Novalena calavera Chamberlin & Ivie 1942

Maya-Morales, Julieta & Jiménez, María Luisa, 2017, Revision of the funnel-web spider genus Novalena (Araneae: Agelenidae), Zootaxa 4262 (1), pp. 1-88 : 17-19

Novalena calavera Chamberlin & Ivie 1942

Figure 7 a–e; Map 2

Novalena calavera Chamberlin & Ivie 1942: 230 , figures 61–62 (♂ ♀)

Type. Holotype male: USA: California: Riverton , 38°49′N, 120°21′W, 15.VII.1934, Ivie and Rasmussen, deposited at AMNH (examined).

Diagnosis. The males of N. calavera distinguish from N. lutzi in having the RTA with longer and pointer tips on dorsal projection ( Fig. 7 b) and the ventral projection less prominent ( Fig. 7 a), and from N. rothi and N. alamo in having the tegular median process less conspicuous. The females differ from N. lutzi in having the median plate narrower towards the ventral margin and the copulatory openings as long as wide ( Fig. 7 e), and from N. rothi in having hoods and the copulatory openings not visible in ventral view ( Fig. 7 c).

Description. Male (holotype): Carapace light brown, white spot and feathery scales present. Chelicerae dark brown, condyles orange. Endites and labium brown with white tips. Sternum brown. Legs light brown, tarsus yellow. Three weak rings on femur. Opisthosoma light brown with several black spots, reddish foliage, and four lateral pairs of brown spots. Spinnerets yellow. Total length 9.35. Carapace length 4.85, width 3.33, cephalic region width 1.9, ocular region width 0.9. Chelicerae with two retromarginal teeth; basal segment length 1.7, fang length 0.9. Labium slightly wider than long (0.6/0.5). Endites slightly convergent (distance at their base compared at their tips 0.6/0.4). Sternum longer than wide (2.3/1.8). Opisthosoma longer than wide (4.7/2.7). ALS separated by their basal diameter (0.4/0.4), PLS with distal segment slightly shorter than basal segment (0.5/0.6). Leg lengths: Ifemur 4.5/ patella-tibia 5.72/ metatarsus 4.7/ tarsus 2.5; II—4.6/ 5/ 4.9/ 2.5; III—4.4/ 4.9/ 5.4/ 2.2; IV—5.3/ 6.5/ 7.2/ 2.8. Spination: femur dorsal I—1-2 -3/ II—1-3 -3/ III—1-3 -2/ IV—1-2 -3; patella I—dorsal 1-1/ prolateral 1/ retrolateral 1; II—1-1 / 1/ 1; III—1-1 / 1/ 1; IV—1-1 / 1/ 1; tibia I—dorsal 1-1-0/ ventral 2-1-2-2/ prolateral 1-0-0/ retrolateral 1-1-0; II—1-1 -0/ 2-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; III—1-1 -0/ 2-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; IV—1-1 -0/ 2-1-1-1-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1- 0; metatarsus I—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; II—1-1 -1/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; III—3-2 -2/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; IV—3-2 -2/ 1-1-1-1-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1. Number of trichobothria on tarsus: I—7, II—7, III—7, IV—7. Number of dorsal spines on pedipalp: femur 3, tibia 3. Cymbium length 1.8, width 0.9. Embolus curved; conductor with two projections, the dorsal one larger than ventral one; tegular median process slightly sclerotized; dorsal projection of RTA with two strongly sharp tips, ventral projection short ( Fig. 7 a, b).

Female (allotype): Carapace orange, two longitudinal lines behind PME. Chelicerae brown, condyles orange. Endites and labium orange with white tips. Sternum light brown with a median band that bifurcates at the posterior part. Legs orange with three wide rings on femur and two weak rings on tibia. Opisthosoma light brown and black, with brown foliage and five pairs of lateral light brown spots. Spinnerets light brown. Total length 11.4. Carapace length 5.9, width 4, cephalic region width 2, ocular region width 1.2. Chelicerae with two retromarginal teeth; basal segment length 2.1, fang length 0.9. Labium as long as wide (0.8/0.8). Endites slightly convergent (distance at their base compared at their tips 0.8/0.6). Sternum longer than wide (3/2.3). Opisthosoma longer than wide (5.9/3.9). ALS separated by less their basal diameter (0.3/0.4), PLS with distal segment as long as basal segment (0.7/0.7). Leg lengths: I—femur 4.5/ patella-tibia 5.7/ metatarsus 4.1/ tarsus 2.2; II—4.4/ 5.2/ 4.1/ 2.1; III—4.3/ 4.9/ 4.6/ 2; IV—5 / 6.5/ 6.4/ 2.5. Spination: femur dorsal I—1-2 -3/ II—1-3 -3/ III—1-3 -3/ IV—1-2 -2; patella I—dorsal 1-1/ prolateral 1/ retrolateral 0; II—1-1 / 1/ 0; III—1-1 / 1/ 1; IV—1-1 / 1/ 1; tibia I—dorsal 0/ ventral 2-2-2/ prolateral 1- 1-0/ retrolateral 0; II—0/ 2-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 0; III—1-1 -0/ 2-2-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; IV—1-1 -0/ 2-1-1-2/ 1-1-0/ 1-1-0; metatarsus I—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-0-1; II—0/ 2-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-0-1; III—2-2 -2/ 2-1-1-2/ 0-1-1/ 0-1-1; IV—3-1 -2/ 1-1- 1-2-2/ 0-1-1/ 1-0-1. Number of trichobothria on tarsus: I—7, II—7, III—7, IV—7. Dorsal spines on pedipalp femur: 3. Epigynal plate wider than long (2.6/0.8); atrium divided, visible in posterior view; anterior hoods present; copulatory openings as long as wide ( Fig. 7 c, e). Internal genitalia: copulatory ducts straight, primary spermathecae adjacent and separated from posterior margin ( Fig. 7 d).

