Selenops baweka, Crews, Sarah C., 2011

Crews, Sarah C., 2011, A revision of the spider genus Selenops Latreille, 1819 (Arachnida, Araneae, Selenopidae) in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, ZooKeys 105, pp. 1-182 : 100-102

Selenops baweka sp. n. Figs 139-142190Map 10

Type material.

Holotype female: Garden Pond Field Road, Middle Caicos, Turks and Caicos Islands, 2414000 E, 19221000 N, 3.II.2007, S. Crews, B. Manco, high scrub, SCC07_004 (EME sel_678). Paratypes: Male, Turks and Caicos Islands, North Caicos, Wade's Green Plantation, 18808000 E, 2427000 N, 2.II.2007, S. Crews, B. Manco, tropical dry forest, SCC07_001 (EME sel _675).

Other material examined.

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS: Providenciales: The Bight, 21°47'00.6"N, 72°13'06.4"W, ~2 m, 22.V.2006, S. Crews, under bark of sea grape, SCC06_013, 1♂, 1p♂ (CAS sel_344, 345); Turtle Cove, Third Turtle Drive, 21°47'01.1"N, 72°13'45.4"W, 22.V.2006, S. Crews, M. Jones, under bark of Psidium and wild tamarind, SCC06_017, 1♂, 3 imm. (EME sel_346-349); Turtle Cove, Third Turtle Drive, 21°47'01.1"N, 72°13'45.4"W, 10.II.2007, S. Crews, M. Jones, on tamarind and Agave , SCC07_043, 2 imm. (EME sel_694-695); vic. Northwest Point Pond Nature Reserve, 21°50'32.1"N, 72°19'43.7"W, ~9 m, 8.II.2007, S. Crews, under bark of poisonwood, SCC07_010, 4 imm. (EME sel_689-692); South View Drive off Leeward Hwy., 21°46'45.7"N, 72°13'45.4"W, 10.II.2007, S. Crews, M. Jones, under bark of sea grape, SCC07_012, 1♀ (CAS sel_693). Middle Caicos: same data as holotype, 1♂, 2 imm. (CAS sel_676-677, 679). North Caicos: same data as paratype, 1♀, 2♂, 1p♂, 4 imm. (EME sel_680-688).

Etymology.

The specific epithet comes from the name the indigenous people of the Turks and Caicos Islands used to refer to the Caicos Bank, Baweka, where this species is endemic. It is to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis.

This species is similar to Selenops guerrero sp. n., but females can be differentiated by having the genital openings located behind a slightly sinuous margin, and internally, the ducts are in contact anteriorly, and the posterodorsal fold is large particularly medially (Figs 139-140). Males can be separated by the very short embolus and the MA which arises at 4 o'clock (Figs 141-142).

Description.

Paratype Male: Color:carapace light orange-brown to yellow-brown, duskier on the edges, darker in fovea, some white setae; sternum pale yellow, darker around border; chelicerae brown-darker medially; maxillae brown-yellow, lighter distally; labium dusky yellow, lightening distally; abdomen dorsally yellow-grey to brown, lanceolate medial stripe, hollow in center, sometimes disconnected forming pairs of dots, 2 lateral horizontal lines, not connecting in center, located caudally, laterocaudal festoon present; ventrally yellowish, dark laterally, caudally; legs yellowish-brown to tan, lighter than cephalothorax, with dark annulations, darker distally, metatarsus and tarsus brown. Carapace: 0.91 times longer than broad; fovea longitudinal, broad, very shallow. Eyes:AER nearly straight; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.23, ALE 0.05, PME 0.30, PLE 0.38; interdistances AME-PME 0.03, PME-ALE 0.20, ALE-PLE 0.38. PME-PME 1.13. ALE-ALE 1.88; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.48, PLE-PLE 2.00; clypeus 0.56 high. Mouthparts:chelicerae with a few scattered setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:1.14 times longer than broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:leg I only slightly shorter than legs II, III and IV; leg formula 2314; scopulae present on distal end of all 4 tarsi; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw per foot slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 1, rl 1 –0– 1, d 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 2; Mt rl 1 –0– 0, ventral 2-2; leg II, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 1, d 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –0– 1, v 2 –2– 2; Mt pr 1 –0– 0, v 2-2, rl 1 –0– 0; leg III, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 1, d 0 –1– 0, rl 1 –0– 1, v 2-2; Mt rl 1 –0– 0, v 2-2; leg IV, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –0– 1, rl 1 –0– 0, v 2-2; Mt pr 0 –1– 0, rl 1 –0– 0, v 2-1. Abdomen:without terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:Fm, spination d 0 –1– 4; cymbium oval to round in ventral view, angled posterolaterally; scopulae scattered, denser distally; conductor slightly hammer shaped, arising anteromedially on short slightly sinuate stalk, coming to point, other side curving around,reconnected to side of bulb forming semicircular space; embolus very short, arising from lateral margin of rounded projection, slightly curved, arising at 9 o'clock, terminating at 10 o'clock; MA wider basally, narrowing distally, curved into hook distally; MA arising at 4 o'clock, directed anterolaterally; RTA barely reaching cymbium in ventral view, with 2 processes, lateral process basally wide, narrowing distally, truncate at tip; ventral process curving away from tibia, slightly bent, rounded at tip in ventral view (Figs 141-142). Dimensions: Total length 7.65. Carapace length 4.00, width 4.40. Sternum length 2.00, width 1.75. Abdomen length 3.65, width 3.33. Pedipalp: Fm 1.00, Pt 0.25, Ti 0.75, Ta 1.00, total 3.00. Leg I: Fm 5.00, Pt 1.75, Ti 5.00, Mt 5.00, Ta 2.00, total 18.75. Leg II: Fm 6.35, Pt 2.00, Ti 5.50, Mt 5.25, Ta 2.00, total 21.10. Leg III: Fm 6.00, Pt 1.75, Ti 5.00, Mt 5.00, Ta 1.80, total 19.55. Leg IV: Fm 6.00, Pt 1.00, Ti 4.75, Mt 5.00, Ta 1.50, total 18.25.

