Psalmopoeus chronoarachne, Peñaherrera-R. & León-E., 2023

Penaherrera-R., Pedro & Leon-E., Roberto J., 2023, On Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895 (Araneae, Theraphosidae) species and tarantula conservation in Ecuador, ZooKeys 1186, pp. 185-205 : 185

Psalmopoeus chronoarachne sp. nov.

Figs 1 , 2 , 3

Material examined.

Holotype: Republic of Ecuador • 1 ♀; Province of Cotopaxi, Canton Pangua, Parish of El Corazon , Hacienda La Mariela ; -1.0856, -79.1841, 760 m a.s.l.; 27 February 2023; M. López-García, J. Montalvo, D. Brito-Zapata and C. Reyes-Puig leg.; ZFSQ-i11704.

Diagnosis.

Psalmopoeus chronoarachne sp. nov. can be distinguished from its known congeners by spermathecal morphology, specifically: from Psalmopoeus satanas sp. nov. by having only a single ill-defined lobe on each receptacle, absence of well-defined lobes, apical digitiform lobe, comparatively receptacles more curved towards the centre (Fig. 1 ) (two ill-defined lobe and a single domed well-defined lobe in receptacles, apical digitiform lobe present and receptacles comparatively less curved towards the centre in P. satanas sp. nov.; Fig. 8 ); from P. ecclesiasticus by having comparatively less curved receptacles towards the centre and distant to each other, distal apex more curved and not overlapping, receptacles with only a single ill-defined lateral lobe on apical-inner and apical digitiform lobe absent (Fig. 1 ) (comparatively more curved receptacles towards the centre, distal apex less curved and overlapping, receptacles with apical digitiform lobe, one to four protruding well-defined lobes, and a single ill-defined lobe in P. ecclesiasticus ; Fig. 10 ; see also Gabriel and Sherwood 2019: fig. 1; Cifuentes and Bertani 2022: figs 224, 229); from P. cambridgei , P. irminia , P. pulcher , P. langenbucheri , P. reduncus , and P. victori by having elongated and curved receptacles towards the centre with distal apex curved with only a single ill-defined lateral lobe on apical-inner and apical digitiform lobe absent (elongated and straight receptacles with distal apex straight with apical digitiform lobe and various central lobes in P. cambridgei , P. irminia , P. pulcher ; elongated and triangular receptacles with distal apex straight, comparatively more sclerotised, thinner, and shorter apical digitiform lobe pointing upwards, not overlapping but very close and two to three well-defined lateral lobes in P. langenbucheri ; short and triangular receptacles with distal apex straight, comparatively more elongated apical digitiform lobe pointing upwards but not overlapping and only a single ill-defined lateral lobe in P. reduncus ; elongated and straight receptacles with distal apex slightly curved upwards or straight without receptacles in P. victori ; see figures in Mendoza 2014: figs 27, 28; Cifuentes and Bertani 2022: figs 125, 170-175, 190-191, 215, 245, 268-271, 283, 300, 309).

Description.

