Strotarchus monasticus, Bonaldo, Alexandre B., Saturnino, Regiane, Ramírez, Martín J. & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2012

Bonaldo, Alexandre B., Saturnino, Regiane, Ramírez, Martín J. & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2012, A revision of the American spider genus Strotarchus Simon, 1888 (Araneae: Dionycha, Systariinae), Zootaxa 3363, pp. 1-37 : 17-18

Strotarchus monasticus new species

Figs. 66 , 77−80

Type material. Male holotype and three female paratypes from Desierto de Los Leones [99º19.8'W, 19º15.0'N], 2900 m el., Districto Federal, Mexico, Aug. 15−29, 1941, H. Wagner coll. deposited in AMNH (1 male, 1 female), MPEG 19114 (1 female) and IBSP 43403 (1 female); female paratype (Aug. 4, 1946) and male paratype from same locality (Mar. 13, 1941) Goodnight coll. ( AMNH); male paratype from Districto Federal [99º6.18'W, 19º14.4'N], Mexico, 1941−1942, H. Wagner coll.; 1 female paratype from Morelos, Cuernavaca [99º15'W, 18º55.2'N], 1700 m el., Sept. 1941, H. Wagner coll. ( AMNH); 1 female paratype and 6 juveniles (May 8, 1963, W.J. Gertsch & W. Ivie) and 1 female paratype (Sept. 1941, H. Wagner coll.) from Guarnica Pass (summit 9.300 ft., 100º55'W, 19º40'N).

Etymology. The specific name refers to the ancient monastery of Carmelites, established in the woods of the Parque Nacional Desierto de Los Leones, the type locality. Presently, it serves as an entertainment and tourist site.

Diagnosis. Males of Strotarchus monasticus n. sp. resemble those of S. praedator by the extremely developed embolar process. Differ by the shorter embolar apices (and distal part of cymbium) and by the triangular embolar process, presenting a flattened, entire apical projection ( Figs. 77, 78 ). Females differ from those of other species with convergent copulatory ducts by the semi-circular atrium with a sinuous posterior margin ( Figs. 79, 80 ).

Description. Male (Desierto de Los Leones, DF, Mexico). Carapace orange, cephalic area red brown. Chelicerae red brown, fangs black. Endites and labium red brown, with white distal area. Sternum yellow with brown margins. Legs orange, with ventral face of coxae, metatarsi and tarsi red brown. Abdomen dark gray, spinnerets orange. Total length 14.50. Carapace 6.70 long, 5.40 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.22, ALE 0.20, PME 0.22, PLE 0.20. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal teeth, the median largest, and 2 retromarginal teeth, separated by twice their width. Leg measurements: femur I 5.90/ II 5.50/ III 4.50/ IV 5.50. Leg spination: I—femur d1-1-0, p0-1-1, r0; tibia d0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0, v2-2 -2; metatarsus d0, p1-0-1, r0-0-1, v2-1 p- 1p. II—femur d1-1-0, p0-1-1, r0; tibia d0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0, v2-2 -2; metatarsus d0, p1-1-1, r1-1-1, v2-2 -2. III—femur d1-1-0, p1-1-1, r0-1-1; tibia d0-1-0, p1-1-0, r1-1- 0, v2-2 -2; metatarsus d0-1-0, p1-1-2, r1-1-2, v2-2 - 1m. IV—femur d1-1-0, p0-0-1, r0-0-1; tibia d0, p1-1-0, r0 or 0- 1-0, v1 p-2-2; metatarsus d0-1-0, p1-1-2, r1-1-2, v2-2 - 1m. Palpal tibiae approximately half of the length of the cymbium; RTA square, with rounded tip; ppRTA small, with rounded tip; laRTA present. Tegulum sub-circular, proximal fold of reservoir prolaterally oriented; TA developed and rounded, slightly pointed distally; BEF restricted to retrolateral side of bulbus, transversally disposed in relation to tegulum; EP with flattened apical projection; EA arising retrolaterally ( Figs. 77, 78 ).

Female (Deserto de Los Leones, DF, Mexico). Coloration as in male, except abdomen gray, with darker transverse dorsal stripes. Total length 10.50. Carapace 4.70 long, 3.70 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.24, ALE 0.22, PME 0.22, PLE 0.24. Cheliceral teeth as in male. Leg measurements: femur I 3.80/ II 3.50/ III 3.10/ IV 3.80. Leg spination: I—femur d1-1-0, p0-0-1, r0; tibia d0, p0-1-0, r0, v2-2 -0; metatarsus d0, p0-0-1, r0-0-1, v2-2 - 1m. II—femur d1-1-0, p0-1-1, r0; tibia d0, p0-1-0, r0, v2-2 -0; metatarsus d0, p0-0-1, r0, v2-2 - 1m. III—femur d1-1-0, p0-1-1, r0- 1-1; tibia d0-1-0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0, v1 p-2-2; metatarsus d0-1-1, p1-1-2, r1-1-2, v2-2 -2. IV—femur d1-1-0, p0-0-1, r0- 0-1; tibia d0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0, v1 p-1p-2; metatarsus d0-1-0, p1-1-2, r1-1-2, v2-2 -2. Epigynum: atrium sub-oval, anterior margin rounded, posterior margin with two lateral projections; AP rounded posteriorly, median slit without lateral notches, almost circular anteriorly; CD heavily helicoid; GK small, globular, slightly constricted at base, posteriorly oriented; SS not constricted, gently curved posteriorly; S globose with a rounded anterior protuberance ( Figs. 79, 80 ).

Variation. Three males: total length 14.50−15.50; carapace 5.20−6.70; femur I 4.70−6.00; eight females: total length 9.30−15.80; carapace 4.20−6.10; femora I 3.50−5.00.

Distribution. Mexico.

Other material examined. None.

Figures

FIGURES 66 – 69. Strotarchus monasticus new species, female: 66) epigynum, dorsal. Strotarchus tropicus (Mello-Leitão, 1917), female: 67) epigynum, dorsal. Strotarchus piscatorius (Hentz, 1847), female: 68) epigynum, dorsal. Strotarchus planeticus Edwards, 1958, female: 69) epigynum, dorsal. Scale bar = 0.2 mm. Abbreviations: A ― Atrium; AP ― Atrial pocket; CD ― Copulatory ducts; FD ― Fertilization ducts; GK ― Glandular knob; S ― Spermathecae; SS ― Spermathecae stalk.

FIGURES 73 – 80. Strotarchus praedator (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1898), male: 73) palp, ventral; 74) palp, retrolateral. Strotarchus nebulosus Simon, 1888, female: 75) epigynum, ventral; 76) epigynum, dorsal. Strotarchus monasticus new species, male: 77) palp, ventral; 78) palp, retrolateral; female: 79) epigynum, ventral; 80) epigynum, dorsal. Scale bar = 0.5 mm: 73 - 74, 77 - 78; 0.25 mm: 75 - 76, 79 - 80. Abbreviations: A ― Atrium; AP ― Atrial pocket; BEF ― Basal embolar fold; CD ― Copulatory ducts; EA ― Embolar apex; EB ― Embolar basis; EP ― Embolar process; FD ― Fertilization ducts; GK ― Glandular knob; laRTA ― Apical lamella of Retrolateral tibial apophysis; ppRTA ― Prolateral process of Retrolateral tibial apophysis; S ― Spermathecae; SS ― Spermathecae stalk; TA ― tegular apophysis.