting under rock of 40 x 40cm, E. Tapia, ECFN 1304 ( ZMH-A0025160 ) ; Esmeraldas province, 1 ♂, Quinindé (00°17’00’’, –79°20’00’’) [00.283458° –79.333212°] 100 m, 09. I. 2005, hand collecting, M. Durango ECFN 7228 ( QCAZ) .

Other material examined. ECUADOR: Esmeraldas: Monterrey (–00.039292° –79.492039°) 196 m, 1 ♂, 19. Mar. 2016, E. Tapia, ECFN 863 ( ZMH-A0003005 ) .

Etymology. The specific epithet is a non-Latin combination of adjectives (invariable) taken from Kichwa language “puka” + “llucha” meaning “red coloration and bare” referring to the reddish coloration of the species, and body bearing few setae and soil particles.

Diagnosis. Females and males most resemble those of P. kapak sp. nov. and P. esmeraldas sp. nov. but females are differentiated those of from both species by their longer carapace (x 9.30, n = 3) versus (8.62) in P. esmeraldas sp. nov. and (x 7.27, n = 3) in P. kapak sp. nov. Furthermore, female spermathecae heads are slightly constricted ( Fig. 8C–E ) while, in P. esmeraldas sp. nov., the spermathecae heads are not constricted ( Fig. 2C ) and, in P. kapak sp. nov., the spermathecae are strongly constricted ( Fig. 13C–E ). Males are distinguished by their longer carapace, x 7.80, n = 3, versus 5.59 in P. esmeraldas sp. nov. and x 6.88, n = 3 in P. kapak sp. nov. Furthermore, males are distinguished from those of P. esmeraldas sp. nov. by their straight carapace margin ( Fig. 10A ), deeply notched in the latter ( Fig. 4A ), and straight embolus tip ( Fig. 11B, E ) smoothly curving in the latter ( Fig. 5D ); from P. kapak sp. nov. by their straight embolus tip ( Fig. 11B, E ) bent in the latter ( Fig. 15B, E ).

Description. (Female holotype): Total length: 20.04; carapace length: 9.24; carapace width: 8.15; abdomen length: 10.80. Coloration (live): Carapace orange-brown, slightly covered with soil; abdomen dark gray slightly covered with mud particles ( Fig. 6A ); legs orange, femur IV with black markings, patellae and tibia I–IV with black mark laterally, and metatarsi I–II brownish-black and tarsi I–IV brownish-black ( Fig. 6A ). CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace: orange, caput arched; fovea straight ( Fig. 7A ). Chelicerae dark reddish; promargin 10 teeth, retromargin 14 teeth. Labium sub-rectangular, 99 cuspules anteriorly ( Fig. 8B ). Maxillae longer than wide, anterior prolateral lobe elongated, conical; 68 cuspules spread over ventral surface; outer margin with 64 spinules ( Fig. 8B ). Sternum length 3.32; width 4.69, oval; three pairs of oval sigilla ( Fig. 8B ). EYES: Eight eyes on tubercle, height 0.72; AME 0.30; ALE: 0.35; PLE: 0.27, PME: 0.30; PME–PME: 0.67. ABDOMEN: Dorsally dark gray, slightly encrusted with soil, with six transversal rows of spatulate setae; laterally gray fewer and smaller spatulate setae; ventrally gray without spatulate setae ( Fig. 7A, B ). LEGS: Uniformly orange, lightly encrusted with soil particles. Macrosetae ventrally on tibia, metatarsi and tarsi III–IV; metatarsi and tarsi II. Spinules on leg I ventrally: pat: 1, tibia: 28, metatarsus: 48, tarsus: 21; tarsal scopula absent. Trichobothria: palpal tarsus: 9; tarsus: I:12, II: 10, III: 9, IV: 10; metatarsus I: 5, II: 4, III: 4, IV: 5 ( Fig. 9A–H ). Legs measurements: I 24.75(7.56/3.49/6.15/5.20/2.35); II 19.08 (5.68/2.38/4.71/4.06/2.25); III 16.68 (4.75/2.46/3.52/3.85/2.10); IV 24.73 (6.91/2.67/6.03/6.08/3.04); leg formula 4123. Tarsus I third claw present; tarsi II–IV without third claw; all paired claws with one tooth. GENITALIA: Two short spermathecae (2.1x longer than wide); spermathecal heads with slight constriction ( Fig. 8C ); spermathecal head rounded, as wide as long; stalks wider basally than apically ( Fig. 8C ).

