Tetragnatha cristata, Castanheira & Baptista & Oliveira, 2022

Castanheira, Pedro de Souza, Baptista, Renner Luiz Cerqueira & Oliveira, Francisca Samia Martins, 2022, Five new species of the long-jawed orb-weaving spider genus Tetragnatha (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) in South America, with a key to the species from Argentina and Brazil, Evolutionary Systematics 6 (2), pp. 175-210 : 175

Tetragnatha cristata sp. nov.

Figs 7 , 8 , 9

Type-material.

Holotype male, Lebon Régis (26°37'45.0"S, 54°06'48.0"W, Santa Catarina, Brazil), 15.vii.2006, R Lignau leg. (MCTP 43332). Paratypes: Argentina - Misiones • 1 male, 4 juveniles, San Pedro, Parque Provincial Cruce Caballero, 26°28'S, 53°58'W, 13-16.i.2005, C Grismado et. al. leg. (MACN-AR 31756); Brazil, São Paulo • 1 male, Onda Verde, Fazenda São João, 20°36'50.0"S, 49°17'56.0"W, I.1949, F Lane leg. (MZUSP 11408).

Additional material examined.

Brazil - Rio Grande do Sul • 1 male, Cachoeira do Sul: Cordilheira , 30°13'S 52°50'W, 09.ix.1992, RG Buss leg. (MCTP 43334) ; • 2 males, 2 juveniles, same locality, 14.xii.1992, RG Buss leg. (MCTP 43333) ; • 1 male, same locality, Capanezinho , 30°18'S 52°59'W, 17.x.1992, RG Buss leg. (MCTP 3375) ; • 2 males, Caxias do Sul, Fazenda Souza , 29°10'04.0"S, 51°10'44.0"W, 11-12.x.1995, Eq. Lab Aracnologia leg. (MCTP 7313) ; • 1 male, Itaara , 29°36'36.0"S, 53°45'54.0"W, 05.i.2006, L Indrusiak leg. (MCTP 21569) ; • 1 male, same locality, 16.ii.2006, L Indrusiak leg. (MCTP 21570) ; • 4 males, 2 juveniles, same locality, 28.iii.2006, L Indrusiak leg. (MCTP 21571) ; • 1 male, Novos Cabrais, Parque Witeck , 29°44'06.0"S, 52°56'52.0"W, 11.ix.2008, RG Buss leg. (MCTP 28092) ; • 1 male, same locality, 01.xi.2008, RG Buss leg. (MCTP 28013) ; • 1 male, Pelotas, Capao do Leao , 31°46'19.0"S, 52°20'34.0"W, 27.xi.2000, ENL Rodrigues leg. (MCTP 11711) ; • 1 male, same data (MCTP 11727) ; • 1 male, same locality, 27.ii.2001, ENL Rodrigues leg. (MCTP 13180) ; • 4 males, 2 juveniles, Santa Maria , 29°41'02.0"S, 53°48'25.0"W, 15.x.1998, CB Kotzian and L Indrusiak leg. (MCTP 40632) ; São Paulo • 1 male, 3 juveniles , Itú, Fazenda Pau D'Alho , 23°15'50.0"S, 47°17'56.0"W, 17-18.ix.1960, P Biasi leg. (MZUSP 14747) ;

Diagnosis.

Tetragnatha cristata sp. nov. most resembles T. oncognatha sp. nov. and T. jaculator by its similar small cylindrical body and small chelicerae, a small ‘a’ and long distalward projected ‘T’ (Figs 7A-E, G , 8A , 14A-E, G , 16A ; Castanheira and Baptista 2021a, figs 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 74). Tetragnatha cristata sp. nov. is easily differentiated by chelicerae with indented ‘a’, no AXu or AXl, much smoother rounded cheliceral bulge, and higher Gl, with large sclerotized lower crest not reaching L2, embolus dorsally opening on a rift on the conductor tip and the paracymbium with wider lobe and smaller notch (Figs 7D-J , 8A-E ).

Description.

