Plato peruana, Prete & Brescovit, 2024

Prete, Pedro H. & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2024, Taxonomic revision of the orb weaving spider genus Plato Coddington, 1986 (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae) with the description of three new species, Zootaxa 5471 (1), pp. 1-32 : 27

Plato peruana new species

Figures 21 , 23

Types. Female holotype from Zona Reservada Pakitza (71°17'W, 11°56'S), Manu, Madre de Dios, Peru, 07– 13.v.1991, D. Silva col., deposited in USNM 482 .

Etymology. The specific name is a feminine noun in apposition and refers to the country where this species was found, Peru.

Material examined. PERU. Loreto: Cocha Shinguito, Rio Samiria (74°45'W, 05°08'S), 2♀, 12.v.1990 ( MUSM 500553 ) ; 1♀, 27.v.1990 ( MUSM 511437 ) ; Pacaya-Samiria (74°50’W, 05°06’S), 1♀, viii.1989 ( MUSM 500551 ) , all collected by D. Silva.

Diagnosis. Females are recognized by the epigyna with a thick transversal groove, with a large projection in the region of the epigynal support (fig. 21D). Dorsal plate with a large median slit in the posterior portion, separating it in two sides (fig. 21C, G).

Description. Female (Holotype, USNM 482,). Carapace, sternum, labium, endites and chelicerae brown. Legs light brown. Abdomen grayish with two lighter bands dorsally, length 1.8. Total length: 2.5. Carapace length: 1.1. Clypeus height: 0.25. Sternum: 0.62 in length and 0.52 in width. Eyes: AME: 0.1; AME-AME: 0.04; ALE-PLE: contiguous (0.09 each); PME-PME separated by 0.09 (PME 0.1). Legs: I femur 1.3/ patella 0.5/ tibia 1.05/ metatarsus 075/ tarsus 0.65/ total 4.25; II 1.02/ 0.45/ 0.82/ 0.6/ 0.52/ 3.41; III 0.75/ 0.35/ 0.57/ 0.5/ 0.45/ 2.62; IV 1.05/ 0.3/ 0.67/ 0.5/ 0.38/ 2.9. Epigynum: ventral epigynal plate hyaline (fig. 21B). Dorsal plate covering the spermathecae (fig. 21C, G). Copulatory ducts forming an elbow bend (fig. 21C). Abdomen oval.

Variation. 5 females: total length: 2.2–2.5; carapace: 1–1.4; femur I: 1.3–1.5.

Distribution. Known only to the departments of Madre de Dios and Loreto, Peru (fig. 23).

Figures

FIGURE 21. Plato peruana n. sp., from Cocha Shinguito, Loreto, Peru. A, female body, dorsal view; B–G, epigynum; B, ventral view, clarified; C, dorsal view, clarified; D, lateral view, clarified; E, lateral cut view, clarified; F, ventral view, SEM; G, dorsal view, illustration. Abbreviations, At, atrium. CD, copulatory ducts. CP, central pit. DP, dorsal plate. FD, fertilization ducts. S, spermathecae. Su, epigynal support. TG, transversal groove. Scales: A, 2; B, C, D, E, G 0.2; F, 0.1.

FIGURE 23. Distribution of records of Plato (South America).