Sparianthis chickeringi ( Gertsch, 1941 ) Rheims, 2020

Rheims, Cristina A., 2020, Revision of the spider genus Sparianthis Simon, 1880 (Araneae, Sparassidae Sparianthinae), Zootaxa 4890 (2), pp. 151-191 : 164-166

Sparianthis chickeringi ( Gertsch, 1941) comb. nov.

Figs 39–53 , 144

Tentabunda chickeringi Gertsch, 1941: 12 , fig. 33 (Holotype ♀ from Panama, Canal Zone , Barro Colorado Island [9.1500, - 79.8333], AMNH, examined).

Pseudosparianthis chickeringi . Roewer 1955: 683, World Spider Catalog 2020.

Additional material examined. PANAMA: Canal Zone: 1♀, Barro Colorado Island [9.1500, -79.8333], 28 July 1939, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69080) ; 1♀, 2 juv., 3 July 1954 ( MCZ 69081) ; 1♀, 25 June 1939 ( MCZ 69082) ; 1♀, 15 August 1954 ( MCZ 69083) ; 1³, 30 July 1936 ( MCZ 69084) ; 1♀, 1juv., 5 August 1939 ( MCZ 69085) ; 1♀, 21 August 1954 ( MCZ 69086) ; 1³, 1 juv., 8 July 1939 ( MCZ 69087) ; 1♀, 28 July 1936 ( MCZ 69088) ; 1♀, 1 juv., 18 August 1936 ( MCZ 69089) ; 1♀, 2 July 1950 ( MCZ 69090) ; 1♀, no date ( MCZ 69091) ; 1♀, July 1950 ( MCZ 69093) ; 4³, 1♀, 2 juv., 1934 ( MCZ 69094) ; 1³, 1941 ( MCZ 69095) ; 1³, 1♀, August 1950 ( MCZ 69096) ; 1♀, 15 July 1950 ( MCZ 69097) ; 1♀, June 1950 ( MCZ 69098) ; 1³, 2 July 1954 ( MCZ 69099) ; 1♀, June 1950 ( MCZ 69100) ; 1♀, 22 August 1939 ( MCZ 69101) ; 1♀, 4 July 1936 ( MCZ 69102) ; 1♀, 13 July 1954 ( MCZ 69103) ; 1³, 2 August 1926 ( MCZ 69104) , all from the same locality and with the same collector . Colon: 1³, 1 juv., Portobello [9.6500, -79.6500], August 1936, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69092) .

Diagnosis. Males of S. chickeringi resemble those of S. caracarai sp. nov. and S. ravida by the palp with mRTA represented by small, short, blunt projection, arising from tibia, close to vRTA ( Figs 34 , 50 , 139 ). They are distinguished from the latter species by the TBE with apical projection gutter-shaped and TBC reduced to narrow keel, not covering base of conductor (TBE with distal projection short and laminar and TBC wider, covering base of conductor in the other species) ( Fig. 49 ). Females are distinguished from all other species of the genus by anterior furrow medially indented and lateral lobes bearing secondary furrows that extend anteriorly reaching anterior furrow ( Figs 46 , 51 ).

Description. Male (MCZ 69094): Prosoma, chelicerae, legs and palps brown; fovea darker brown; eye borders black. Labium and endites brown, distally yellowish brown. Sternum brownish yellow with pale brown margins. Opisthosoma brownish gray; dorsally with dense dorsal pattern of irregular marks laterally, dark cardiac mark and 4–5 median chevrons on posterior half; ventrally with few scattered spots laterally and V-shaped lines of muscle sigilla reaching half the opisthosoma length ( Figs 39–40 ). Total length 10.6. Prosoma: 5.0 long, 4.1 wide. Opisthosoma: 5.2 long, 3.0 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.35, 0.25, 0.17, 0.25; interdistances: 0.25, 0.10, 0.53, 0.33, 0.15, 0.06. Legs (1243): I: 16.0 (4.5, 2.3, 4.1, 4.2, 0.9); II: 15.8 (4.6, 2.3, 3.9, 4.1, 0.9); III: 12.3 (3.7, 2.0, 2.7, 3.1, 0.8); IV: 15.0 (4.3, 1.8, 3.4, 4.4, 1.1). Spination follows the generic pattern except tibia III–IV: d0-0-1; metatarsus III: v1p-2-2. Metatarsus III with single, ventral distal spine; metatarsus IV with ventral distal preening comb. Palp: tibia with prolateral spines short; tegulum with retro-proximal protrusion; embolus slender, with no projections, running distally and curving ventral-proximally at distal margin of alveolus ( Figs 43–45 , 48–50 ).

