Chrysometa chuchaqui sp. nov.

Figs 4B, 5–9, 11

Type material. Holotype ♂, near Bellavista Lodge and Tandayapa Cloud Forest Station, parroquia de Nanegalito, provincia de Pichincha, República del Ecuador (0°00'43.5"S 78°41'04.2"W), 26 January 2024, Peñaherrera-R., P. leg. (ZSFQ-i20623) . Paratypes 2♀ (ZSFQ-i20624; ZSFQ-i20625), same data as holotype .

Other material examined. None.

Etymology. The specific epithet is an apposition taken from the quechuism generally used by Ecuadorians in reference to the hangover. The name is inspired, in part, by the Ecuadorian band Guardarraya, whose music the author has cherished since his teenage years. One of their notable songs bears the same name, and this tribute reflects both a personal and cultural connection.

Diagnosis. Males of C. chuchaqui sp. nov. resemble those of C. bolivia by the palpus having the coil of conductor and embolus much wider than the tegulum and by the presence of a bifid conductor (Figs 2C, 6B, C). However, C chuchaqui sp. nov. is identified by the embolus with a distal tooth and not wrapped by the conductor at distal section; conductor long and bifid; cymbial ectomedian process more apically projected and more lanceolate; cymbial ectomedian and ectobasal processes not fused; paracymbium with wide bifid prong, prolateral lower prong having two protruding processes, and upper prong without indentation (Figs 2A–C, 4A, B, 6A–C). Females of C. chuchaqui sp. nov. resemble those of C. serachui Levi, 1986 by the genitalia with a square and extremely protruding median plate visible in posterior view; distal constriction and median dilatation at posterior section of the median plate present; and triangular superior border of lateral plates (Fig. 7A, B; Levi 1986, figs 166–168). They differ as C. chuchaqui sp. nov. has wide copulatory openings extending over the anterior section on median plate downwards to almost posterior border section; median plate with median dilatation over its ventral surface; two weakly sclerotised marks above epigynum; and coiled fertilisation ducts (copulatory openings small and restricted to median section of median plate, median dilatation on ventral surface of median plate and marks above epigynum absent, and fertilisation duct with a slight curvature in C. serachui) (Fig. 7A–C, Levi 1986, figs 165–168). Additionally, females of C. chuchaqui sp. nov. differ from C. serachui by the absence of an abdominal pattern, present in the latter (Fig. 5C; Levi 1986, fig. 169).

Description. Male (based on holotype ZSFQ-i20623). Carapace overall brown with a butterfly-shaped pale yellow mark at the centre (Fig. 5A). Legs overall are pale yellow; distal section of tibia I and metatarsus I dark yellow as well as basal section of femur I and all the coxa I and trochanter I (Fig. 5A, B). Laterals of the abdomen with big silver patches, absent at venter and dorsum surfaces (Fig. 5A, B); dorsum with a black mark from anterior to median section, yellowish shade present over the dorsum (Fig. 5A, B); anterior small abdominal projection present (Fig. 5B). Total length 4.13. Carapace 1.72 long, 1.42 wide. Abdomen 2.43 long, 1.16 wide. Left chelicera 0.88 long, 0.22 wide. Leg formula I–II–IV–III. Leg I: 5.67 / 0.84 / 6.23 / 7.60 / 1.90 / 16.24. Leg II: 3.32 / 0.77 / 2.91 / 3.88 / 1.07 / 11.95. Leg III: 1.48 / 0.39 / 0.94 / 1.44 / 0.54 / 4.79. Leg IV: 2.98 / 0.46 / 1.95 / 2.39 / 0.79 / 8.57. Palpus (Figs 4B, 6A–C): Palpal femur not swollen. Palpal tibia longer than wide. Lanceolate cymbial ectomedian process present (Fig. 6B, C); small and conical cymbial ectobasal process spur present with numerous small macrosetae arranged in a line (Fig. 6B, C). Paracymbium with widely bifurcated lower prong and a elongated upper prong with distal dilatation; lower prong with three processes, two prolateral and one retrolateral (Fig. 6B). Coil of conductor and embolus much wider and longer than tegulum (Fig. 6B). Conductor bifid with same length as embolus; upper conductor follows the embolus angle while lower conductor goes downwards (Fig. 6A, B). Embolus with a distal tooth (Fig. 4B). Small and conical embolic basal apophysis present (Fig. 4B).

Female (based on paratype ZSFQ-i20624). Carapace and legs overall pale yellow; carapace with a posterior orange mark (Fig. 5C). Legs overall pale yellow, and only the distal section of all leg segments is dark yellow (Fig. 5C, D). Dorsum, venter, and laterals of the abdomen with big silver patches (Fig. 5C, D); yellowish shade present over dorsum (Fig. 5C, D); anterior protruding abdominal projection present (Fig. 5D). Total length 4.57. Carapace 1.64 long, 1.10 wide. Abdomen 3.44 long, 2.04 wide. Left chelicera 0.72 long, 0.32 wide. Leg formula I–II–IV–III. Leg I: 3.34 / 0.71 / 1.95 / 3.96 / 0.85/ 14.6. Leg II: 2.53 / 0.71 / 2.13 / 2.33 /1.05 / 8.75. Leg III 1.45 / 0.39 / 1.05 / 1.04 / 0.64 / 4.57. Leg IV 2.28 / 0.43 / 2.07 / 1.99 / 0.83 / 7.6. Genitalia (Fig. 7A–C): two weakly sclerotised marks present above the epigynum (Fig. 7A). Square median plate with a ventral dilatation at median section (Fig. 7A, B); posterior section being protruding with distal constriction and median dilatation (Fig. 7A, B). Wide copulatory openings extending almost the entire length of median plate (Fig. 7A). Triangular lateral plates, in posterior view (Fig. 7B). Fertilisation ducts originating anteriorly and intersecting over lung-shaped spermathecae, coiling one time, extending towards the centre and expanding into a lanceolate shape (Fig. 7D).

In vivo colouration. Males and females of C. chuchaqui sp. nov. shows same colouration as in preserved material, perhaps with much brighter tones (Figs 8–9). Males can exhibit carapace colour intensity variation (Fig. 8).

Distribution and natural history. Known only from the type locality in the Tandayapa valley (Fig. 11): near Bellavista Lodge and Tandayapa Cloud Forest Station, 3000 m, province of Pichincha. This species inhabits a montane evergreen forest of the Cordillera Occidental of the Andes of Ecuador, in the Northern Andes biogeographic province (Fig. 10) (Morrone 2014; Cisneros-Heredia & Yánez-Muñoz 2007; Cisneros-Heredia 2006, 2007, 2019).