Eustala guarani, Poeta, Maria Rita Muniz, 2014

Poeta, Maria Rita Muniz, 2014, The orb-weaving spider genus Eustala Simon, 1895 (Araneae, Araneidae): eight new species, redescriptions, and new records, Zootaxa 3872 (5), pp. 440-466 : 442-443

Eustala guarani new species

Figs 1–9 , 85

Type material. Holotype: ♂, Rio Guarani , foz do córrego Três Barras, Três Barras do Paraná, Paraná, Brazil, 25°24’S, 53°10’W, 20.–26.II.1993, A.B. Bonaldo ( MCN 22996 ). Paratypes: ♀, same data as holotype ( MCN 22996 ); 4♂, 5♀, same data as holotype ( MCN 49299 ); ♀, Chapecó, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 26º55’S, 52º33’W, 03.III.2011, R.C. Francisco ( MCTP 35519 ).

Additional material examined. BRAZIL, Mato Grosso: Poconé ( Porto Cercado ), 16°13’S, 56°36’W, ♀, 04.–10.VIII.1992, A.A. Lise & A. Braul ( MCTP 2457 ). Paraná: Capitão Leônidas Marques ( Usina Hidrelétrica de Salto Caxias , Rio Iguaçu ), 25°29’S, 53°35’W, ♀, 20.–28.III.1993, A.B. Bonaldo ( MCN 23448 ); Morretes ( Serra da Graciosa ), 25°21’S, 48°46’W, 2♂, 09.–20.I.1995, Equipe do Laboratório de Aracnologia ( MCTP 6930 , 6947 ). Santa Catarina: Rio Jacutinga (BR 283/RS), 27°13’S, 52°12’W, ♀, XII.1988, Equipe Itá-Machadinho ( MCTP 821 ). Rio Grande do Sul: São Borja ( Reserva Biológica de São Donato ), 28°38’S, 56°00’W, ♂, 31.I.2012, M. Machado ( MCTP 34895 ) .

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Eustala guarani n. sp. ( Figs 1–3 ) resembles E. taquara (see Poeta et al. 2010a: 157, figures 25–29) by the palp with a sub-rectangular conductor, in ventral view ( Fig. 2 ) but differs by the curved terminal apophysis (mesal view, Fig. 1 ), which is flexed in E. taquara palp. The epigynum of E. guarani n. sp. ( Figs 4–8 ) resembles those of E. histrio Mello-leitão, 1948 (see Levi 2007, figures) by the narrowed and elongated apex of scape ( Fig. 4 ) but differs from these species by the narrower median plate posteriorly (posterior view, Fig. 5 ).

Description. Male (holotype, MCN 22996): Carapace pale yellow, with long white setae around the lateral eyes and short brown setae near the thoracic furrow. Posterior median eyes and lateral eyes with black borders. Sternum pale yellow. Abdomen oval, longer than wide. Dorsum gray, with dark gray folium and an anterior white patch that resembles a butterfly ( Fig. 3 ). Venter pale yellow, central area light brown, without the median white patch. Legs dark yellow. Total length 5.4. Carapace length 2.6, width 2.2. Leg formula 1243. Length leg I: femur 3.3; patella+tibia 3.9; metatarsus 2.3; tarsus 0.8; total 10.3. Patella+tibia II 3.6; III 1.6; IV 2.8.

Female (paratype, MCN 22996): Color pattern as in male. Abdomen subtriangular without the anterior white patch ( Fig. 9 ). Ventral white patch faint. Total length 6.8. Carapace length 2.8, width 2.3. Leg, formula 1243. Length leg I: femur 3.3; patella+tibia 3.8; metatarsus 2.5; tarsus 1.0; total 10.6. Patella+tibia II 3.4; III 1.3; IV 3.2.

Variation. Male (n=5): total 4.7–5.9; carapace length 2.5–2.8, width 2.1–2.2. Female (n=5): total 4.3–6.8; carapace length 1.8–2.8, width 1.8–2.3. Some individuals of both sexes with pale yellow abdomen and white folium; with gray abdomen with an anterior white patch resembling a butterfly, as seen in the holotype. Carapace and legs orange. Legs with brown bands.

Distribution. Brazil: Mato Grosso, Paraná, Santa Catarina, and Rio Grande do Sul ( Fig. 85 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Eustala guarani n. sp. 1, 2, Palp (1, mesal; 2 ventral). 3, Male habitus, dorsal. 4 – 8, Epigynum (4, ventral; 5, posterior; 6, lateral; 7, posterior, cleared; 8, lateral, cleared). 9, Female habitus, dorsal. Abbreviations: A, terminal apophysis; Asc, apex of scape; Bsc, base of scape; C, conductor; Cd, copulatory duct; E, embolus; Fd, fertilization duct; LP, lateral plate; MP, median plate; M, median apophysis; S, subterminal apophysis; Stp, spermathecae; st, stipe; r, radix; Tp, tegular projection. Scale bars, 1, 2, 4 – 8, 0.25 mm; 3, 9, 2 mm.

FIGURE 85 – 87. Records of the Eustala species. 85, Eustala guarani n. sp., E. catarina n. sp., E. ericae n. sp., and E. cidae n. sp. 86, Eustala lisei n. sp., E. cuia n. sp., E. farroupilha n. sp., and E. eldorado n. sp. 87, Eustala ulecebrosa (Keyserling, 1892), E. itapocuensis Strand, 1916, E. photographica Mello-Leitão, 1944, and E. mourei Mello-Leitão, 1947. Scale bars, 500 km.