Priscula limonensis González-Sponga, 1999

Huber, Bernhard A. & Villarreal, Osvaldo, 2020, On Venezuelan pholcid spiders (Araneae, Pholcidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 718, pp. 1-317 : 258-259

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2020.718.1101

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F9E9A91E-488C-4DB1-9361-E788E9AC5BC1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4343943

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03E887AD-FED1-7B03-FD99-FDAFFF45FE2D

treatment provided by

Valdenar

scientific name

Priscula limonensis González-Sponga, 1999
status

 

Priscula limonensis González-Sponga, 1999 View in CoL

Figs 875–876 View Figs 871–876 , 911–915 View Figs 908–911 View Figs 912–915 , 920–923 View Figs 916–923 , 1061

Priscula limonensis González-Sponga, 1999: 141 View in CoL , figs 29–37 (♂ only, see Notes below).

Notes

González-Sponga (1999) did not separate the male holotype from the other specimens, i.e., there is no MAGS 1214a and 1214b. In addition, the vial MAGS 1214 contains two males rather than just one, so it is not obvious which specimen is the holotype. Since there is no reasonable doubt that both males are conspecific, there is currently no need for selecting a lectotype and they are simply treated as types.

González-Sponga (1999: figs 36–37) obviously used a juvenile for his drawings of the ‘female’. The female has a highly distinctive rounded process on the epigynum ( Figs 876 View Figs 871–876 , 915 View Figs 912–915 , 921 View Figs 916–923 ) that reminds of P. lagunosa González-Sponga, 1999 (cf. Figs 909 View Figs 908–911 , 917 View Figs 916–923 ) but is larger and rounder. Females of two further similar undescribed species are available in collections: The MIZA has two females of a species with similar epigynal process, but in that case the process is directed more towards the front (MIZA 105757, MAGS 1389, from Pico Codazzi); the ZFMK has a female with a similar but much lower epigynal process (ZFMK, Ven20-182, from El Ávila National Park, near La Julia, trail to Rancho Grande).

Type material

VENEZUELA La Guaira • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, 6 juvs types (rather than 1 ♂, 6 ♀♀, 2 juvs), MIZA 105760 View Materials ( MAGS 1214 ) Hacienda “El Limón ”, carretera a Puerto Cruz [approximately 10.475° N, 67.283° W] (rather than 10.45° N, 67.25° W), 27 Oct. 1990 (A.R. Delgado de G., M.A. González-S.); examined GoogleMaps .

New record

VENEZUELA La Guaira • 1 ♀ abdomen (transferred from ZFMK, Ven20-175), ZFMK (Ar 22114), and 2 ♀♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Ven20-175), El Limón , ‘site 2’ (10.4774° N, 67.2819° W), 1235 m a.s.l., forest along stream, 21 Feb. 2020 (B.A. Huber, O. Villarreal M.) GoogleMaps .

Description of female

Habitus as in Figs 875–876 View Figs 871–876 . Carapace with dark median mark and lateral bands, without radial marks; sternum dark brown, medially slightly lighter. AME either tiny (diameter in paratype: 20 µm), or with dark pigment but without lenses (one of the newly collected females). Legs with dark rings on femora (incomplete ring proximally, complete rings at half-length and subdistally), on tibiae (proximally, at half length, and subdistally), and metatarsi (proximally). Tibia 1 in two newly collected females: 3.8, 4.2. Epigynum with distinctive rounded process ( Figs 914–915 View Figs 912–915 , 920–921 View Figs 916–923 ), with dark transversal band separating anterior hairless area from hairy rest of epigynal plate. Internal genitalia (newly collected female; Figs 911 View Figs 908–911 , 922–923 View Figs 916–923 ), with pair of oval pore plates, simple evenly rounded anterior ‘valve’.

Distribution

Known from El Limón area only, in Venezuela, La Guaira (Fig. 1061).

Natural history

The types were collected from overhanging road cuts composed of grasses, leaf litter and soil, in a secondary forest with coffee and banana plants ( González-Sponga 1999). The newly collected specimens were found in small holes and cavities in the ground in a well preserved humid forest fragment.

ZFMK

Germany, Bonn, Zoologische Forschungsinstitut und Museum "Alexander Koenig"

ZFMK

Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Pholcidae

Genus

Priscula

Loc

Priscula limonensis González-Sponga, 1999

Huber, Bernhard A. & Villarreal, Osvaldo 2020
2020
Loc

Priscula limonensis González-Sponga, 1999: 141

Gonzalez-Sponga M. A. 1999: 141
1999
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