Cyrtognatha orphana, Dimitrov & Hormiga, 2009

Dimitrov, Dimitar & Hormiga, Gustavo, 2009, Revision And Cladistic Analysis Of The Orbweaving Spider Genus Cyrtognatha Keyserling, 1881 (Araneae, Tetragnathidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2009 (317), pp. 1-140 : 53

Cyrtognatha orphana , new species Figures 22, 23

TYPE: Male holotype from Brazil, São Paulo olov., Cuv-Cucho [sic] ( MNHN 9192). The label does not provide collector or date information. The label in the vial had the handwritten name ‘‘ Cyrtognatha fusciceps ’’. Most probably it was chosen by its original collector, but unfortunately he/she did not describe the species. The author of this name remains unknown, and thus we chose a different species name to describe this species.

ETYMOLOGY: The species epithet is an adjective taken from the Latin word for orphan, in reference to the lost identity of the arachnologist that first realized that these specimens belonged to an undescribed species of Cyrtognatha .

DIAGNOSIS: This species can be distinguished easily from all other Cyrtognatha species by the conspicuously prolaterally slanted embolus (fig. 22A). It differs significantly from similar congeners (namely, C. insolita and C. petila ) in that both C. insolita and C. petila have the embolus with an extensive membrane that carries small outgrowths (serrated membrane) and have a triangular metine embolic apophysis (fig. 22A, C). The basal apophysis of the conductor in C. orphana has a well-developed membranous lamina (fig. 22C), while in C. insolita it has a sharpened tip (fig. 37C). In C. petila the membrane of the basal apophysis of the conductor is much smaller and the tip is sharpened as in C. insolita .

DESCRIPTION: Male (holotype). Habitus as in figure 23A–D. Carapace yellowish with brownish cephalic region. Fovea well marked with darker pigmentation. Abdomen cylindrical with small proximal tubercle. Distal tubercle short and extending over the spinnerets. Abdomen yellowish with numerous guanine spots concentrated dorsolaterally; dorsally and ventrally the guanine patches are absent around its longitudinal axis. Legs yellowish with remains of greenish coloration. Total length 6.02. Cephalothorax 2.32 long, 1.50 wide, 1.00 high. Abdomen 3.70 long, 0.85 wide, 1.25 high. Sternum yellowish; 0.88 long, 0.78 wide. Endites darker with brown color. Clypeus height 1.3 times one AME diameter. AME larger than the rest of the eyes. ALE and PLE close to each other on short elevations. AME diameter 0.15. Distance between AME slightly more than their diameter; AME–ALE distance 1.5 times one AME diameter. AME–PME distance at about one AME diameter. Distance between PME equal to their diameter. Chelicerae brown, very robust, and strongly divergent (fig. 23B). Cheliceral dorsal tooth very well developed, close to the fang articulation and conspicuously curved prolaterally. Femur I 5.14, 2.21 times the length of the cephalothorax. Pedipalp as in figure 22A–C. Palpal tibia length 0.25; cymbium length 0.95.

Female (paratype). Habitus and pigmentation pattern as in male. Carapace, chelicerae, and endites with lighter color than in male. Legs as in male with some remains of greenish coloring. Total length 6.41. Cephalothorax 2.25 long, 1.50 wide, 1.00 high. Abdomen 4.16 long, 1.22 wide, 1.22 high. Sternum 0.87 long, 0.87 wide. Chelicerae not divergent and without dorsal tooth; fang without outgrowth. Eyes as in male but AME closer to each other and to ALE. Distance between AME less than their diameter and between them and ALE equal to their diameter. AME diameter 0.12. Clypeus height 1.25 times one AME diameter. Femur I 4.65, 2.06 times the length of the cephalothorax. Vulva as in figure 22D, E.

DISTRIBUTION: This species is known only from the type locality (fig. 5).

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL EXAMINED: Paratype: BRAZIL: São Paulo olov., Cuv-Cucho, 1 female (MNHN 9192).