Scaphioides halatus (Chickering)

Platnick, Norman I., Berniker, Lily & Kranz-Baltensperger, Yvonne, 2012, The Caribbean Goblin Spider Genera Scaphioides and Hortoonops (Araneae, Oonopidae), American Museum Novitates 2012 (3751), pp. 1-64 : 49-51

Scaphioides halatus (Chickering)

Figures 313–323

Stenoonops halatus Chickering, 1969a: 19 , figs. 49–52 (female holotype from Fig Tree Hill , Antigua, in MCZ; examined).

Scaphioides halatus: Platnick and Dupérré, 2010: 9 .

DIAGNOSIS: Member of this species resemble those of S. cletus in having only a few, pinpoint-shaped depressions on the sternum (figs. 315, 318), but have a shorter proximal lobe of the embolus (figs. 319, 320) and a narrow tip on the anterior genitalic process (figs. 322, 323).

MALE (PBI_OON 21016, figs. 313–315, 319, 320): Total length 1.39. Elevated portion of pars cephalica granulate anteriorly, posterior portion covered with deep slits, sides granulate. ALE separated by less than their radius. Sternum surface finely punctuate, without pits, microsculpture covering entire surface, furrows with rows of small pits, anterior margin with interrupted transverse groove. Endite tip with beaklike, posteriorly directed protrusion. Proximal portion of embolus with narrow ledge on prolateral side.

FEMALE (PBI_OON 392, figs. 316–318, 321–323): Total length 1.63. Anterior genitalic process long, slightly expanded distally, on short, triangular base.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: WEST INDIES: Leeward Islands: Antigua: Fig Tree Hill , near Old Road, Aug. 17–27, 1967 (E. Sabath, MCZ PBI_OON 392), 1♀ (holotype) . St. Eustatius: The Quill , Jan. 18–19, 1968, beaten from dry banana leaves (B. Malkin, AMNH PBI_OON 21016), 1♂ .

DISTRIBUTION: Leeward Islands ( Antigua, St. Eustatius).

Hortoonops , new genus

TYPE SPECIES: Stenoonops lucradus Chickering.

ETYMOLOGY: The generic name is a contraction of “ Hortipes -like Oonops , ” referring to the extraordinary convergent “baskets” on the anterior metatarsi, and is masculine in gender.

DIAGNOSIS: Members of this genus resemble those of Stenoonops and Scaphioides but lack the synapomorphies of those groups and have distinctive depressions on the anterior metatarsi (figs. 337–340, 367–370).

