Galapa gabito Huber, 2024

Huber, Bernhard A., Meng, Guanliang, García, Jimmy Cabra & Carvalho, Leonardo S., 2024, Thriving in dry conditions: on the Neotropical spider genus Galapa (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 5419 (3), pp. 301-347 : 317-322

Galapa gabito Huber sp. nov.

Figs 2E, F , 12–16

Diagnosis. Males are distinguished from known congeners by simple (not bifid) retrolateral process on procursus directed towards dorsal ( Fig. 12C ); from G. spiniphila also by absence of ventral apophyses on genital bulb (compare Fig. 12A with Fig. 17A ), by shape of distal bulbal apophysis ( Fig. 12C ; smaller than in G. spiniphila ), and by prolateral distal apophysis on genital bulb (arrow in Fig. 12B ). Females are distinguished from known congeners by distinctive sclerite in ventral wall of uterus externus (arrow in Fig. 16D ; visible in cleared specimens, but also in posterior view of uncleared specimens with slightly spread open epigynal cleft); internal genitalia ( Fig. 16C–F ) with bilobed membranous structure covered by posterior epigynal plate (similar to G. murphyi ), without median membranous process (as opposed to G. spiniphila ).

Etymology. The species name honors the Colombian novelist Gabriel García Márquez (1927–2014), considered one of the most significant authors of the 20 th century and known affectionately as Gabo or Gabito in Latin America. The epithet is used as a noun in apposition.

Type material. COLOMBIA: Magdalena • ♂ holotype; Santa Marta ; 11.2126°N, 74.2307°W; 110 m a.s.l.; 16 Sep. 2022; B.A. Huber leg.; MUSENUV-Ar 2657 • 6 ♂, 3 ♀, paratypes (one male and one female used for SEM); same collection data as for holotype; MUSENUV-Ar 2658 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀, paratypes (plus two cleared female abdomens); same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK Ar 24219 .

Other material examined. COLOMBIA: Magdalena • 1 ♂, 15 ♀, in pure ethanol (two cleared female abdomens transferred to ZFMK Ar 24219); same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK Col272 .

Description.

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 0.96, carapace width 0.38. Distance PME-PME 35 µm; diameter PME 30 µm; distance PME-ALE 15 µm; distance AME-AME 10 µm; diameter AME 20 µm. Leg 1: 1.68 (0.46 + 0.12 + 0.44 + 0.38+ 0.28), tibia 2: 0.34, tibia 3: 0.30, tibia 4: 0.48; tibia 1 L/d: 9; diameters of leg femora 0.075, of leg tibiae: 0.050.

COLOUR (in ethanol). Prosoma and legs pale ochre-yellow, carapace without pattern, legs without darker rings; abdomen ochre-grey with indistinct internal marks.

BODY. Habitus as in Fig. 2E . Ocular area not raised. Carapace without thoracic groove. Clypeus slightly more protruding than in female, with sclerotized rim. Sternum slightly wider than long (0.26/0.23), with pair of small anterior processes near coxae 1 ( Fig. 13D ; 20 µm long, 20 µm diameter at basis). Abdomen globular. Gonopore with four epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 13E ). Spinnerets apparently as in female (see below; dirty in scanned male).

CHELICERAE. In general, very similar to congeners (cf. Fig. 3 ), with curved process proximally on fang ( Fig. 13C ); with stridulatory files consisting of ~30 ridges, distances between ridges proximally 2.0 µm, distally 1.1 µm ( Fig. 13A ), proximal ridges with further fine subdivision.

PALPS. As in Figs 12 , 14A–D ; coxa unmodified; trochanter without process; femur proximally with prolateral stridulatory pick, distally slightly widened but without modification; femur-patella joints slightly shifted towards prolateral side; tibia oval, with two trichobothria; tibia-tarsus joints slightly shifted towards retrolateral side; palpal tarsal organ strongly raised ( Fig. 14E ), diameter 5.5 µm, diameter of opening 1.3 µm; procursus with pointed retrolateral-distal process distinctively directed towards dorsal and with dorsal process curved towards prolateral and lodged in pocket of genital bulb ( Fig. 14B ); genital bulb with small distal apophysis and similar prolateral distal apophysis; sperm duct opening apparently on prolateral-ventral side directly on bulb.

LEGS. Without spines and curved hairs. With round cuticular plates ( Fig. 15D ; diameter 4–5 µm) and rimmed pores ( Fig. 15E ; outer diameter 3 µm, diameter of opening 0.3 µm) apparently on all leg segments. Sexually dimorphic short vertical hairs present on tibiae 1 and 2 ( Fig. 15A, B ), barely visible in dissecting microscope, length ~15 µm, diameter at basis 1.0 µm. Chemoreceptive hairs similar in size (length ~10 µm, diameter at basis 1.3 µm) but with side branch (cf. Fig. 15F ). Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 57%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1. Tarsus 1 with five pseudosegments, fairly distinct; leg tarsal organs capsulate. Main tarsal claws with ~9–11 tines.

Variation (male)

Tibia 1 in eight males (including holotype): 0.41–0.44 (mean 0.43).

