Macrophyes pacoti Brescovit, Oliveira, Sobczak & Sobczak, new species

(Figures. 1 A−F, 2A−D, 3A−B, 4)

Types. Male holotype from Reserva Florestal Particular Empresa Arvoredo Floricultura (4°18’40’’S, 38º58’05’’W, 840 m alt.), Pacoti, Ceará, Brazil, V-VI/2017, J.F. Sobzak leg., sample 9.13, deposited in IBSP 213909; female paratype from same locality, sample 9.19, deposited in IBSP 213910 .

Other material examined. Brazil. Ceará: Pacoti (04°13’03”S; 38°55’22”W), Reserva Florestal Particular Empresa Arvoredo Floricultura, fungus covering spider’s body , 1♀ (IBSP 213905), 1♀ (IBSP 213908), 1♀ (IBSP 213904, photo), 1♀ j (IBSP 213907), 1♀ j (IBSP 213906), V-VI/2017, J.F. Sobzak leg.; not covered by fungus: 1♀, V–VI.2017, sample 9.20, J.F. Sobczak leg. (IBSP 213913, draw internal epigynum); 1♀, sample 9.15 (IBSP 213913); 1♀, sample 3.5 (IBSP 213914); 1♀, sample 5.9 (IBSP 213911, photo); 1♂, sample 9.16 (IBSP 213915; photo); V-VI/2017, J.F. Sobzak leg.; Paraíba: Areia (06°57’46”S; 35°41’31”W), Mata do Guarim, 1♂, 12/IV/1997, A.D. Brescovit leg. (IBSP 10280); Areia, Reserva da Mata do Pau Ferro, (06°57’28”S; 35°44’4”W) , 1♂, 23-29/IX/1999, A.D. Brescovit et al. leg. (IBSP 138952); 1♀ (IBSP 138936); 1♀ (IBSP 138951); 1♀ (IBSP 138955); 1♀ (IBSP 139959); 1♂ (IBSP 138957); 1♂ (IBSP 138947); 1♂ (IBSP 138935); 1♂ (IBSP 138948), all same locality and collector; Pernambuco: Recife, (08°03’14”S; 34°52’51”W), Horto Dois Irmãos , 4♂, 4♀, 30/V−02/VI/2001, Equipe Biota leg. (IBSP 138511−138512; IBSP 138514−138519), all same locality and collector; Alagoas: Murici, Estação Ecológica de Murici (09°15’S, 35°51’W) , 1♂, 13-22/IX/2003, Equipe Biota leg. (IBSP 139920); 1♀ (IBSP 139869); 1♂, 1♀ (IBSP139875); 1♂ (IBSP 139901); 1♀ (IBSP 139916); 1♂ (IBSP 139866); 1♀ (IBSP 139906); 1♂ (IBSP 139885); 1♂ (IBSP 139896); 1♂ (IBSP 139922); 1♀ (IBSP 139878); 2♂ (IBSP 139912); 1♂ (IBSP 139891); 1♂ (IBSP 139889); 1♂, 1♀ (IBSP 139870); 1♂ (IBSP 139881); 1♂ (IBSP 139871); 1♀ (IBSP 139867); 1♂ (IBSP 139892); 1♂ (IBSP 139918); 1♀ (IBSP 139877); 1♂ (IBSP 139879); 1♀ (IBSP 139923); 1♂ (IBSP 139909), 1♂ (IBSP 139917); 1♂ (IBSP 139863), all same locality and collector; Sergipe: Santa Luzia do Itanhy, Mata do Crasto (11°21’03”S 37°26’52”W) , 1♂, 09−13/IX/1999, A.D. Brescovit et al. leg. (IBSP 138553); 1♀ (IBSP 138555); 1♀ (IBSP 138556); 1♂ (IBSP 138557); 1♀ (IBSP 138558); 1♀ (IBSP 138559); 1♂ (IBSP 138560); 1♂ (IBSP 138561); 1♀ (IBSP 138562); 1♀ (IBSP 138563), all same locality and collector; Bahia: Mata de São João (12°31’48”S, 38°17’56”W), Fazenda Camurujipe , 1♂, 2006, C. Machado leg. (IBSP 91317); 1♂ (IBSP 91318); ♂ 1 (IBSP 91319); 1♀ (IBSP 91320); 1♂ (IBSP 91321); 1♀ (IBSP 91322), all same locality and collector; Jussari, Reserva Natural da Fazenda Teimoso (15°09’S 39°31’W) , 1♀, 21/XI/1998, F. Dias leg. (IBSP 35171); Espírito Santo: Conceição da Barra, Parque Estadual de Itaúnas (18°25.5’97”S; 39°42’25.68”W) , 1♀, 15/XII/2002 − 06/III/2003, Equipe Biota leg. (IBSP 138696); Rio de Janeiro: Petrópolis (22°30’18”S; 43°10’44”W), Fazenda Ranchinho da Roça, 1♀, 08–15.II.2000, Equipe Biota leg. (IBSP 139959) .