Female holotype (ZSFQ-i11704): Total length including chelicerae: 30.48. Carapace: length 11.84, width 10.50. Caput: slightly raised. Ocular tubercle: slightly raised, length 1.34, width 3.01. Eyes: ALE> AME, AME> PLE, PLE> PME, anterior eye row straight, posterior row slightly recurved. Clypeus: wide; clypeal fringe long. Fovea: straight. Chelicera: length 6.45, width 2.70. Abdomen: length 12.19, width 6.84. Maxilla with 147-224 cuspules covering approximately 30% of the proximal edge. Labium: length 2.05, width 1.65, with 163 cuspules most separated by 1.0-2.0 × the width of a cuspule. Labio-sternal mounds joined along the entire base of the labium. Sternum: length 5.33, width 4.42, with two pairs of sigilla. Tarsi I-IV fully scopulate, tarsi I and II divided by narrow strip of longer and thicker setae, Tarsus III-IV divided by wide strip of longer and wider setae. Metatarsal scopulae: I 90%; II 90%; III 65%; IV 50%. For lengths of legs and palpal segments see Table 1 ; legs 4, 1, 2, 3. Spination: Leg IV: metatarsus v 0-0-0 (2ap). Palp: tibia v 0-0-0 (2ap). Posterior lateral spinnerets with three segments, basal 2.07, median 0.86, digitiform apical 1.61. Lateral median spinnerets with one segment. Stridulation organ with eight primary lyra on left maxilla, eight on right; primary lyra wider from base to apex (Fig. 2 ). Spermatheca (Fig. 1 ) with two elongate asymmetrical receptacles and distant to each other, curved towards the centre and distal apex more curved and more sclerotised; apex constricted but wide. Two dorsal longitudinal folds and three ventral longitudinal folds on left receptacle, three dorsal longitudinal folds and two ventral longitudinal folds on right receptacle. Each receptacle with a single ill-defined lateral lobe on apical-inner, each lobe disposed on the most inner longitudinal fold. Colouration: carapace and legs covered with short and long bright golden setae, abdomen covered with short black setae and long reddish setae (Fig. 3 ).

Etymology.

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition referring to the combination of the Greek words chrono ( χρόνο), in reference to time, and arachne ( Ἀράχνη), meaning spider. The compound word refers to the adage that these spiders could "have their time counted" or reduced by impactful anthropogenic activities. The name addresses conservation concerns about the survival and prevalence of spider species in natural environments.

Distribution.

Psalmopoeus chronoarachne sp. nov. is only known from its type locality, Hacienda La Mariela at 760 m, Province of Cotopaxi, in the central area of the Cordillera Occidental of the Andes of Ecuador (Figs 11 , 12 ).

Ecology.

The holotype of Psalmopoeus chronoarachne sp. nov. (Fig. 3 ) was found in the foothill evergreen forest of the Cordillera Occidental of the Andes in the Western Ecuador biogeographic province (Figs 11 , 12 ). The spider was observed on a tree at approximately 1.5 m up from the forest floor.

Figures

Figure 1. Psalmopoeus chronoarachne sp. nov. female holotype (ZSFQ-i 11704), spermatheca A dorsal view B ventral view C apical view. Abbreviation: iLB, ill-defined lobe. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 2. Psalmopoeus chronoarachne sp. nov. female holotype (ZSFQ-i 11704): Maxillae (left side) showing maxillary lyra. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Figure 3. Psalmopoeus chronoarachne sp. nov. female holotype (ZSFQ-i 11704), live habitus A dorsolateral view B dorsal view. Scale bars: 10 mm.

Figure 8. Psalmopoeus satanas sp. nov. female paratype (QCAZ-i 274324), spermatheca A dorsal view B ventral view. Abbreviations: iLB, ill-defined lobe; wLB, well-defined lobe. Scale bars: 2 mm.

Figure 10. Psalmopoeus ecclesiasticus non-type female (QCAZ-i 274322), spermatheca A dorsal view B ventral view. Scale bars: 2 mm.

Figure 11. Distribution of the genus Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895 in Ecuador, including biogeographical regions of Ecuador. White star = Reserva Otongachi, type locality of P. satanas sp. nov.; White triangle = Localities of P. satanas sp. nov. paratypes; Black star = Hacienda La Mariela, type locality of P. chronoarachne; Yellow star = Rio Sapayo, type locality of P. ecclesiasticus; Yellow circle = Carondelet, historical record of P. ecclesiasticus; Yellow squares = Additional records of P. ecclesiasticus.

Figure 12. Distribution of the genus Psalmopoeus Pocock, 1895 in Ecuador, including mining concessions and cropland use. White star = Reserva Otongachi, type locality of P. satanas sp. nov.; White triangle = localities of P. satanas sp. nov. paratypes; black star = Hacienda La Mariela, type locality of P. chronoarachne; yellow star = Rio Sapayo, type locality of P. ecclesiasticus; yellow circle = Carondelet, historical record of P. ecclesiasticus; yellow squares = additional records of P. ecclesiasticus.