Avicularia taunayi ( Mello-Leitao , 1920)

Fukushima, Caroline Sayuri & Bertani, Rogerio, 2017, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of Avicularia Lamarck, 1818 (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Aviculariinae) with description of three new aviculariine genera 01, ZooKeys 659, pp. 1-185 : 51-52

Avicularia taunayi ( Mello-Leitao, 1920) Figs 19, 91-92, 93-100, 101-104, 105

Ancylochiros taunayi Mello-Leitão, 1920: 142 (holotype immature male, Brazil, Minas Gerais, Mariana [20°22'S, 43°25'W], J. P. Fonseca leg., MZUSP 327, examined); 1923: 319, 376, figs 41-44, 160; Roewer 1942: 225; Bonnet 1955: 316.

Anchylochiros taunayi : Petrunkevitch 1939: 291.

Avicularia taunayi : Raven 1985: 149; Bertani 2012: 78, fig. 176; Bertani and Motta 2013: 108, figs 1-13; World Spider Catalog 2016.

Diagnosis.

Females of Avicularia taunayi resemble those of Avicularia juruensis and Avicularia variegata stat. n. by the spermathecae with midwidth expanded; about 1.5 times its basal and apical portions widths (Fig. 91). They differ from all these species by the spermathecae with lobes from median to distal portions (Fig. 91). Males of Avicularia taunayi resemble Avicularia avicularia , Avicularia variegata stat. n., Avicularia juruensis , Avicularia rufa , Avicularia purpurea , and Avicularia merianae sp. n. by tibial apophysis on leg I with well-developed base and grouped spiniform setae distally (Fig. 98). They differ from Avicularia purpurea and Avicularia merianae sp. n. by well-developed process on cymbium retrolateral lobe (Fig. 97); from Avicularia avicularia and Avicularia rufa by leg IV as long as leg I and from Avicularia variegata stat. n. and Avicularia juruensis by developed prominence on tegulum (Fig. 95). Additionally, they can be distinguished from all these species by light brown spots extending from the dorsum to lateral region of abdomen (Fig. 103).

Material examined.

Female, Brazil, Minas Gerais, Barão de Cocais [19°56'S, 43°28'W], J. P. Couto col., 5 February 1971, ref. 4336 (IBSP 199); male, Brazil, Brasília D.F. [15°46'S, 47°55'W], Gláucia & Reuber col., 14 May 2002 (DZUB 1675).

Additional material.

BRAZIL: Pará: Tucuruí [3°46'S, 49°40'W], 1 male, Equipe de Resgate de Fauna col., IBA 285 (IBSP 8570); 1 male, 3 immatures, 27 January 1986 (IBSP ref. 48014); Mato Grosso: Barra do Bugres [15°03'S, 57°10'W], Serra das Araras, 1 juvenile female, C. Strusman col., September 1992 (MCP 2293); Chapada dos Guimarães [15°27'S, 55°45'W], 1 female, M. Acuarensa col., November 1963 (AMNH 1.7); Barra do Tapirapé [10°38'S, 50°36'W] (Barro do Tapirapé [sic]), 2 females, B. Malkin col., 1962 (AMNH 1.5); Goiás: Ipameri [17°43'S, 48°09'W], 1 male, 1 female, F. R. Alves col., February 1996, ref. 78206 (IBSP 14397); Distrito Federal: Brasília [15°47'S, 47°53'W], 1 female, 15 November 2002, F. Brasil leg. (DZUB 1979); Paranoá [15°43'S, 47°44'W], 1 female, 1 immature, R. Bertani, C. S. Fukushima, R. H. Nagahama, P. C. Motta, P. Jotta, 12 July 2007 (DZUB 4707); Sobradinho [Colorado, Córrego do Urubu, 15°42'S, 47°51'W], 1 female, 1 January 1999, J. Marinho-Filho leg. (DZUB 352); Minas Gerais: Santa Vitória [18°51'S, 50°07'W], 1 female, M. Rosa col., 28 July 1981 (ZUEC 018); Monte Alegre de Minas [18°52'S, 48°52'W] (Monte Alegre [sic]), 1 male, A. Lourenço col., June 2005, ref. 95480 (IBSP 12780).

Description, color pattern ontogeny and distribution.

See Bertani and Motta (2013).

Complementary description.

Spermathecae (Figs 91-92): two completely separated not-twisted long spermathecae, with walls having lobes from median to distal portions and accentuaded outwards curvature medially. Midwidth expanded, about 1.5 times its basal and apical portion widths and weakly-sclerotized area shorter than half the length of well-sclerotized area.

Palp (Fig. 93-96): globous bulb with small subtegulum and developed prominence on tegulum. Embolus: not flattened, lacking keels, 2.62 long in retrolateral view, about 3.0 times tegulum’s length. Medial portion and tegulum’s margin form an acute angle in retrolateral view. Proximal part very curved in frontal view; thin distal width, abruptly narrowing distally; basal, middle, and distal widths 0.42, 0.24, 0.03, respectively. Tegulum: 1.76 long, 0.96 high in retrolateral view. Cymbium subtriangular with subequal lobes, having well-developed rounded process on retrolateral lobe, bearing thick setae (Fig. 97).

Tibial apophysis (Figs 98-100): single branch on prolateral leg I, with well-developed base and grouped spiniform setae distally. Male metatarsus I touches retrolaterally tibial apophysis’ setae when folded.

Type II urticating setae: 0.362-0.407 long, 0.009-0.013 wide in females; 0.840-0.968 long, 0.014-0.020 wide in males.

Color pattern (Figs 102-103): both male and female have long guard-setae on legs and palps not grizzled.

Color pattern ontogeny.

Brownish juveniles lacking metallic sheen, black tarsi contrasting with other lighter articles, and abdomen dorsum reddish, with dorsal central longitudinal black stripe connected with first two pairs of transversal black stripes (Fig. 101). When mature, part of the pattern remains (Figs 102-103). Adult females have abdomen with reddish brown guard-setae homogeneously distributed and black short body setae with spots of reddish brown short body setae (Fig. 102). Males have same abdominal pattern as females but reddish brown spots of short body setae are ill-defined (Fig. 103).

Distribution.

Brazil, states of Tocantins, Goiás, Pará, São Paulo, Mato Grosso, west of Bahia, Minas Gerais and in Brasília (Distrito Federal), in savannah areas (Fig. 105).

Natural history.

A small population of Avicularia taunayi was found at Distrito Federal, in a mountain area that had savannah areas mixed with anthropized areas with houses and farms ( Bertani and Motta 2013). Specimens were found in tree holes within retreats similar to the ones made by other species of Avicularia (Fig. 104). This is a unique species of this genus in the bioma Cerrado (savannah) ( Bertani and Motta 2013).