Diguetia signata Gertsch, 1958

Figs 67–84, 110

Diguetia signata Gertsch 1958: 22, fig. 5.

Type material. ♀ Holotype from U.S.A.: Arizona: Scottsdale [33.50921°N, 111.89903°W], 28.I.1903, leg. H.W. Britcher (AMNH); [Scottsdale, Arizona, January 28, 1903, H.W. Britcher (AMNH)], NOT EXAMINED.

Other material examined. MEXICO: Chihuahua: Cd. Juárez. 0.3 km S, 5.5 km W Samalayuca town (31.204304°N, 106.32138°W), 31.VII.2017, leg. I.D. Chavez, 1♀ 1imm. (CARCIB-Ar 4262); 1♂ 1♀ (CARCIBAr 04263); 2.4 km S 6.2 km W Samalayuca town (31.91809°N, 106.3240020°W), 22.VII.2017, leg. I.D. Chavez, 1♂ (CARCIB-Ar 04264); 1.3 km N , 6.3 km W Samalayuca town (31.21560°N, 106.32440°W), 10.X.2017 leg. A. García, 1♀ (CARCIB-Ar 4349); 0.7 km N , 5.6 km W Samalayuca town (31.204408°N, 106.3219790°W, 31/ VII/2017, leg. I.D. Chavez, 1♂ 1♀ (CARCIB-Ar 4260) ; Baja California Sur: Scammons Lagoon [27.72729°N, 114.1744°W], 20.XII.1972, without collectors, 2♀ (AMNH _ IZC00327535) ; U.S.A.: Arizona: 6 mi. North of Stone Cabin Yuma Co., 7. V .1960, leg. W.G. Gertsch, 5♂ 20♀ (AMNH _ IZC00327339); Stone Cabin Yuma Co., 9. V .1960. leg. W.G. Gertsch, 5♂ 40♀ (AMNH _ IZC00327392); 10 mi. East Yuma, 8. V .1960, without collector, 1♂ 35♀ (AMNH _ IZC00327396); Sentinel, Maricopa Co. 9.VIII.1959, leg. V . Roth, 2♂ 39♀ (AMNH _ IZC00327387) .

Diagnosis. Diguetia signata resembles D. canities in having similar body and legs coloration patterns, but D. signata females have a conspicuous dark-brown maculation on the white dorsum of the opisthosoma (Fig. 72) and males a longitudinal gray patch followed by sinuous white setae bands (Fig. 68), while males and females of D. canities have a middle dorsal band with two posterior scalloped white bands, flanked with dark bands (Gertsch, 1958: figs 1, 4). Moreover, males of D. signata have a sub-squarish bulb with a prominent retrolateral corner (red arrow in Figs 79, 82), whereas in D. canities this corner is inconspicuous. The female genitalia of both species have a similar triangular anterior sclerotization, and the apical portion of the membranous median sac is subspherical, but D. signata has the median sac longer and its apical portion wider than the basal one (Figs 75–76), while D. canities has the apical portion about as wide as the basal one.

