Eustala delasmata Bryant, 1945

Poeta, Maria Rita M. & Teixeira, Renato Augusto, 2017, Description of the male of the spider Eustala vellardi Mello-Leitão, 1924, the female of E. delasmata Bryant, 1945 and seven species of Eustala Simon, 1895 declared as nomina dubia (Araneae, Araneidae), Zootaxa 4273 (1), pp. 112-120 : 115-116

Eustala delasmata Bryant, 1945

Figs 10–16 , 19

Eustala delasmata Bryant, 1945: 372 , figure 11. One male holotype and two male paratypes from San José de las Matas [19°20'16"N, 70°56'23"W], Dominican Republic, VI.1938, P.J. Darlington Jr. ( MCZ 21031, examined); one male paratype from Sanchéz [19°13'45"N, 69°36'45"W], Dominican Republic, VII.1938, P.J. Darlington Jr. ( MCZ 24613, examined). WSC 2017 .

Aditional material examined. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Barahora: Valle del Polo , 18°05’32”N, 71°16’48”W, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 18.VIII.1935, W.G. Hassler ( AMNH) . Sabana del Mar (near Hato Mayor): 19°03’12”N, 69°23’20”W, 1 ♀, 20.VII.1935, W.G. Hassler ( AMNH) . PUERTO RICO, Muertos Island : 17°53’42”N, 66°31’04”W, 1 ♂, 2 ♀, 27.V.1959, Medina & Matorell ( AMNH, mud nest of Scel. caementarium).

Diagnosis. The male palp of E. delasmata ( Figs 10, 11 ) resembles those of E. palmares ( Poeta et al. 2010, see figures 14, 15) by the conductor with a circular apical groove (ventral view, Fig. 11 ). Eustala delasmata can be distinguished by the conductor with a conspicuous lateral border (ventral view, Fig. 11 ), and by the needle-shaped terminal apophysis without an enlarged tip (mesal view, Fig. 10 ), which is present in E. palmares . The female of E. delasmata ( Figs 13–16 ) has an epigynum similar of those of E. ulecebrosa (see Poeta 2014, figures 69–73), by the annulated scape ( Figs 13, 15 ). Eustala delasmata can be separated from this species by the wide and almost parallel lateral plates (posterior view, Fig. 14 ), which are narrow in E. ulecebrosa (see Poeta 2014, figure 71).

Description. Male (holotype, MCZ): Carapace orange, with brown dusk marks ( Fig. 12 ). There are white setae and brown macrosetae behind the LE and dark borders around PME. Dark brown mask between the AME and LE. Sternum pale yellow with grey border. Abdomen subtriangular, longer than wide, dorsum brown with dark brown folium white outlined ( Fig. 12 ), ventral surface light brown with a central discolored triangle and two small discolored circles. Legs pale brown, femur basis pale yellow. Total length 5.00. Carapace length 2.25, width 2.00. Leg formula 1243 (based on the other specimens). Length leg I: femur 4.30; patella 1.25; tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, missing. Patella+tibia II 3.30; III 1.70; IV tibia 3.20.

Female (AMNH Hato Mayor / Sabana del Mar): Carapace yellow with brown dots on the thoracic area ( Fig. 16 ). PME with dark borders. Faint brown mask between the AME and LE. Sternum as the male. Abdomen subtriangular, dorsum colored as the male, ventral surface pale yellow with a brown band from furrow to spinnerets, with an elongated central white patch and a pair of small discolored circles each side.. Legs pale yellow with brown bands. Total length 5.71. Carapace length 2.26, width 1.83. Leg formula 1243. Length leg I: femur 3.65; patella+tibia 4.19; II 3.34; III 1.59; IV 2.78.

Variation. Male (n=4): total length 4.85–5.10; carapace length 2.25–2.35, width 1.90–2.00. Female (n=5) total length 5.47–5.71; carapace length 2.11–2.26, width 1.80–1.83. Carapace and legs pale yellow or pale orange. Dark mask between LE-AME absent. Dorsum of the abdomen may be white with grey folium and dusk grey marks or discolored with faint folium. Carapace and legs pale yellow or pale orange. Female abdomen may be whitish with a folium.

Distribution. Mexico: Puebla. Dominican Republic: San José de las Matas and Sanchéz ( Fig. 19 ).

Figures

FIGURE 19. Distribution records of Eustala vellardi Mello-Leitão, 1924 (blue circles) and E. delasmata Bryant, 1945 (red triangles).

FIGURES 10 – 18. Eustala delasmata Bryant, 1945. 10, 11, Male palp (10, mesal; 11, ventral). 12, Male habitus, dorsal. 13 – 15, Epigynum (13, ventral; 14, posterior; 15, lateral). 16, Female habitus, dorsal. Eustala andina Chamberlin, 1916. 17, 18 female habitus (17, dorsal; 18, ventral). Scale bars, 10, 11, 13 – 15, 0.25 mm; 16 – 18, 0.5 mm.