Architis brasiliensis ( Mello-Leitão, 1940 ) Santos, 2007

Santos, Adalberto J., 2007, A revision of the Neotropical nursery-web spider genus Architis (Araneae: Pisauridae), Zootaxa 1578 (1), pp. 1-40 : 33-35

Architis brasiliensis ( Mello-Leitão, 1940) comb. nov.

Figures 18A–F , 20A, B , 21

Pisaurina brasiliensis Mello-Leitão 1940: 199–200 . Roewer 1954: 121.

Architis sinops Carico 1989: 221–223 , figs 1–3, table 1. Platnick 1993: 515. New Synonymy.

Type material. Holotype of Pisaurina brasiliensis Mello-Leitão, 1940 : Female , Colatina, state of Espírito Santo, Brazil, 19 o 31’S 40 o 37’W, M. Rosa ( MNRJ 58251 ) (examined) . Holotype of Architis sinops Carico, 1989 : male, Sinop , state of Mato Grosso, Brazil, 11 o 52’S, 55 o 37’W, October 1976, M. Alvarenga ( AMNH) (examined) .

Addtional material examined. BRAZIL: Mato Grosso: Sinop , 11 o 52’S, 55 o 37’W, October 1975, M. Alvarenga, 1♂ ( AMNH) , October 1976, 6♂ ( AMNH) . Pernambuco: Jaqueira (RPPN Frei Caneca ), 8º43’S, 35º50’W, 24 September 2006, A.S.M. Silva & F.C.L. Silva, 1♀ ( IBSP) . Alagoas: Murici ( Estação Ecológica de Murici ), 09º15`S, 35º51`W, 13–22 September 2003, 4♂, 3♀ ( IBSP) . Bahia: Una ( Reserva Biológica do Una ), 15 o 18’S, 39 o 4’W, 15–28 November 2000, A.D. Brescovit et al., 4♀ ( IBSP 45528 , 45530 , 45531 , 47670 ) ; Jussari ( Reserva Natural da Serra do Teimoso ), 15 o 12’S, 39 o 31’W, 8–9 April 1998, A.D. Brescovit, 3♀ ( IBSP 18622 , 18666 , 18865 ) . Espírito Santo: Cariacica (Reserva de Duas Bocas, Alto do Alegre ), 20º17’29”S, 40º31’10”W, 13 October 2005, A. Giupponi et al., 2♂, 7♀ ( IBSP) ; Santa Leopoldina , 20 o 6’S, 40 o 31’W, 26 August 1942, B.A.M. Soares, 1♂, 2 juv. ( MZSP 10267 ) . Minas Gerais: Caratinga, (Fazenda Montes Claros, Estação Biológica de Caratinga ), 19 o 46’S, 42 o 7’W, 8 July 2001, E.O. Machado, 1♂ ( LACB 1174 ) . São Paulo: Ilhabela ( Parque Estadual de Ilhabela ), 23º46’S, 45º21’W, 09–15 October 2001, Equipe Biota, 5♂, 9♀ ( IBSP) ; 2♂ ( IBSP 57111 , 57112 ) ; Ilhabela ( Ilha dos Búzios ), 23º46’S, 45º21’W, Exped. Depto. Zool., 1♀ ( MZSP 11724 ) ; Peruíbe ( Estação Ecológica Juréia-Itatins ), 24º33’S, 47º13’W, A.D. Brescovit et al., 1♀ ( IBSP 25079 ) ; 14–18 December 1998, 2♀ ( IBSP 22976 ) ; São Paulo ( Parque Estadual do Jaraguá ), 23º26’S, 43º48’W, 14–19 October 2002, Equipe Biota, 2♂, 69♀ ( IBSP) ; Itapetininga ( Estação Ecológica de Angatuba ), 23º24’S, 48º21’W, 11–16 November 2002, Equipe Biota, 1♀ with eggsac ( IBSP) ; Mogi das Cruzes ( Parque Natural Municipal da Serra de Itapety ), 23º29’S, 46º12’W, 13–19 October 2003, Equipe Biota, 1♂, 7♀ ( IBSP) ; Miracatú ( Fazenda Itereí ), 24º03’S, 47º13’W, 20–26 September 2001, Equipe Biota, 3♂, 13♀ ( IBSP) ; Iporanga ( Parque Estadual Turístico do Alto Ribeira [PETAR]), 24º32’S, 48º41’W, 8–15 November 2001, Equipe Biota, 1♀ ( IBSP) ; São Paulo ( Serra da Cantareira ), 23º25’S, 46º37’W, 28–29 October 2000, R. Pinto da Rocha et al., 1♂, 2♀ ( MZSP) ; Campinas ( Mata de Santa Genebra ), 20º54’S, 47º5’W, 30 November 1999, A.J. Santos, 1♂ ( IBSP 62890 ) ; Cotia ( District of Caucaia do Alto ), 23º34’S, 46º45’W, September 1950, H. Urban, 1♀ ( MZSP 10123 ) , 8 October 1950, 2♀ ( MZSP 10124 ) ; Cananéia , 25º1’S, 47º57’W, 1♀ ( MZSP 3230 ) . Rio de Janeiro: Cachoeiras de Macacu ( Reserva Ecológica Guapiassú [REGUA]), 22º25’S, 42º44’W, 08–12 November 2001, Equipe Biota, 6♀ ( IBSP) ; Volta Redonda ( Floresta da Cicuta ), 22º30’S, 44º6’W, 7 September 1998, A.J. Santos, 1♂, 1♀ ( IBSP 32771 ) . Paraná: Foz do Iguaçu ( Refúgio Biológico Bela Vista ), 25º33’S, 54º34’W, 9–11 November 1991, A.B. Bonaldo, 1♀ ( MCN 21603) . Santa Catarina: Blumenau ( Parque Natural Municipal Nascentes do Ribeirão Garcia ), 27º01’S, 49º09’W, 21–28 January 2003, Equipe Biota, 17♀ ( IBSP) ; Paulo Lopes ( Parque Estadual do Tabuleiro ), 28º16’S, 49º3’W, 10–20 January 2003, Equipe Biota, 3♀ ( IBSP) . Rio Grande do Sul: Derrubadas ( Parque Estadual do Turvo ), 27º00’S, 53º40’W, 11–18 January 2002, Equipe Biota, 10♀ ( IBSP) .

