Thaloe maricao new species

Figures 1 A–H; 2 A–F; 7

Type material. Male holotype and female paratype from Bosque Nacional de Maricao, Maricao, Puerto Rico, 10- 11/IX/1959, A.M. Nadler col., deposited in AMNH.

Other material examined. PUERTO RICO. Maricao: Bosque Estatal de Maricao, National Forest (18°07’22”N; 66°58’29”W), 2♂, 1♀, 12.III.1959, A. M. Nadler col. (AMNH) ; 1♂, 1♀, 12imm, 10-11.IX.1959, A.M. Nadler col. (AMNH); 1♂, 1♀, 10-11.IX.1959, A.M. Nadler col. (AMNH); San Germán: Port Grilo (18°00’00”N; 67°00’00”W), 1♂, IV.1955, A.M. Nadler col. (AMNH) ; Mayagüez: (18°12’04”; 67°08’23”W), 3♂, 2♀, 12.IX.1959, A.M. Nadler col. (AMNH); 1♂, 1♀, 2imm, 14.II.1961, A.M. Nadler col. (AMNH); 1♂, 4♀, 2imm, 19.I.1955, A.M. Nadler col. (AMNH; IBSP 214258); Río Piedras (18°23’59”N; 66°03’00”W), 1♂, 18-19.II.1961, A.M. Nadler col. (AMNH) ; 3♂, 1♀, 13.III.1959, A.M. Nadler col. (AMNH), 2♀, 2imm., 2.III.1953, A.M. Nadler col. (AMNH); 1♀ f, 14.III.1959, A.M. Nadler col. (AMNH); Highway 186 and Río Espiritu Santo (18°24’41”N; 65°48’13”W), 1♂, 20.XII.1985, V. & B. Roth col. (CAS) ; VIRGIN ISLAND. Flagstok Hill to Stumpy Bay (18°21’49.8”N; 65°0’9.5”W), 1♂, 7.VII.1958, Besting & Sweeping col. (AMNH).

Etymology. The noun in apposition refers to the type locality.

Diagnosis. Males of Thaloe maricao n. sp. resembles T. leboulet n. sp. and T. tricuspis (see Brescovit, 1993, fig. 7) by the palpal patella having three distal projections, but differ by the bifid retrolateral patellar apophysis and by the hook shape median apophysis in the male palp (Figs. 1 C–F, 2C–F). Females are readily recognizable by the narrow epigynal borders, short and dentate at tip, and very long spermathecae (Figs 1G, H).

Description. Male (Holotype, AMNH). Carapace orange with black border eyes. Chelicerae, labium, endites and sternum orange. Legs orange with metatarsus and tarsus yellowish. Abdomen yellow dorsally and cream ventrally (Fig. 1A). Total length 4.5, carapace length 2.1, width 1.8. Clypeus height 0.1. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.10, PME 0.12, PLE 0.12; AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.12, PME–PLE 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.06. Chelicerae 0.9 long, with 4 promarginal teeth and 6-7 retromarginal denticles (Fig. 2A). Leg measurements: Leg I—femur 2.7/ patella 1/ tibia 3.2/ metatarsus 2.9/ tarsus 1.3/ total 11.1; II—2.3/ 0.9/ 2.4/ 2.3/ 0.9/ 8.8; III—1.5/ 0.6/ 1.3/ 1.7/ 0.55/ 5.65; IV—2.5/ 0.8/ 2.3/ 2.7/ 0.8/ 9.1. Leg spination: I-II—tibia v2-2 -0, p1-1- 1, r1-1-1; metatarsus v2-2 -0, p1-1-1, r1-1-1; III—tibia v2-2 -0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0; metatarsus v2-2 -2, p1-1-1, r-1-1-1; IV—tibia v2-2 -1p, p1-1-0, r1-1-0; metatarsus v2-2 -2, p1-1-1, r1-1-1. Palp: ventral patellar apophysis elongate, retrolateral patellar apophysis bifid and dorsal patellar short, retrolateral tibial apophysis short and rounded, basal retrolateral tibial apophysis finger shape, ventral tegular process inconspicuous, embolus filiform (Figs. 1 C–F; 2C–F). Abdomen: length 2.5, epigastric furrow 0.5 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 1 from base of spinnerets.

Female (Paratype, AMNH). Coloration as in male, except dorsum of carapace and dorsum of abdomen darker (Fig. 1B). Total length 4.6, carapace length 2.1, width 1.6. Clypeus height 0.08. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.10, PME 0.10, PLE 0.10; AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.12, PME–PLE 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.06. Chelicerae 0.9 long, with 4 promarginal teeth and 7 retromarginal denticles. Leg measurements: Leg I—femur 2.3/ patella 1.0/ tibia 2.6/ metatarsus 2.4/ tarsus 1/ total 9.3; II—2.2/ 0.8/ 2.1/ 1.9/ 0.8/ 7.8; III—1.4/ 0.7/ 1.15/ 0.8/ 0.6/ 4.65; IV—2.2/ 0.8/ 2/ 0.7/ 2.2/ 7.9. Leg spination: I—tibia v2-2 -0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0; metatarsus v2-2 -2, p1-1-0, r1-1-1; II—tibia v2-2 -0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0; metatarsus v2-2 -0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0; III—tíbia v2-2 -0, p1-1- 0, r1-1-0; metatarsus v2-2 -2, p1-1-1, r1-1-1; IV—tíbia v2-2 -2, p1-1-0, r1-1-0; metatarsus v-2-2 -2, p1-1-1, r1-1-1. Abdomen: length 2.5, epigastric furrow 0.8 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 2 from base of spinnerets. Epigynum: narrow copulatory ducts; spermathecae large anteriorly and narrow and curved posteriorly; globular seminal receptacles, and elongated fertilization ducts (Figs 1G, H).

Variation. Males (n = 10): total length 4.1–6; carapace 1.7–2.5; femur I 2.4–3.3. Females (n = 10): total length 4.5–5.5; carapace 1.8–2.3; femur I 1.9–2.6.

Distribution. Known to Puerto Rico and Virgen Islands (Fig. 7).