Gephyrellula violacea ( Mello-Leitão, 1918 )

Santos, Fabricio H. & Rheims, Cristina A., 2018, Taxonomic revision of the genus Gephyrellula Strand, 1932 (Arachnida, Araneae, Philodromidae), Zootaxa 4527 (3), pp. 381-391 : 383-388

Gephyrellula violacea ( Mello-Leitão, 1918)

Figs 1–24

Gephyrella violacea Mello-Leitão, 1918: 122 (Holotype female from Pinheiro [currently Piraí, Pinheiral, 22°37’ S, 43°54’ W],

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, deposited in MNRJ 921 [Mello-Leitão Private Collection 371], lost, not examined). Gephyrellula violacea Strand, 1932: 137 . Gephyrellula paulistana Soares, 1943: 10 , figs 8–9 (Holotype male from Bosque da Saúde [23°34’ S, 36°29’ W], São Paulo,

São Paulo, Brazil, deposited in MZSP, not located, not examined). Syn. nov.

Material examined. BRAZIL: Pará: 1♀, Tucuruí , [03°46’S 49°40’W], April 1984, Equipe IBSP leg. ( IBSP 5629 ). Sergipe: 1♂, 2♀, Canindé de São Francisco, Usina Hidrelétrica de Xingó , [09°38’S 37°47’W], 15 April 2000, L. Ianuzzi leg. ( IBSP 88192 , 88201 , 88198 ) ; 1♀, São Cristovão, Campus Universidade Federal de Sergipe, [10°55’S 37°06’W], 17 March 1992, H. Araújo leg. ( IBSP 8456 ) . Tocantins: 2♀, Miracema, Usina Hidrelétrica Luis Eduardo Magalhães , [09°40’S 48°24’W], 1–11 October 2001, E. K. Kashimata & C.Y. Fukami leg. ( IBSP 31594 ) ; 1♂, 5♀, 11–21 October 2001, R. Bertani & W.I. Toledo leg. ( IBSP 31543 , 31530 ) ; 1♂, 2♀, Palmas, Margem direita do Rio Tocantins, [10°06’S 48°25’W], 1 January 2002, D. M. Cândido & M. Costa leg. ( IBSP 40416 , 40421 ) ; 4♂, 5♀, Usina Hidrelétrica Luis Eduardo Magalhães , [10°08’S 48°19’W], January 2002, D. M. Cândido & M. Costa leg. ( IBSP 40315 , 40531 , 40564 , 40514 ) ; 1♀, Taquari (10°20’01.7”S 48°19’56.0”W), 0 7 December 2007, I. Knysak et. al. leg. ( IBSP 115643 ) . Bahia: 1♀, Salvador [12°55’S 38°26’W], Jardim Botânico, November 2005 – April 2006, A.O. Alves leg. ( IBSP 63329 ) . Minas Gerais: 1♂, Nova Porteirinha , (15°48’55.1'”S 43°16’6.8”W), 9–16 August 2013, N.G. Fonseca leg. ( UFMG 19523 ); 1♀, Prudente de Morais [19°28’S 44°09’W], Fazenda Sapé, 13 October 2001, E.S.S. Álvares leg. ( IBSP 44233 ); 1♀, 8 June 2000, E.S.S. Álvares leg. ( UFMG 619 ); 1♀, Manga, Parque Estadual da Mata Seca (14°50’50”S 44°00’28”W), September 2011, R.N.S.L. Garro et al. leg. ( UFMG 14742 ). Mato Grosso do Sul: 1♀, Morro do Azeite [19°29’S 57°18’W], 1♀, August 1998, J. Raizer et al. leg. ( IBSP 38743 ); 1♀, Corumbá, Passo do Lontra , Subregiões Miranda e Abobral , [19°44’S 56°50’W], July 1998 – November 1999, J. Raizer et al. leg. ( IBSP 97467 ); 24♂, 23♀, Brasilândia , Usina Hidrelétrica Engenheiro Sérgio Motta , [21°15’S 51°54’W], 2000, Equipe IBSP leg. ( IBSP 30323 , 30554 , 30555 , 31108 , 31145 , 31176 , 31185 , 31335 , 31408 , 31440 , 31443 ; 31459, 35189, 35198, 35202, 35204, 35205, 35215, 35222, 35287, 35449, 35457, 35459, 35507, 35644, 35666, 35673, 35674); 3♂, 3♀, Fazenda Cisalpina , 2000, Equipe IBSP ( IBSP 31385 , 31424 ); 3♀, Santa Rita do Pardo [21°17’S 52°50’W], 2–5 July 2001, D.F. Candiani & F. Cini leg. ( IBSP 37897 ); 1♀, Anaurilândia [22°11’S 52°43’W], 12–19 March 2001, F. S. Cunha & C.A.R. Souza leg. ( IBSP 38905 ); 1♂, 1♀, 5–11 March 2001, F. S. Cunha & J.P. Guadanucci leg. ( IBSP 41329 , 41337 ); 3♀, Bataguassu, Usina Hidrelétrica Engenheiro Sérgio Motta [21°40’S 52°25’W], 31 March 2001, R. P. Indicatti & C.A.R. Souza leg. ( IBSP 38668 ); 1♂, 22–25 May 2001, D. M. Cândido & C.Y. Fukami leg. ( IBSP 39454 ). São Paulo: 1♂, 3♀, Pereira Barreto, Usina Hidrelétrica Três Irmãos [20°39’S 51°15’W], September–October 1990, Bertani, Costa & Bertim leg. ( IBSP 4864 ); 4♂, 31♀, Presidente Epitácio, Usina Hidrelétrica Engenheiro Sérgio Motta [22°19’S 52°46’W], 16 January– 13 February 1999, Equipe IBSP leg. ( IBSP 23302 , 23321 , 23326 ); 4♂, 6♀, Ilha da Lagoa do Machado , 30 March 2001, R. P. Indicatti & C.A.R. Souza leg. ( IBSP 38363 ); 11♂, 51♀, Primavera, Usina Hidrelétrica Engenheiro Sérgio Motta, [22°30’S 53°00’W], 11♂, 51♀, January–February 2000, Equipe IBSP leg. ( IBSP 29861 , 29869 , 29870 ); 1♂, 2001, Equipe IBSP leg. ( IBSP 53158 ); 1♂, São Paulo [23°34’S 46°43’W], Campus Instituto Butantan, March 2008, G. Ruiz leg. ( IBSP 116801 ); 1♂, 5 October 2007, C. Borelli leg. ( IBSP 116838 ); 1♀, 15 December 2016, F.H. Santos leg. ( IBSP 213038 ); 3♀, Rosana, Usina Hidrelétrica de Rosana [22°36’S 52°47’W], December 1986, Equipe IBSP leg. ( IBSP 4478 ); 1♀, Jundiaí [23°11’S 46°52’W], 13 March 2008, Prefeitura Municipal de Jundiaí leg. ( IBSP 91797 ). Paraná: 1♂, 1♀, Foz do Iguaçu , [25°29’S 54°35’W], 11 October 1991, A.B. Bonaldo leg. ( MCTP 1649 ). Santa Catarina: 1♀, Reserva Biológica Marinha do Arvoredo [27°17’S 48°22’W], 1♀, 24 October 1997, A.A. Lise leg. ( MCTP 10119 ). Rio Grande do Sul: 1♀, Caxias do Sul [29°07’S 51°01’W], Fazenda Souza, 11–12 November 1995, Equipe do Laboratório de Aracnologia MCTP leg. ( MCTP 7148 ).

Diagnosis. See genus diagnosis.

