Ibotyporanga piojo Huber, 2024

Huber, Bernhard A., Meng, Guanliang, Král, Jiří, Ávila Herrera, Ivalú M. & Carvalho, Leonardo S., 2024, Diamonds in the rough: Ibotyporanga (Araneae, Pholcidae) spiders in semi-arid Neotropical environments, European Journal of Taxonomy 963, pp. 1-169 : 46-49

Ibotyporanga piojo Huber sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:CB691C7E-37C2-4207-A748-34C3D49D578C

Figs 25D–E , 26 , 38–41

Diagnosis

Males are easily distinguished from all known congeners by shape of procursus ( Fig. 39A–C ; strongly widened in lateral view, distally bent towards retrolateral, with semitransparent prolateral branch) and by strong prolateral apophysis on embolus (arrow in Fig. 39D ). Females very similar to those of I. walekeru sp. nov. and I. bariro , but with more strongly curved epigynal pocket ( Fig. 40C ) and internal genitalia with pair of distinct tubes (arrows in Fig. 40C ; very similar to I. walekeru but different from I. bariro ). Males and females also differ from all known congeners by their small size (carapace width 0.6) and short legs (tibia 1 <0.75).

Etymology

The species name is derived from the type locality; noun in apposition.

Type material

Holotype

COLOMBIA – Atlántico • ♂; near Piojo, Reserva Natural Los Charcones ; 10.757° N, 75.095° W; 210 m a.s.l.; 23 Sep. 2022; B.A. Huber leg.; MUSENUV-Ar 2739 .

Paratypes

COLOMBIA – Atlántico • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; MUSENUV-Ar 2740 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK Ar 24353 .

Other material examined

COLOMBIA – Atlántico • 1 ♀, 5 juvs, in pure ethanol; same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK Col316 .

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 1.7, carapace width 0.58. Distance PME–PME 50 µm; diameter PME 50 µm; distance PME–ALE 25 µm; distance AME–AME 15 µm; diameter AME 30 µm. Leg 1: 2.82 (0.77+0.20 +0.68 +0.77 + 0.40), tibia 2: 0.60, tibia 3: 0.57, tibia 4: 0.78; tibia 1 L/d: 8; diameters of leg femora 0.13–0.14, of leg tibiae 0.08–0.09.

COLOUR (in ethanol). Prosoma and legs light ochre-yellow, carapace medially and ocular area slightly darker ochre; abdomen pale gray with indistinct darker internal marks dorsally and laterally; ventrally with light ochre plates in front of gonopore and in front of spinnerets.

BODY. Habitus as in Fig. 25D . Ocular area slightly raised. Carapace with distinct but shallow thoracic groove. Clypeus with sclerotized rim with median notch. Sternum slightly wider than long (0.45/0.38), with small but distinct anterior processes near coxae 1 (~30 µm high, 30 µm diameter at basis). Abdomen globular.

CHELICERAE. As in Fig. 40A–B ; with strong median frontal apophysis; stridulatory files very fine and poorly visible in dissecting microscope.

PALPS. As in Fig. 38 ; coxa and trochanter unmodified; femur proximally with retrolateral process not directed toward distal, with prolateral stridulatory pick, distally widened but unmodified; femur-patella joints not shifted toward one side; patella dorsally as long as medially wide; tibia with two trichobothria in relatively proximal position; tibia-tarsus joints shifted toward retrolateral side; tarsus without dorsal process; procursus ( Fig. 39A–C ) strongly widened in lateral view, distally bent towards retrolateral, with semitransparent prolateral branch; genital bulb ( Fig. 39D–F ) with distinct prolateral sclerite on bulbous part, with strong prolateral apophysis on embolus.

LEGS. Without spines but with longer and slightly stronger hairs ventrally on femora; without curved hairs; with many short vertical hairs on tibiae 1 and 2; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 54%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1; tarsus 1 with ~4–5 pseudosegments, distally fairly distinct.

Variation (male)

Other male slightly darker. Tibia 1 in second male 0.70.

Female

In general, similar to male ( Fig. 25E ) but slightly darker, carapace also laterally with light brown bands, clypeus and legs light brown; clypeus and sternum unmodified; tibiae with few short vertical hairs. Tibia 1 in three females. 0.63, 0.70, 0.70. Epigynum ( Fig. 41A ) anterior plate oval, wider than long, posterior margin almost straight, with strongly curved anterior pocket; posterior plate wide and short. Internal genitalia ( Figs 40C , 41B–C ) with pair of oval pore plates, membranous ‘valve’, and pair of indistinct membranous tubes apparently leading into very thin-walled globular ‘receptacles’.

Distribution

Known from type locality only, in Colombia, Atlántico ( Fig. 26 ).

Natural history

The spiders were found in a dry forest where they occupied dry wood that was lying on the floor and that had been heavily mined by termites. Two egg sacs were flattened and contained 7 and 8 eggs, respectively (in one case all eggs in a single layer), with an egg diameter of 0.46–0.48.

Figures

Fig. 25. Ibotyporanga spp., live specimens, part one (cf. Figs 55, 73). A. I. ziruma Huber sp. nov., female with egg sac from Colombia, Magdalena, Santa Marta. B–C. I. walekeru Huber sp. nov., male from Colombia, La Guajira, S of Riohacha, and female with egg sac from Colombia, Cesar, ESE of Pueblo Bello. D–E. I. piojo Huber sp. nov., male and female with egg sac from Colombia, Atlántico, near Piojo. F–G. I. itatim Huber sp. nov., male and female with egg sac from Brazil, Bahia, W of Itatim. H–I. I. xique Huber sp. nov., male and female with egg sac from Brazil, Bahia, S of Xique-Xique.

Fig. 26. Known geographic distribution of Northern SouthAmerican species.Abbreviation:A=Atlántico.

Fig. 38. Ibotyporanga piojo Huber sp. nov., male from Colombia, Atlántico, near Piojo, ZFMK Ar 24353. Left palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Scale line: 0.3 mm.

Fig. 39. Ibotyporanga piojo Huber sp. nov., male from Colombia, Atlántico, near Piojo, ZFMK Ar 24353. A–C. Left tarsus and procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. D–F. Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views (arrow: distinctive apophysis on embolus). Scale lines: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 40. Ibotyporanga piojo Huber sp. nov., male and female from Colombia, Atlántico, near Piojo, ZFMK Ar 24353. A–B. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. C. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view (bold arrows: internal tubes). Abbreviations: ep=epigynal pocket; pp = pore plate. Scale lines: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 41. Ibotyporanga piojo Huber sp. nov., female from Colombia, Atlántico, near Piojo, ZFMK Ar 24353. A. Abdomen, ventral view. B–C. Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. Abbreviations: ep=epigynal pocket; pp =pore plate. Scale lines: 0.2 mm.