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

Priscula limonensis González-Sponga, 1999

Figs 875–876 , 911–915 , 920–923 , 1061

Priscula limonensis González-Sponga, 1999: 141 , 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 , 915 , 921 ) that reminds of P. lagunosa González-Sponga, 1999 (cf. Figs 909 , 917 ) 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 ( 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 .

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.) .

Description of female

Habitus as in Figs 875–876 . 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 , 920–921 ), with dark transversal band separating anterior hairless area from hairy rest of epigynal plate. Internal genitalia (newly collected female; Figs 911 , 922–923 ), 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.

Figures

Figs 871–876. Priscula Simon, 1893; live specimens. 871–873. P. acarite Huber sp. nov.; male from Falcón, Curimagua, and male and female from Lara, between Coro and Barquisimeto. 874. P. lagunosa González-Sponga, 1999; male from Trujillo, Laguna Negra. 875–876. P. limonensis González-Sponga, 1999; females from La Guaira, El Limón.

Figs 908–911. Priscula Simon, 1893; epigynum, ventral and lateral views, and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 908–910. P. lagunosa González-Sponga, 1999; from Lara, Yacambú National Park (ZFMK, Ar 22113). 911. P. limonensis González-Sponga, 1999; from La Guaira, El Limón (type locality; ZFMK Ar 22114). Scale lines: 0.5 mm.

Figs 912–915. Priscula limonensis González-Sponga, 1999; types from La Guaira, El Limón (MIZA 105760; MAGS 1214). 912–913. Left male pedipalp, prolateral and retrolateral views. 914– 915. Epigynum, ventral and lateral views. Scale lines: 0.5 mm.

Figs 916–923. Priscula Simon, 1893; epigyna, ventral and lateral views, and cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. 916–919. P. lagunosa González-Sponga, 1999; from Lara, Yacambú National Park (ZFMK, Ar 22113). 920–923. P. limonensis González-Sponga, 1999; from La Guaira, El Limón (type locality; ZFMK Ar 22114).