Moenkhaus, 1898 : 110
Blechroscelis viridis Mello-Leitão, 1918: 105
Mello-Leitão 1947c : 2
Mesabolivar brasiliensis : Huber 2000: 217
The South American spider genera Mesabolivar and Carapoia (Araneae, Pholcidae): new species and a framework for redrawing generic limits
Huber, Bernhard A.
Zootaxa
2018
2018-03-19
4395
1
1
178
3ZXCT
(Moenkhaus, 1898)
Moenkhaus
1898
[151,691,1882,1909]
Arachnida
Pholcidae
Mesabolivar
GBIF
Animalia
Araneae
68
69
Arthropoda
species
brasiliensis
Litoporus brasiliensis Moenkhaus, 1898: 110, pl. 5, figs 6, 6a–c (♂, Brazil: São Paulo). Mello-Leitão 1918: 95, figs 5–6 (copy of Moenkhaus 1898). Blechroscelis viridisMello-Leitão, 1918: 105, figs 19–20 (♂, Brazil: Rio de Janeiro). Mello-Leitão 1947c: 2(dubious record, see Notes below). Synonymized in Huber 2000: 217. Mesabolivar brasiliensis: Huber 2000: 217, figs 843–850 (Brazil: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Paraná). Ramalho et al.2008: 454 (São Paulo). Huber & Rheims 2011: 281 (São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro). Castanheira et al.2016: 13 (Rio de Janeiro).
Diagnosis.Distinguished from similar congeners ( M. kathrinae, M. azureus, M. pallens) by shape of procursus ( Figs 274–279; without distal spine-like process; bent rather than evenly curved as in M. azureus; with widened rather than slender tip as in M. kathrinaeand M. pallens); from M. kathrinaealso by male chelicerae (Huber 2000: fig. 843; distal apophyses in more distal position; presence of indistinct proximal processes) and by epigynum with median pocket (pocket absent in M. kathrinae). Females of M. brasiliensis, M. pallens, and M. azureusmay be indistinguishable externally ( Figs 292, 294, 298–299).
Typematerial. Litoporus brasiliensis Moenkhaus, 1898: BRAZIL: São Paulo: ♂ lectotype, 1♀ paralectotype(designated in Huber 2000), MZSP, Poço Grande, “margem do Rio Juquiá” [ 23.756°S, 46.667°W], i.1898(W. Moenkhaus), examined (Huber 2000). Blechroscelis viridisMello-Leitão, 1918: BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro: 3♂ syntypes, MNRJ, Pinheiro [ 22.52°S, 44.00°W], no further data, examined (Huber 2000).
New records. BRAZIL: São Paulo: 2♂ 3♀ 1 juv., ZFMK (Ar 19105), Ubatuba, Fazenda Angelim ( 23.394°S, 45.063°W), 16–18.xii.2003(B.A. Huber); 1♂in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br03/100-7), same data. 1♂ 1♀, ZFMK (Ar 19106), São PauloCity, Parque Estadual de Cantareira ( 23.417°S, 46.617°W), 20.xii.2003(B.A. Huber); 1♂ 1♀in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br03/100-16), same data. 5♂ 4♀in pure ethanol, ZFMK (G002), São PauloCity, Parque Estadual de Cantareira, 28.vi.2001(R. Pinto da Rocha, C. Rheims). Rio de Janeiro: 3♂, ZFMK( Ar19107–08), Reserva Ecológica Rio das Pedras( 22°59.5’S, 44°06.0’–06.8’W), 50–200 ma.s.l., 26.ix.2009( B.A. Huber, A. Giupponi). 