Corythalia waleckii ( Taczanowski, 1871 )

Bayer, Steffen, Höfer, Hubert & Metzner, Heiko, 2020, Revision of the genus Corythalia C. L. Koch, 1850, part 1: Diagnosis and new species from South America (Araneae: Salticidae: Salticinae: Euophryini), Zootaxa 4806 (1), pp. 1-144 : 61-64

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4806.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:722DB6C9-2C18-48EB-B202-7F2AFF47F49F
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03D88781-FFA9-C16B-66AB-FC0C65D34A38
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Corythalia waleckii ( Taczanowski, 1871 )
status

Treatment

Corythalia waleckii ( Taczanowski, 1871) View in CoL

Figs 30 View FIGURE 30 A–E, 58F, 62G, 65H, 69C, 73C, 77B

Attus waleckii Taczanowski 1871: 89 (description of ♂). Syntypes, 2 ♂ from French Guiana: Cayenne : Îles du Salut, ca. 5°17’N, 52°35’W, about 5–50 m a.s.l., Konstanty Roman Jelski leg. 1865–1869, Władysław Taczanowski det., MIZ 225794–225795, examined GoogleMaps .

Dynamius placatus Peckham & Peckham 1901: 339 , pl. XXV, figs 11, 11a–c, pl. XXVI, fig. 2, partim, pl. XXV, figs 11a–c [not fig. 11!] misidentified (figs 11a–c: illustration of ♂ of C. waleckii ).

Corythalia View in CoL waleckii— Mello-Leitão 1948: 189 (transfer from Attus to Corythalia View in CoL ).

Corythalia View in CoL walecki— Platnick (2001) (unjustified emendation of the species name).

Additional material examined. TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: Trinidad: Port of Spain: Port of Spain, ca. 10°40’N, 61°30’W, about 50–150 m a.s.l.: 5 ♂ and 1 ♀ paralectotypes of Dynamius blandus (today Corythalia blanda ), misidentified, W.E. Broadway leg. 1888–1894, G.W. & E.G. Peckham Collection No. 651, MCZ 20545- III (ex MCZ 20545); 1 ♂ and 1 ♀ paralectotypes of Dynamius placatus (today Corythalia placata ), misidentified, W.E. Broadway leg. 1888–1894, G.W. & E.G. Peckham Collection No. 658, MCZ 22679- III (ex MCZ 22679) GoogleMaps . VENEZUELA: Estado Vargas: Macuto, Camuri Chico , ca. 10°36’N, 66°53’W, about 130 m a.s.l.: 4 ♂, 1 ♀, likely collected by Padre Cornelius Vogl 1925–1940, ex Collection C.F. Roewer RII/9741 SMF (collection number not yet given); 1 ♀ with the same data, except Padre Cornelius Vogl leg. 1925–1940 (definitely), ex Collection C.F. Roewer RII/10121, SMF (collection number not yet given) GoogleMaps .

Diagnosis. Males distinguished from those of all other Corythalia species by the following characters in combination: embolus (E) (actual tubular section) quite long [longer than 1.2x width of tegulum (T)], strong, S-shaped and distally (inconspicuously, but recognisable) evenly bifurcated ( Figs 30A View FIGURE 30 , 65H View FIGURE 65 ); distal section of E directed distally, E (pre-) subdistally widened; embolus base (EB) circle slightly broader than 2/3 the width of T ( Figs 30A View FIGURE 30 , 65H View FIGURE 65 ). Females distinguished from those of all other Corythalia species by the following characters in combination: connective duct between primary (PS) and secondary spermathecae (SS) narrow (width <1/5 the diameter of PS,> 1/7) and quite long (> 1.2x diameter of PS, <1.5x); SS with mainly longitudinal orientation, with heads of spermathcae arising posteriorly; copulatory ducts moderately long (shorter than width of SS); width of secondary spermathecae (SS) just slightly more than 1/2 the diameter of primary spermathecae (PS) ( Figs 30D View FIGURE 30 , 77B View FIGURE 77 ). Lateral margins of epigynal windows (W) mostly not evenly rounded, but with several small gaps ( Figs 30C View FIGURE 30 , 73C View FIGURE 73 ).