Male (paratype ECFN 078): Total length: 17.63; carapace length: 9.89; carapace width: 9.61; abdomen length: 8.02. CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace dark reddish-brown, caput arched; fovea straight ( Fig. 10A ). Chelicerae dark reddish; promargin 13 teeth, retromargin 18 teeth. Labium sub-rectangular, 71 cuspules anteriorly ( Fig. 10B ). Maxillae longer than wide, anterior prolateral lobe elongated, conical; 61 cuspules spread over ventral surface; outer margin with 56 spinules ( Fig. 10B ). Sternum length 3.74; width 4.77, oval; three pairs of oval sigilla ( Fig. 10B ). EYES: Eight eyes on tubercle height 0.81; AME 0.30; ALE: 0.34; PLE: 0.21, PME 0.14; PME–PME: 0.66. ABDOMEN: Dorsally dark gray with beige patches, encrusted with soil, with six transversal rows of spatulate setae; laterally dark gray encrusted with soil, with smaller spatulate setae, ventrally gray encrusted with soil without spatulate setae ( Fig. 10A, B ). LEGS: Uniformly dark orange-brown, lightly encrusted with soil particles. Macrosetae ventrally on tibia, metatarsi and tarsi II–IV. Spinules on leg I ventrally: metatarsus 5, tarsus 1; tibia without conical process ( Fig. 29B ); apical scopula on tarsi I–III. Trichobothria: palpal tib: drl 4, dpl 5; tarsus I: 10, II: 9, III: 8, IV: 9; metatarsus I: 5, II: 4, III: 4, IV: 3/4. Legs measurements: I 36.55 (9.96/3.52/9.47/9.93/3.67); II 29.06 (7.52/2.71/7.44/8.00/3.39); III 25.45 (7.10/2.70/5.84/6.79/3.02); IV 30.96 (8.47/2.80/7.48/8.70/3.51); leg formula 1423. Tarsus I third claw present; tarsi II–IV without third claw; all paired claws with one tooth. GENITALIA: Palpal: tibia 3.52 length, 1.52 width; bulb + embolus length 3.82, bulb 1.13 width. Subtegulum with shallow notch in ventral view ( Fig. 11B ); bulb rounded; embolus curving smoothly; embolus tip straight ( Fig. 11A–C ).

Variation. Female (ECFN 080) carapace length: 8.60; abdomen length: 10.58; female (ECFN 1304) carapace length: 10.06; abdomen length: 11.68. Female body length: 19.18–21.74, x 20.31, n = 3. Male (ECFN 863) carapace length: 6.52; abdomen length: 6.45; male (ECFN 7228) carapace length: 6.99; abdomen length: 6.16; male body length: 12.97–17.63, x 14.59, n = 3.

Distribution. Only know from Esmeraldas province ( Map 1 ).

Natural History. Specimens were collected at 484 m in foothill evergreen forest of the Occidental Cordillera of the Andes (BsPn01) ( Guevara & Morales 2013a).

