Cymbiapophysa falconi, Peñaherrera-R., 2023

Penaherrera-R., Pedro, 2023, Increasing knowledge of Cymbiapophysa Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 (Araneae, Theraphosidae): general distribution, key to species, and three new species from Ecuador, ZooKeys 1178, pp. 17-38 : 17

Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 3 , 6A , 7A , 8 , 9C, D , 10

Material examined.

Holotype: Republic of Ecuador • 1 ♂; province of Azuay, canton La Unión, Parish of Chordeleg, Valley of Yunguilla , near the Chantaco river ; -3.2421, -79.2685, 1620 m a.s.l.; 03 November 2019; J. Falcón-Reibán & A.Velez leg.; AE-0005 . Paratype: Republic of Ecuador • 1 ♂, same data as holotype; 03 November 2019; J. Falcón-Reibán and A. Velez leg.; AE-0004 .

Diagnosis.

Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov. can be distinguished from other species by the morphology of the male palpal bulb. This new species can be differentiated from C. homeroi sp. nov. by the presence of a disjunct and distally slightly serrated PACK keel, PS keel longer than PI keel, and D weakly developed (continuous and slightly serrated PACK keel, PS keel as long as PI keel, and D more developed in C. homeroi sp. nov.); from C. carmencita sp. nov. by the presence of a disjunct and distally slightly serrated PACK keel, smooth PI keel, continuous and weakly developed A keel, PS keel longer than PI keel, and absence of Type III urticating setae (continuous and slightly serrated PACK keel, slightly serrated PI keel, disjunct and strongly developed A keel, PS as long as PI keel, and presence of Type III urticating setae in C. carmencita sp. nov.); from C. velox and C. yimana by the presence of a disjunct and distally slightly serrated PACK keel, PS keel longer than PI keel, and absence of Type III urticating setae (PACK keel(s) absent, PS keel as long as PI keel, and presence of Type III urticating setae in C. velox and C. yimana ( Gabriel and Sherwood 2020; Sherwood et al. 2021a)); from C. marimbai , C. magna , and C. seldeni by the presence of a disjunct and distally slightly serrated PACK keel, absence of a tibial apophysis, D weakly developed, and absence of Type III urticating setae (two PACK keels present, tibial apophysis present, D well-developed, and presence of Type III urticating setae in C. marimbai ; PACK keel (s) absent, tibial apophysis present, D developed, and presence of Type III urticating setae in C. magna ; PACK keel (s) absent, tibial apophysis present, and D weakly-developed in C. seldeni ( Perafán and Valencia-Cuéllar 2018; Sherwood et al. 2021a; Sherwood and Gabriel 2023). Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov. can further be distinguished from all other species by the presence of a well-developed RI keel projected to the prolateral face (straight and weakly developed RI keel in C. homeroi sp. nov., C. velox , and C. yimana ; RI keel absent in C. carmencita sp. nov., C. magna , C. marimbai , and C. seldeni ( Perafán and Valencia-Cuéllar 2018; Gabriel and Sherwood 2020; Sherwood et al. 2021a; Sherwood and Gabriel 2023)).

Description.

Male holotype (AE-0005): Total length including chelicerae: 19.74. Carapace: length 9.11, width 7.74. Caput: not raised. Ocular tubercle: slightly raised, length 0.98, width 1.46. Eyes: ALE> AME, PLE> AME, PLE> PME, anterior eye row straight, posterior row slightly recurved. Clypeus: narrow; clypeal fringe short. Fovea: straight. Chelicera: length 2.52, width 1.52. Abdomen: length 8.11, width 4.66. Maxilla with 130-183 cuspules covering approximately 50% of the proximal edge. Labium: length 1.25, width 1.49, with 66 cuspules most separated by 0.5-1.0 × the width of a cuspule. Labio-sternal mounds joined along the entire base of the labium. Sternum: length 4.18, width 3.74, with three pairs of sigilla. Tarsi I-IV fully scopulate, tarsi I-III divided by narrow strip of longer and thicker setae, Tarsus IV divided by wide strip of longer and wider setae. Metatarsal scopulae: I 50%; II 60%; III 30%; IV 10%. Lengths of legs and palpal segments: see Table 1 , legs IV, I, II, III. Spination: Leg I: femur p 0-0-1; tibia p 0-1-1-0, r 0, v 0-1-1-0(3ap); metatarsus v 1-0-0(3ap). Leg II: femur p 0-0-1; tibia p 0-1-1-0, v 0-1-0(3ap); metatarsus p 0-0-1, r 1-0-0(3ap).Leg III: femur p 0-0-1, r 0-0-1; patella r 0-0-1, v 0; tibia p 1-1-1, r 1-1-1, v 0-2-0(3ap); metatarsus p 1-1-1, r 1-0-1, v 0-1-1-1-1-0(6ap). Leg IV: femur d 0-0-1; patella r 0-1-0; tibia p 1-0-1, r 1-1-1, v 1-1-1(3ap); metatarsus p 1-1-1-1, r 1-1-1, v 1-1-2-1-1-1-1 (7ap). Pedipalp: femur p 0-0-1; tibia p 1-1-2-1-2(ap). Palpal cymbium with rounded weakly developed retrolateral apophysis (Fig. 1A ). Leg I lacking tibial apophyses. Femur III laterally incrassate. Palpal tibia slightly laterally incrassate. Metatarsus I straight. Posterior lateral spinnerets with three segments, basal 1.70, median 0.57, digitiform apical 1.44. Posterior median spinnerets with one segment. Palpal bulb (Fig. 2 ) with weakly-developed and rounded TH. PS, PACK, and RI keels well-developed; PI, RS and A keels weakly developed. PS keel longer than PI keel, PS extending for one third of the length of the embolus. PACK keel extending to half the length of the embolus, disjunct with the distal part slightly serrated. RI keel extending to half the length of the embolus and distally projected to the prolateral face. ER disjunct from PC forming a PR, PAR absent. PC narrow and constricted in posterior half. D weakly developed. Ventral and dorsal faces with a rugulose area. Only Type Ia urticating setae present, Type III urticating setae absent. Colour (after four years in preservative): generally with a brown colouration and setae with a pale grey colour.