Description. Male (measurements of both syntype males as range first, those of additional males as range parentheses): total length 6.8–7.2 (5.8–6.2), carapace length 3.4–3.7 (2.9–3.6), maximal carapace width 2.6–2.8 (2.2–2.6), width of eye rectangle 2.1–2.1 (1.9–1.9), opisthosoma length 3.2–3.4 (2.5–2.8), opisthosoma width 2.2– 2.5 (2.0–2.2), fovea length 0.27–0.30 (0.23–0.23). EYES: AME 0.66–0.67 (0.55), ALE 0.38–0.39 (0.33), PME 0.10–0.11 (0.11), PLE 0.35–0.35 (0.30), AME–AME 0.04–0.06 (0.04), AME–ALE 0.07–0.08 (0.05), PME–PME 1.77–1.83 (1.67), PME–PLE 0.33–0.34 (0.28), ALE–PLE 0.82–0.86 (0.63), PLE–PLE 1.56–1.62 (1.49), clypeus height at AME 0.30–0.33 (0.26), clypeus height at ALE 0.75–0.75 (0.66). Cheliceral furrow with 1 promarginal and 1 retromarginal teeth (in all males). SPINATION (spination patterns of syntypes first, if differing, all states separated by comma; spination patterns of additional males in parentheses): palp: no spines. Legs: femur I 1500 (1600, 1600), II–IV 1600 (1600); patella I 1000 (1000), II 1000 (1010), III–IV 1010 (1010); tibia I 2025 (2025), II 3024, 2014 (3015), III–IV 3133 (3133); metatarsus I 2024, 2014 (2014), II 2024, 2014 (2024), III 3134 (3134), IV 3134, 4044 (3144). MEASUREMENT OF PALP AND LEGS: palp 3.0–3.2 (2.7) [1.1–1.2 (1.0), 0.5–0.5 (0.4), 0.3–0.3 (0.2), 1.1–1.2 (1.1)], I 6.3–6.4 (4.8) [2.1–2.2 (1.5), 1.1–1.2 (0.9), 1.3–1.3 (1.0–1.2), 1.1–1.2 (0.9), 0.6–0.6 (0.5)], II 6.5–6.6 (4.7) [2.2–2.2 (1.5), 1.1–1.2 (0.9–1.0), 1.3–1.4 (1.0–1.2), 1.2–1.2 (0.8), 0.6–0.7 (0.5–0.6)], III 7.9–8.0 (6.1) [2.5–2.5 (1.8), 1.3–1.3 (1.1), 1.5–1.5 (1.2), 1.8–1.8 (1.4–1.8), 0.8–0.9 (0.6–0.7)], IV 7.9–7.9 (6.1) [2.3–2.4 (1.7–2.3), 1.2–1.2 (1.1), 1.6–1.7 (1.3–1.7), 1.8–1.9 (1.4–1.6), 0.8–0.9 (0.6)]. LEG FORMULA: 3421, 4321 (4321). COPULATORY ORGAN: embolus (E) quite long [longer than 1.2x width of tegulum (T)], moderately broad, Sshaped and distally evenly bifurcated (even though slightly) ( Figs 30A View FIGURE 30 , 65H View FIGURE 65 ); embolus base (EB) circle more than 2/3 as broad as T; T slightly narrower than cymbium ( Figs 30A View FIGURE 30 , 65H View FIGURE 65 ); sperm duct double-stacked S-shaped, occupying about retrolateral 3/4 of T; proximal tegulum lobe may distinguished from remaining T-section, may not (if so, T retrolatero-proximally conically converging with blunt-rounded ending); cymbium in ventral view distally conically converging and at distalmost section rounded (even though in male syntypes cymbium distally slightly shrunken); palpal tibia quite short, broader than long ( Figs 30 View FIGURE 30 A–B, 65H, 69C) and ventral tibial bump in ventral view conical and distally rounded; RTA narrow, with retrolatero-distal direction and dorsally with serration ( Figs 30A View FIGURE 30 , 65H View FIGURE 65 ), in retrolateral view serration more clearly recognisable (30B, 69C). COLOURATION: see genus description for conservative aspects. Carapace dark red-brown ( Fig. 58F View FIGURE 58 ). Legs dark brown to red-brown, except for some articles being lighter (see genus description, except for distal sections of tibiae and metatarsi) ( Fig. 58F View FIGURE 58 ). Opisthosoma like noted in genus description under general dorsal colouration, chevron-like patch in central band present ( Fig. 58F View FIGURE 58 ).

