Neostasina croix, 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 : 317-318

Neostasina croix sp. nov.

Figs 49−52 , Map 4

Type material: Holotype: ♂, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saint Croix [17°43’N, 64°50’W], March 1964, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69734).

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

Diagnosis. Males of N. croix sp. nov. resemble those of N. bermudezi sp. nov., N. mammee sp. nov. and N. ouali sp. nov ( Figs 27 , 109 , 124 ) by the TBE bifid, with two elongate branches, the main branch longer than secondary branch ( Figs 50, 52 ). They are distinguished from these species by the TBC long and slender, almost three times longer than wide ( Fig. 50 ). Females are unknown.

Description. Male: Prosoma brown with thick brown lines along thoracic striae, lateral margins of cephalic region and extending posteriorly from PME. Fovea brown. Eye borders black. Chelicerae brown with dark brown longitudinal stripe. Legs and pedipalps pale brown. Sternum yellow with orange margins. Labium and endites orange, distally yellow. Opisthosoma cream colored; dorsally with dense pattern of irregular gray marks; ventrally mottled with gray spots. Total length 9.2. Prosoma: 4.4 long, 3.9 wide. Opisthosoma: 4.7 long, 2.9 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.22, 0.22, 0.14, 0.20; interdistances: 0.18, 0.08, 0.30, 0 30, 0.14, 0.10. Legs (2143): I: 16.5 (4.5, 2.3, 4.4, 4.3, 1.0); II: 17.0 (4.7, 2.4, 4.5, 4.3, 1.1); III: 13.5 (4.0, 2.0, 3.2, 3.4, 0.9); IV: 16.1 (4.5, 1.8, 3.8, 4.9, 1.1). Palp: VTA squared, displaced retrolaterally; dRTA triangular in retrolateral view; vRTA developed as small bump at base of dRTA; median apophysis arising from tegulum at 2:30 o’clock position; conductor distally widened; embolus filiform, arising from tegulum at 8 o’clock position ( Figs 49−52 ).

Female: unknown.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality, St. Croix Island (Map 4).

Remarks. Neostasina croix sp. nov. is known solely from a male from the Island of St. Croix. Neostasina saetosa comb. nov. also occurs on the island and is known solely from females. Nevertheless, we prefer to maintain them as separate species due to differences in size ( N. saetosa comb. nov. is significantly larger than N. croix sp. nov.) and coloration pattern (spots in N. saetosa comb. nov. and lines and stripes in N. croix sp. nov.).

Figures

FIGURES 46 − 52. 46 − 48 Neostasina cachote sp. nov., female (46 epigyne, 47 vulva; 48 schematic course of internal duct system); 49 − 52 Neostasina croix sp. nov., male, left palp (49 prolateral, 50 ventral, 51 retrolateral, 52 detail of embolus and TBE). al = anteriad loop of spermathecae; CD = copulatory duct; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; E = embolus; FD = fertilization duct; GP = glandular projection; mag = anterior groove of median septum; TBC = tegular projection at base of conductor; TBE = tegular projection at base of embolus; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA; VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 26 − 32. Neostasina bermudezi sp. nov. 26 − 29 Male, left palp (26 prolateral, 27 ventral, 28 retrolateral, 29 detail of embolus and TBE); 30 − 32 Female (30 epigyne, 31 vulva, 32 schematic course of internal duct system). am = anterior margin of median septum; CD = copulatory duct; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; E = embolus; FD = fertilization duct; GP = glandular projection; mb = main branch of TBE; pm = posterior margin of median septum; sb = secondary branch of TBE; TBC = tegular projection at base of conductor; TBE = tegular projection at base of embolus; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA; VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 106 − 112. Neostasina mammee sp. nov. 86 − 89 Male, left palp (106 prolateral, 107 ventral, 108 retrolateral, 109 detail of embolus and TBE); 110 − 112 Female (110 epigyne, 111 vulva, 112 schematic course of internal duct system). CD = copulatory duct; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; E = embolus; eRTA = extra retrolateral tibial apophysis; FD = fertilization duct; pt = tegular protrusion; TBC = tegular projection at base of conductor; TBE = tegular projection at base of embolus; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA; VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 123 − 128. Neostasina oualie sp. nov. 123 − 125 Male, left palp (123 prolateral, 124 ventral, 125 retrolateral); 126 − 128 Female (126 epigyne, 127 vulva, 128 schematic course of internal duct system). at = anterior twist of spermathecae; CD = copulatory duct; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; eRTA = extra retrolateral tibial apophysis; FD = fertilization duct; GP = glandular projection; TBE = tegular projection at base of embolus; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA; VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale lines: 1 mm.