Megalostrata raptor (L. Koch, 1866 )

Bonaldo, Alexandre B., Galán-Sanchez, M. Antonio & García, Fabián, 2024, Advances on the taxonomy of Megalostrata Karsch, 1880 (Araneae, Corinnidae, Corinninae), with descriptions of two new species, Zootaxa 5458 (4), pp. 495-523 : 497-500

Megalostrata raptor (L. Koch, 1866)

Figs 1A , 2 , 3A, B

Hypsinotus raptor L. Koch, 1866: 274 , pl. 11, figs 174, 175 (♂ holotype from Mexico, deposited in The Natural History Museum , London, 1916.6.1.801, not re-examined).

Corinna raptor ; Petrunkevitch 1911: 469.

Corinna raptrix ; Bonnet 1957: 1215 (invalid emendation).

Megalostrata raptrix ; Bonaldo 2000: 118, figs 110–111, 302–309 (invalid emendation).

Note. For a complete list of synonyms, see Bonaldo (2000: 118) and WSC (2024). Bonaldo (2000), following Bonnet (1957), used the epithet raptrix , the feminine form of raptor , to agree in gender with the feminine generic names Megalostrata and Corinna , respectively. However, according to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (article 31.2.2), since there is no indication in the original description that the species-group name is a noun or an adjective, the epithet raptor must be considered a noun in apposition. Consequently, raptrix is an invalid emendation.

Diagnosis. Males of M. raptor resemble those of M. depicta by the rounded, smooth apical tegular process, differing by the retro-basally oriented embolus (oriented retro-apically in M. depicta , Fig. 3C ) and by the entire RTA (bifid in M. depicta , Fig. 3C ). They share with M. paludosa spec. nov. the entire RTA, being differentiated by the smooth apical tegular process (with a field of apical teeth in M. paludosa , Fig. 22A ) and the embolus oriented retro-basally (oriented retro-apically in M. paludosa , Fig. 22A ) ( Figs 3A, B ; Bonaldo 2000, figs 304–306). Females are similar to those of both M. depicta and M. pacifica spec. nov. by the elongated, tube-shaped secondary spermathecae, but can be distinguished from the former by the oblique orientation of the secondary spermathecae (oriented longitudinally in M. pacifica spec. nov., Figs 8A, B ) and from the latter by the posterior atrium defined by a transversal anterior ridge at the level of the copulatory openings (posterior atrium ill-defined in M. depicta , Figs 5A , 6A ) ( Bonaldo 2000, figs 308, 309).

Description. See Bonaldo (2000: 118). Additional photographic documentation: Figs 1A , 2 , 3A, B .

New records. MEXICO: Veracruz, Calcahualco, Xamaticpac [19°07’34.1”N 97°04’01.5”W, 1.700 m a.s.l.]. Oak forest fragment, leg. Alvarez-Padilla et al., 19–27.IV.2013, 1 ♂ (PXF258 UNAM) . NICARAGUA: Esteli, Reserva Natural Miraflor [13°15’00.0”N 86°14’20.4”W], 1 ♂, photographed by A. Anker (not collected) . CURAÇAO: Seru Gracia, Christoffel National Park, Dry evergreen [12°21’43.2”N 69°08’42.0”W], leg. R. Jocqué & E. Tybaert, 13.VII.2011, on bromeliad, 2 ♂ ( MRAC) .

Distribution. Previously known from Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, and Panama ( Bonaldo, 2000). Herein newly recorded from Curaçao, Caribbean Netherlands.Additionally, a male specimen from Nicaragua, photographed alive ( Fig. 1A ), is reported here. Despite the fact it was not collected, the photograph depicts sufficient elements for identification, notably the male palp in retro-dorsal view, showing a massive, rounded RTA that is typical of M. raptor ( Fig. 25 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Living specimens of Megalostrata Karsch, 1880. A Megalostrata raptor (L. Koch, 1866), male (not collected) from Reserva Natural Miraflor, Nicaragua, photo by A. Anker; B Megalostrata depicta (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1895), male (CHNUFPI 1485) from Estación de Biología Tropical “Los Tuxtlas”, Veracruz, Mexico, photo by L. S. Carvalho.

FIGURE 2. Megalostrata raptor (L. Koch, 1866), male (UNAM INVPIC071): A dorsal view; B ventral view; C lateral view. Scale bar: 2 mm.

FIGURE 3. A, B Megalostrata raptor (L. Koch, 1866), male (UNAM INVPICV071):A palp, ventral view. B palp, retrolateral view; C, D Megalostrata depicta (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1895), male (UNAM CORINN0039): C palp, ventral view. D palp, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: E, embolus; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; TP, tegular process. Scale bar: 2 mm.

FIGURE 5. Megalostrata depicta (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1895), female epigynum: A ventral view; B dorsal view; C posterior view. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 6. Megalostrata depicta (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1895), female epigynum: A, C ventral view; B, D dorsal view; E, F posterior view (A, B, E undigested; C, D, F digested; A, B, E, F IBSP 226286; C, D UNAM INVPICV071).Abbreviations. CO, copulatory opening; CD, copulatory duct; FD, fertilization ducts; S1, primary spermathecae; S2, secondary spermathecae; EPC, epigastric plate cuticle. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 8. Megalostrata pacifica spec. nov.: female holotype (CAS 9036847): A epigynum, ventral view; B same, dorsal view; C same, posterior view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 22. Megalostrata paludosa spec. nov.. A, B male holotype:A palp, ventral view; B palp, retrolateral view. C–E female paratype (MUSEUV 2796): C epigynum, ventral view; D same, posterior view; E same, dorsal view. Scale bars. 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 25. Known geographical distribution of Megalostrata species.