Female (all females as range): total length 7.0–9.6, carapace length 3.5–3.8, maximal carapace width 2.3–2.8, width of eye rectangle 2.0–2.2, opisthosoma length 2.8–5.1, opisthosoma width 1.2–3.7, fovea length 0.22–0.29. EYES: AME 0.63–0.66, ALE 0.39–0.42, PME 0.12–0.16, PLE 0.33–0.37, AME–AME 0.05–0.06,AME–ALE 0.06– 0.09, PME–PME 1.72–1.91, PME–PLE 0.29–0.36, ALE–PLE 0.85–0.93, PLE–PLE 1.51–1.74, clypeus height at AME 0.29–0.40, clypeus height at ALE 0.71–0.84. Cheliceral furrow with 1 promarginal and 1 retromarginal teeth. SPINATION (spination patterns ordered by frequency): palp: no spines. Legs: femur I 1500, 1400, II–III 1500, IV 0600, 0500; patella I–II 1000, III–IV 1010; tibia I 2005, 2002, 2003, II 2005, 3024, 2002, 1002, III 3133, 2133, IV 3133; metatarsus I 2014, 2024, II 2024, 2014, III 3134, IV 4134, 3144. MEASUREMENT OF PALP AND LEGS: palp 2.8–3.6 [1.0–1.2, 0.6–0.7, 0.4–0.6, 0.8–1.1], I 5.5–6.5 [1.8–2.1, 1.0–1.3, 1.1–1.3, 1.0–1.1, 0.6–0.7], II 5.4–6.3 [1.8–2.1, 1.0–1.2, 1.1–1.3, 1.0–1.1, 0.5–0.6], III 6.3–7.4 [2.0–2.4, 1.1–1.2, 1.2–1.5, 1.3–1.6, 0.7–0.8], IV 6.6–7.5 [2.1–2.3, 1.0–1.1, 1.4–1.6, 1.4–1.7, 0.7–0.8]. LEG FORMULA: 4312. COPULATORY ORGAN: epigyne with elongated and more or less oval epigynal windows (W); septum of W very narrow and anteriorly diverging ( Figs 30C View FIGURE 30 , 73C View FIGURE 73 ); strongly converging lateral margins of W reaching clearly further anteriorly than anteriormost parts of margins of septum; epigynal field slightly broader than long; primary spermathecae (PS), visible through cuticle of W, filling almost up to proximal 2/3 of W from posterior ( Figs 30C View FIGURE 30 , 73C View FIGURE 73 ). Vulva with large and round PS; secondary spermathecae (SS) elongated drop-shaped to kidney-shaped with longitudinal orientation and with heads of spermathecae arising posteriorly ( Figs 30 View FIGURE 30 D–E, 77B); copulatory ducts moderately long and with antero-lateral direction; connective ducts between SS and PS narrow and almost straight, meeting primary spermathecae medially to anteromedially or ventro-antero-medially; fertilisation ducts narrow, arising centro-anteriorly (slightly shifted medially) on PS, bent laterally ( Figs 30 View FIGURE 30 D–E, 77B). COLOURATION: see genus description for conservative aspects. Carapace red-brown ( Fig. 62G View FIGURE 62 ). Legs red-brown, except for some articles being lighter (see genus description, except for distal sections of tibiae and metatarsi) ( Fig. 62G View FIGURE 62 ). Opisthosoma like noted in genus description under general dorsal colouration, chevron-like patch in central band present, but sometimes inconspicuous ( Fig. 62G View FIGURE 62 ).

Intraspecific variation of male and female copulatory organs. In males comparatively low: in many males both processes of the bifurcated embolus tip are slightly longer than in syntype in Figs 30A View FIGURE 30 & 65H View FIGURE 65 . Typical S-shape of embolus is minimally less distinct in several males. Proximal tegulum lobe is recognisable as such in some males but in others tegulum converging broad rounded conically in retrolatero-proximal direction. Females: lateral margins of epigynal windows not always with as many gaps as in female in Fig. 30C View FIGURE 30 , but sometimes only with few gaps ( Fig. 73C View FIGURE 73 ) or without gaps. Course of copulatory ducts may be (almost) transversal.

Remarks. According to the World Spider Catalog (2020), Mello-Leitão (1948) allegedly should have listed this species sub C. walecki (as emendation) and the World Spider Catalog (2020) still lists it under this diction. However, Mello-Leitão (1948) did list this species correctly as C. waleckii . The change to C. walecki by Platnick (2001) is not justified, because ‘Walecki’ is a common polish name and the Latin genitive case is thus ‘ waleckii’.

The species C. waleckii seems to be common and widely distributed. Several species exhibit similar basic structures of the male and female copulatory organs. Thus all these species (listed on the following pages) may be combined as the C. waleckii species-group. Males of this species-group share the following characters: (At least moderately) elongated, strong, (at least slightly) S-shaped and distally (at least inconspicuously but always recognisable) bifurcated embolus and the basic shape of tegulum (not distinctly broad or bulbous but also not distinctly elongated). Females have the following basic characters in common: elongated drop- or kidney-shaped secondary spermathecae, quite long and generally narrow connective ducts, more or less round primary spermathecae and (at least slightly) elongated (mostly oval) epigynal windows. In our opinion it is likely that these species sharing similar characters with fine gradual differences are close relatives.

Distribution. French Guiana, Guyana [according to Mello-Leitão (1948)], Trinidad, Venezuela.