Neischnocolus canosita sp. nov.

Figs 3, 4, map 2.

Type material. Male holotype from Ecuador, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, La Florida (-00.248528 -79.026887) 868 m, 27 Feb. 2020, pitfall, I. Tapia, E. Tapia, N. Dupérré, ECFN 6793 (QCAZ) .

Diagnosis. Males are distinguished by their much larger basal conical process of the male palpal tibia (Fig. 4B, C); from N. cisnerosi they are distinguished by their PAC longer and prominent, while PAC small and inconspicuous in the latter (Peñaherrera-R. et al. 2023: fig. 5c).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a non-Latin adjective (invariable) derived from the Spanish adjective “canosa”, meaning white hairs referring to the species densely covered with white setae.

Description (Male holotype): Total length: 11.76, carapace length: 5.75; carapace width: 5.30; abdomen length: 6.01. Coloration (ethanol): Carapace oval, orange densely covered with white setae; pars cephalica and radiating lines darker; fovea transverse (Fig. 3A, B). Chelicerae orange densely covered with white setae and brown erected setae; promargin with 11 teeth, furrow with 14 denticles basally. Eight eyes, anterior eye row procurved, posterior eye row recurved; AME 0.20, ALE 0.29, PLE 0.20 PME, 0.14, PME–PME 0.61. Labium orange, 7 cuspules. Maxillae orange, 30 cuspules. Sternum orange, longer than wide (2.62/2.11), labiosternal sigilla joined (Fig. 3C); three pairs of oval sigilla located near coxae III, coxae II and coxae I. Abdomen oval, densely covered with brown recumbent setae and dark brown erected setae (Fig. 3A); with type Id urticating setae on dorsoposterior part. Legs light orange densely covered with white setae, femur dark orange-brown; all tarsi fully scopulate, tarsus IV very thin; metatarsi I–II with thin 50% scopula, metatarsi III–IV with thin 25% scopula; tarsi I, II with entire scopula, tarsi III–IV entirely divided by setae; tibia I with fused subapical apophyses, both branches with short apical spines (Fig. 4D). Legs measurements: total length: I 17.62 (5.33/2.39/4.47/2.92/2.51) II 15.87 (4.53/2.66/3.48/2.91/2.29) III 14.94 (4.37/1.96/3.17/3.12/2.32) IV 19.10 (5.09/1.89/4.57/5.06/2.49); leg formula 4123. Spination: tibiae I v 0- 0-1, II v 0-0-2, III v 0-0-3, p 0-0-1, r 0-0-1, IV v 0-0-3, p 0-0-0, r 0-0-1; metatarsi I v 0-1-1; II v 0-1-3 (apical), III v 0-2-3 (apical), p 0-1-1, r 0-0-1, IV v 1-1-2-3 (apical), p 0-1-1, r 0-0-1; palpal tibiae p 0.

Genitalia: palpal tibia (2.68 length, 1.46 width) with two conical processes on retrolateral surface, basal one much larger (Fig. 4B, C); cymbium divided, with two lobes, prolateral lobe larger than retrolateral one; bulb with well-developed prolateral keels, PS keel short, R keel rugose, A keel short and transparent, PAC keel straight keel prominent, blade-like (Fig. 4E); and PI keel smooth dorsal area of embolus with few granulations (Fig. 4E, arrow); tegular protuberance lacking granulation (Fig. 4E).

Distribution. Only found at the type locality in Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas province.

Natural History. The male was collected at 868 m in an evergreen foothill forest (BsPn01) (Guevara et al. 2013) where it lives in sympatry with N. pampenita sp. nov.