Selenops isopodus Mello-Leitão, 1941

Crews, Sarah C., Galvis, William, Torres, Richard A., Gutiérrez-Estrada, Miguel A., Sarmiento, Jessica & Esposito, Lauren A., 2021, The flattie spiders of the Selenops isopodus species group (Araneae: Selenopidae) with a review of Selenops records from Colombia, Zootaxa 4964 (1), pp. 61-82 : 66-69

Selenops isopodus Mello-Leitão, 1941

Figs 4–6 , 12–15 , 24–25, 27–28 , 30–33, 39 , 42, 45, 48 , 53–54

Selenops isopoda Mello-Leitão, 1941: 293 , fig. 19 (♀). Corronca 1998a: 136, figs 25–26 (♀).

Selenops marilus Corronca, 1998a: 138 , figs 41–42 (holotype male from Venezuela, Lara, Quebrada Marín ( Agua Viva ), 2–6 October 1972, B. Patterson, MCZ 21988, examined), syn. nov.

Selenops arikok Galvis and Flórez, 2015: 140 , figs 1, 5–6, (♀, misidentification).

Type material: Holotype (designated by Mello-Leitão 1941): female, Pamplona, Colombia ( MNRJ, destroyed, not examined).

Other material examined. COLOMBIA:. La Guajira: 7♀, 2♂, Albania, corregimiento Porciosa , 11°12’17.27”N, 72°25’29.03”W, 141 m, 21 November 2014, M. Gutiérrez & A. Gonzalez ( ICN-Ar 12894–12896 ) . Magdalena: 1♀, Santa Marta, Parque Nacional Natural Tayrona, Sector Neguanje , 140m, 11°17’1.6”N, 74°07’18”W, September 1996, dry forest, bosque intervenido/secondary forest, C. Valderrama ( ICN-Ar-12897 ) . Santander: 1♀, Mun. Barichara , La Loma, 26 March 2002, 1300 m, M. Portocarreño ( ICN-Ar-1735 ) ; 7♀, 4♂, 11p ♂, 9p ♀, 7 imm., Mun. Barichara, Camino de Lengerke to Guane , 6°39.852’N, 73°13.935’W, heading 3.40°, ~ 1125 m, 3 March 2020, S. Crews, W. Galvis, N. Álvarez, day and night, dry thornscrub ( ICN-Ar-12740–12742 ) .

Diagnosis. Females of Selenops isopodus can be separated from other species of the group by the copulatory ducts which widen anteriorly forming a heart-shaped or V-shaped dorsal median field between them, whereas in other species, the ducts are of more uniform width, and the dorsal median field is rounded, with a septum, or fully enclosed ( Figs 18–29 ). In caudal view, the copulatory ducts extend to the edges of the epigynal plate posteriorly ( Figs 53–54 ). Males of S. isopodus can be separated from other species by the tegulum, which protrudes posteriorly, making the bulb more angular than that of S. curazao , and the retrolateral indentation of the tegulum that is not as pronounced as in S. bullerengue sp. nov. ( Figs. 30–37 ). Additionally, the tip of the conductor is bent at a nearly right angle, long and quadrangular, giving the distal part of the conductor a C-shaped appearance in retrolateral view ( Fig. 42 ).

Description. Female (from Colombia, Albania, ICN-Ar 12894):

Color ( Figs 4 , 12–15 ). Carapace orangish brown, darker on lateral edges, with dark markings; sternum light yellow-brown, dark around border; chelicerae orange-brown laterally with dark brown marks anteriorly, extending the length of the chelicerae; maxillae tan, lightening distally; labium tan; abdomen dorsally light orangish yellow, background with a few white flecks, dark median foliate pattern, sides dark, with dark area widening posteriorly, nearly connecting with median pattern, brown spots over lighter parts, tip of abdomen black, ALS and PLS dark laterally; abdomen ventrally yellowish gray, some dark spots visible at lateral edges; legs yellowish tan with dark marks on anterior surfaces of coxae and trochanters; femora with dark annulations, open in centers; dark, filled annulations on all other segments, annulations do not completely encircle legs; speckles on retrolateral surface of legs; legs dorsally (retrolaterally) and ventrally (prolaterally) with white setal tufts; setae wiry, wavy (Note: even new, well-preserved specimens look very different from living animals–e.g. Figs 4–6 , 12–15 ).

Prosoma. 0.88 times longer than broad; clypeus height 0.13.

Eyes. AER nearly straight; PER slightly recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.21, ALE 0.19, PME 0.23, PLE 0.36; interdistances AME-PME 0.12, PME-ALE 0.13, ALE-PLE 0.26, PME-PME 1.21, ALE-ALE 1.76; AME-AME 0.6, PLE-PLE 2.13.

Sternum. 0.95 times as long as wide, posteriorly indented.

