Selenops wilsoni, 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 : 80-82

Selenops wilsoni sp. n. Figs 107110Map 11

Type material.

Female holotype from South of Spanish Town, Hellshire Hills, St. Catherine Parish, Jamaica, 300-500 m, 17°52'N, 76°58'W, II-III.1997; B. Wilson, dry forest in limestone karst (CAS). Paratypes: Male, same data as holotype.

Other material examined.

JAMAICA: St. Catherine Parish: Hellshire Hills, 'A2 Depression', (iguana site), 17°51'59.3"N, 76°57'54.0"W, ~275 m, 3.VI.2006, S. Crews, under bark, SCC06_031, 1 imm. (EME sel_381).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is in honor of the spiders' collector, Professor Byron Wilson of the University of the West Indies, Mona, in acknowledgement of his work regarding Jamaican biodiversity and conservation. It is to be treated as a noun in appostion.

Diagnosis.

The epigynym of Selenops wilsoni sp. n. somewhat resembles that of Selenops duan sp. n., in that they both have the lateral lobes fused to form an anteriorly projecting lobe (Figs 107, 133). In Selenops wilsoni sp. n., the lobes are completely fused anteriorly, the epigynal plate is not ovoid, and the posterodorsal fold is very large, over half the length of the plate, completely covering the spermathecae (Figs 107-108). Also, Selenops wilsoni sp. n. is only known from the island of Jamaica while Selenops duan sp. n. is known only from the island of Hispaniola. Males can be separated from other Jamaican selenopids by their smaller size and copulatory organs, including the shape of the large, robust RTA and the overall stoutness of the median apophysis, as opposed to only a stout base as in Selenops candidus (Figs 109-110).

Remarks.

The copulatory organs of this species differ substantially from other Jamaican selenopids. The male palpal organ has a huge, bifid dorsal RTA and large median apophysis, though the branched embolus is the same as other Jamaican endemics. In the female, the anteriorly extending lobe of epigynum differs from that of all other Jamaican selenopids. Although a considerable amount of time was spent collecting in the vicinity of the type locality, only one juvenile of this species has been recovered, and many more individuals of Selenops wilmotorum sp. n.

Description.

Paratype male: Color: Carapace uniformly light brown; sternum pale yellow, darker around border; chelicerae uniformly light brown; maxillae dusky light orange-yellow, lightening distally; labium orange-brown, lightening toward the distal edge; abdomen dorsally yellow-brown with red-brown markings; ventrally dusky yellow-grey, no markings; legs uniform yellowish. Carapace:0.89 times longer than broad. Eyes:AER slightly recurved; PER recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.18, ALE 0.15, PME 0.30, PLE 0.43; interdistances AME-PME 0.05, PME-ALE 0.13, ALE-PLE 0.30. PME-PME 1.13 mm. ALE-ALE 1.95; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.40, PLE-PLE 2.15; clypeus 0.09 high. Mouthparts:chelicerae with a few stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:as long as broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:Leg I only slightly shorter than legs II, III and IV; leg formula 2341; 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 d 1 –1– 0, pr 1 –0– 1, rl 1 –0– 1, v 2 –2–2– 2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 0, rl 1 –0– 0; leg II, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –1– 0, d 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2–2– 2; Mt pr 1 –1– 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 –1– 0, d 0 –1– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 2; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 2; leg IV, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti pr 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 0, rl 1 –1– 0; Mt pr 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –1– 0, v 2 –2– 1. Abdomen:Without terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:Femur spination pr 0 –0– 1, d 0 –1– 2, rl 0 –0– 1; cymbium triangular in ventral view; conductor large, attached to center of bulb by straight, narrow stalk, pointed laterally, extending to 1 o'clock position, curving around retrolateral side; embolus bifid, one branch long, slender, sightly sinuous, other wider at base, tapering slightly toward tip, beginning at 6 o'clock, terminating at 11 o'clock; MA originating at 3 o'clock, directed distally, stout, with single stout rounded hook; RTA extends anteriorly nearly half the length of cymbium; ventral tibial apophysis is large, wide u-shaped structure in ventral view, curving inwards toward cymbium; dorsal tibial apophysis wide, curving outward quite far from the cymbium, bifid, with one extension finger-like, directed distally, the other pointed, curving dorsally (Figs 109-110). Dimensions: Total length 7.55. Carapace length 4.10, width 4.60. Sternum length 2.00, width 2.00 Abdomen length 3.45, width 2.25. Pedipalp: Fm 1.25, Pt 0.25, Ti 0.70, Ta 0.75, total 2.95. Leg I: Fm 4.25, Pt 1.30, Ti 4.25, Mt 4.40, Ta 2.25, total 16.50. Leg II: Fm 5.00, Pt 2.00, Ti 5.10, Mt 5.10, Ta 2.25, total 19.50. Leg III: Fm 5.10, Pt 2.00, Ti 3.90, Mt 5.00, Ta 2.25, total 18.30. Leg IV: Fm 4.50, Pt 1.25, Ti 4.50, Mt 4.60, Ta 2.10, total 16.95.

