Cicurina (Cicurella) leona Gertsch 1992

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 : 27

Cicurina (Cicurella) leona Gertsch 1992

( Figs 44–45, 128)

Cicurina leona Gertsch 1992: 129 , figs 165–166 (description of female).

HOLOTYPE female: “ Nuevo Leon: Cueva de Cuchillo, 2.5 km S. of Minas Viejas , 1270m. 22 April 1988. Peter Sprouse”. Examined ( AMNH).

Additional material examined. MEXICO: Nuevo Leon: Pozo la Gloria , 1 km WSW Minas Viejas, 21.i.1989, 1♀, 1280m. P. Sprouse ( AMNH) .

Description. Female holotype

Total length: 3.11; carapace length: 1.346; carapace width: 0.99. Eyes absent. Cheliceral promargin right side with 3 teeth (2 large, 1 small), left side likewise; retromargin right side with 6 denticles (2 large, 4 small) left side likewise. Leg I: total length: 4.45; femur: 1.27; patella: 0.47; tibia: 1.13; metatarsus: 0.99; tarsus: 0.59; leg IV: total length: 5.25; femur: 1.42; patella: 0.47; tibia: 1.23; metatarsus: 1.32; tarsus:0.81. Tarsal claw IV: 0.11. Epigynum: 0.394. Epigynum with bursa enlarged; copulatory ducts touching at midpoint, reaching top of primary lobe apex; copulatory ducts constriction located medially; primary pores not visible; stalk, short, procurved, joining the primary lobe at the aperture of the dictynoid pore; dictynoid pore elongated; primary lobe kidney-shaped; secondary lobe absent; fertilization canal short, reaching the dictynoid pore; fertilization duct internally attached to the primary lobe base.

Distribution. Known from two caves in Nuevo Leon ( Mexico): Cueva de Cuchillo (type locality) and Pozo la Gloria (see remarks) ( Fig. 128).

Remarks. Male unknown. The vial that contains the holotype label of C. leona in the AMNH type collection does not match the data published by Gertsch (1992) for this species. The label reads “ Mexico; Nuevo Leon; Pozo la Gloria, 1 km WSW Minas Viejas, 1280m. 21 Jan. 1989 P. Sprouse”. However, in Gertsch’s synoptic collection we located a specimen identified as C. leona that bears the data pertaining to the holotype. It appears that the holotype label was not assigned to the correct specimen, i.e., the specimen that matches the data published for the holotype of that species. We corrected the situation by adding a holotype label to the type specimen. These data, however, add a second location for the species. Unfortunately the description provided here is incomplete given that the epigynum of the type was damaged.