Scytodes piyampisi, Rheims, Cristina A., Barreiros, José Augusto P., Brescovit, Antonio D. & Bonaldo, Alexandre B., 2005

Rheims, Cristina A., Barreiros, José Augusto P., Brescovit, Antonio D. & Bonaldo, Alexandre B., 2005, Notes on spiders of the genus Scytodes Latreille (Arachnida, Araneae, Scytodidae) from the Ferreira Penna Scientific Station, Pará, Brazil, Zootaxa 836, pp. 1-7 : 2-4

Scytodes piyampisi new species

( Figs. 1–5 )

Types. Male holotype and female paratype from Estação Científica Ferreira Penna, FLONA Caxiuanã, Melgaço, Pará, Brazil, 08/VIII/2003, deposited in MPEG 808. Paratypes: ɗ, 22/X/2003 (IBSP 44455), Ψ, 18/III/2003 (IBSP 44453); Ψ, 28/X/2003 (MPEG 807), all from the same locality as holotype and collected by J.A.P. Barreiros.

Etymology. The specific name is an adjective taken from the Tiriyó indian language that means very small and denotes the size of the specimens.

Diagnosis. Scytodes piyampisi n.sp. differs from the remaining Scytodes by the spatulate distal area and ventral subapical bifid projection of the male palpal bulb ( Figs. 2–3 ).

The females differ by the Z­shaped positioning ridges ( Fig. 4 ) and by the internal lateral sclerotinized invaginations in the hyaline area of the female epigynal pouch ( Fig. 5 ).

Description. Male (MPEG 0808). Carapace pale orange with two paramedian irregular brown bands and lateral irregular brown stripes ( Fig. 1 ). Chelicerae pale yellow with dorsal median brown mark. Pedipalps pale yellow with prolateral brown marks. Labium and endites pale orange, distally lighter. Sternum pale yellow with orange margins. Legs pale yellow with brown transversal bands, very faint on metatarsi and absent on tarsi. Abdomen cream colored with black irregular marks, mainly on anterior half ( Fig. 1 ). Total length 1.90. Carapace slightly domed, 1.10 long, 0.95 wide. Eye diameters: PME 0.08, ALE 0.08, PLE 0.08. Lateral eyes on a tubercle. Chelicerae with subapical hyaline keel and many stridulatory ridges set very close together. Labium 0.08 long, 0.18 wide. Sternum 0.60 long, 0.56 wide. Leg measurements: I: femur 1.00/ patella 0.30/ tibia 1.05/ metatarsus 1.00/ tarsus 0.30/ total 3.65; II: 0.80/ 0.30/ 0.70/ 0.75/ 0.25/ 2.80; III: 0.60/ 0.30/ 0.55/ 0.60/ 0.20/ 2.25; IV: 0.85/ 0.30/ 0.75/ 0.85/ 0.25/ 3.00. Palpal femur with stridulatory pick short and slender on rounded and slightly projecting socket. Cymbium with one strong distal spine ( Figs. 2–3 ). Bulb 0.54 long, with conspicuous dorsal hump on distal area ( Fig. 2 ). Abdomen 0.75 long, 0.80 wide, covered with large feathery hairs.

Female. (MPEG 0807). Coloration pattern as in male. Total length 2.55. Carapace domed, 1.25 long, 1.10 wide. Eye diameters: PME 0.08, ALE 0.08, PLE 0.08. Lateral eyes on a tubercle. Chelicerae as in male. Labium 0.08 long, 0.20 wide. Sternum 0.66 long, 0.38 wide. Leg measurements: I: femur 1.05/ patella 0.30/ tibia 1.05/ metatarsus 1.00/ tarsus 0.35/ total 3.75; II: 0.85/ 0.30/ 0.90/ 0.80/ 0.30/ 3.15; III: 0.65/ 0.30/ 0.60/ 0.65/ 0.25/ 2.45; IV: 1.10/ 0.30/ 0.85/ 0.95/ 0.30/ 3.50. Palpal femur as in male. Epigynum with globose spermathecae and large hyaline median area inside epigynal pouch ( Fig. 5 ). Abdomen 1.25 long, 1.30 wide, as in male.

Variation. ɗ. Total length: 1.90–2.20; carapace: 1.10–1.15; femur I: 1.00–1.15. Ψ. Total length: 2.00–2.80; carapace: 1.05–1.25; femur I: 0.85–1.05.

Natural History. All adult specimens of Scytodes piyampisi were collected in LBA experimental sites, six in treatment plots (under hydric stress) and three in control plots. Five specimens were collected during the dry season and four during the wet season. This fact might indicate that this particular litter species prefers dryland forest habitats.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality.

Additional material examined. BRAZIL. Pará: Melgaço, Estação Científica Ferreira Penna, FLONA Caxiuanã, Ψ, 18/III/2003 ( MPEG 805), Ψ, 21/III/2003 ( MPEG 806), Ψ, 25/X/2003 ( MPEG 804), all collected by J.A.P. Barreiros

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 5. Scytodes piyampisi new species. 1. Male, body, dorsal view (scale line: 0.5 mm); 2. Left palp, prolateral view; 3. Left palp, retrolateral view; 4. Female, epigynum, ventral view; 5. Female epigynum, dorsal view (scale lines: 0.2 mm).