Variation. Males (n=8): body length 7.25–9.35; carapace length 3.38–4.85; patella-tibia I length 4.75–5.75. Females (n=10): body length 7.25–11.4; carapace length 3.75–5.9; patella-tibia I length 3.75–5.7.

Additional material examined. Allotype: USA: same data as holotype, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) . Paratypes: USA: same data as holotype, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; same data, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; same data, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) .

Other material: USA: California: Shasta Co., Hat Creek , 19.IX.1961, W. Ivie and W.J. Gertsch, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; Shasta Co., Dana , 18.VI.1942, W.M. Pearce, 2 ♀ ( AMNH) ; Shasta Co., Hazel Creek , 4.VII.1952, W.J. Gertsch, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; Shasta Co., Dickson Flat , 21.VII.1941, W.M. Pearce, 2 ♂ ( AMNH) ; Siskiyou Co., 4.8 km NW Weed, 2.IX.1959, W.J. Gertsch and V. Roth, 2 ♀ ( AMNH) ; El Dorado Co., 4.8 km W Riverton, W.J. Gertsch and V. Roth, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; El Dorado Co., Riverton , 11.VII.1952, M. Cazier, W.J. Gertsch, and R. Schrammell, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; Humboldt Co., Richardson Redwood Grove , 27.X.1944, B. Malkin, 2 ♀ ( AMNH) . Idaho: W New Meadows, 44°57′N, 116°18′W, 2.VII.1943, W. Ivie, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; same data except 3.VII.1943, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; Evergreen Camp, upper Weiser River , 44°52′N, 116°18′W, 2.VII.1943, W. Ivie, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; same data, 1 ♂ 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; same data except 44°52′N, 116°22′W, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; Tamarack , 44°52′N, 116°28′W, 6.VIII.1943, W. Ivie, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; Salmon River , 48.3 km S Salmon, 25.VII.1952, B. Malkin, 1 ♂ ( AMNH) . Oregon: Klamath Co., 19.3 km SW Keno Klamath River, 6.III.1960, J. Schuh, 2 ♀ ( AMNH) ; Grant Co., Fields Creek Road, 1219 m, 25.VI.1952, E.I. Schlinger, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; Indian Ford , 8 km W Sisters, 10.V.1952, V. Roth, 1 ♂ ( AMNH) ; Service Creek , 3.VIII.1951, V. Roth, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; Jefferson Co., Spring Creek , 19–20.IV.1952, V. Roth, 1 ♀ ( AMNH) ; same data except 19.IV.1952, 1 ♂ ( AMNH) .

Distribution. USA: California, Idaho, Oregon (Map 2).

Figures

FIGURE 7. Novalena spp. genitalia: a – e, Novalena calavera Chamberlin & Ivie 1942; f – h, Novalena costata (F. O. Pickard- Cambridge 1902). a, male pedipalp, ventral view; b, same, retrolateral view; c, f, epigynum, ventral view; d, g, internal genitalia, dorsal view; e, h, epigynum, posterior view. Abbreviations: A, atrium; C, conductor; CD, copulatory ducts; CO, copulatory openings; E, embolus; FD, fertilization ducts; H, hoods; MA, median apophysis; RTAd, distal projection of RTA; RTAo, dorsal projection of RTA; RTAv, ventral projection of RTA; S, spurs; S 1, primary spermathecae; S 2, secondary spermathecae; T, tegulum; TMP, tegular median process. Scale bars: a = 1 mm; e, h = 0.5 mm.