Mouthparts. Chelicerae with uniform, brownish setae; maxillae longer than broad with conspicuous setal tuft distally; labium distally rounded.

Pedipalp. Fm, spination 0-1-3; claw with 8 small teeth.

Opisthosoma. With terminal setal tufts.

Epigyne ( Figs 24, 27 ). MF wider anteriorly than posteriorly, heart shaped to U-shaped, very weakly sclerotized; CO located anterolaterally; EP contiguous.

Endogyne ( Figs 25, 28 ). CDs long, lateral, widening posteriorly, curving dorsally and terminating in small SS, which then connect to large, round PS; FDs directed anteriorly; PF covers PS but not SS.

Legs. Leg formula 3214; scopulae present on all Ta and distally on Mt I and II; Ta I–IV with strong claw tufts; prolateral claws I–IV with ~10 teeth that become larger distally; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1-1-0, d 1-1-1, rt 1-0-0; Ti 2-2-2; Mt 2-2; leg II, Fm pr 1-0-0, d 1-1-1, rt 0-0-1; Ti 2-2-2; Mt 2-2; leg III, Fm pr 1-0-0, d 1-1-1, rt 1-0-0; Ti 1-1-0; Mt 1-0-0; leg IV, Fm pr 0, d 1-1-1, Mt 1-1-0; Ti 1-0-0.

Measurements. Total length 8.26. Carapace length 3.26. Carapace width 3.72. Sternum length 1.68. Sternum width 1.76. Abdomen length 5.0. Abdomen width 3.71. Pedipalp: Fm 0.98, Pt 0.63, Ti 0.8, Ta 0.96, total 3.37. Leg I: Fm 3.18, Pt 1.27, Ti 2.60, Mt 2.22, Ta 1.21, total 10.48; Leg II: Fm 3.71, Pt 1.31, Ti 2.84, Mt 2.29, Ta 1.11, total 11.26; Leg III: Fm 3.76, Pt 1.12, Ti 2.99, Mt 2.43, Ta 1.14, total 11.44; Leg IV: Fm 3.46, Pt 1.10, Ti 2.52, Mt 2.35, Ta 0.96, total 10.39.

Male (from Colombia, Albania, ICN-Ar 12895):

Color. Carapace orangish tan, lacks markings; sternum light yellow, dark around border; chelicerae orangish tan, dark brown lines on anterior surface that extend the length of chelicerae; maxillae yellow-brown, lightening distally; labium brown; abdomen dorsally yellowish gray with some white flecks, some darker marks medially and posteromedially, laterally darker, black at posterior end, ALS black at tips, PLS darkened dorsally and laterally; abdomen ventrally yellowish gray, some dark spots extending from sides around to ventral surface posteriorly; legs yellowish, slightly darkening to tan distally, faded annulations that also darken distally; setal tufts under patellae; white setal tufts as in female.

Prosoma. 0.84 times longer than broad; clypeus height 0.11 high.

Eyes. AER nearly straight; PER slightly recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.21, ALE 0.17, PME 0.22, PLE 0.38; interdistances AME-PME 0.14, PME-ALE 0.13, ALE-PLE 0.32, PME-PME 1.17, ALE-ALE 1.62, AME-AME 0.53, PLE-PLE 2.05.

Sternum. 0.96 times as long as wide, posteriorly indented.

Mouthparts. Chelicerae with lots of brown setae; maxillae longer than broad with conspicuous setal tuft distally; labium distally rounded.

Pedipalp ( Figs 30–33 ). Fm, spination d 0-1-3; cymbium rounded laterally and basally angled retrolaterally; C arising medially from bulb, lightly sclerotized basally, becoming more sclerotized distally, curving and tapering retrolaterally, tip at approximately 1 o’clock, conductor tip forms a sharp right angle so that it is directed dorsally toward the cymbium, the tip is truncate, slightly widened distally, in retrolateral view C-shaped, along the top of the conductor is an unsclerotized sheath that covers approximately the distalmost third of the embolus; E originates around 6:30 o’clock, and terminates at approximately 1 o’clock, wider at base, tapering distally, flat and angular, slightly twisted about midway, the distinction from the T, where the T begins to narrow, is inconspicuous, T protrudes basally and lacks the retrolateral indentation present in S. bullerengue sp. nov. ( Fig. 36 ); MA small, hooked at tip, lightly sclerotized basally, strongly sclerotized distally; RTA with two branches, dRTA longer than vRTA, tapering gradually distally, slightly sinuous, with a small tooth.

Opisthosoma. With terminal setal tufts.

