Neostasina granpiedra, Rheims & Alayón, 2016

Rheims, Cristina Anne & Alayón, Giraldo, 2016, Neostasina gen. nov., a new genus of huntsman spiders from the Neotropical region (Araneae, Sparassidae, Sparianthinae), Zootaxa 4079 (3), pp. 301-344 : 318-320

Neostasina granpiedra sp. nov.

Figs 57−63 , Map 3

Type material: Holotype: ♂, Cuba, Santiago, Gran Piedra (20°00’N, 75°37’W), 26−29 January 2012 (MNHNCu).

Paratypes: CUBA: 5♀, same data as holotype (MNHNCu) ; 3♀, 5 juveniles, same locality as previous specimens, 4 May 2011, A. Sanchez leg. (MNHNCu) ; 1♀, same locality as previous specimens, 6−17 December 1995, S. Peck leg. ( AMNH) ; 2♂, 1♀, 2 juveniles, Santiago, Isabelica , 7−17 December 1995, S. Peck leg. ( AMNH) .

Etymology. The specific name is a noun and refers to the type locality.

Diagnosis. Males of N. granpiedra sp. nov. are distinguished from those of the other species of the genus by the dRTA anvil-shaped in ventral view, vRTA laminar and gently curved, and tegular protrusion arising from tegulum at 3 o’clock position ( Fig. 58 ) (between 5−7 o’clock in all other species, when present). Females are distinguished by the median septum roughly rectangular, two times wider than long, with posterior margin medially pointed ( Fig. 61 ) and by the glandular projections rounded on short stalks ( Fig. 62 ).

Description. Male (AMNH, paratype): Prosoma brown with dark brown margins, fovea and dark brown stripes extending posteriorly from PME and PLE and concentrically from fovea, between thoracic striae. Eye borders black. Chelicerae brown with pair of darker longitudinal stripes. Legs and pedipalps orange brown. Sternum orange brown with brown margins. Labium and endites pale orange, distally pale yellow. Opisthosoma yellowish gray; dorsally with gray pattern of irregular marks laterally and on anterior half, around cardiac mark, and with chevron like marks on posterior half; ventrally with few scattered gray spots. Total length 6.0. Prosoma: 2.9 long, 2.5 wide. Opisthosoma: 2.6 long, 1.9 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.25, 0.18, 0.13, 0.20; interdistances: 0.14, 0.04, 0.28, 0.19, 0.12, 0.04. Legs (2143): I: 10.7 (2.9, 1.5, 2.9, 2.6, 0.8); II: 11.0 (3.1, 1.5, 2.9, 2.7, 0.8); III: 8.6 (2.7, 1.2, 2.0, 2.1, 0.6); IV: 10.4 (3.0, 1.1, 2.4, 3.1, 0.8). Palp: VTA small, retrolaterally displaced; eRTA triangular in ventral view; median apophysis arising from tegulum at 2 o’clock position; conductor with the same width throughout its entire length; TBC fin-shaped, longer than wide; embolus filiform, arising from tegulum at 6 o’clock position; TBE single, with dorsal groove, flanked by distal keel, to accommodate the embolus ( Figs 57−60 ).

Female (MNHNCu, paratype): Coloration pattern as in male. Total length 6.8. Prosoma: 3.3 long, 3.0 wide. Opisthosoma: 3.5 long, 2.2 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.22, 0.20, 0.15, 0.20; interdistances: 0.18, 0.12, 0.33, 0.27, 0.18, 0.18. Legs (2143): I: 9.7 (2.9, 1.6, 2.5, 2.1, 0.6); II: 10.2 (3.0, 1.7, 2.7, 2.2, 0.6); III: 8.3 (2.7, 1.5, 1.7, 1.8, 0.6); IV: 9.4 (3.0, 1.3, 2.2, 2.9, 0.7). Epigyne: epigynal field slightly longer than wide; anterior rim divided, transversal ( Fig. 61 ). Vulva: spermathecae with one anterior twist, packed within sclerotized structure rounded close to copulatory ducts, cylindrical close to fertilization ducts ( Figs 62−63 ).

Variation. Males (n = 2): total length 6.0−6.5; prosoma length 2.9−3.4; femur I length 2.9−3.0. Females (n = 10): total length 6.8−9.8; prosoma length 3.3−3.8; femur I length 2.6−3.4.

Distribution. Known from Gran Piedra and Isabelica in Santiago, Cuba (Map 3).

Figures

FIGURES 57 − 63. Neostasina granpiedra sp. nov. 57 − 60 Male, left palp (57 prolateral, 58 ventral, 59 retrolateral, 60 detail of embolus and TBE); 61 − 63 Female (61 epigyne, 62 vulva; 63 schematic course of internal duct system). at = anterior twist of spermathecae; CD = copulatory duct; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; E = embolus; eRTA = extra retrolateral tibial apophysis; FD = fertilization duct; GP = glandular projection; pt = tegular protrusion; TBC = tegular projection at base of conductor; TBE = tegular projection at base of embolus; tk = dorsal keel of TBE; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA; VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale lines: 1 mm.