Female

In general, similar to male ( Fig. 2F ) but sternum without pair of anterior humps, chelicerae without stridulatory files ( Fig. 13B ), cheliceral fangs unmodified, clypeus less protruding and without sclerotized rim, and palpal tarsal organ less raised ( Fig. 14F ) and slightly smaller (diameter 4.3 µm, diameter of opening 1.0 µm). Tibia 1 in 15 females: 0.37 – 0.40 (mean 0.39). ALS with one strongly widened spigot, one long pointed spigot, and apparently five cylindrical spigots, of which one is much wider than the others ( Fig. 13F ); PMS with two conical spigots; PLS without spigots. Epigynum ( Fig. 16A, B ) with simple semicircular anterior plate, weakly protruding, posteriorly not indented medially; posterior plate short and simple, with indistinct median division. Internal genitalia ( Fig 16C–F ) with distinctive sclerite in ventral wall of uterus externus (arrow in Fig. 16D ); apparently without pore plates; with bilobed membranous structure (without median process), covered by posterior epigynal plate.

Natural history. Most specimens were beaten out of dead cacti lying on the ground in a dry forest covering hills near the sea ( Fig. 5C ). They shared this microhabitat with another species of Ninetinae , an undescribed representative of Ibotyporanga .

Distribution. Known from type locality only, in Magdalena, Colombia ( Fig. 4 ).

Figures

FIG. 2. Galapa Huber, 2000, live specimens. A–D. G. murphyi Huber sp. n.; male and female with egg sac from W of Cañas; female with egg-sac from near Playa Iguanita, and female in web (in glass vial) from near Playa Iguanita. E–F. G. gabito Huber sp. n.; male and female with egg sac from Santa Marta. G–H. G. spiniphila Huber, 2020; male and female with egg sac from S of Riohacha. I. G. spiniphila; male from ESE of Pueblo Bello.

FIG. 12. Galapa gabito Huber sp. n.; from Colombia, Santa Marta, ZFMK Ar 24219. Left male palp in prolateral (A), dorsal (B), and retrolateral (C) views; arrow in B points at prolateral distal apophysis. Abbreviations: b, genital bulb; c, coxa; da, distal apophysis of genital bulb; dp, dorsal process of procursus; f, femur; pa, patella; pr, procursus; rp, retrolateral-distal process of procursus; ta, tarsus; ti, tibia; tr, trochanter. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

FIG. 13. Galapa gabito Huber sp. n., from Colombia, Santa Marta. A. Stridulatory file on right male chelicera. B. Left female chelicera (and palp), showing absence of stridulatory file. C. Right male cheliceral fang with process (arrow), distal view. D. Male sternal hump. E. Male gonopore with epiandrous spigots. F. Female ALS. Scale bars: 10 µm (A, C–F), 20 µm (B).

FIG. 14. Galapa gabito Huber sp. n., from Colombia, Santa Marta. A–D. Right male palp in retrolateral to dorsal views. E. Male palpal tarsal organ. F. Female palpal tarsal organ (and neighboring sensilla). Abbreviations: b, genital bulb; da, distal apophysis of genital bulb; dp, dorsal process of procursus; pr, procursus; rp, retrolateral-distal process of procursus; ta, tarsus; to, tarsal organ. Scale bars: 100 µm (A–D), 2 µm (E, F).

FIG. 15. Galapa gabito Huber sp. n., from Colombia, Santa Marta. A, B. Sexually dimorphic ‘short vertical hairs’ on right male tibiae 1 and 2. C. Trichobothrium on male metatarsus 4. D. Cuticular plate (and basis of regular mechanoreceptor) on male metatarsus 4. E. Rimmed pore on male tarsus 3. F. Tip of right female tarsus 2, prolateral view (arrows: putative chemoreceptors). Scale bars: 10 µm (A–C, F), 2 µm (D, E).

FIG. 16. Galapa gabito Huber sp. n.; females from Colombia, Santa Marta, ZFMK Ar 24219. A, B. Abdomens, ventral views. C, E. Cleared internal genitalia, ventral views. D, F. Same as preceding, dorsal views; arrow points at distinctive sclerite in ventral wall of uterus externus.Abbreviations: aep, anterior (main) epigynal plate; pep, posterior epigynal plate. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIG. 17. Galapa spiniphila Huber, 2020; ‘Papayal morph’ from Colombia, Papayal, ZFMK Ar 24221. Left male palp in prolateral (A), dorsal (B), and retrolateral (C) views. Abbreviations: da, distal apophysis of genital bulb; ra, retrolateral-dorsal apophysis of genital bulb; rp, retrolateral-distal process of procursus; va, ventral apophyses of genital bulb. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

FIG. 20. Galapa spiniphila Huber, 2020, from Colombia, near Papayal. A. Male prosoma, frontal view. B. Female ocular area, frontal-dorsal view. C. Stridulatory file on right male chelicera. D. Stridulatory pick on male palpal femur. E. Male gonopore. F. Epigynum, ventral view.Abbreviations: aep, anterior (main) epigynal plate; pep, posterior epigynal plate. Scale bars: 100 µm (A, F), 20 µm (B, E), 10 µm (C), 2 µm (D).

FIG. 3. Galapa spp., male chelicerae, frontal views. Note unmodified main segments (except for stridulatory files) and processes on fangs (arrows). A. G. murphyi Huber sp. n. from Costa Rica, near Playa Iguanita, ZFMK Ar 24224. B. G. spiniphila Huber, 2020 from Colombia, near Papayal, ZFMK Ar 24221. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

FIG. 5. Typical habitats of Galapa spp. A–B. Galápagos, Santa Cruz, near Garrapatero beach and near Canal de Itabaca (G. bella). C. Colombia, Magdalena, near Santa Marta (G. gabito). D. Colombia, La Guajira, near Papayal (G. spiniphila). E–F. Costa Rica, Guanacaste, NW of Cañas and S of La Cruz (G. murphyi). Photos BAH.

FIG. 4. Known distribution of Galapa Huber, 2000.