Legs. Leg formula 2341; scopulae present distally on Ta I and II, sparse; Ta I–IV with strong claw tufts; prolateral claws I–IV with at least 10 teeth increasing in size distally; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1-1-1, d 1-1-1, rt 1-1-1; Ti v 2-2-2, pr 1-1, rt 1-1; Mt 2-2; leg II, Fm pr 1-1-1, d 1-1-1, rt 1-1-1; Ti v 2-2-2, pr 1-1, rt 1-1; Mt 2-2; leg III, Fm pr 1-1-1, d 1-1-1, rt 1-1-1; Ti v 2-2, pr 1-1, rt 1-1; Mt 2-2; leg IV, Fm pr 1-1-1, d 1-1-1, rt 1-1-1; Ti v 2-2 pr 1-1, rt 1-1; Mt 2-2.

Measurements. Total length 6.54. Carapace length 3.08. Carapace width 3.67. Sternum length 1.71. Sternum width 1.78. Abdomen length 3.46. Abdomen width 3.03. Pedipalp: Fm 1.32, Pt 0.82, Ti 0.73, Ta 1.51, total 3.73. Leg I: Fm 3.84, Pt 1.21, Ti 3.41, Mt 3.21, Ta 1.68, total 13.35; Leg II: Fm 4.78, Pt 1.60, Ti 3.89, Mt 3.50, Ta 1.74, total 15.51; Leg III: Fm 4.67, Pt 1.14, Ti 3.58, Mt 3.37, Ta 1.6, total 14.36; Leg IV: Fm 4.36, Pt 1.29, Ti 3.51, Mt 3.32, Ta 1.51, total 13.99.

Distribution. Colombia, Venezuela ( Fig. 60 ). Distribution corresponds to the Cordillera Oriental and the adjacent Caribbean coast.

Variation. The Ti of some specimens have dark flecks ventrally. In the female, the EP and MF of the epigyne can vary ( Figs 24, 27 ). For example, the older specimen from Barichara has a more U-shaped MF, and the EPs are angular with the apex directed laterally ( Fig. 27 ). In other specimens, the EPs are more rounded, with the apex directed anteriorly. The MF ranges from square to V-shaped to heart shaped to U-shaped in specimens collected from the same place at the same time. The PS may be close together so that they are touching, or separated. The size range of females from La Guajira is 7.50–9.64 and the size range of males is 5.92–6.93.

Life history and habitat preferences. This species has been collected inside of houses, under bark, and on stone fences—under the stones in the day and on the stones at night. As found in other selenopids where on the rare occasion multiple individuals have been collected ( Crews et al. 2008; Villanueva-Bonilla & Vasconcellos-Neto 2016), both adults and immatures are collected simultaneously, the latter comprising penultimate males and females, and instars of 3–4 different sizes. Females and some juveniles, like some other selenopid species, have been observed to consume their legs when the leg is injured or has come off. Males have been collected in: March, April, October, and November. Females have been collected in March, April, May, September, and November. The female guards a flat, white, disc-shaped egg sac. An egg sac from a captive female was made in March, with the offspring (25) hatching approximately one month later, emerging from the egg sac approximately 2 weeks after that. The female died a few days later. Prior to emergence, the female continued to guard the egg sac and readily eat crickets and fruit flies.

Remarks. Selenops isopodus was described from a sole female specimen with no characters distinguishing it from other species, and the illustration of the epigyne is inverted (in Mello-Leitão 1941: 293, fig. 19). Corronca (1998a) provided a brief re-description of the species. He mentioned that the type, known from Pamplona, Colombia and deposited in MNRJ, was lost. If the holotype was misplaced in the MNRJ, it would now have been destroyed ( Kury et al. 2018). Corronca (1998a) also mentions a second specimen in the “Other material examined” section. Because this appears to be the only known specimen in a collection at the time of publication, we assume this was the only material examined. This specimen is meant to be lodged at AMNH; however, it has not been returned to the museum (L. Sorkin, pers. comm.). It originated from Pozos Colorados (Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia) [published as Pozo Colorado in Corronca 1998a], a locality quite distant from Pamplona. It is unclear how Corronca (1998a), without seeing the type and relying only upon Mello-Leitão’s description and illustration, determined the now-missing specimen from Pozos Colorados as S. isopodus . The male of S. isopodus remained unknown until several males and females were collected together in Albania, La Guajira, Colombia. The holotype male of S. marilus from Lara, Venezuela ( Fig. 15 , which has only a single, expanded palp preserved) is identical to the males collected together with the S. isopodus females from Albania as well as those from Barichara, and thus the name S. marilus is synonymized with S. isopodus .

Figures

FIGURE 60. Map shows all known records of selenopids in Colombia (Col = Colombia; Ven = Venezuela; A = Aruba; B = Bonaire; C = Curaçao; pink square = S. arikok; yellow squares = S. isopodus; green squares = S. curazao; blue squares = S. bullerengue sp. nov.; white squares = member of isopodus group, but unclear which species; white diamond = undetermined juvenile; white diamond with orange border = a species for which we do not have adults, but it is clearly distinct; green circles = S. mexicanus; black circles = S. cocheleti; orange circles = S. curruganja; blue circles = S. geraldinae; red circle = S. lavillai.) Orange area indicates Cordillera Oriental as defined by Google Earth and references provided in the text.