Figures

MAP 1. Distribution of newly described Paratropis. Paratropis carcosita sp. nov. (yellow circle), Paratropis pukallucha sp. nov. (orange circle), Paratropis esmeraldas sp. nov. (blue circle), Paratropis kapak sp. nov. (purple circle), Paratropis pasochoa sp. nov. (yellow star), Paratropis arenosa sp. nov. (red inverted triangle) and, Paratropis cryptica sp. nov. (green inverted triangle). Provinces abbreviations: Azuay (AZ), Bolívar (BO), Carchi (CA), Cañar (CAN), Chimborazo (CH), Cotopaxi (CO), El Oro (EO), Esmeralsdas (ES), Guayas (GU), Imbabura (IM), Loja (LO), Los Ríos (LR), Manabí (MA), Morona Santiago (MS), Napo (NA), Orellana (OR), Pastaza (PA), Pichincha (PI), Santa Elena (SE), Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas (SD), Sucumbíos (SU), Tugurahua (TU), Zamora Chinchipe (ZC).

FIGURE 2. Paratropis esmeraldas sp. nov. A. Female holotype, carapace, dorsal view. B. Female holotype, sternum, ventral view (arrow point to spinules). C. Female holotype spermathecae, dorsal view. Scale bars: A, B = 1.0 mm; C = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 4. Paratropis esmeraldas sp. nov. male paratype. A. Habitus, dorsal view (arrow point to carapace margin notch). B. Habitus ventral view. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 5. Paratropis esmeraldas sp. nov. male paratype. A. Palp, prolateral view. B. Palp, retrolateral view. C. Bulb, prolateral view. D. Bulb, ventral view. E. Bulb, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A–C = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 6. Paratropis pukallucha sp. nov. A. Female holotype, live, lateral view. Scale bar: 5.0 mm.

FIGURE 7. Paratropis pukallucha sp. nov. female holotype. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. Scale bars: 5.0 mm.

FIGURE 8. Paratropis pukallucha sp. nov. A. Female holotype, carapace, dorsal view. B. Female holotype, sternum and endites, ventral view. C. Spermathecae, dorsal view (holotype). D. Spermathecae, dorsal view (ECFN 080). E. Spermathecae, dorsal view (ECFN 1304). Scale bars: A, B = 1.0 mm; C–E = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 9. Paratropis pukallucha sp. nov. Female legs showing the trichobothria pattern. A. Metatarsus I, dorsal view. B. Metatarsus II, dorsal view. C. Metatarsus III, dorsal view. D. Metatarsus IV, dorsal view. E. Tarsus I, dorsal view. F. Tarsus II, dorsal view. G. Tarsus III, dorsal view. H. Tarsus IV, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–C = 1.0 mm; D–H = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 10. Paratropis pukallucha sp. nov. male paratype. A. Habitus, dorsal view (arrow points to carapace margin not notched). B. Habitus, ventral view. C. Palp, prolateral view. D. Palp, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A, B = 1.0 mm; C, D = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 11. Paratropis pukallucha sp. nov. A. Male paratype, bulb prolateral view. B. Male paratype, bulb ventral view. C. Male paratype, bulb retrolateral view. D. Male (ECFN 7228) bulb prolateral view. E. Male (ECFN 7228) bulb ventral view. F. Male (ECFN 7228) bulb prolateral view. Scale bars: A–F = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 13. Paratropis kapak sp. nov. female holotype. A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Sternum and endites, ventral view. C. Spermathecae, dorsal view (holotype). D. Spermathecae, dorsal view (ECFN 7242). E. Spermathecae, dorsal view (ECFN 7240). Scale bars: A, B = 1.0 mm; C–E = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 15. Paratropis kapak sp. nov. A. Male paratype, bulb prolateral view. B. Male paratype, bulb ventral view. C. Male paratype, bulb retrolateral view. D. Male (ECFN 7245) bulb prolateral view. E. Male (ECFN 7245) bulb ventral view. F. Male (ECFN 7245) bulb prolateral view. Scale bars: A–F = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 29. Male left leg I, ventral view. A. Paratropis esmeraldas sp. nov. (arrow points to conical process). B. Paratropis pukallucha sp. nov. C. Paratropis kapak sp. nov. (arrow points to conical process). D. Paratropis cryptica sp. nov. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.