Redescription. Female (MCZ 69094): coloration pattern as in male, much lighter. Opisthosoma ventrally with more lateral marks on posterior half and less conspicuous muscle sigilla ( Figs 41–42 ). Total length 11.6. Prosoma: 5.1 long, 4.1 wide. Opisthosoma: 6.4 long, 3.5 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.30, 0.25, 0.17, 0.24; interdistances: 0.34, 0.13, 0.55, 0.34, 0.21, 0.14. Legs (1243): I: 14.9 (4.4, 2.4, 3.9, 3.4, 0.8); II: 14.6 (4.4, 2.4, 3.6, 3.4, 0.8); III: 11.5 (3.6, 1.9, 2.6, 2.6, 0.8); IV: 13.7 (4.2, 1.8, 3.1, 3.7, 0.9). Spination follows the generic pattern except tibia III: r1-0- 1; tibia IV d0-0-1; metatarsus IV r1-1-0. Metatarsus III with single, ventral distal spine; metatarsus IV with ventral distal preening comb. Epigyne: epigynal field rectangular, longer than wide; median septum longer than wide, narrowed anteriorly, with posterior margin rounded ( Figs 46 , 51 ). Vulva: internal ducts slender, approximately one fourth spermathecae width from copulatory openings to first turn and half spermathecae width from first turn to spermathecae; first turn anteriad; glandular projection large, rounded, arising from ducts at first turn; spermathecae oval, consisting of coiled ducts ( Figs 47 , 52–53 ).

Variation. Male (n = 10): total length: 10.5–12.5; prosoma length 5.0–5.5; femur I length 4.5–5.2. Females (n = 10): Total length 10.8–16.0; prosoma length 4.7–6.0; femur I length 3.7–4.6.

Distribution. Known from central Panama, Canal Zone and Colón ( Fig. 144 ).

Figures

FIGURES 39–42. Sparianthis chickeringi (Gertsch), habitus. 39–40 male (MCZ 69094) (39 dorsal, 40 ventral); 41–42 female (MCZ 69094) (41 dorsal, 42 ventral). Scale lines: 2 mm.

FIGURES 43–47. Sparianthis chickeringi (Gertsch). 43–45 male (MCZ 69094), left palp (43 prolateral, 44 ventral, 45 retrolateral); 46–47 female (MCZ 69094) (46 epigyne, 47 vulva). Scale lines: 1 mm.

FIGURES 48–53. Sparianthis chickeringi (Gertsch). 40–50 male (MCZ 69094), left palp (48 prolateral, 49 ventral 40 retrolateral); 51–53 female (MCZ 69094) (51 epigyne, 52 vulva, 53 schematic course of internal duct system). Scale lines: 1 mm. af = anterior furrow; ap = apical projection; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; lf = furrow fold; mRTA = median branch of RTA; pt = retro-proximal protrusion; sf = secondary furrow; TBC = tegular projection at conductor base; TBE = tegular projection at embolus base; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA.

FIGURES 143–144. Distribution maps for Sparianthis spp. 143 S. beebei sp nov., S. caracarai sp. nov., S. granadensis (Keyserling), S. juruti sp. nov., S. magalopalpa (Caporiacco) and S. picta (Simon); 144 S. boraris sp. nov., S. chickeringi (Gertsch), S. crulsi (Mello-Leitão), S. humaita sp. nov., S. juazeiro sp. nov. and S. ravida (Simon).

FIGURES 32–38. Sparianthis caracarai sp.nov. 32–34 male, holotype (IBSP 166272), left palp (32 prolateral, 33 ventral, 34 retrolateral); 36–38 female, paratype (IBSP 166267) (36 epigyne, 37 vulva, 38 schematic course of internal duct system). Scale lines: 1 mm. af = anterior furrow; dRTA = dorsal brach of RTA; lf = lateral furrow; mRTA = medial branch of RTA; pt = retroproximal protrusion; TBC = tegular projection at conductor base; TBE = tegular projection at embolus base; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA.

FIGURES 137–142. Sparianthis ravida (Simon). 137–139 male (MPEG 15041), left palp (137 prolateral, 138 ventral, 139 retrolateral); 140–142 female (MPEG 30701) (140 epigyne, 141 vulva, 142 schematic course of internal duct system). Scale lines: 1 mm. af = anterior furrow; ap = apical projection; dRTA = dorsal branch of RTA; lf = lateral furrow; mRTA = median branch of RTA; TBC = tegular projection at conductor base; TBE = tegular projection at embolus base; vRTA = ventral branch of RTA.