Galapa murphyi 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 : 330-338

Galapa murphyi Huber sp. nov.

Figs 2A–D , 3A , 25–32

Diagnosis. Males are easily distinguished from known congeners by bifid retrolateral process on procursus ( Figs 25B , 29C ); also by slightly spiraling distal bulbal apophysis ( Fig. 25 ). Females are barely distinguishable from known congeners; posterior epigynal plate medially not divided (South American species with indistinct median division); main epigynal plate shorter than in species from Galapagos and posteriorly not indented medially (as opposed to most G. spiniphila morphs); internal genitalia with bilobed or rectangular membranous structure ( Fig. 32D–I ; similar to G. gabito ), without median membranous process (as opposed to G. spiniphila ); without internal sclerite as in G. gabito .

Etymology. The species name honors the British arachnologist John Murphy (1922–2021), who first discovered this species.

Type material. COSTA RICA: Guanacaste • ♂ holotype; near Playa Iguanita , ‘site 2’; 10.6281°N, 85.6199°W; 125 m a.s.l.; roadside; 30 May 2022; B.A. Huber leg.; ZFMK Ar 24223 • 7 ♂, 7 ♀, paratypes, plus two cleared female abdomens; same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK Ar 24224 .

Other material examined. COSTA RICA: Guanacaste • 5 ♂, 20 ♀, 5 juvs, in pure ethanol (one female prosoma used for molecular work; two males and two females used for SEM; two cleared female abdomens transferred to ZFMK Ar 24224); same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK CR97 • 2 ♂; 4 km S of Lagunilla , ‘site 2’; 10.235°N, 85.656°W; 330–350 m a.s.l.; roadside; 31 May–1 Jun. 2022; B.A. Huber leg.; ZFMK Ar 24225 • 2 ♀, 8 juvs, in pure ethanol; same collection data as for preceding; ZFMK CR103 • 6 ♂, 4 ♀, plus two cleared female abdomens; 2 km NW of Cañas ; 10.4443°N, 85.1178°W; 55 m a.s.l.; roadside; 26–27 May 2022; B.A. Huber leg.; ZFMK Ar 24226 • 3 ♂, 18 ♀, 8 juvs, in pure ethanol (two cleared female abdomens transferred to ZFMK Ar 24226); same collection data as for preceding; ZFMK CR78 • 3 ♂, 4 ♀, 4 juvs; Cañas (see Remark below); 10.43°N, 85.09°W; 90 m a.s.l.; forest leaf litter; 15 Aug. 1983; J. Murphy leg.; Murphy collection #11383; MMUE • 2 ♂, 4 ♀, 1 juv.; same collection data as for preceding; Murphy collection #11318; MMUE • 1 juv., in pure ethanol, identity confirmed by CO1 barcode; 2 km SW of Quebrada Grande ; 10.8325°N, 85.5132°W; 265 m a.s.l.; degraded forest; 28 May 2022; B.A. Huber leg; ZFMK CR86 .

Assigned tentatively (see male variation below)

COSTA RICA: Guanacaste • 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 1 juv.; 6 km S of La Cruz , ‘site 2’; 11.0141°N, 85.6370°W; 250 m a.s.l.; dry forest and bushes; 29 May 2022; B.A. Huber leg.; ZFMK Ar 24227 • 1 ♀, in pure ethanol; same collection data as for preceding; ZFMK CR89 .

COLOMBIA: Magdalena • 3 ♂, 2 ♀; ca. 50 km SW of Santa Marta, Rio Frio ; 10.90°N, 74.17°W; 25 m a.s.l.; humid leaf litter in banana plantation; 22 Jul. 1985; H.G. Müller leg.; MHNG .

Assigned tentatively (no male specimens available, not sequenced)

COSTA RICA: Guanacaste • 1 juv., in pure ethanol; 1.5 km N of Guacalito ; 10.9848°N, 85.6153°W; 235 m a.s.l.; forest; 29 May 2022; B.A. Huber leg.; ZFMK CR91 • 1 ♀; 2 km NW of Bagaces ; 10.5448°N, 85.2668°W; 115 m a.s.l.; roadside dry litter; 27 May 2022; B.A. Huber leg.; ZFMK Ar 24228 • 3 ♀, 1 juv., in pure ethanol; same collection data as for preceding; ZFMK CR82 • 1 juv., in pure ethanol; 5 km NW of Cañas, at Corobici River ; 10.453°N, 85.129°W to 10.459°N, 85.124°W; 50–60 m a.s.l.; forest; 26 May 2022; B.A. Huber leg.; ZFMK CR73 .

Remark. The labels accompanying the specimens of J. Murphy do not specify the locality beyond “ Guanacaste ”. However, Platnick et al. (2012) published on goblin spiders collected by J. Murphy on the same day, and with the same ecological (“forest leaf litter”) and altitude data (90 m), giving Cañas as locality. We thus assume that the specimens were collected in or near Cañas.

