Loxosceles guajira, Cala-Riquelme, Franklyn, Gutiérrez-Estrada, Miguel A. & Daza, Eduardo Flórez, 2015

Cala-Riquelme, Franklyn, Gutiérrez-Estrada, Miguel A. & Daza, Eduardo Flórez, 2015, The genus Loxosceles Heineken & Lowe 1832 (Araneae: Sicariidae) in Colombia, with description of new cave-dwelling species, Zootaxa 4012 (2), pp. 396-400 : 396-399

Loxosceles guajira sp. nov.

Figs. 1–7

Type material. Male holotype (ICN-Ar2677) from Colombia, La Guajira , Riohacha: “Cueva de bañaderos”, Cerro Bañaderos, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, 11°07'33.3"N, 72°47'06.9"W, elev. 785 m, 24 August 2014, Coll. M. A. Gutiérrez-Estrada. Paratypes: 1 female (ICN-Ar2677), 4 males, 3 females and 4 immatures (ICN-Ar2678), same data as holotype.

Etymology. Noun in apposition referring to La Guajira , the department where the type specimens where collected. Diagnosis. The male of L. guajira sp. nov can be distinguished from other species by the palpal tibia 4.5 times longer than the cymbium and the embolous inserted prolateraly, basally thick and not curved, approximately three times longer than bulb width ( Figs. 2–4 ). The female can be recognized by its two subtriangular spermathecae and a central blind pouch, presumable a receptacle. Spermathecae bases 3.5 times wider than their tip and separated by 2.2 times their width ( Figs. 6, 7 ).

Description. Male (holotype: ICN-Ar2677): Carapace light orange, slightly stained dark, cephalic region orange, with faint darker gray bands ( Fig. 1 ). Chelicerae and labium dark orange. Endites orange distally and light orange basally. Legs light orange. Palp with cymbium and tibia orange, rest light orange. Abdomen gray. Total length 7.2. Carapace 3.5 long, 3.1 wide. Clypeus 0.4 high. Eye diameters: ALE 0.2, PME 0.1, PLE 0.2. Leg measurements: I: femur 7.7/ patella 1.3 / tibia 8.8 / metatarsus 8.6 / tarsus 1.7 / total 28.1; II: 9.6 / 1.4 / 10.7 / 10.2 / 1.7 / 33.6; III: 7.2 / 1.3 / 7.3 / 8.4 / 1.4 / 25.6 IV: 7.5 / 1.3 / 7.6 / 9.3 / 1.4 / 27.1. Leg formula: 2143. Sternum 2.0 long, 1.7 wide. Palpal femur 3.4 / patella 1.4 long, 0.5 wide /tibia 1.8 long, 0.6 wide/ cymbium 0.4 long, 0.5 wide. Femur I 2.2 times longer than carapace. Palpal femur 2.4 times longer than patella; patela 2.8 times longer than wide; tibia 3 times longer than wide and 4.5 times longer than the cymbium; cymbium as longer as wide ( Fig. 2–4 ). Bulb suboval as wider as cymbium ( Fig 3, 4 ). Embolous inserted prolateraly, but basally thick and not curved, approximately three times longer than bulb width ( Fig 3, 4 ).

Female (paratype: ICN-Ar2677): Carapace dark orange, stained dark, cephalic with gray faint darker bands ( Fig. 5 ). Chelicerae and labium dark orange. Endites dark orange at base and gray distally. Legs gray-orange. Palp with tarsus and tibia dark orange, rest gray-orange. Abdomen gray. Total length 9.1. Carapace 3.4 long, 3.1wide. Clypeus 0.6 high. Eye diameters: ALE 0.2, PME 0.2, PLE 0.2. Leg measurements: I: femur 5.9 / patella 1.4 / tibia 6.5 / metatarsus 6.1 / tarsus 1.4 / total 21.3; II: 6.8 / 1.4 / 7.1 / 6.8 / 1.8 / 23.9; III: 6.0 / 1.2 / 5.2 / 5.7 / 1.2 / 19.3; IV: 6.1 / 1.4 / 5.7 / 6.2 / 1.7 / 21.1. Leg formula: 2143. Sternum 2.1 long, 1.5 wide. Palpal femur 1.7 long, 0.3 wide, patella 0.6 long 0.35, tibia 1.1 long 0.3 wide tarso 1.3 long. Femur I 1.7 times longer than carapace. Palpal femur 5.7 times longer than wide, patella 1.7 longer than wide, tibia 3.7 times longer than wide, tarsus not incrassate. Female genitalia with two subtriangular spermathecae and a central blind pouch. Spermathecae bases 3.5 times wider than their tip and separated by 2.2 times their width ( Figs. 6, 7 ).

Distribution. L. guajira sp. nov. is only known from the type locality, Cerro Bañaderos, Colombia.

Natural history: Specimens of L. guajira sp. nov. were found inside a cave in the mountain range of Cerro Bañaderos at 785 m of elevation ( Figs. 8 –14). The cave is surrounded by fragmented secondary forest; however, is possible to observe extensive areas of tropical dry forest. Adults and immatures of L. guajira were found between the rocks, cracks and other cavities inside the cave. Remains of butterflies, beetles and other arthropods were found in large quantities meshed in the webs.

New records. Below, new records of two known Loxosceles species are listed, including our findings and the remaining individuals present in the Arachnological Collection of the Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Bogota, Colombia (ICN-Ar. Eduardo Flórez).

Figures

FIGURE 8 Map showing the geographical distribution of L. guajira sp. nov. (yellow circle) and the new records of L. rufipes (yellow squares) and L. lutea (red circles) in Colombia.

FIGURES 1 – 7 Habitus and genitalia of L. guajira sp. nov. 1 – 4. Male holotype: 1, carapace. 2, palp, prolateral view. 3, bulb, prolateral view. 4, same, retrolateral view. 5 – 7. Female paratype: 5, carapace. 6, female genitalia. 7, right spermathecae, detail. S: spermathecae; R?: receptacle, EP: epigastric furrow; BC: bursa copulatrix; GD: gland ductless. Scale bars, figs. 1, 2, 5 = 1 mm; figs. 3, 4 = 0.5 mm.