Phonotimpus puente sp. nov.

Figures 274–276, 323–326

Type material. Female holotype taken at Cueva de la Puente, elev. 3000 m, 40 km E San Luis Potosí, Municipio de Zaragoza, San Luis Potosí, Mexico (May 16, 1972; R. Ralph, W. Elliott, M. McEachern), deposited in AMNH. This is a large cave, containing over a mile of streams and a sizable fauna (Elliott 1973, p. 51).

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Female resembles those of P. schulzefenai in abdominal color pattern and epigynum, but have a wide copulatory opening and an hourglass-shaped copulatory duct chamber, about as long as spermathecae, bursae long, tapered (Figs 274–276).

Description. Male: Unknown.

Female (holotype): Total length 1.83. Carapace pale yellow, with dark lateral margins, ill-defined paramedian bands of dark maculations, pars cephalica with pair of longitudinal maculations extending back from posterior lateral eyes plus inverted T-shaped dark maculation encompassing thoracic groove, pars thoracica steeply sloping, pars cephalica almost flat; sternum, mouthparts pale yellow, unmarked, each cheliceral paturon with two erect bristles near base; abdomen widened posteriorly, dark gray, with pair of V-shaped white markings, almost meeting medially, immediately behind scutum, followed posteriorly by five white chevrons, scutum almost rectangular, covering almost all of abdomen width at front, extending over one-third of abdomen length, venter white with two dark gray longitudinal bands (Figs 323–326); legs yellow, dissected but apparently without distinct dark markings. Leg spination: femora: I p0-0-2; II d1-0-0, p0-0-1; III–IV d1-0-0; tibiae: I v4-4-4; II v4-4-2; metatarsi I, II v2-2-3.

Epigynum long, wide copulatory opening near the anterior epigynal margin; copulatory ducts extending posteriorly, contiguous, heavily sclerotized, in combination with copulatory opening forming an hourglass shape copulatory duct chamber, about as long as primary spermathecae; long tubular bursae arising at posterolateral side of copulatory duct chamber, extending anteriorly, surrounding copulatory-duct-chamber and opening; pear-shaped primary spermathecae contiguous anteriorly, about as long as copulatory duct chamber, occupying posterior one-third of epigynum length, touching the posterior epigynal margin (Figs 274–276).

Distribution. Known only from a cave in the Municipio de Zaragoza in southwestern San Luis Potosí (Fig. 339).