Diagnosis. Architis brasiliensis comb. nov. resembles A. robusta and A. capricorna in the structure of male and female genitalia (see diagnosis of A. robusta ) and can be recognised by the transversally elongated VTA and the smaller dRTA of A. brasiliensis comb. nov. ( Figs 18C, D , 20A ). Females differ by the cylindrical spermathecae and the spiral of the CD which is restricted to the anterior half of the internal genitalia ( Figs 18F , 20B ).

Description

Male (based on IBSP 32771 from Volta Redonda, Floresta da Cicuta, Brazil)

Carapace dark gray, with a median longitudinal and a pair of lateral curved cream-coloured bands, covered with dark short setae, except over the cream-coloured bands. Anterior eye row procurved, lateral eyes approximately half the diameter of the medians. Posterior eyes of similar size, slightly larger than anterior median eyes. Chelicerae dark gray, laterally lighter. Labium and endites gray. Sternum, pedipalpi and legs cream-coloured, legs with dark gray rings and spots on the femur. Sternum and coxae with dark margins, femur dark with cream-coloured spots and rings. Pedipalpi cream-coloured with dark rings on apex of femur and tarsus and on base of tibia. Opisthosoma pilose, dark gray, black posteriorly, with one median longitudinal and a pair of lateral cream-coloured bands in the anterior third. Those bands converge into one longitudinal, wide cream-coloured band with sinuous border and two median dark spots. Dorso-lateral region with small cream-coloured spots. Sides with a row of large cream-coloured bands. Venter gray, pilose spinnerets gray. Total length 5.0. Carapace 2.5 long, 2.15 wide. Tibia I length 4.2, II 4.7, III 3.4, IV 4.0. Opisthosoma 2.5 long, 1.7 wide.

Female (based on IBSP 47670 from Reserva Biológica do Una, Brazil)

Colouration and eye configuration as male ( Figs 18A–B ). Total length 4.1; carapace 2.0 long, 1.7 wide. Tibia I length 2.3, II 2.6, III 2.2, IV 2.4. Opisthosoma 2.1 long, 1.5 wide. Lateral lobes of epigynum small, ventrally projected ( Fig. 18E ). Copulatory ducts, spiraled, wide and flattened ( Figs 18F , 20B ).

Variation. Males, total length 3.6–5.4, carapace width 1.4–2.2. Females, total length 4.5–6.6, carapace width 1.9–2.3.

Remarks. After examining the holotype of A. sinops , as well as additional male specimens from the type locality, I observed some small differences in male pedipalpi. Specifically, the pedipalpal tibia is relatively shorter in A. sinops males, compared to the remaining material listed above. However, this differences seem to be a result of body size differences, since males from Sinop are the smallest I have examined and the pedipalpal tibia length is relatively larger (compared to the cymbium length) in the largest specimens. Apparently, the length of leg articles in this species vary allometrically with body size, as described for Aglaoctenus species by Santos & Brescovit (2001). Moreover, additional differences are apparent in tibial apophyses in the original illustration of A. sinops pedipalpi ( Carico 1989: fig. 2) and those illustrated here ( Fig. 18C ). However, these differences are a consequence of a misrepresentation of those structures, since some thin, transparent parts of those apophyses were not illustrated. Based on these observations, it seems reasonable to consider A. sinops as a junior synonym of A. brasiliensis comb. nov.

Natural history. The male and female collected in Floresta da Cicuta (IBSP 32771) were found together under a fallen trunk. The female was holding an eggsac under the chelicerae, and the male remained close to her, immobile. Specimens from Ilhabela (IBSP 57111, 57112) and Murici (IBSP) were collected in pitfall traps. These observations suggest A. brasiliensis comb. nov. to be a wandering, ground-dwelling species.

Distribution. Central, southeastern and southern Brazil ( Fig. 21 ).

Figures

FIGURES 18A–F. Architis brasiliensis (Mello-Leitão). A, female habitus, dorsal view; B, female prosoma, frontal view; C, male pedipalpus, ventral view, D, male pedipalpus, lateral view, E. female epigynum, ventral view; F, Female internal genitalia, dorsal view. The arrow points to the retrolateral projection of the VTA. The embolus can be seen arising close to the conductor and through the transparent DTP. Scale bars: A–B, 0.5 mm; C–D, 0.2 mm; E–F = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 20A–C. Architis spp. (SEM). A–B, A. brasiliensis (Mello-Leitão): A, male pedipalpus, ventral view; B, female internal genitalia, detail of left copulatory duct and spermatheca, dorsal view. C–D: A. capricorna Carico; C, male pedipalpus, ventral view; D, male pedipalpus, conductor, ventral view. * indicates prolateral lobe of conductor. Scale bars: A, C–D, 100 µm; B, 10 µm.

FIGURE 21. Geographic distribution records of Architis brasiliensis (Mello-Leitão) (empty circle) and A. capricorna Carico (full square).