Holotype female: Color:carapace light orange-brown to yellow-brown, duskier on the edges, darker in fovea, some white setae; sternum orange-brown, darker around border; chelicerae uniformly brownish-red; maxillae light orange-brown lightening distally; labium orange-brown, lightening toward the distal edge; abdomen dorsally yellow-grey to brown, lanceolate medial stripe, hollow in center, sometimes disconnected forming pairs of dots, 2 horizontal lines, laterally, not connecting medially, located caudally, laterocaudal festoon present; ventrally yellowish, dark laterally and caudally; legs orange-brown, darkening distally, annulations present, dark splotches on anterolateral face of femora making long stripe. Carapace: 0.88 times longer than broad; fovea longitudinal, broad, very shallow. Eyes:AER nearly straight; PER slightly recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.20, ALE 0.10, PME 0.35, PLE 0.38; interdistances AME-PME 0.08, PME-ALE 0.10, ALE-PLE 0.36. PME-PME 1.13. ALE-ALE 1.95; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.40, PLE-PLE 2.20; clypeus 0.07 high. Mouthparts:chelicerae with a few scattered setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:1.06 times longer than broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:leg I only slightly shorter than legs II, III and IV; leg formula 2341; scopulae present on all 4 tarsi and metatarsi and tibiae I and II; tarsi I-IV with strong claw tufts; pr claw per foot slightly toothed; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –0– 1; Ti d 0, v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg II, Fm pr 1 –0– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –0– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg III, Fm pr 1 –0– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –0– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 0; Mt v 2-2; leg IV, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 0 –0– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 0; Mt v 2-2. Abdomen:with terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:claw with 11 teeth. Epigyne:lateral lobes absent, small opening located medially, slightly sinuous, openings located behind this slit, small epigynal pockets present; internally, lateral ducts wide, in contact anteriorly, then separate medially to posteriorly; fertilization ducts located posterolaterally, directed anterolaterally, posterodorsal fold present, covering 1/4th of the internal ducts laterally, extending anteriorly to a point medially (Figs 139-140). Dimensions: Total length 8.80 Carapace length 3.70, width 4.20. Sternum length 1.85, width 1.75. Abdomen length 5.10, width 4.00. Pedipalp: Fm 1.00, Pt 1.00, Ti 0.35, Ta 0.60, total 2.95. Leg I: Fm 4.00, Pt 1.80, Ti 4.00, Mt 3.00, Ta 1.00, total 13.80. Leg II: Fm 4.75, Pt 1.75, Ti 4.00, Mt 3.50, Ta 1.70, total 15.70. Leg III: Fm 4.75, Pt 1.50, Ti 4.00, Mt 3.50, Ta 1.25, total 15.00. Leg IV: Fm 4.75, Pt 1.40, Ti 3.75, Mt 3.00, Ta 1.00, total 13.90.

Natural History.

This species has been found under bark and on trees at night in scrublands and tropical dry forests (Fig. 190). An adult female was observed eating an adult male.

Distribution.

Endemic to the Caicos Bank (Map 10).