Boconita Huber, 2020

Huber, Bernhard A. & Villarreal, Osvaldo, 2020, On Venezuelan pholcid spiders (Araneae, Pholcidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 718, pp. 1-317 : 12-13

Boconita Huber gen. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1C907EDE-66B1-4772-BEBC-BDE59A14ACA4

Type species

Boconita sayona Huber gen. et sp. nov.

Etymology

The name is derived from the town Boconó, close to the type locality of the type species. Gender feminine.

Diagnosis

Distinguished from other Modisiminae genera by armature of male chelicerae ( Figs 32 , 41 ; pair of frontal processes with several short modified hairs each and pair of small frontal apophyses; similar only in Systenita Simon, 1893 ), by shape of procursus ( Figs 28 , 37 ; bifid distal process directed towards dorsal), by shape of genital bulb (distinctive prolateral-ventral sclerite set with small cones; arrows in Figs 30 , 39 ), by shape of epigynum ( Figs 44, 47 ; wider than long), by pair of pocket-like structures in female internal genitalia (arrows in Figs 34 , 45, 48 ), by presence of cuticular cusps on male femora, and by male femur 3 enlarged at basis. From possibly closely related genus Systenita also by presence of AME.

Description

See species descriptions below; the two known species are very similar to each other.

Monophyly and relationships

The two included species share several distinctive and unique characters that are likely to be synapomorphies: cuticular cusps on male femora; male femur 3 enlarged at basis; genital bulb with prolateral-ventral sclerite set with small cones (arrows in Figs 30 , 39 ). Other similarities are shared with Systenita prasina Simon, 1893 : male cheliceral apophyses with modified hairs; epigynal plate reduced in comparison to other close relatives like Coryssocnemis Simon, 1893 and Mecolaesthus Simon, 1893 . Preliminary molecular data (J.J. Astrin, B.A. Huber, unpubl. data) support the monophyly of the genus but not the sister-group relationship with Systenita ; instead, Boconita gen. nov. is seen as sister to Coryssocnemis , and both together as sister to Systenita .

Composition and distribution

Only the two species newly described below, from the Venezuelan states Trujillo and Lara (Fig. 1033).

Figures

Figs 26–34. Boconita sayona Huber sp. nov.; from Trujillo, Laguna Negra (type locality; ZFMK Ar 21821–22). 26–28. Left palpal tarsus and procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 29– 31. Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views (arrow: prolateral-ventral sclerite set with small cones; asterisk: distinctive prolateral apophysis). 32–33. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 34. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view (arrows: possible pockets or receptacles). Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

Figs 35–43. Boconita yacambu Huber sp. nov.; from Lara, Yacambú National Park (type locality; ZFMK Ar 21824). 35–37. Left palpal tarsus and procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 38–40. Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views (arrow: prolateral-ventral sclerite set with small cones; asterisk: distinctive prolateral apophysis). 41–42. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 43. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

Figs 44–49. Boconita Huber gen. nov., epigyna, ventral views and cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views (arrows: possible pockets or receptacles). 44–46. B. sayona Huber sp. nov.; from Trujillo, Laguna Negra (type locality; ZFMK Ar 21822). 47–49. B. yacambu Huber sp. nov.; from Lara, Yacambú National Park (type locality; ZFMK Ar 21824).