Holotype female: Color:carapace uniformly brown-red; sternum light yellow-brown with darker border; chelicerae uniformly brown-red; maxillae light yellow-brown, lightening to white distally; labium light brown, lightening distally; abdomen dorsally grey-tan, dark festoon pattern caudally; ventrally dusky grey with no markings; legs yellowish with annulations on femora and tibiae, darkening toward tarsus, though annulations still visible. Carapace:0.91 times longer than broad. Eyes: AER nearly straight; PER slightly recurved; PME larger than AME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.35, ALE 0.20, PME 0.40, PLE 0.50; interdistances AME-PME 0.10, PME-ALE 0.40, ALE-PLE 0.35. PME-PME 1.30. ALE-ALE 2.20; ocular quadrangle AME-AME 0.50, PLE-PLE 2.02; clypeus 0.03 high. Mouthparts:Chelicerae with stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:as long as broad, posteriorly indented. Legs:Leg I only slightly shorter than legs II, III and IV; leg formula 4321; 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 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 2; Mt v 2-2; leg III, Fm pr 1 –0– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 0; Mt v 2 –2– 1; leg IV, Fm pr 1 –0– 0, d 1 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; Ti v 2 –2– 0; Mt v 2 –2– 1. Abdomen:Without terminal setal tufts. Pedipalp:Claw with 11 teeth. Epigyne:lateral lobes fused anter omedially, forming anteriorly-directed lobe; genital openings located on extreme lateral edges of lobe; separation of lateral lobes visible medially, extends anteriorly approximately 1/3rd of the length of epigynal plate; internally, ducts located medially, extend to rounded, cylindrical spermathecae, fertilization ducts located medially, extend laterally; posterodorsal fold very large,heavily sclerotized, covering internal copulatory organs except ends of fertilization ducts (Figs 107-108). Dimensions: Total length 8.50. Carapce length 3.80, width 4.20. Sternum length 1.90, width 1.90. Abdomen length 4.25, width 3.30. Pedipalp: Fm 0.75, Pt 0.40, Ti 0.60, Ta 1.00, total 2.75. Leg I: Fm 3.60, Pt 1.50, Ti 3.00, Mt 2.40, Ta 1.25, total 11.75. Leg II: Fm 3.75, Pt 1.50, Ti 3.65, Mt 2.75, Ta 1.30, total 12.95. Leg III: Fm 4.00, Pt 1.50, Ti 3.30, Mt 3.00, Ta 1.30, total 13.10. Leg IV: Fm 4.25, Pt 1.40, Ti 3.50, Mt 3.00, Ta 1.25, total 13.40.

Natural history.

Collected from a dry forest in limestone karst during the months of February-March at 500 m elevation.

Distribution.

Endemic to Jamaica and is known only from the type locality (Map 11).