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

Diagnosis. Males of Macrophyes pacoti n. sp. resembles those of M. jundiai (see Brescovit, 1993, figs. 1−2) by the long tibiae and vestigial tibial retrolateral apophysis but differ by the palp having a sinuous spermatic duct and elongated, bent embolus (Figs. 1C, D; 2A). Females are readily recognizable by the epigynum with triangular atrium and slightly sclerotized lateral borders (Fig. 1E, 2C).

Description. Male (IBSP 213909). Carapace yellow with gray cephalic area and paramedian bands. Chelicerae, endites and labium brown. Sternum white. Abdomen white with dorsal median gray band dorsally, ventrally white. Legs I-II orange with green bands in the femora I, and other legs white (Fig. 1A, 3A). Total length 4.8, carapace length 1.8, width 1.6. Clypeus height 0.08. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.16, PME 0.18, PLE 0.16; AME– AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.06. Chelicerae 1.0 long, with 5 promarginal teeth and 5 retromarginal denticles. Leg measurements: Leg I—femur 2.1/ patella 0.75/ tibia 2.4/ metatarsus 2.0/ tarsus 0.75/ total 8.0; II—2.0/ 0.7/ 2.0/ 1.8/ 0.8/ 7.3; III— 1.5/ 0.45/ 1.1/ 1.4/ 0.5/ 4.95; IV—2.2/ 0.55/ 1.8/ 2.3/ 0.65/ 7.5. Leg spination: I−II—tibia v2-2 -0, p0, r0, metatarsus v2 -0-0, p0, r0; III—tibia v1 p-2-0, p1-1-0, r1-1-0, metatarsus v2-2 -2, p1- 1-1, r1-1-1; IV—tibia v1 p-1p-2, p1-1-0, r1-1-0, metatarsus v2-2 -2, p1-1-1, r1-1-1. Palp: tibia almost as long as cymbium (Fig. 2 A−B); short and rounded retrolateral tibial apophysis (Fig. 2B); median apophysis subapical, short, curved at tip (Figs.1C, 2A). Abdomen: length 3.0, epigastric furrow 1.0 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 1.0 from base of spinnerets.

Female (IBSP 213910). Coloration as in male, except carapace dorsally with inconspicuous bands and abdomen totally cream (Fig. 1B). Total length 4.8, carapace length 1.7, width 1.4. Clypeus height 0.06. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.12, PME 0.12, PLE 0.12; AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.4, ALE–PLE 0.06. Chelicerae 0.7 long, with 5 promarginal teeth and 7 retromarginal denticles. Leg measurements: Leg I—femur 2.1/ patella 0.75/ tibia 2.4/ metatarsus 2.0/ tarsus 0.75/ total 8.0; II—2.0/ 0.7/ 2.0/ 1.8/ 0.8/ 7.3; III—1.5/ 0.45/ 1.1/ 1.4/ 0.5/ 4.95; IV—2.2/ 0.55/ 1.8/ 2.3/ 0.65/ 7.5. Leg spination: I−III—tibia and metatarsus as in male; IV—tibia v1 p- 1p-2, p1-1-0, r1-1-0, metatarsus v2-2 -2, p1-1-1, r1-1-1. Abdomen: length 3.1, epigastric furrow 1.0 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 1.1 from base of spinnerets. Epigynum: oval spermathecae, short copulatory ducts between the spermathecae, with oval seminal receptacles in the basal third and elongate, posterior fertilization ducts (Figs. 1E, F; 2 C−D).

Variation. Males (n = 10): total length 4.5−4.8; carapace 1.7−1.8; femur I 2.7−2.8; females (n = 10): total length 4.1−4.9; carapace 1.5−2.0; femur I 1.8−2.4.

Distribution. Known from the states of Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Alagoas, Sergipe and Bahia in northeast Brazil and state of Espírito Santo and Rio de Janeiro, in southeast Brazil (Fig. 4).

Remarks. In the area of the Reserva Florestal Particular Empresa Arvoredo Floricultura at least 10 specimens of M. pacoti n. sp. were collected. Among these specimens, five individuals were infected with fungi (1 male and 4 females) and five were not infected. Infected specimens were attacked by a species of araneopathogenic fungus of the genus Gibellula sp. ( Cordycipitaceae), which is the most common genus to infect spiders in South America (Evans 2013). Some specimens showed white coloration and others orange coloration (Fig. 3B), the latter being more abundant. The hyphae of the fungus attack the specimens from the exoskeleton into the hemocele, ultimately covering the whole body of the spider. These infected spiders usually die on the abbatial surface of green leaves, with their legs stretched and fixed to leaf (Fig. 3B), which possibly helps in fixing the host to the plant. In addition, spiders, after killed by the parasitic fungus, have developed fungal reproductive structures in their bodies.