Genus Katissa Brescovit, 1997

Type species

Anyphaena simplicipalpis Simon, 1897 .

Composition

Katissa delicatula (Banks, 1909), K. elegans (Banks, 1909), K. guayasamini sp. nov., K. kurusiki sp. nov., K. lycosoides (Chickering, 1937), K. puyu sp. nov., K. simplicipalpis (Simon, 1897), K. tamya sp. nov., K. yaya sp. nov., K. zimarae (Reimoser, 1939) .

Diagnosis (Adapted from Brescovit 1997: 53)

Carapace sub-rectangular (Fig. 1); posterior eye row procurved (Fig. 1); male palpal cybium narrow, elongated; embolic base wide, prolaterally protruding (Fig. 2); females epigynum with epigynal Fap hiding the copulatory openings (Fig. 5); lateral epigynal grooves sinuous, basally positioned (Fig. 5). Furthermore, Katissa is distinguished from Isigonia Simon, 1897, by its rather Fat carapace, convex in the latter (Brescovit 1997: Fg. 113).

Description

For a complete description, see Brescovit (1997: 53), only new information is presented here.

LEGS. Leg formula 1423 in males and 4123 in females (except for females of K. kurusiki sp. nov. and K. guyasamini sp. nov.).

LEGS SPINATION RECURRENCE. Femora I–IV d1-1-1; metatarsi III–IV p1-1-1, r1-1-1.

MALE GENTALIA. Retrolateral palpal tibial apophysis variable, distally rounded (Fig. 3), plate-like (Fig. 8), bipartite (Fig. 13) or elongated ventrally with a small basal spur dorsally (Figs 18, 23). Palpal tibia variable, shorter (Figs 3, 8, 18, 23) or longer than cymbium (Fig. 13). Male embolic base large, protruding prolaterally (Fig. 2); embolus ribbon-like with distal part usually pale, weakly sclerotized (Figs 2, 12, 17).

FEMALE GENITALIA. Epigynum slightly sclerotized; medially with an epigynal Fap of various shape, either wing-shaped (Figs 5, 15), V-shaped (Figs 10, 25) to knob-shaped (Fig. 20); lateral epigynal grooves sinuous, positioned posteriorly (Figs 5, 10, 15, 20, 25); copulatory openings situated under the epigynal Fap, not visible. Internal genitalia with oval (Figs 6, 16, 21) to bean-shaped (Fig. 26) spermathecae; copulatory ducts long and convoluted (Figs 6, 21) to short and sinuous (Figs 11, 16, 26); seminal receptacles positioned at the beginning of copulatory ducts (Figs 6, 21, 26).

Notes

The length of the embolus appears to be correlated to the length of the copulatory ducts of the female internal genitalia. For example, the longest embolus (Figs 2, 17) found in Katissa kurusiki sp. nov. and Katissa tamya sp. nov., correspond to the females with the longest copulatory ducts (Figs 6, 21). On the other end, the male of Katissa yaya sp. nov. has a short embolus (Fig. 12) matching the females with short copulatory ducts (Fig. 16). The epigynum in Katissa species are slightly sclerotized and bear curved lateral epigynal grooves that could serve to direct the embolus in the copulatory openings situated under the epigynal Fap, which is somewhat more sclerotized. The internal genitalia of Katissa kurusiki sp. nov., K. tamya sp. nov. and K. guayasamini sp. nov. all have seminal receptacles situated at the beginning of the copulatory ducts (Figs 6, 21, 26).

Distribution

Costa Rica, Panama, Lesser Antilles, Ecuador and Peru.