Selenyphantes gaimani, Moreira & Hormiga, 2021

Moreira, Thiago Da Silva & Hormiga, Gustavo, 2021, Systematics of the Neotropical spider genera Jalapyphantes and Selenyphantes and the circumscription of the Pocobletus clade (Araneae: Linyphiidae), Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 192 : -

SELENYPHANTES GAIMANI

( FIGS 26, 27, 32C, 34C, 36C, 37C)

Zoobank registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:B3D318E9-9888-4F12-A2C2-0D89D6A4A379 .

Type material: Holotype one male. MEXICO, Veracruz: Atotonilco de Calcahualco ( Pico de Orizaba Volcano – 19.13725, –97.2050833; 2350 m); (4–13.X.2012; Lab. Aracnologia FC-UNAM leg – CNAN-T01308). Two female paratypes from same locality and date ( CNAN-T01309 ).

Additional material examined: MEXICO, Veracruz: six males, two females, Atotonilco de Calcahualco ( Pico de Orizaba Volcano – 19.13725, –97.2050833; 2350 m); (4–13.X.2012; Lab. Aracnología FC-UNAM leg)

Etymology: The species epithet is an homage to Neil Gaiman, an English writer of short fiction, novels, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. Notable works include American gods and Anansi boys , where he features the spider god Anansi from Caribbean mythology as one of its characters. Most recently, he participated in the short documentary ‘Sixteen legs’ about the Tasmanian cave spider, Hickmania troglodytes (Higgins & Petterd, 1883) , where he wrote and voiced the short story A visit to the queen of the dark.

Diagnosis: Males of S. gaimani have a RC bifid curved ectally, as S. volcanicus but have both RCm and RCs divergent ( Figs 27F, H, 34C). Females of S. gaimani have a ‘molar-tooth-shaped’ middle epigynum section (broad on the anterior part, constricted on the middle and with a bifid posterior edge; Figs 27E, 34C), unique amongst all its congeners.

Description: Male (holotype). Total length 2.57. Prosoma 1.10 long, 0.93 wide. Prosoma height 0.89, fovea height 0.83. Opisthosoma 1.48 long, 0.70 wide, 0.68 high. Clypeus height 0.20. AME 0.05, ALE 0.07, PME 0.06, PLE 0.07. Femur I 3.07 (2.8× prosoma length), Metatarsus I 4.18, TmI 0.18. Prosoma light yellow, with a darker line separating the cephalic area from the carapace and in the margins of the prosoma. Opisthosoma light grey with lateral white guanine spots. Legs same colour as the prosoma, without any marks ( Fig. 27A–D). RCM is pointing upwards, with the distal part rounded blunt with papillae and curved inwards (like a hook). RCs ectomesally flattened, pointing downwards ( Fig. 26F, H).

Female (paratype). Total length 2.17. Prosoma 0.88 long, 0.69 wide. Prosoma height 0.64, fovea height 0.56. Opisthosoma 1.29 long, 1.06 wide, 1.53 high. Clypeus height 0.09. AME 0.04, ALE 0.05, PME 0.05, PLE 0.05. Femur I 1.60 (1.82× prosoma length), Metatarsus I 1.88, TmI 0.11. Prosoma light yellow, with a darker line separating the cephalic area from the carapace and in the margins of the prosoma. Opisthosoma light grey with two large guanidine concentrations on the dorsum of each side divided by the cardiac line. Legs uniform, the same colour as the prosoma. ( Fig. 27A–D). Posterior edge of the epigynum lobes strongly convex. Spermathecae anteriorly positioned. Pre-chamber opens ectoventrally ( Figs 27G, 36C).

Distribution: MEXICO: Only known from the type locality at the Pico de Orizaba Volcano in Mexico.