Description. Male (CARCIB-Ar 04263). Coloration: carapace dark yellow with scarce white setae, fovea inconspicuous but with a depressed area from where two dark bands emerge toward ocular area, carapace margins and clypeus with scarce white setae, eyes with black rings (Fig. 67). Chelicerae darker than carapace and with scarce long setae. Labium, and endites dark yellow, sternum darker than endites, both with sparse white setae, and endites with dark margins (Fig. 69). Fm I dusky yellow darker distally Pt I, Ti I and Mt I dark yellow, Ta yellow. Legs II–IV dusky yellow, Pt II–IV slightly darker, Fm II–IV and Ti II–IV with faint distal rings, Mt II–IV and Ta II–IV darker distally (Fig. 83). Dorsum and sides of opisthosoma dark yellow covered with white setae, dorsum with a longitudinal gray patch followed by sinuous white setae bands (Fig. 68). Venter of opisthosoma dusky brown with white scales, epigastric area dark yellow, but darker medially, and spinnerets dark brown (Fig. 70). Habitus: carapace elliptical cephalic region slightly narrower than thoracic region (Fig. 67). Front face of chelicerae rugged, the stridulatory file occupying almost all lateral face. Promargin of chelicerae with transparent lamina and two distal teeth; retromargin without teeth. Labium, sternum and endites longer than wide (Fig. 69). Opisthosoma without caudal extension. Palp: Fm with four stridulating pins, Ta with two finger-like processes, the prolateral one shorter (Fig. 77), the suboval bulb narrows apically as seen laterally (Figs 77, 80–81), sub-square shaped bulb as seen dorsally (1.0 long, 0.40 wide; Figs 79, 82), with spoon-shaped embolus (0.50 long) and a tubular straight prong, tip slightly wide (Figs 77–82), less half-length of embolus (0.18), small bulge near Bp (blue arrow in Figs 79–80, 82). Measurements: total length 5.0; carapace 2.25 long, 1.65 wide; clypeus height 0.26; chelicerae length 0.82. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.14, ALE 0.12, PME 0.14; AME–ALE 0.1, AME–PME 0.22. Length of legs segments: I 12.99 (4.37, 0.75, 3.25, 3.0, 1.62), II 11.37 (3.75, 0.75, 2.75, 2.87, l.25) III 7.85 (2.87, 0.37, 1.62, 1.87, 1.12), IV 12.85 (4.12, 0.62, 3.37, 3.62, 1.12). Leg formula 1423.

Female (CARCIB 4265). Coloration: carapace as the male (Figs 71–74), endites, labium, endites and coxae darker than male (Fig. 73). Legs as male but Pt I–IV distinctly darker, Fm I–IV and Ti I–IV with well-marked distal rings, Mt I–IV and Ta I–IV darker distally, segments and rings of leg IV profusely darker than other legs (Fig. 84). Dorsum of opisthosoma with a longitudinal dark-brown maculation (Fig. 72), venter lighter than males (Fig. 74). External genitalia: triangular anterior sclerotization larger than posterior, which is a small strip (Fig. 75). Internal genitalia: two anterior oval pore plates, wide uterus externus and membranous median sac, longer than wide, with apical portion subspherical and wider than basal (Fig. 76). Measurements: total length 8.13; carapace 3.75 long, 2.25 wide; clypeus height 0.5; chelicerae length 1.05. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.16, ALE 0.14, PME 0.16; AME–ALE 0.32, AME–PME 0.42. Length of legs segments: I 12.48 (3.87, 1.25, 3.12, 2.87, 1.37), II 12.77 (4.25, 1.12, 3.0, 3.0, l.37) III 8.75 (3.0, 0.75, 2.0, 2.25, 0.75), IV 13.37 (4.25, 1.12, 3.25, 3.75, 1.0). Leg formula 4213.

Variation. Males (n=8) total length 4.37–6.3; carapace 1.6–2.8 long, 1.4–2.4 wide; clypeus height 0.23–0.33; chelicerae length 0.69–0.92. Length of legs segments: I 19.59–16.86 (4.12–5.8, 0.87–1.17, 1.01–3.33, 3.03–4.41, 1.56–2.15), II 10.52–11.11 (3.43–5.39, 0.78–1.17, 2.74–4.11, 2.5–4.31, 1.07–1.47), III 7.93–10.96 (2.62–3.62, 0.58– 0.88, 1.86–2.74, 2.12–2.35, 0.75–1.37), IV 12.67–17.81 (3.62–5.48, 0.62–1.07, 3.23–4.50, 3.5–5.29, 1.07–1.47). Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.12–0.16, PME 0.16–0.18, PLE 0.9–0.14, AME–PLE 0.9–0.16, AME–PME 0.13–0.16.

Remarks. The male is assigned to D. signata because male and female were collected together, and the characteristics of female were reviewed and used to confirm the identification against the original description. Leg formula in male variable (4213 and 1423).

Distribution. U.S. A: Nevada, California, and Arizona. MEXICO: Baja California Sur and Chihuahua (see Fig. 110).

Natural history. Unknown.