Grismadox baueri, Pett & Rubio & Perger, 2022

Pett, Brogan L., Rubio, Gonzalo D. & Perger, Robert, 2022, Grismadox gen. nov., a new Neotropical genus of ant-resembling spiders (Araneae, Corinnidae, Castianeirinae), including the description of two new species from Bolivia and Paraguay, Zoosystematics and Evolution 98 (1), pp. 1-11 : 1

Grismadox baueri sp. nov.

Figs 12-15

Type material.

Holotype ♂; • Bolivia: Beni department, Ballivian, Espiritu, 14°12'57.6"S, 66°39'57.6"W), vegetation, 22.5.1986, W. Hanagarth, J. Sarmiento leg. (SMNK-ARA 13505).

Diagnosis.

Separated from congeners by: coxae IV in male light (vs. dark) (Figs 12 , 13 ); tibia I spines 2-2 (vs. 3-2 or 3-3); lateral anterior extremities of carapace smooth (vs. squared); embolus with five coils (vs. three - four and a half), apex sharp (vs pointed or blunt); dRTA that arises at wider position in ventral view (vs. closer to the palp in others) (Figs 14 , 15 ); much smaller size than adult male of other species (3.17 mm vs. 4.50-5.80); weak constriction of abdomen (vs. clear constriction); sternum index 78, i.e. a broader sternum (much higher than other species).

Etymology.

The species epithet is a genitive patronym in honor of German arachnologist Tobias Bauer, of SMNK, for initially facilitating the loan of the holotype of this species and for many instances of arachnological assistance to the first author.

Description.

Male holotype. Measurements: TL 3.17, CL 1.52, CW 0.84, CI 55, CH 0.94, AL 1.65 (incl. pedicel), AW 0.72, AI 47, SL 0.64, SW 0.50. SI 78, Chelicera length 0.38, width 0.22. Legs. I: 0.94, 0.20, 0.80, 0.78, 0.70. II: 0.90, 0.16, 0.78, 0.74, 0.58. III: 0.80, 0.24, 0.66, 0.76, 0.54. IV: 1.12, 0.30, 1.10, 1.18, 0.68. Eyes. AME - 0.07, ALE - 0.05, PME - 0.05, PLE - 0.06.

Colouration: In ethanol (c. 1986). Carapace orange with black mottling in lines leading from fovea to carapace margins. Small patch anterior to fovea discolored, potentially harboring setae prior to preservation. Black eye rings, darkest around AMEs. Chelicerae concolorous with carapace. Legs light brown to pale from patella I and II, legs III and IV consistently pale medially with brown margins. Coxae I darker, other three white. Sternum orange with distinct darker stripes converging medially. Abdomen darker orange than carapace, darker at anterior 1/3rd due to moderate sclerotization.

Carapace: Oval, longer than wide by about two times. Very weak depression between fovea and cephalic region, otherwise of uniform height, before sloping proximally towards base in lateral view.

Sternum: Distinctly shield-shaped, relatively broad, 0.8 × the length, anterior ridge truncated, widest between coxa I and II. Distinct dark stripe markings beginning adjacent to coxae, converging medially.

Eyes: AER slightly recurved, AMEs largest and black, nearly touching ALEs. PER wider than AER by about 1.4 ×, PER moderately recurved.

Legs: Femora with strong dorsal spine, all equal length. Femora I and II streaked brown and pale, rest of segments pale, legs III and IV streaked throughout. Short, fine setae throughout.

Chelicerae: Promargin with two teeth, distal almost twice as large. Retromargin with two small teeth, both smaller than smaller promargin tooth. No chilum, lateral condyle not visible.

Abdomen: Drop-shaped, much longer than wide, 2.5 ×. Dorsal scutum almost entire. Anterior 1/3rd moderately sclerotized, more than scarcely sclerotized posterior 2/3 rd’s. Weak constriction at 1/3rd, constriction paler, constriction clear when viewed in lateral but is almost indistinct in dorsal view. Second pair of pedicellate setae sclerotized into moderate spines at anterior margin projected at 2' o clock position when viewed laterally. Two strong setae (much weaker than spines) present, just anterior to spines and projected at 2'30 position when viewed laterally. Large ventral sclerite occupying 2/3 length of venter, barrel-shaped and with recurved posterior margin. Small patches of white setae at anterior lateral margin of ventral sclerite, bordering posterior lateral edge of epigastric sclerite. Ventral and epigastric sclerites contiguous.

Palp: Tibia with two RTAs, dRTA more pointed than blunter vRTA. In retrolateral view, dRTA apex points ventrally. Embolus relatively thick and elongate, with five coils; three coils from apical third, basal two coils are much wider. Final coil slimmer.

Leg spination: I: F = pl1 d1, T = (2-2) plv2 rlv2, Mt = (2-2) plv2 rlv2. II: F = d1, T = (1-1) plv1 rlv1, Mt = (2-2) plv2 rlv2. III: F = d2, T = pl1 rl1 plv1, Mt = (2-2) plv2 rlv2. IV: F = d2, T = (2-2) plv2 rlv2, Mt = pl2 rl1 plv2 rlv1.

Geographical and ecological distribution.

This species is only known from the type locality in Espiritu, José Ballivián province, Beni Department, Bolivia. According to the ecoregion delineation by Olson et al. (2001), the locality is situated in Beni savanna (widely recognized as Moxos Plains Flooded Savannas, see Ibisch and Merida 2003). This savanna is comprised of a mosaic of grasslands, swamplands and forest islands ( Navarro and Ferreira 2007). Based on the approximated GPS data of the collection locality (according to the information by the owner of Espiritu ranch), it was not possible to determine the accurate ecosystem or habitat associations of G. baueri sp. nov. Further studies are needed to determine the latter.

Figures

Figures 12 - 15. Grismadox baueri sp. nov. male holotype (SMNK-ARA 13505). 12. Habitus dorsal; 13. Ventral aspect of carapace; 14. Pedipalp in ventral; 15. Pedipalp in retrolateral. dRTA = dorsal retrolateral tibial apophysis, Em = embolus, SD = sperm duct, vRTA = ventral retrolateral tibial apophysis.