DESCRIPTION: Total length of males 1.3–1.6, of females 1.5–1.8. Carapace, sternum, mouthparts pale orange, without pattern; legs, palps yellow, without pattern; abdomen white, with or without pattern. Cephalothorax: Carapace broadly oval in dorsal view, anteriorly narrowed to 0.49 times its maximum width or less (figs. 324, 354), anterolateral corners with slightly sclerotized triangular projections, posterolateral edge without pair of pits, posterior margin not bulging below posterior rim, posterolateral surface without spikes, with rounded posterolateral corners; pars cephalica slightly elevated in lateral view (figs. 325, 355), pars thoracica without depressions, fovea, or radiating rows of pits; lateral margin straight, rebordered, without denticles; plumose setae near posterior margin of pars thoracica absent; nonmarginal pars cephalica setae dark, needlelike, in U-shaped row; nonmarginal pars thoracica setae, marginal setae, clypeal setae dark, needlelike. Clypeus margin strongly rebordered, curved downwards in front view (figs. 326, 356), vertical in lateral view, high, ALE separated from edge of carapace by their radius or more, median projection absent. Chilum absent. Eyes six, well developed, all subequal, ALE circular, PME squared, PLE circular; posterior eye row recurved from above, procurved from front; ALE separated by less than their radius, ALE-PLE separated by less than ALE radius, PME separated by less than their radius, PLE- PME separated by less than PME radius. Sternum longer than wide, not fused to carapace, median concavity absent, without hair tufts or radial furrows between coxae I–II, II–III, III–IV, radial furrow opposite coxae III absent, surface smooth, microsculpture only at sides, sickle-shaped structures absent, anterior margin unmodified, posterior margin extending posteriorly beyond anterior edges of coxae IV as single extension, anterior corner unmodified, lateral margin without infracoxal grooves, distance between coxae approximately equal, extensions of precoxal triangles present, lateral margins with rounded extensions between coxae, without posterior hump; setae sparse, dark, needlelike, densest laterally, originating from surface (figs. 327, 357). Chelicerae straight, anterior face unmodified; without teeth (figs. 330, 360); fangs elongated, extending more than half of paturon length (figs. 331, 358, 361), without toothlike projections, directed medially, without prominent basal process, tip unmodified; setae dark, needlelike, densest medially; paturon inner margin with short interdigitating setae, distal region abruptly narrowed, posterior surface unmodified, promargin with row of flattened setae, inner margin unmodified, laminate groove absent. Labium triangular, not fused to sternum, anterior margin indented at middle, same as sternum in sclerotization; with six or more setae on anterior margin, subdistal portion with unmodified setae (figs. 328, 358). Endites distally not excavated, serrula absent (figs. 329, 359), posteromedian part unmodified, same as sternum in sclerotization. Female palp without spines or claw; patella without prolateral row of ridges; tibia with at least two trichobothria (fig. 394); tarsus unmodified (figs. 392, 393). Abdomen: Ovoid, without long posterior extension, rounded posteriorly, interscutal membrane without rows of small sclerotized platelets posteriorly. Book lung covers large, ovoid, without setae, anterolateral edge unmodified. Posterior spiracles connected by groove (figs. 332, 362). Pedicel tube short, unmodified, scutopedicel region unmodified, scutum not extending far dorsal of pedicel, plumose hairs, matted setae on anterior ventral abdomen in pedicel area, cuticular outgrowths near pedicel all absent. Dorsal scutum absent, epigastric scutum weakly sclerotized, not surrounding pedicel, not protruding, small lateral sclerites, lateral joints absent; postepigastric scutum weakly sclerotized, yellow, short, only around epigastric furrow, not fused to epigastric scutum, anterior margin unmodified, without posteriorly directed lateral apodemes; spinneret scutum absent; supraanal scutum absent. Dorsal, epigastric, postepigastric setae dark, needlelike, those on epigastric area not thickened; dense patch of setae anterior to spinnerets absent. Anterior, posterior lateral spinnerets bisegmented, posterior medians unisegmented (figs. 333, 363). Spigots scanned only in H. lucradus ; anterior laterals with single major ampullate gland spigot and three piriform gland spigots in males (fig. 334) and females (fig. 364); posterior medians with single spigot in males (fig. 335) and females (fig. 365); posterior laterals with two spigots in males (fig. 336) and females (fig. 366). Colulus represented only by setae. Legs: Without spines; femur IV not thickened, same size as femora I–III, patella plus tibia I shorter than carapace, tibia I unmodified, tibia IV ventral scopula, specialized hairs on ventral apex absent; metatarsi I, II with dorsal excavation occupying most of segment length (figs. 337, 338, 367, 368), excavation with trichobothrium near distal edge, filament directed proximally, flanked by two large, dark setae (figs. 339, 340, 369, 370); metatarsi I, II mesoapical comb absent, metatarsi III, IV weak ventral scopula absent. Tarsi without inferior claw; lateral surfaces of paired claws with three or four large, basally situated teeth, distal portion of claw abruptly bent downward, median surfaces with distally situated, closely packed rows of teeth with cascading series of small teeth (figs. 341–348, 372–379). Tarsal organs of legs I, II with three receptors, of legs III, IV, palps with two receptors, distal receptor greatly widened, often distally bifid (figs. 349–353, 380–383, 395). Trichobothria with highly arched base (figs. 371, 396). Genitalia: Male epigastric region with sperm pore not visible; furrow without Ω-shaped insertions, without setae. Male palp normal size, not strongly sclerotized, right, left palps symmetrical; trochanter normal size, unmodified; femur normal size, two or more times as long as trochanter, without posteriorly rounded lateral dilation, attaching to patella basally; patella shorter than femur, not enlarged, without prolateral row of ridges, setae unmodified; tibia with at least two trichobothria (fig. 387); cymbium ovoid in dorsal view, completely fused with bulb, no seam visible (figs. 384, 386, not extending beyond distal tip of bulb, plumose setae, stout setae, distal patch of setae all absent; bulb 1 to 1.5 times as long as cymbium, stout, spherical; embolus light, prolateral excavation absent, narrow extending ventrally from bulb (fig. 385). Females with anterior genitalic process set on wide base (fig. 391), posterior elements reduced to short triangles.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.