Male (holotype MCTP 43332): Carapace oval and light brown, with two slightly darker thin parallel lines from cephalic furrow, passing through the fovea, and reaching posterior rim of carapace (Fig. 7A ). Labium subquadrate and dark brown (Fig. 7C ). Sternum light brown with dusky strikes (Fig. 7C ). Eyes with ALE and PLE touching each other (Fig. 7A ). Legs very elongated, yellowish brown with anterior pairs darker (Figs 7A-C ). Chelicerae paturon about 3 × longer than wide and around 1.6 × smaller than carapace, moderately curved outwards, around 35° from body median line, moderately thick and orange-brown, bearing a smooth conspicuous bulge (CB) between teeth rows (Figs 7A, D-G , 8A, B ). ‘a’ very short, rounded and distalward projected, deeply dented on its inner margin from its middle up to tip (Figs 7D, E , 8A ). AXu absent (Figs 7D, E , 8A ). Upper row with six uneven teeth distalward projected (Figs 7D, E , 8A ): Gu thick, pointed, slanted and displaced from fang furrow and row itself, apart from ‘T’ by large gap formed by a cheliceral bulge; ‘sl’ absent; ‘T’ straight and pointed, with narrow basis and ‘rsu’ with four almost straight pointed teeth, decreasing in size, with the last one much smaller than the others. AXl absent (Figs 7E, F , 8B ). Lower row with two teeth of same size (Figs 7E, F , 8B ): Gl not very elongated, thick, sclerotized and completely pointing distalward and slightly downward, being apart from L2 by a large, straight, and very sclerotized conspicuous lower crest (CRl); L2 thin, pointed and distalward projected, with sclerotized basis. Cheliceral fang as wide as its base, moderately thick, and closing between ‘T’ and U3 (Figs 7D-F , 8A, B ). Abdomen around 2 × longer than carapace, cylindrical and beige, dorsally covered by guanine crystals, and bearing lateral brown line (Fig. 7A-C ). Epiandrous field wide and flat, with large distal part, and bearing six and seven spigots respectively, in two bands apart by a broad midway division (Fig. 8F ). Pedipalps with elongated cymbium, distally bending outwards, around 2.2 × longer than wide and rounded tibia (Figs 7H, I , 8C ); tegulum around 1.6 × longer than high, spherical and inflated (Figs 7H, I , 8C ); conductor thin, twisted near mid-way, with thick edges wrapping around embolus as a thick pouch on its median portion, and projected as a keel near tip (Figs 7H, I , 8C, D ); embolus thick, originating at the middle portion of the bulb, near the cymbium and dorsally opening in middle of the conductor wrap (Figs 7H, I , 8C, D ); paracymbium very elongated, around 2.8 × longer than wide, boomerang-shaped, and bearing a notch with curved tip, translucent lobe occupying around half of the paracymbium width, and knob not projected (Figs 7J , 8E ).

Measurements. Total length 5.1. Carapace 1.5 long, 0.9 wide. Abdomen 3.7 long, 0.8 wide. Left chelicera 0.9 long, 0.3 wide. Leg formula I-II-IV-III. Leg I: femur 4.7, patella 0.6, tibia 5.1, metatarsus 5.3 and tarsus 1.4. Leg II: patella + tibia 2.9. Leg III: patella + tibia 1.2. Leg IV: patella + tibia 1.6.

Female. Unknown.

Etymology.

The specific Latin epithet " Tetragnatha cristata " is an adjective meaning "with a crest or ridge", and refers to the large crest between the two first teeth at the lower row of the male cheliceral furrow.

Variation.

Males (n = 8): total length, 4.16 - 5.79. Males can have three additional lower teeth in the chelicerae, decreasing in size after L2 (e.g., Fig. 8B , MCTP 21570).

Distribution.

The distribution of this species ranges from São Paulo state to Rio Grande do Sul state, both in Brazil, passing through Misiones, Argentina (Fig. 9 ).

Life history and habitat preferences.

Mature specimens of T. cristata sp. nov. were collected in the hottest months of the year: January, February, March, September, October, November and December, pointing to a possible early summer/late spring maturity. Only one specimen was collected in July, during winter. No information on habitat preferences was provided in the original labels.

Figures

Figure 7. Tetragnatha cristata sp. nov. male holotype (MCTP 43332). A. Dorsal habitus; B. Lateral habitus; C. Ventral habitus; D-G. Left chelicera; D. Upper view; E. Inner view; F. Lower view; G. Outer view; H-J. Left pedipalp; H. Mesal view; I. Dorsal view; J. Ventral view (paracymbium). Scale bars: 2 mm (A-C); 0.2 mm (D-J).

Figure 8. Tetragnatha cristata sp. nov. male SEM photos. A, B. Left chelicera (MCTP 21570); A. Upper view; B. Lower view; C-E. Left male pedipalp (MCTP 43334); C. Mesal view; D. Tip of conductor and embolus opening detail, dorsal view; E. Paracymbium detail, ventral view; G. Epiandrous field detail, ventral view (MCTP 43334). Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, B); 0.1 mm (C.); 0.05 mm (D, E); 0.02 mm (F).

Figure 9. Distribution of T. cristata sp. nov.

Figure 14. Tetragnatha oncognatha sp. nov. male holotype (MCTP 7067). A. Dorsal habitus; B. Lateral habitus; C. Ventral habitus; D-G. Left chelicera; D. Upper view; E. Inner view; F. Lower view; G. Outer view; H-J. Left pedipalp; H. Mesal view; I. Dorsal view; J. Ventral view (paracymbium). Scale bars: 2 mm (A-C); 0.2 mm (D-J).

Figure 16. Tetragnatha oncognatha sp. nov. SEM photos. A, B. Male left chelicera; A. Upper view (MCTP 15965); B. Lower view (MCTP 15792); C, D. Female left chelicera (MCTP 43654); C. Upper view; D. Lower view; E-G. Left male pedipalp; E. Mesal view (MCTP 4929); F. Tip of conductor and embolus opening detail, ventral view (MCTP 15792); G. Paracymbium detail, ventral view (MCTP 15792); H. Epiandrous field detail, ventral view (MCTP 15965). Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A-D); 0.1 mm (E); 0.05 mm (F, G); 0.02 mm (H).