Description.

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS.Total body length 1.12, carapace width 0.42. Distance PME-PME 40 µm; diameter PME 40 µm; distance PME-ALE 20 µm; distance AME-AME 10 µm; diameter AME 25 µm. Leg 1: 1.94 (0.52 + 0.14 + 0.50 + 0.46+ 0.32), tibia 2: 0.40, tibia 3: 0.34, tibia 4: 0.56; tibia 1 L/d: 9; diameters of leg femora 0.090, of leg tibiae: 0.055.

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

BODY. Habitus as in Fig. 2A . Ocular area not raised ( Fig. 27A, B ). Carapace without thoracic groove ( Fig. 27A ). Clypeus slightly more protruding than in female (compare Fig. 27B and D ), with cluster of ~18 hairs directed towards dorsal ( Fig. 27C ) and sclerotized rim. Sternum slightly wider than long (0.32/0.30), with pair of small anterior processes near coxae 1 (20 µm long, 20 µm diameter at basis). Abdomen globular. Gonopore without epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 28E, F ; two males studied with SEM). ALS with one strongly widened spigot, one long pointed spigot, and five cylindrical spigots of which one is much wider than the others ( Fig. 28A ); PMS with two conical spigots ( Fig. 28A ); PLS without spigots.

CHELICERAE. As in Fig. 3A ; with stridulatory files consisting of ~32 ridges, distances between ridges 1.5 µm throughout ( Fig. 27F ); fang with proximal rounded process ( Fig. 27E ).

PALPS. As in Figs 25 , 29A–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. 29E ), diameter 5 µm, diameter of opening 1.2 µm; procursus with distinctive bifid retrolateral-distal process and with dorsal process curved towards prolateral and lodged in pocket of genital bulb; genital bulb with slightly spiraling distal apophysis ( Fig. 25 ) and small prolateral apophysis subdistally (arrow in Figs 25A , 29D ); sperm duct opening on prolateral-ventral side directly on bulb ( Fig. 29D ).

LEGS. Without spines and curved hairs. With round cuticular plates ( Figs 30E , 31F ; diameter 4–5 µm) and rimmed pores ( Fig. 31F ; outer diameter 3 µm, diameter of opening 0.4 µm) apparently on all leg segments. Sexually dimorphic short vertical hairs present on tibia 1 ( Fig. 30A ), barely visible in dissecting microscope, length 17 µm, diameter at basis 1.2 µm. Chemoreceptive hairs similar in size (length 14 µm, diameter at basis 1.4 µm) but with side branch ( Fig. 30F, G ). Retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 60%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1. Tarsus 1 with five pseudosegments, poorly visible in dissecting microscope; leg tarsal organs capsulate ( Fig. 31A–D ), outer diameter 2–3 µm, diameter of opening 0.8–1.0 µm. Main tarsal claws with 9–11 tines ( Fig. 30F ); claws of tarsus 4 different from others (tines more directed towards distal; cf. Fig. 30H ).

Variation (male)

Tibia 1 in 20 other males from Guanacaste (except northern Guanacaste): 0.45–0.54 (mean 0.49). The male from northern Guanacaste (6 km S of La Cruz) differs slightly in the position and shape of the bifid retrolateral-distal process on the procursus ( Fig 26 —more proximal position on procursus; directed more towards lateral than towards proximal). In addition, the distal bulbal apophysis is slightly thinner, and the CO1 distances between a specimen from this locality and three other sequenced specimens were relatively high, at 9.4–10.1%. This male (and the accompanying specimens from this locality) are thus assigned tentatively to this species; tibia 1: 0.54. The three males from Colombia are in very bad condition (bleached) and thus difficult to compare; their palps are slightly smaller, but the bifid retrolateral-distal process on the procursus seems to be as in the holotype; tibia 1: 0.48, 0.48, 0.54.

Female

In general, similar to male ( Fig. 2B–D ) but sternum without pair of anterior humps, chelicerae without stridulatory files ( Fig. 27G ), cheliceral fangs unmodified, clypeus less protruding ( Fig. 27D ) and without sclerotized rim, carapace with shorter hairs, and palpal tarsal organ less raised ( Fig. 29F ) and slightly smaller (diameter 4 µm, diameter of opening 1.2 µm). Tibia 1 in 19 females from Guanacaste (except northern Guanacaste): 0.39 – 0.48 (mean 0.44); in female from northern Guanacaste: 0.49; in females from Colombia: 0.42, 0.44. Epigynum ( Figs 28D , 32A– C ) with simple semicircular anterior plate, weakly protruding, posteriorly not indented medially; posterior plate short and simple, undivided medially. Internal genitalia ( Fig. 32D–I ) very simple, apparently without pore plates; with rectangular or bilobed membranous structure (without median process), covered by posterior epigynal plate.

