Falconina albomaculosa ( Schmidt, 1971 )

García, Fabián & Bonaldo, Alexandre B., 2023, Taxonomic revision of the soldier spider genus Falconina Brignoli, 1985 (Araneae: Corinnidae: Corinninae), Zootaxa 5343 (3), pp. 201-242 : 222-226

Falconina albomaculosa ( Schmidt, 1971)

Figs 13–14 , 24

Corinna albomaculosa Schmidt, 1971: 403 , fig. 10 (♀ holotype from Ecuador, collected at Hamburg harbor, deposited in SMF, examined).

Falconina albomaculosa Bonaldo, 2000: 78 .

Diagnosis. Males are most similar to those of F. melloi by the small embolar process and large tegular process, which is as wide as the tegulum width, with pronounced lateral margins, inserted on a tegular depression. They can be distinguished by the bifid tegular process ( Figs 13A , 14A ), with truncated latero-apical margins, and by the RTA with a thicker apical spur on the ventral lobe and the absence of a dorsal lobe ( Figs 13B , 14B ). Females differ from other Falconina species with the posterior vulvar plate slightly projected posteriorly, barely visible in ventral view and sub-squared in dorsal view (namely F. andresi sp. nov., F. crassipalpis , F. brignolii sp. nov., and F. gracilis ), by the margins of the epigynal plate and the posterior vulvar plate parallel in ventral view ( Figs 13C, F , 14C ); dorsally, by the posterior vulvar plate with a procurved anterior margin and by the secondary spermathecae inserted proximally in relation to primary spermathecae ( Figs 13D , 14D ).

Description. Male (CAS): Carapace reddish-brown, smooth. Chelicerae and endites reddish-brown. Labium reddish-brown. Sternum orangish-brown. Legs reddish-brown, with femora dark brown. Abdomen reddish-brown, elongated, with two spots in middle, first pair three to four times larger than second. Abdomen posterior end with two strips, first one thinner than second. Total length 4.490, carapace 1.178 long, 1.612 wide. Clypeus 0.094. Eye diameters: AME 0.108, ALE 0.087, PME 0.090, PLE 0.061. Interocular distances: AME-AME 0.071, AME-ALE 0.053, PME-PME 0.121, PME-PLE 0.127, ALE-PLE 0.035, PME-AME 0.071. Chelicerae with three promarginal teeth, the second two times longer, and five retromarginal teeth, the most proximal to fang three times smaller than others. Sternum length 1.032 long, 0.901 wide. Leg measurements: I—2.085, 0.684, 1.927, 1.294, 1.500, 7.490; II—1.611, 0.553, 1.395, 1.425, 1.221, 6.205; III—1.419, 0.574, 1.348, 1.488, 1.094, 6.923; IV—2.176, 0.614, 1.975, 2.088, 1.300, 8.153. Abdomen 2.096 long, 1.426 wide. Leg spination: I—femur d 1-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 0-0-0; tibia d 0-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 2-2-2-2-2-2; metatarsus d 0-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 2-2; II—femur d 1-0- 2; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 0-0-0; tibia d 0-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 2-2-2-2; metatarsus d 0-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 2-2; III—femur d 1-0-1; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 0-0-0; tibia d 0-0-2; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-1; v 2-2-2; metatarsus d 2-2-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-1; v 0-2-0; IV—femur d 1-0-1; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 0-0-0; tibia d 2-2-0; p 0-0-1; r 1-0-1; v 2-2-2; metatarsus d 2- 2-2; p 1-0-1; r 1-1-1; v 0-2-2-2. Male palp. Tibia almost half of cymbium length. Two lobes. Ventral lobe with thick apical spur, much longer than median lobe ( Figs 13A , 14A ). Median lobe well sclerotized, sub-rectangular, with concave prolateral surface; dorsal lobe absent ( Figs 13B , 14B ). Cymbium with well-developed retrolateral basal process. Spermophore with five ventral folds. Tegular process large, as wide as tegular width, with pronounced lateral margins, inserted on tegular depression, deeply bifid, with truncated latero-apical margins. Embolus comma-shaped. Embolar process small, not exceeding length of embolus, projected retrolaterally. Conductor and embolus curved, overlapping tegular process ( Fig. 13B ).