3♂ 1♀, ZFMK( Ar19109), Cachoeira da Pedra Brancanear Paraty( 23°11.8’S, 44°46.0’W), forest near river, ~ 230 ma.s.l., 22.viii.2007( B.A. Huber). Assignedtentatively(see Notesbelow). BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro: 4♂ 3♀, ZFMK( Ar19110), Cachoeiras de Macacu, Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçú (22°24.4’–25.3’S, 42°44.2’–44.3’W), 140–300 ma.s.l., 25.ix.2009( B.A. Huber); 3♀, ZFMK( Ar19111), same locality at 140–280 ma.s.l., 23.ix.2009( B.A. Huber, A. Giupponi). 1♂ 7♀, ZFMK( Ar19112), Reserva Ecológica Riodas Pedras( 22°59.5’S, 44°06.0’W), 50 ma.s.l., 25.ix.2009( B.A. Huber); 6♂ 4♀, ZFMK( Ar19113–14), same locality at 50–200 ma.s.l.( 22°59.5’S, 44°06.0’–06.8’W), 26.ix.2009( B.A. Huber, A. Giupponi); 3♂in pure ethanol, ZFMK( Br09-113), same locality, 25–26.ix.2009( B.A. Huber). 4♂ 3♀, MNRJ(14317), Reserva Ecológica Riodas Pedras( 22°59.5’S, 44°06.0’–06.8’W), 50–200 ma.s.l., night, 25.ix.2009( A. Giupponi, A. Kury); 1♀, MNRJ(14318), same data but day. 4♂ 2♀2 juvs, ZFMK( Ar19115), ~ 3.5 kmNW Paraty( 23°11.5’S, 44°43.9’W), degraded forest, ~ 50 ma.s.l., 21.viii.2007( B.A. Huber); 1♂ 1♀in pure ethanol, ZFMK( Br07/100-19), same data. 4♂ 1♀2 juvs, ZFMK( Ar19116), Cachoeira da Pedra Brancanear Paraty( 23°11.8’S, 44°46.0’W), forest near river, ~ 230 ma.s.l., 22.viii.2007( B.A. Huber). 1♀in pure ethanol, ZFMK(G005), Itatiaia[ 22.496°S, 44.561°W], 8–15.vi.2001( H.F. Japyassú). Description(amendments; see Huber 2000). Tibia 1 in32 newly examined males: 8.8–13.1 (mean 11.3); in 30 newly examined females: 6.8–10.4 (mean 8.7). Male femora 2 usually wider than other femora, especially distal thirds. Femora significantly longer than tibiae (e.g., male tibia 1 length 83% of femur 1 length). Prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1. Tip of procursus variable, possibly indicating presence of more than one species ( Figs 274–279; see Notes below). Proximal processes on male chelicerae sometimes distinct, sometimes barely visible in dissecting microscope. Female femora all about same diameter. Epigynum slightly variable in size and shape, depending on degree of sclerotization of anterior plate and on distinctness of internal ‘valve’ visible through cuticle. Natural history.The spiders were found in domed webs freely suspended among the vegetation, mostly ~ 0.5– 1 mabove the ground. The webs seemed to consist of two sheets: a domed upper sheet where the spider rested (diameter ~ 20 cm), with a tangle of silk lines above the dome, and a lower rather flat sheet slightly below the dome.