Remarks. In the original description of Gephyrellula, Mello-Leitão (1918) states that the genus is most similar to Gephyra ( L. Koch, 1875) [currently Gephyrota Strand, 1932 ] and Gephyrina Simon, 1895b by the extremely flattened body. All three genera have a similar eye arrangement and lack leg scopula. However, Gephyrota was described from Australia and its current distribution ranges from the Ivory Coast, in Africa, to Queensland in Australia, with no Neotropical representatives ( World Spider Catalog 2018). In addition, its species have a prosoma that is as wide as long (wider than long in Gephyrellula ) and has a higher clypeus ( L. Koch 1875). Gephyrina was described from Venezuela and currently includes three species from Brazil ( World Spider Catalog 2018). Although one of these species might be a junior synonym of G. violacea , we did not examine the type material and the original descriptions do not allow any speculation on whether or not this is the case. Nevertheless, we believe that Gephyrina and Gephyrellula are distinct genera, based on the fact that the original description of Gephyrina and of the type species G. alba Simon, 1895 mentions the presence of four pairs of spines on ventral tibia ( Simon 1895b) as opposed to only two observed in Gephyrellula .

Although the type specimens of both species are unavailable, both original descriptions enable the identification of the species. The synonymy is based on the fact that, in most samples, both males ( G. paulistana ) and females ( G. violacea ) were collected together and no other specimen, amongst all the examined material, could be attributed to the genus. We have refrained from designating a neotype because - although we are certain that the holotype of G. violacea was lost in the fire that destroyed the arachnological collection at MNRJ (Sept/2018) - we cannot be sure that the holotype of G. paulistana , that was not located in MZSP, is not simply misplaced in the collection. In addition, we do not have material from any of the two type localities.

Redescription. Male (IBSP 31185): Prosoma dark orange with lateral margins pigmented in dark tones with a well-delineated row of bristles; triangular whitish cephalic pigmentation mark extending from fovea to base of cephalic region. Chelicerae orange with brown spots. Labium and endites pale orange. Sternum pale orange slightly darker at lateral margins. Legs and pedipalps yellow with dark spots. Opisthosoma cream colored; dorsally with dark-toned lateral pigmentation ( Figs 15–16 ). Total length 3.10. Prosoma flattened, wider than long, anterior region slightly extended: length 1.40, width 1.60; clypeus low with six macrosetae. Eyes arranged in two recurved rows: diameters 0.09, 0.07, 0.05, 0.09; interdistances: 0.15, 0.02, 0.25, 0.15, 0.16, 0.21. Chelicerae longer than wide, with one promarginal tooth and two retromarginal teeth ( Fig. 2 ). Labium wider than long, with anterior margin slightly curved. Endites oblong, convergent, longer than wide; serrula with a single row of short denticles ( Fig. 3 ). Sternum as long as wide with slightly curved anterior margin and slightly convex posterior margin. Legs laterigrade, without scopula: I: 6.4 (2.0, 0.8, 1.5, 1.4, 0.7); II: 8.8 (2.8, 1.0, 2.0, 2.0, 1.0); III: 5.3 (1.7, 0.6, 1.3, 1.2, 0.5); IV: 5.1 (1.8, 0.6, 1.1, 1.1, 0.5); trichobothria present dorsally on tibiae, tarsi and metatarsi, with elliptical bothrium with dorsal plate with two distal grooves partially covering a ventral plate with one distal groove; tarsus with a pair of pectinate claws with a slightly curved main tooth followed by 18–20 straight secondary teeth; spination pattern: femora I–III: p0-1-1; d1-1-1; r0-1-1; femur IV d1-1-1; r0-0-1; tibiae I–II: p1-0-0; r1-0-0; v2-2 -0; tibiae III–IV: p1-0-0; v2-2 -0; metatarsi I–IV: p1-1-0; r1-1-0; v2-2 -2. Opisthosoma oval: length 1.9, width 1.1. Epiandrous spigots absent. Tracheal spiracle single, contiguous to spinnerets. Anal tubercle small, triangular with few terminal hairs. Six spinnerets: ALS conical, bi-segmented with short and truncated distal segment; PMS with a single cylindrical segment; PLS bi-segmented, with truncated distal segment. Palp: patella without apophysis; tibia with one prolateral, one dorsal and one retrolateral spine and two distal apophysis; RTA conical, with tip gently pointing dorsally; VTA colourless arising close to RTA ( Fig. 7 ); cymbium with distal scopula and one prolateral spine; ST visible in prolateral and ventral views between 7–9 o´clock position; Teg oval; Ts arising at approximately 8:30 o’clock position and pointing towards 2:30 o’clock position; CoP small, hook shaped arising at 3 o’clock position ( Fig. 8 ), close to the tip of the E; C hyaline, inserted medially, accommodating the distal E; E filiform, curved, arising from Teg at 9 o´clock position ( Figs 7 , 10–12 , 19–21 ).

