Wendilgarda clara Keyserling, 1886

Figs 1, 7, 61–62

Wendilgarda clara Keyserling, 1886: 132, pl. 15 figs 210, 210a–d [♀]

[holotype ♀ from Brazil, Amazonas Prov. (Department of Entomology, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford), not examined].

Wendilgarda theridionina Simon, 1895: 919, fig. 986 [♂]

[a series of 21 syntype ♂♂ and 18 ♀♀ from Venezuela, Carabobo Prov., San Esteban (Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris), not examined] [synonymized by Coddington 1986].

Wendilgarda panamica Archer, 1953: 15, fig. 23

[holotype ♀ from Panama, Panama, Barro Colorado Island, Lake Gatun (American Museum of Natural History, New York), not examined] [synonymized by Coddington 1986].

Wendilgarda hassleri Archer, 1953: 16, figs 24, 28

[holotype ♂ from Guyana, upper Shudikar River (American Museum of Natural History, New York), not examined] [synonymized by Coddington 1986].

Diagnosis

Males of Wendilgarda clara can be distinguished from those of Wendilgarda galapagensis Archer, 1953, Wendilgarda mexicana Keyserling, 1886, and Wendilgarda mustelina Simon, 1898 by the mesal branch elongated lying along the prolateral side of the conductor (Fig. 61D–F; Coddington 1986: figs 196– 198, 217), whereas W. galapagensis, W. mexicana, and W. mustelina lack such branches (Coddington 1986: figs 199, 210; Lopez & Emerit 1986: fig. 13; Viquez 2020: fig. 7a). Females of W. clara can be distinguished from those of W. galapagensis, W. mexicana, and W. mustelina by the thin epigynal dorsal scape (Figs 7A–C, 62C–D; Coddington 1986: figs 206–207), whereas W. galapagensis, W. mexicana, and W. mustelina have the dorsal scape wider (Coddington 1986: figs 213–215; Lopez & Emerit 1986: fig. 12; Víquez 2020: fig. 7b).

Material examined

PANAMA – Chiriquí Province • 1 ♂; Reserva Forestal Fortuna, Quebrada Honda, one-hectare PANCODING inventory; 8.750083° N, 82.239083° W; 1135 m a.s.l.; 7–12 Jun. 2007; M. Arnedo, D. Dimitrov, G. Hormiga, F. Labarque and M. Ramírez leg.; voucher code SFD2NBL020; preparation codes FML-00717, LNP-00274; DNA code wens1057; GenBank code PX0970; MACN-Ar 29222 • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; voucher code SFD1NBL018; preparation codes FML-00734, FML-01145, LNP-00264; DNA code wens1068; GenBank code PX097005; MACN-Ar 29223 • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; voucher code SFD1NBL030; DNA code wenclf11; GenBank code PX097007; MCZ • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; voucher code SFU1N7H040; DNA code wencle11; GenBank code PX097006; MIUP • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; voucher code SFD1NBL036; DNA code wenclg11; GenBank code PX097008; CRBA • 1 ♂; same locality as for preceding; 1135 m a.s.l.; 21–24 Jun. 2008; L. Piacentini and F. Labarque leg.; non-quantitative sample; MACN-Ar.

Redescription

Male (MACN-Ar 29222)

Total length 1.61. Prosoma: length 0.80, width 0.82, height 0.73. Sternum: length 0.43, width 0.45. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.09, PME 0.07, AME–PME 0.09. Opisthosoma: length 1.01, width 0.97, height 1.04. Leg formula: 1243. Dorsal shield of prosoma orangish-yellow (Fig. 61A–B). Dorsum of ocular area orangish-yellow (Fig. 61A–B). Sternum orangish-yellow (Fig. 61C). Opisthosoma color overall orangish-yellow (Fig. 61A). Epiandrium, booklung cover, tracheal spiracle, spinneret field and behind anal tubercle orangish-yellow (Fig. 61C). Femora and patella orangish-yellow, tibiae, metatarsi, and tarsi orange (Fig. 61A–C). Palp: paracymbium hooked, paracymbial process with setae row, median apophysis sub-rectangular with median groove, conductor retrolateral surface finger-printed covering embolic apophysis, embolus as thin lamina, tripartite embolic apophysis, mesal branch elongated lying along prolateral side of conductor (Fig. 61D–F; Coddington 1986: figs 196–198, 217).

Female (MACN-Ar 29223)

Total length 1.60. Prosoma: length 0.78, width 0.82, height 0.78. Sternum: length 0.41, width 0.47. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.09, PME 0.07, AME–PME 0.09. Opisthosoma: length 1.11, width 1.09, height 1.11. Leg formula: 1243. Coloration as in male (Fig. 62A–C). Epigynal plate orangish-yellow (Fig. 62C), flat, with dorsal scape (Fig. 62C–D; Coddington 1986: figs 213–215). Vulva: proximal copulatory ducts irregular and membranous, distal copulatory ducts convoluted, inserting ventromedially posteriorly into spermathecae, spermathecae oval, sclerotized, and connated (i.e., fused along midline), fertilization ducts sclerotized, emerging laterally posteriorly from spermathecae, curving dorsally anteriorly to meet uterus externus (Fig. 62D; Coddington 1986: fig. 215). For further species description details, see Coddington (1986).

Records and biology

Wendilgarda clara is distributed from Guatemala to Brazil, including the West Indies (World Spider Catalog 2025). Records in this study are limited to collections made at 1135 m a.s.l. in premontane rainforest from Reserva Forestal Fortuna (Fig. 1). Males and females have been collected mostly at night by looking down.