Distribution.Widely distributed from eastern Paranástate to Rio de Janeirostate, Brazil( Fig. 731) (but see Notes below). Notes.As already noted previously (Huber 2000), two species might be included: the ‘true’ M. brasiliensiswith a procursus as shown in Figs 274–276(slender, with distinct dorsal widening), and a possible second species with a procursus as shown in Figs 277–279. The male chelicerae and the epigyna do not seem to differ between these two ‘morphs’ or ‘species’. ‘True’ M. brasiliensisalso seem to have a consistently shorter abdomen and shorter legs. Tibia 1 length in ten males of ‘true’ M. brasiliensis: 8.8–11.5 (mean 9.9); in 22 malesof the possible second species: 10.8–13.1 (mean 11.8). Tibia 1 length in seven females of ‘true’ M. brasiliensis: 6.8–8.1 (mean 7.6); in 23 femalesof the possible second species: 8.0–10.4 (mean 9.0). Geographically, the ‘true’ M. brasiliensisis more southern, the possible second species more northern, but there is considerable overlap in southern Rio de Janeirostate, where both ‘morphs’ or ‘species’ were found to even share localities (Reserva Ecológica Rio das Pedras, Cachoeira da Pedra Branca near Paraty). The species is not formally split here because I have not (re)examined all material available in collections. Ideally, a much denser sampling combined with molecular species delimitation methods should be done before splitting (or not splitting) this species. Mello-Leitão (1947c)reported the species (under Blechroscelis viridis) from Minas Gerais, Carmo do Rio Claro. I have not seen his specimens (not specified) but consider the record dubious because of the distance to confirmed records. Ramalho et al.(2008)reported the species from “Estação Ecológica de Boracéia (22°11’S, 48°46’W), Salesópolis” but give wrong coordinates (of the town Boracéia: 22.18°S, 48.77°W; instead of the Ecological Station near Salesópolis: ~23.63°S, 45.83°W).
1835975667
MNRJ
Brazil
-22.52
Rio de Janeiro
756
-44.0
69
70
3
3
Rio de Janeiro
syntype
1835975666
2009-09-26
ZFMK
Reserva Ecologica Rio das Pedras & B. A. Huber & A. Giupponi
125
-22.991667
Ar
69
70
3
3
Rio de Janeiro
1835975676
2007-08-22
ZFMK
B. A. Huber
Ar
230
-23.196667
Paraty
125
-44.766666
Cachoeira da Pedra Branca
69
70
4
1
3
Rio de Janeiro
1835975661
2009-09-25
ZFMK
B. A. Huber
Brazil
Assigned
220
Ar
Notes
69
70
7
3
4
Rio de Janeiro
1835975588
[245,1341,1066,1091]
2009-09-23
ZFMK
B. A. Huber & A. Giupponi
Brazil
Assigned
210
Ar
Notes
69
70
3
3
Rio de Janeiro
1835975569
2009-09-25
ZFMK
B. A. Huber
Brazil
Ar
50
-22.991667
Pedras
125
-44.1
Reserva Ecologica Rio
69
70
8
7
1
Rio de Janeiro
1835975574
2009-09-26
ZFMK
B. A. Huber & A. Giupponi
Brazil
Ar
125
-22.991667
Ar
125
-44.1
Reserva Ecologica Rio
69
70
10
4
6
Rio de Janeiro
1835975579
[465,1391,1174,1199]
2009-09-25
2009-09-26
2009-09-25
ZFMK
B. A. Huber
Brazil
Ar
125
-22.991667
Br
125
-44.1
Reserva Ecologica Rio
69
70
3
3
Rio de Janeiro
1835975577
2009-09-25
MNRJ
A. Giupponi & A. Kury
Brazil
125
-22.991667
Pedras
Reserva Ecologica Rio
69
70
7
3
4
Rio de Janeiro
1835975679
[555,989,1246,1271]
2009-09-25
MNRJ
A. Giupponi & A. Kury
Brazil
125
-22.991667
Pedras
Reserva Ecologica Rio
69
70
1
1
Rio de Janeiro
1835975654
2007-08-21
ZFMK
B. A. Huber
Brazil
50
-23.191668
Paraty
125
-44.731667
Ar
69
70
6
2
4
Rio de Janeiro
1835975665
2007-08-21
ZFMK
Br
Brazil
50
-23.191668
Paraty
125
-44.731667
Ar
69
70
2
1
1
Rio de Janeiro
1835975565
2007-08-22
ZFMK
B. A. Huber
Brazil
Ar
230
-23.196667
Paraty
125
-44.766666
Cachoeira da Pedra Branca
69
70
5
1
4
Rio de Janeiro
1835975660
2001-06-08
2001-06-15
2001-06-08
ZFMK
H. F. Japyassu
Brazil
-22.496
Itatiaia
75
-44.561
69
70
1
1
Rio de Janeiro