Redescription. Female (IBSP 40421): Coloration pattern generally lighter than in male. Prosoma pale with lateral margins whitish with a well-delineated row of bristles; with conspicuous whitish cephalic pigmentation mark extending from fovea to base of cephalic region. Chelicerae pale yellow with brown spots. Labium, endites and sternum pale yellow. Legs and pedipalps yellow mottled with dark spots. Opisthosoma as in males, much lighter ( Figs 1 , 17–18 ). Total length 5.15. Prosoma: length 1.65, width 1.85. Opisthosoma: length 3.5, width 2.55. Eyes: diameters 0.08, 0.06, 0.06, 0.07; interdistances: 0.18, 0.05, 0.18, 0.28, 0.15, 0.22. Legs: I: 6.75 (2, 0.8, 1.75, 1.5, 0.7); II: 8.65 (2.65 1, 2.2, 1.9, 0.9); III: 5.85 (1.9, 0.7, 1.4, 1.25, 0.6); IV: 5.37 (1.8, 0.6, 1.2, 1.22, 0.55); trichobothria as in male ( Fig. 4 ); tarsus with a pair of pectinate claws as in male ( Fig. 5 ); spination pattern as in male, except: femur I: d0; p1-0-0; r0; femora II–IV with no spines; tibiae I–IV: p1-1-0; r1-1-0. Epigyne: epigynal plate wider than long; MS wider than long; ES parallel; pair of AGP and PGP present ( Figs 13 , 22 ). Vulva: GH on long, curved ducts, dorsal to R; R rounded; FD laterad ( Figs 9 , 14 , 23 ).

Variation. Males (n = 15): total length: 3.1–4.2; prosoma length: 1.1-1.6; femur I length: 1.6–2.1. Females (n = 15): total length: 3.5–6.2; prosoma length: 1.2–2.1; femur I length: 1.4–2.0.

Distribution: Brazil, states of Pará, Sergipe, Tocantins, Bahia, Minas Gerais, Mato Grosso do Sul, Rio de

Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul ( Fig. 24 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Gephyrellula violacea (Mello-Leitão, 1918), female, dorsal habitus. Photo by J.L. Chavari.

FIGURES 2–5. Gephyrellula violacea (Mello-Leitão, 1918). 2–3 male (IBSP 29869) (2 chelicerae, frontal, 3 serrula); 4–5 female (IBSP 37897), leg I, tarsus (4 trichobothria, 5 claws). Scale lines: 2, 5: 100 µm, 3: 50 µm, 4: 5 µm. White arrows point to promarginal teeth, black arrows to retromarginal teeth.

FIGURES 6–9. Gephyrellula violacea (Mello-Leitão, 1918). 6–8 male (IBSP 29869), left palp (6 ventral, 7 RTA, detail, 8 conductor process, detail); 9 female (IBSP 37897), vulva, dorsal view. Scale lines: 6–7, 9: 100 µm, 8: 30 µm.

FIGURES 10–14. Gephyrellula violacea (Mello-Leitão). 10–12 male (IBSP 31185), left palp (10 prolateral, 11 ventral, 12 retrolateral); 13–14 female (IBSP 40421) (13 epigyne, 14 vulva). Scale lines: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 15–18. Gephyrellula violacea (Mello-Leitão). 15–16 male habitus (IBSP 35202) (15 dorsal, 16 ventral); 17–18 female habitus (IBSP 29861) (17 dorsal, 18 ventral). Scale lines: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 19–23. Gephyrellula violacea (Mello-Leitão). 19–21 male (IBSP 35202), left palp (19 prolateral, 20 ventral, 21 retrolateral); 22–23 female (IBSP 29861) (22 epigyne, ventral, 23 vulva, dorsal). Scale lines: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 24. Distribution map for Gephyrellula violacea (Mello-Leitão, 1918). Original type localities marked in yellow (G. violacea) and red (G. paulistana).