Female (CAS): Coloration as in male. Total length 5.070. Carapace 2.353 long, 1.794 wide. Clypeus height 0.167. Eye diameters: AME 0.188, ALE 0.110, PME 0.135, PLE 0.147. Interocular distances: AME-AME 0.076, AME-ALE 0.046, PME-PME 0.129, PME-PLE 0.130, ALE-PLE 0.034, PME-AME 0.063. Chelicerae with three promarginal teeth, the second two times longer, and five retromarginal teeth, the most proximal to fang three times smaller than others. Sternum 1.155 long, 0.903 wide. Leg measurements: I—2.152, 0.799, 2.301, 1.744, 1.638, 8.643; II—2.026, 0.713, 1.709, 1.443, 0.981, 6.872; III—1.652, 0.605, 1.363, 1.643, 1.207, 6.470; IV—2.331, 0.682, 2.203, 2.504, 1.492, 9.212. Abdomen 2.400 long, 1.644 wide. Leg spination: I—femur d 0-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0- 0-0; v 0-0-0; tibia d 0-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 2-2-2-2-2-2; metatarsus d 0-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 2-2-0; II—femur d 1-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 0-0-0; tibia 0-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 2-2-2-2; metatarsus d 0-0-0; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 2-2-0; III—femur d 1-1-2; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 0-0-0; tibia d 2-2-2; p 1-1-0; r 0-1-1; v 2-2-2; metatarsus d 0-0-0; p 1-1-1; r 1-1-0-0; v 2-2-2; IV—femur d 1-1-1; p 0-0-0; r 0-0-0; v 0-0-0; tibia d 2-0-2; p 1-1-0; r 1-0-1; v 2-2-2; metatarsus d 2-2-2; p 1-1-0; r 1-1-1; v 0-2-2-0. Epigyne. Epigynal plate oval; copulatory opening near posterior margin of epigynal plate; posterior vulvar plate extremely projected posteriorly, with large portion visible in ventral view, rectangular in dorsal view; posterior margin of epigynal plate with M-shaped median notch ( Fig. 13C–D, F ); margins of epigynal plate and posterior vulvar plate parallel in ventral view; vulva with a well-developed and sub-squared posterior vulvar plate, reaching the posterior half of vulva, with anterior margin procurved; fertilization ducts short; secondary spermathecae inserted proximally in relation to primary spermathecae ( Figs 13D , 14D ).

Variation. Lengths: 1 (♂) total 3.993. Carapace 1.842 long, 1.335 wide. Leg I: 1.840, 0.651, 1.976, 1.622, 1.435, 7.524; 1 (♀) Total length 4.811. Carapace 2.278 long, 1.756 wide. Leg I—1.796, 0.664, 2.152, 1.522, 1.575, 7.709.

Additional material examined. ECUADOR: Guayas: San Francisco de Milagro , [S2.13696°, W79.59857°, 10 m], H. Exline & W.B. Peck leg., I.1924, W.B Peck & Exline-Peck collection donated to CAS ( 1988 ), 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 7 imm. ( CAS) .

Distribution. Only known from Ecuador ( Fig. 24 ).

Figures

FIGURE 13. Falconina albomaculosa (Schmidt, 1971) A, B male (CAS): A palp, ventral view; B palp, retrolateral view. C, D female (CAS): C Epigyne, ventral view; D Epigyne, dorsal view. E, F female holotype (SMF): E microscope slide with female holotype genitalia; F Epigyne, ventral view. Abbreviations C, conductor; CRP, cymbial retrolateral basal process; E, embolus; EP, embolar process; DL, dorsal lobe of the retrolateral tibial apophysis; MnEP, Median notch of the posterior margin of epigynal plate; ML, median lobe of the retrolateral tibial apophysis; PVP, posterior vulvar plate; S1, primary spermathecae; S2, secondary spermathecae; T, Tegulum; TP, tegular process; VL, ventral lobe of the retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bar A–B 0.2 mm; C–D, F 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 14. Falconina albomaculosa (Schmidt, 1971): A, B male (CAS): A palp, ventral view; B palp, retrolateral view. C, D female (CAS): C Epigyne, ventral view; D Epigyne, dorsal view. Scale bar 1 mm.

FIGURE 24. Known geographical distribution of Falconina species (except Falconina gracilis).