FIGURES 1–6. Members of the Selenops isopodus species group. 1 S. arikok with egg sac and spiderlings; 2 Adult female of S. curazao from Santa Barbara, Curaçao; 3 S. curazao from Pannekoek, Curaçao; 4Adult female of S. isopodus from Barichara, Colombia; 5 Adult male of S. isopodus from Barichara, Colombia; 6 Adult male of S. isopodus missing several legs, Barichara, Colombia. Photos: 1, 4–6, Sarah Crews; 2–3, Carel de Haseth.

FIGURES 7–17. Members of the Selenops isopodus species group. 7 Holotype female of S. arikok (EME sel_068) from Arikok National Park, Aruba; 8 Paratype female of S. curazao (MCZ 44835) from the Piscadera Baai building, Curaçao, Netherlands, Antilles; 9 Holotype male of S. curazao (MCZ 44836) CarMaBi, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles; 10 More recently collected female specimen of S. curazao (CASENT 9067826) from Dos Pos, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles; 11 More recently collected male specimen of S. curazao (CASENT 9058453) from Girouette Plantation, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles; 12 Female of S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12894) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia; 13 Male of S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12895) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia; 14 Female of S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-1735) Barichara, Santander, Colombia; 15 Holotype male of S. marilus (MCZ 21988) from Lara, Venezuela; 16 Holotype female of S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12898) from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia; 17 Paratype male of S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12899) from Finca de Ovi, hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia.

FIGURES 18–29. Genitalia of females from the Selenops isopodus species group. 18–20, 23 S. arikok (EME sel_068) from Arikok National Park, Aruba (18 epigyne, 19 endogyne, 20 epigyne) with colors corresponding to parts of the genitalia mentioned in the text for comparison among taxa of the S. isopodus group: orange = COs, pink = MF, yellow = EP, 23 endogyne with colors corresponding to parts of the genitalia mentioned in the text for comparison among taxa of the S. isopodus group, arrows indicate path from CDs to spermathecae and FDs, showing how the CDs fold under themselves in the dorsal direction, teal=CDs, blue-violet=SS, red=PS, yellow=FDs, green= PF; 21–22 S. curazao (CASENT 9067826; ABC_062) from Dos Pos, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles (21 epigyne, 22 endogyne); 24–25 S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12894) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia (24 epigyne, 25 endogyne); 27–28 S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-1735) from Barichara, Santander, Colombia (27 epigyne, 28 endogyne); 26, 29 S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12898) from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia (26 epigyne, 29 endogyne).

FIGURES 30–40. Palps from males of the Selenops isopodus species group. 30–33, 39 Palp of S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12895) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia (30, 32 ventral, 31, 33 retrolateral, 39 dorsal) with colors corresponding to the parts of the palps mentioned in the text for comparison among taxa of the S. isopodus group: green = vRTA, orange = dRTA, pink = T, where tegulum narrows basally, the pink becomes brighter, indicating the inconspicuous origin of the E, purple = C, yellow = MA, arrow indicates extended tegulum with lack of retrolateral indentation; 34–35, 38 Palp of S. curazao (CASENT 9058453) from Girouette Plantation, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles (34 ventral, 35 retrolateral, 38 dorsal); 36–37, 40 S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12899) from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia (36 ventral, 37 retrolateral, 40 dorsal).

FIGURES 41–49. Palps from males of the Selenops isopodus species group emphasizing the conductor, a diagnostic character among species of the group. 41, 44, 47 S. curazao (CASENT 9058453) from Girouette Plantation, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles (41 retrolateral, 44 dorso-retrolateral, 47 prolateral); 42, 45, 48 S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12895) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia (42 retrolateral, 45 latroventral, 48 prolateral); 43, 46, 49 S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12899) from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia (43 retrolateral, 46 latroventral, 49 prolateral). Abbreviations: C=Conductor.

FIGURES 50–55. 50–51 Palps of males of the S. isopodus group. 50 Rostral view of expanded palp showing shape of conductor of S. curazao (CASENT 9058453) from Girouette Plantation, Curaçao, Netherlands Antilles; 51 Caudal view of palp of S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12899) showing the tip of the conductor in an unexpanded palp from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia; 52–55 Caudal views of epigynes of the S. isopodus group. 52 S. curazao (CASENT 9067826) from Dos Pos, Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles; 53 S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-12894) from Albania, La Guajira, Colombia; 54 S. isopodus (ICN-Ar-1735) from Barichara, Santander, Colombia; 55 S. bullerengue sp. nov. (ICN-Ar-12899) from Finca de Ovi, Hacienda El Huerto, Turbaco, Bolívar, Colombia.