Ponsoonops, Bolzern, 2014

Bolzern, Angelo, 2014, The Neotropical goblin spiders of the new genera Ponsoonops and Bipoonops (Araneae, Oonopidae), American Museum Novitates 2014 (3803), pp. 1-1 : 1-

Ponsoonops , new genus

TYPE SPECIES: Ponsoonops sanvito , new species.

ETYMOLOGY: The generic name refers to the “pierlike” dorsal scutum (in dorsal view) of male specimens and is masculine in gender.

DIAGNOSIS: Members of this genus are similar to members of the Dysderina , Scaphiella , and Varioonops complexes in their sexual dimorphism, with a dorsal abdominal scutum present in males, but absent in females. They differ from species of the Dysderina and Scaphiella complexes, except members of Pescennina , in having a highly patterned abdomen (except P. lavege with a uniformly pale abdomen, fig. 388). In addition, males differ from those two complexes in having the cymbium and bulb not fused (figs. 10–12, 70–72), and females differ in having a very short postepigastric scutum without extensions, almost as wide as (but not fused to) the epigastric scutum, and an indistinct epigynal area (figs. 42, 80, 81, 110, 359, 413, 428). Both sexes differ from members of the Scaphiella complex in having leg spines (fig. 26). Ponsoonops specimens differ from the closely related members of the Varioonops complex in having a smooth sternum surface (figs. 4, 34, 65, 76, 232, 292). Females differ in having the epigastric scutum surrounding the pedicel completely (figs. 79, 153, 168, 184, 286, 339, 412, 427), and in the presence of small lateral sclerites at the epigastric area (figs. 78, 110; probably not present in P. micans , fig. 428). Ponsoonops males differ from all known species in having a “pierlike” dorsal scutum, completely fused to the epigastric scutum (figs. 66, 67, 69), and the presence of a patch of short setae distoventrally on metatarsi I and II (figs. 28, 29, 316, 317).

DESCRIPTION: Total length of males 1.0–1.7, of females 1.3–1.9. Carapace, sternum, mouthparts, abdominal scuta typically pale orange to dark red-brown, legs typically pale orange, without any pattern, abdomen soft portions typically with pale yellow-reddish ground color and brown to dark purple-brown spots, indistinct wide netlike pattern, anteriorly often narrowly striped, cardiac mark pale, posteriorly with two pale lines (except in P. lavega , which is completely pale without color pattern), females more intensely colored. Cephalothorax: Carapace broadly oval in dorsal view (moderately hexagonal in some species), anteriorly narrowed to 0.49 times its maximum width or less, pars cephalica slightly elevated in lateral view, anterolateral corners without extension or projections, with rounded posterolateral corners, without depressions or radiating rows of pits, posterolateral edge without pits, posterior margin not bulging below posterior rim, posterolateral surface without spikes; surface of elevated portion and sides of pars cephalica finely reticulate, sometimes cephalic portion almost smooth; fovea absent, lateral margin undulate, rebordered, without denticles; plumose setae near posterior margin of pars thoracica absent; marginal, nonmarginal pars cephalica, pars thoracica setae needlelike, scattered. Clypeus slightly rebordered, moderately curved downward in front view, vertical in lateral view, ALE separated from edge of carapace by their radius or more, median projection absent; setae needlelike. Chilum absent. Six eyes, in some species moderately reduced, all eyes subequal, ALE oval, PME almost squared, PLE almost oval; posterior eye row typically straight (only moderately pro- or recurved) from above, moderately procurved from front; ALE separated by their radius to diameter, ALE-PLE touching or separated by less than ALE radius, PME