Cicurina (Cicurella) buwata Chamberlin & Ivie 1940

Paquin, Pierre & Dupérré, Nadine, 2009, of 60 troglobitic species of the subgenus Cicurella (Araneae: Dictynidae), and a first visual assessment of their distribution, Zootaxa 2002, pp. 1-67 : 18

Cicurina (Cicurella) buwata Chamberlin & Ivie 1940

( Figs 22–23, 131)

Cicurina buwata Chamberlin & Ivie 1940: 74 , fig. 94 (description of juvenile). — Nicolas 1960: 156; Reddell & Finch 1963: 40; Reddell 1965: 169; Vogel 1970: 2; Brignoli 1972: 151; Gertsch 1992: 97 nomen inquirendum; Platnick 1998: 643 nomen dubium; Jackman 1997: 162; Cokendolpher 2004a: 13, 29, 32–33, figs 19–20; Paquin & Hedin 2004: 3243–3245, 3253.

Cicurina elliotti Gertsch 1992: 101 , figs 73–74 (description of female) (placed in synonymy by Cokendolpher 2004a: 32).

HOLOTYPE juvenile: “Cave near Austin, Marsh 12-18 1903. J.H. Comstock”. Examined ( AMNH). Based on the information provided by Finch & Reddell (1963), Barr (1974) and Cokendolpher (2004a), this cave is Sam Bass Cave (see remarks below).

Comment. The holotype of Cicurina (Cicurella) buwata is an immature specimen, and consequently, genitalic features could not be described. However, the holotype Cicurina (Cicurella) elliotti , a synonym of Cicurina (Cicurella) buwata (see Cokendolpher 2004a), is a mature female with recognizable characters (see remarks below). To facilitate species level recognition, we are providing the description of the holotype of Cicurina (Cicurella) elliotti , because the description of an immature Cicurina (Cicurella) does not provide any characters useful to species recognition.

Cicurina (Cicurella) elliotti holotype, female: “ Beck’s Sewer Cave , Williamson Co. Tex. 9-27-65. J. Calvert, J. Reddell ”. Examined ( AMNH) .

Additional material examined. UNITED STATES: Travis County: Cotterell Cave , 10.iii.1967, 1♀, E.E. Remington ( AMNH) ; Fossil Garden Cave , 06.vi.1990, 1♀ [ TMM #34444 ] , J. Reddell, M. Reyes ( TMM) ; Gallifer Cave , 20.iv.1991, 1♀, J. Reddell, M. Reyes ( AMNH) ; Williamson County: Bev's Grotto , 16.iv.1989, 1♀, W. Elliott, J. Reddell, M. Reyes ( AMNH) ; Buttercup River Cave , 16.ii.1991, 1♀ 1 juv., B. Larsen, W. Russell ( AMNH) ; Good Friday Cave , 07.v.1989, 1♀, W. Elliott, M. Reyes ( AMNH) ; Marigold Cave , 18.ix.1988, 1♀ 2 juvs, P. Sprouse ( AMNH) ; Testudo Tube , 29.v.1991, 1♀ 2 juvs, J. Reddell, M Reyes ( AMNH) ; T.W. A.S. a Cave , 16.iv.1989, 1♀ 1 juv., W. Elliott, J. Reddell, M. Reyes ( AMNH) .

Description. Female holotype

Total length: 3.40; carapace length: 1.55; carapace width: 1.00; opisthosoma length: 1.85. Eyes absent. Cheliceral promargin right side with 4 teeth (2 large, 2 small), left side with 3 teeth (2 large, 1 small); retromargin right side with 5 denticles (2 large, 3 small), left side with 6 denticles (2 large, 4 small). Leg I: total length: 4.60; femur: 1.35; patella: 0.55; tibia: 0.97; metatarsus: 1.03; tarsus: 0.70; leg IV: total length: 5.45; femur: 1.45; patella: 0.55; tibia: 1.25; metatarsus: 1.45; tarsus: 0.75. Tarsal claw IV: 0.11. Epigynum: 0.336 mm. Epigynal ventral plate with short transverse slit, bearing medial, inverted U-shaped indentation; atrium square, almost completely intruded by rounded shaped dorsal plate going under epigynal slit, atrial aperture minuscule; bursa not enlarged nor fused; copulatory ducts touching at midpoint, reaching top of primary lobe apex; primary pores not visible; stalk, short, procurved, joining the primary lobe at the aperture of the dictynoid pore; dictynoid pore elongated; primary lobe elongated; secondary lobe absent; fertilization canal long, externally positioned from the dictynoid pore; fertilization duct medially attached to the primary lobe base.

Distribution. The species has been reported from eleven caves (as Cicurina (Cicurella) elliotti ): Travis County: Cotterell Cave, Fossil Garden Cave, Gallifer Cave, Williamson County: Beck’s Sewer Cave (type locality of Cicurina (Cicurella) elliotti ), Bev's Grotto, Buttercup River Cave, Good Friday Cave, Marigold Cave, Sam Bass Cave (=McNeil Quarry Cave, type locality of Cicurina (Cicurella) buwata ), Testudo Tube, T.W.A.S. a Cave ( Fig. 131).

Remarks. Male unknown. Reddell & Finch (1963:40) reported that an immature eyeless Cicurina collected from Sam Bass Cave (=McNeil Quarry Cave) was described by Chamberlin & Ivie (1940) as declared C. buwata as nomen inquirendum. Cokendolpher (2004a) restored Cicurina (Cicurella) buwata from this nomen dubium and placed Cicurina (Cicurella) elliotti Gertsch in synonymy, as Sam Bass Cave is a known locality for Cicurina (Cicurella) elliotti (see Gertsch 1992). This is also supported by the fact that Sam Bass Cave is the type locality of an eyeless carabid beetle, Rhadine subterranea van Dyke ; also collected by J.H. Comstock on Marsh 12-18, 1903 (see Barr 1974), presumably along with Cicurina (Cicurella) buwata , because no other collection of Comstock is known from this area. The epigynum description presented here is incomplete given that the epigynum was somewhat damaged. Gertsch (1992) listed Gallifer Cave as a locality for Cicurina (Cicurella) buwata . However, the location of that cave is not in the geographical range delimited by the other locations given for Cicurina (Cicurella) buwata . Gallifer Cave is located on the Jollyville Plateau, where Gertsch described Cicurina (Cicurella) travisae (see Fig. 131). Cotterell Cave listed in the distribution of Cicurina (Cicurella) buwata , is the type locality of Cicurina (Cicurella) reddelli . Apparently, this slipped Gertsch’s attention as he did not believe that two troglobitic Cicurina (Cicurella) could inhabit the same cave (James R. Reddell, pers. comm.).