Variation.

The paratype male (AE0004) has carapace length 7.28, width 7.25, abdomen length 5.56, width 8.27, maxilla with 111-170 cuspules, labium with 56 cuspules. It presents the same palpal bulb morphology, except for a more elongated PACK keel, extending almost more than half of the PS keel.

Remarks.

The male holotype (AE-0005) and paratype (AE-0004) of Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov. are deposited in the invertebrate collection of Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad del Ecuador. However, the Mygalomorphae collection of this institution is not yet properly managed or digitised. Therefore, these specimens do not have the current coding numeration (INABIO-MECN-AR) like the rest of invertebrates of this collection, but each specimen presents a unique catalogue specimen code, which is used here.

Etymology.

The specific epithet is an eponym for José M. Falcón-Reibán, a great friend and colleague who introduced me to the curiosity of studying tarantulas, by showing me an unknown tarantula back in 2020.

Distribution.

Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov. is only known from its type locality, in the Valley of Yunguilla, near the Chantaco river, at 1620 m, Province of Azuay, on the southwestern slopes of the Cordillera Occidental of the Andes of Ecuador.

Ecology.

Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov. inhabits semi-deciduous shrubland in the southern inter-Andean valleys, in the Western Ecuador biogeographic Province (Fig. 10 ). Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov. is considerably rare to find; except during the wet season between February and May where males and females (uncollected female specimens) are easy to find below small shrubs and cactus ( José Falcón-Reibán, pers. Comm.). Both known males show small and irregular scarifications in coxa II-III and femur IV (Fig. 3 ). The origin of these scarifications is unknown but could have been produced by preys trying to defend themselves, as observed in other small theraphosids predating large beetles in captivity ( Peñaherrera-R. pers. Obs.).

Figures

Figure 1. Leg I, metatarsus morphology, retrolateral view A Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov. male holotype (AE- 0005) B Cymbiapophysa homeroi sp. nov. male holotype (ZSFQ-i 11577) C Cymbiapophysa carmencita sp. nov. male holotype (ZSFQ-i 11578). Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A); 1 mm (B, C).

Figure 2. Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov. male holotype (AE- 0005), palpal bulb (left hand side): A prolateral view B retrolateral view C dorsal view D ventral view. Abbreviations: A, apical keel; D, dorsal median depression; PI, prolateral inferior keel; PS, prolateral superior keel; PACK, prolateral accessory central keel; PAIK, prolateral accessory inferior keel; RI, retrolateral inferior keel; RS, retrolateral superior keel; ER, embolic ridge; PC, prolateral crease; PR, prolateral ridge; TH, tegular heel. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 3. Scarification on leg segments in Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov. paratype (AE- 0004): A tibia IV (right hand side), ventral view B coxa II (right hand side), ventral view. Holotype (AE- 0005): C coxa III (left hand side), ventral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 6. Maxillary spiniform setae (white arrow) A Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov., male holotype (AE- 0005) B Cymbiapophysa carmencita sp. nov., male holotype (ZSFQ-i 11578). Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 7. Prosoma showing ventro-basal dilatation of coxae (black arrows), ventral view A Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov., male holotype (AE- 0005) B Cymbiapophysa carmencita sp. nov., male holotype (ZSFQ-i 11578). Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 8. Coxa and trochanter I morphology and spiniform presence (black arrows) of Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov., male holotype (AE- 0005) A coxa I showing coxal spinules, prolateral view B coxa I showing small group of short spiniform setae surrounded by elongated and more thinner setae, retrolateral view C coxa I showing dispersed group of short spiniform setae, dorsal view D trochanter I showing dispersed group of short spiniform setae, prolateral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B); 0.2 mm (C, D).

Figure 9. Group of short and coarse setae (light blue lines) and thickened trichobothria (light blue arrow) in metatarsus IV. Cymbiapophysa carmencita sp. nov. male holotype (ZSFQ-i 11578) A retrolateral view of basal part B close up to structures. Cymbiapophysa falconi sp. nov. male paratype (AE- 0004) C retrolateral view of basal part D close up to structures. Scale bars: 1.5 mm (A, B); 1 mm (C, D).

Figure 10. Distribution of the genus Cymbiapophysa Gabriel & Sherwood, 2020 including biogeographical regions of Ecuador and Colombia sensu Morrone 2014 and Cisneros-Heredia 2019. Blue circle = Valley of Yunguilla, type locality of C. falconi sp. nov.; Black circle = Reserve Rio Guajalito, type locality of C. homeroi sp. nov.; White circle = Padrewasi, type locality of C. carmencita sp. nov.; Yellow circle = Paramba, type locality of C. velox; Pink circle = Pambelar, historic record of C. velox; Dark green circle = Carondelet, type locality of C. seldeni; Light green circle = Reserva Natural Biotopo Selva Humeda, type locality of C. marimbai; Dark brown circle = Itsmina, possible occurrence of C. magna; Light brown circle = Andagoya, possible occurrence of C. magna.