Canaima zerpa Huber, 2020

Huber, Bernhard A. & Villarreal, Osvaldo, 2020, On Venezuelan pholcid spiders (Araneae, Pholcidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 718, pp. 1-317 : 25-28

Canaima zerpa Huber sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:27026FC3-BF0B-48E5-B790-E489ABF48473

Figs 68–71 , 78–80 , 1034

Diagnosis

Distinguished from known congeners by armature of male chelicerae ( Fig. 70 ; three pairs of frontal apophyses), by shape of procursus ( Fig. 69 ; pointed distal apophysis), and by internal female genitalia ( Figs 71 , 80 ): large oval pore plates in slightly vertical position, no tongue-shaped posterior membranous process, anterior and posterior membranous sacs (arrows in Fig. 71 ); note that female of C. merida Huber, 2000 is unknown.

Etymology

The species name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Type material

VENEZUELA – Mérida • ♂ holotype, ZFMK (Ar 21829), Monte Zerpa , forest above La Hechicera (8.637° N, 71.165° W), 14–21 Jun. 2014 (N. Sánchez, M. Fernández) .

Other material examined

VENEZUELA – Mérida • 1 ♂, 1 ♀, ZFMK (Ar 21830), same collection data as for holotype but Apr.– Aug. 2016 (M. Fernández) • 1 ♂, ZFMK (Ar 21831), same collection data as for holotype but 30 Mar. 2013 (D. Meta) .

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 1.7, carapace width 0.70. Distance PME–PME 60 µm; diameter PME 70 µm; distance PME–ALE 30 µm; AME tiny (diameter ~ 10 µm), contiguous. Leg 1: 7.1 (1.7+0.3 +1.8+2.4 +0.9), tibia 2: 1.0, tibia 3: 0.8, tibia 4: 1.1; tibia 1 L/d: 26.

COLOR (in ethanol). Prosoma and legs ochre-yellow, carapace with indistinct radial marks, ocular area with indistinct median and lateral marks; sternum anteriorly whitish; legs without dark rings; abdomen pale ochre gray, dorsally and laterally densely covered with large purplish marks, ventrally with small purplish mark in gonopore area.

BODY. Habitus similar to C. loca Huber sp. nov. (cf. Fig. 50 ). Ocular area slightly raised. Carapace with deep thoracic groove. Clypeus unmodified. Sternum wider than long (0.54/0.38), with pair of anterior humps. Abdomen globular.

CHELICERAE. As in Fig. 70 , with three pairs of distinctive frontal processes: dark rounded apophyses proximally, light processes medially (poorly visible in dissecting microscope), and dark apophyses distally in front of fangs.

PALPS. As in Figs 68–69 ; coxa with distinct retrolateral-ventral apophysis, trochanter barely modified, femur proximally with retrolateral process, distally widened, without ventral process; procursus very simple, distally with dorsal blade-like apophysis and ventral membranous elements; genital bulb with slightly sclerotized distal apophysis parallel to semi-transparent elements.

LEGS. Without spines and curved hairs; with higher than usual density of vertical hairs on tibiae (especially tibia 1); retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 24%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1; tarsus 1 with ~15 pseudosegments, distally fairly distinct.

Male (variation)

Tibia 1 in other male: 1.9 (missing in third male examined). Female

In general similar to male but without humps on sternum, with few vertical hairs on leg tibiae. Tibia 1 in single female: 1.5. Epigynum ( Fig. 78 ) with light median area, internal whitish membranous sac visible in this area in untreated specimen. Internal genitalia ( Figs 71 , 79–80 ) with large oval pore plates in slightly vertical position, without tongue-shaped posterior membranous process, with anterior and posterior membranous sacs (arrows in Fig. 71 ).

Distribution

Known from type locality only, in Venezuela , Mérida (Fig. 1034).

Figures

Figs 68–71. Canaima zerpa Huber sp. nov.; from Mérida, Monte Zerpa (type locality; male: ZFMK Ar 21831, female: ZFMK Ar 21830). 68–69. Left male pedipalp, prolateral and retrolateral views. 70. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 71. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view (arrows: anterior and posterior membranous sacs/receptacles). Scale lines: 0.2 mm.

Figs 72–80. Canaima Huber, 2000, epigyna, ventral views and cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. 72–74. C. perlonga Huber sp. nov.; from Lara, Yacambú National Park (type locality; ZFMK Ar 21826). 75–77. C. loca Huber sp. nov.; from Trujillo, Laguna Negra (type locality; ZFMK Ar 21828). 78–80. C. zerpa Huber sp. nov.; from Mérida, Monte Zerpa (type locality; ZFMK Ar 21830).

Figs 50–57. Canaima Huber, 2000, live specimens. 50–51. C. loca Huber sp. nov., male and female with egg sac from Trujillo, Laguna Negra. 52–53. C. avila Huber sp. nov., male and female with egg sac from Miranda, El Ávila National Park. 54–55. C. guaquira Huber sp. nov., male and female with egg sac from Yaracuy, Guaquira. 56–57. C. guaraque Huber sp. nov.; males from Mérida, between Tovar and Guaraque.