Natural history. The spiders were found under rocks and in dry leaf litter in exposed habitats, in open spaces of dry forests and on roadsides ( Fig. 5E, F ). No specimens were found in neighboring, more forested and humid sites. Two egg-sacs contained four and five eggs, respectively; egg diameters: 0.41–0.43. In glass vials, both males and females built small webs on which they were seen resting a few hours after being captured ( Fig. 2D ).

Distribution. Known from several localities in Guanacaste, Costa Rica ( Fig. 4 ). Specimens from northern Guanacaste are assigned tentatively, either because the only available male differs slightly (see Variation above) and CO1 distances to other sequenced specimens are relatively high (9.4–10.1%), or because no adult specimens are available. Specimens from Colombia are assigned tentatively because they are in very bad condition and cannot be properly compared.

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. 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. 25. Galapa murphyi Huber sp. n.; from Costa Rica, near Playa Iguanita, ZFMK Ar 24224. Left male palp in prolateral (A), dorsal (B), and retrolateral (C) views; arrow in A points at prolateral distal apophysis. Abbreviations: da, distal apophysis of genital bulb; dp, dorsal process of procursus; pr, procursus; rp, retrolateral-distal process of procursus. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

FIG. 26. Galapa murphyi Huber sp. n.; male palpal tarsi and procursi (and neighboring palpal elements) in dorsal and retrolateral views (cf. Fig. 25). A, B. From Costa Rica, near Playa Iguanita, ZFMK Ar 24224. C, D. From Costa Rica, 6 km S of La Cruz, ZFMK Ar 24227. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

FIG. 27. Galapa murphyi Huber sp. n., from Costa Rica, near Playa Iguanita. A, B. Male prosoma, frontal and lateral views. C. Male ocular area and clypeus, oblique frontal view. D. Female ocular area and clypeus, lateral view. E. Process on right male cheliceral fang. F. Stridulatory file on left male chelicera. G. Lateral side of left female chelicera, showing absence of stridulatory file. Scale bars: 100 µm (A–D), 10 µm (E–G).

FIG. 28. Galapa murphyi Huber sp. n., from Costa Rica, near Playa Iguanita. A. Male ALS and PMS. B, C. Female ALS and PMS. D. Epigynum, ventral view. E, F. Male gonopores of two specimens, ventral views. Abbreviations: aep, anterior (main) epigynal plate; ALS, anterior lateral spinneret; pep, posterior epigynal plate; PMS, posterior median spinneret. Scale bars: 10 µm (A–C, E, F), 100 µm (D).

FIG. 29. Galapa murphyi Huber sp. n., from Costa Rica, near Playa Iguanita. A–D. Left male palp, retrolateral-dorsal to prolateral ventral views; arrow in D points at prolateral distal apophysis. E. Male palpal tarsal organ. F. Tip of female palp, showing tarsal organ and subterminal invagination (arrow). Abbreviations: b, genital bulb; rp, retrolateral-distal process of procursus; sd, sperm duct opening; to, tarsal organ (covered by dirt). Scale bars: 100 µm (A–D), 2 µm (E, F).

FIG. 30. Galapa murphyi Huber sp. n., from Costa Rica, near Playa Iguanita. A. ‘Short vertical hairs’ on right male tibia 1, prolateral view. B. Distal end of right male metatarsus 1, prolateral view, showing putative chemoreceptors (arrows). C. Putative chemoreceptor on male metatarsus 4, retrolateral view. D. Basis of trichobothrium on male tibia 4. E. Basis of trichobothrium on left male metatarsus 3, together with cuticular plate (arrow) and regular mechanoreceptor. F. Tip of left male tarsus 2, retrolateral view. G. Tip of left female tarsus 3, retrolateral view. H. Tip of left female tarsus 4, retrolateral view. Scale bars: 10 µm (A, B, E–H), 2 µm (C, D).

FIG. 31. Galapa murphyi Huber sp. n., from Costa Rica, near Playa Iguanita. A. Tarsal organ on left male tarsus 1. B, C. Tarsal organ and regular mechanoreceptors on left male tarsus 2; arrow points at slit sensillum. D. Tarsal organ on left male tarsus 4. E. Tarsal organ on left female tarsus 4. F. Cuticular plate and rimmed pore (and basis of regular mechanoreceptor) on left male metatarsus 4, dorsal view. Scale bars: 2 µm (A–C, E), 1 µm (D), 10 µm (F).

FIG. 32. Galapa murphyi Huber sp. n.; female abdomens, ventral views, and cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. A, B, D–G. Two specimens from Costa Rica, near Playa Iguanita, ZFMK Ar 24224. C, H, I. From 2 km NW of Cañas, ZFMK Ar 24226. Scale bars: 0.2 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.