Philira toroi Rubio, Baigorria & Stolar, 2023

Rubio, Gonzalo D., Baigorria, Julián E. M. & Stolar, Cristian E., 2023, Unveiling some unknown jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) from Argentina: descriptions of seven new species, Peckhamia 294 (1), pp. 1-22 : 18-21

Philira toroi Rubio, Baigorria & Stolar , sp. nov.

LSID urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BF043909-4B3B-4295-845F-CAA10C554B9E Figures 73-88

Type material. Male holotype (IBSI-Ar 1709) from Argentina, Jujuy, Fraile Pintado (S23.9394°, W64.8068º), 22 February 2022, A . Toro coll . Female allotype (IBSI-Ar 1821), same data as holotype .

Etymology. The specific name is a genitive patronym in honor of Alejandro Toro, who found and collected the type specimens.

Diagnosis. The male of P. toroi sp. nov. can be easily distinguished from that of P. micans (Simon, 1902) by the presence of a finger-shaped RTA directed dorsally towards the cymbial proximodorsal apophysis (compare Figures 77-79 ). The female of P. toroi sp. nov. is distinguished from P. micans by having shorter CDs, with its lateral course closer to the spermatheca (farther apart in P. micans ), and by having the COs closer together (farther apart in P. micans ) (compare Figures 83-88 ). The female also differs from that of P. superba (Caporiacco, 1947) by the dorsal abdominal pattern: P. superba with dark markings oriented longitudinally and joined at posterior part ( Caporiacco 1948: fig. 142), while P. toroi sp. nov. has markings oriented transversely, and clearly separated at posterior part ( Figure 80 ).

Description. Male (holotype). Carapace length 1.90; abdomen length 1.75. Carapace ( Figures 80-82 ) very dark brown, blackish with a broad stripe of white hairs (submarginal band) from each AME to join at thoracic slope; a tuft of white hairs over and between the AMEs. Clypeus brown, with a few feathery white setae, somewhat translucent. Chelicerae brown, lighter at the apex of the paturon, vertical, with feathery white setae near the clypeus. Two promarginal teeth and one retromarginal tooth. Palp light brown, with a conspicuous RTA; cymbium with proximodorsal apophysis (CyA) ( Figures 77-78 ). Tegulum divided, with the border between TBD and TDD transverse in ventral view. TDD with pRL wide. Embolus curved, arises from prolateral side, sclerotized with broad base ( Figure 76 ). Conspicuous finger-shaped RTA, with the apex more sclerotized and directed dorsally on the cymbium. Legs pale yellow, brownish, darker in femora, patellae and tibiae; the first pair with a conspicuous ventral fringe of black setae on the tibia and patella. Abdomen ( Figures 73-74 ) uniform color scheme, metallic greenish, with a pale submarginal anterior band. Lightly marked chevrons on posterior dorsal half. Anal tubercle and spinnerets blackish color, except the median spinnerets (pale yellow).

Female (allotype). Carapace length 2.15; abdomen length 2.93. Carapace ( Figures 80-82 ) orange color, darkened on eyes part and on the thoracic slope, with a white broad submarginal band from each AME to join at thoracic slope; a tuft of white hairs over and between the AMEs. Clypeus densely covered with white feathery hairs. Chelicerae brown, with a few feathery setae near clypeus; teeth as in male. Palps and legs pale yellow, brownish; distally dark ringed on each segment, the first pair darker. Abdomen pale yellow covered with golden scales, with paired transversely-oriented bands and spots ( Figures 80-81 ). Epigyne with two posterolateral COs and a large pCP between them; CDs relatively short, meander posteriorly and laterally, entering the spherical spermathecae from the lateral side ( Figures 83, 85, 87 ).

Note. The original illustration of the epigyne of P. superba is deficient, so it has not been possible to make a reliable comparison; nor has the type material been accessed for examination. However, the dorsal pattern of the abdomen of P. superba plus its original description are very different from that of this new species.

Natural history. Specimen was sampled on shrubs at the edge of a forest in a matrix with annual crops.

Distribution. Only known from northwest Argentina, from the type locality (Jujuy).

Other material examined for comparison. Philira micans : 1 female (IBSI-Ar 0617) from Argentina, Salta, Cabra Corral dam (S25.2861°, W65.4273°), G-Vacuum sampling, 6 March 2007, G. Rubio coll .; 1 male, 1 female (IBSI-Ar 1564) from Argentina, Misiones, Candelaria, Urutaú Nature Reserve (S27.4802°, W55.7925°), beating, 6 February 2021, G . Rubio, J . Baigorria & C . Stolar coll.

Figures

Figures 73-79. 73-78, Male of Philira toroi sp. nov. (holotype IBSI-Ar 1709). 73, Habitus dorsal. 74, Same, lateral. 75, Same, frontal. 76, Left palp, ventral view. 77, Same, retrolateral. 78, Same, photo. 79, Same, Philira micans (IBSI-Ar 1564) for comparison.

Figures 80-88. 80-83, 85, 87, Female of Philira toroi sp. nov. (allotype IBSI-Ar 1821). 80, Habitus dorsal. 81, Same, lateral. 82, Same, frontal. 83, Cleared epigyne, ventral view under stereomicroscope. 85, Same, under microscope. 87, Same, dorsal view. 84, Cleared epigyne of Philira micans (IBSI-Ar 0617) for comparison, ventral view under stereomicroscope. 86, Same, under microscope. 88, Same, dorsal view.