Rhopalochernes luiscarlosi sp. nov.

Figs. 1A–F, 2A–G, 3A–G, 7A

ZooBank Registration: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub: 82D786A8-5B1A-4CF5-8194-64EF3B303633

Type material. female holotype: COLOMBIA, Bolívar, Municipio de San Jacinto, Vereda La Flecha, Finca Amanecer Gaitero (9°51′09.74″N; 75°10′32.32″W), 250 masl. 10.XI.2019, K. Marimon & E. Villarreal leg. (ICN.APs-841). Paratypes: 1 male and 2 females, with same data as for holotype. (IAvH-I-3866 [1♀]; (IAvH-I-3876 [1♀]; ICN-APs-842 [1♂]),

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym in honor of the late professor Luis Carlos Gutierrez Moreno, who was a lead researcher in the Caribbean region of Colombia, as well as founder of the research group Biodiversidad del Caribe Colombiano at Universidad del Atlántico.

Diagnosis. Rhopalochernes luiscarlosi sp. nov. is characterized by the following combination of characters: cheliceral hand with four setae (Figs. 2F, 3F); serrula exterior with 11 blades; eyeless (Figs. 1A, 1C, 1D, 1F); carapace with two deep transverse furrows (Figs. 1C, 1F); nodus ramosus proximal to st (Figs. 2E, 3E); and trichobothria st closer to t than sb (Figs. 2E, 3E).

Differential diagnosis: Rhopalochernes luiscarlosi sp. nov. can be differentiated from R. chamberlini, R. panamensis and R. ohausi by the lack of eyespots. It also differs from R. chamberlini by the position of the nodus ramosus which is midway between sb and st (Figs. 2E, 3E), but at the same level as st in R. chamberlini . It can be separated from R. panamensis by the serrula exterior which has 11‒12 blades in R. luiscarlosi sp. nov. and 14‒15 blades in R. panamensis . From the type species, R. ohausi, R. luiscarlosi sp. nov. is distinguished by having gaping chelal fingers (not gaping chelal fingers in R. ohausi) and the position of nodus ramosus which is proximal to or at same level of st in R. ohausi (see Mahnert, 2001 Fig. 110).

Rhopalochernes luiscarlosi sp. nov. is similar to R. insulanus and R. catalinae sp. nov. by the absence of eyes, but can be differentiated from R. insulanus by the presence of 4 setae on the cheliceral hand (6 in R. insulanus), a trait that is also present in R. chamberlini, R. panamensis and R. catalinae sp. nov. (see Heurtault, 1998, Figs. 4, 9). It can be distinguished from R. catalinae sp. nov. by the furrows on the surface of the carapace, which are deep and conspicuous in R. luiscarlosi sp. nov. (Figs. 1C, 1F), but shallow and inconspicuous in R. catalinae sp. nov. (Figs. 4C, 4F). Additionally, they differ by the shape of the spermathecae, which have elongated and narrow ducts in R. luiscarlosi sp. nov. (Fig. 7A) but have short, thick ducts in R. catalinae sp. nov. (Fig. 7B). Finally, R. luiscarlosi sp. nov. has a slender tarsus IV (4.00–4.25 × longer than deep) while that of R. catalinae sp. nov. is more robust (2.75–3.75 × longer than deep).

Description of adult: Colour: Carapace and pedipalps reddish brown. Tergites and legs yellowish brown (Fig. 1A–F).

Carapace: heavily granulated; 1.15‒1.23 (♂), 1.09‒1.27 (♀) × longer than broad, eyes or eye-spots absent; with 2 deep transverse furrows, posterior furrow closer to posterior margin than anterior furrow; posterior margin of carapace straight; anterior margin with 4 setae (♂, ♀), posterior margin with 8 (♂), 10 (♀) setae (Fig. 3C, F).

Chelicera: 1.67‒1.80 (♂), 1.29‒1.83 (♀) × longer than broad; with 4 setae on hand (sbs absent) and 1 distal seta (gs) on movable finger, is, bs and es short and acuminate, ls longer and thicker (Figs. 2F, 3F); galea with 4 rami (♀) or simple (♂) (Figs. 2D, 3G); rallum with 3 blades (Figs. 2G, 3D), anterior blade with several ramifications while others smooth; serrula exterior with 11‒12 blades; lamina exterior present.

Pedipalp: trochanter, femur, patella and chelal hand heavily granulated, with short, feathered and acuminate setae (Figs. 2C, 3C); chelal fingers smooth; trochanter 1.50‒1.62 (♂), 1.40‒1.71 (♀), femur 2.13‒2.19 (♂), 2.31‒2.67 (♀), patella 2.00‒2.20 (♂), 1.88‒2.20 (♀), chela (with pedicel) 2.60‒2.74 (♂), 2.80‒3.95 (♀), chela (without pedicel) 2.40‒2.53 (♂), 2.45‒2.63 (♀), hand 1.10‒1.21 (♂), 1.20‒1.26 (♀) × longer than broad, movable finger 1.09‒ 1.18 (♂), 1.04‒1.27 (♀) × longer than hand. All marginal teeth rounded except the terminal ones, which are pointed, accessory teeth not visible. Fixed chelal finger with 8 trichobothria, movable chelal finger with 4 trichobothria: eb and esb placed basally, est medially at equal distance from et and eb, and et distally near the tip of the fixed finger; ib at the same level as esb and close to ist, which is placed midway in the first half of the fixed finger, isb slightly more distal than est and it closer to et than isb; b, sb, st and t about an equal distance from each other, sb slightly ahead of esb, st in the middle of movable finger slightly closer to t than sb, t placed distally and closer to st than tip of the finger. Venom apparatus present only in movable chelal finger with nodus ramosus proximal to st (Figs. 2E, 3E).

Coxal region: maxilla smooth except for the antero-lateral region; coxae smooth; manducatory process triangular in shape with 2 apical setae, 1 prolateral suboral seta and 12 (♂), 9 (♀) additional setae on maxilla. Median maxillary lyrifissure rounded and situated submedially. Chaetotaxy of coxae I‒IV, ♂, 9: 9: 8: 15; ♀, 10: 13: 11: 20.

Legs: granulate; feathered setae on retrolateral margin and dentate setae on prolateral margins. Femur + patella of leg IV 2.45 ‒ 2.60 (♂), 2.73‒2.80 (♀) × longer than deep; tibia 3.14‒3.50 (♂), 3.14‒3.83 (♀) × longer than deep; tarsus 4.00‒4.25 (♂), 4.00‒4.50 (♀) × longer than deep. Tarsi III and IV with short tactile seta, located subdistally. Arolium undivided, slightly shorter than claws; claws slender and simple, not modified (Figs. 2A‒B, 3A‒B) .

Abdomen: tergites I‒X and sternites IV ‒X with a clear medial suture line (Figs. 7C). Tergal chaetotaxy: ♂, 10: 12: 12: 14: 14: 14: 15: 14: 14: 12: 9 (2 T): 2; ♀, 14: 12: 11: 15: 17: 16: 15: 14: 12: 13: 10 (2 T): 2; Sternal chaetotaxy: ♂, 17:(1) 8 (1): (1) 10 (1): 13: 14: 14: 12: 11: 9: 9: 2; ♀, 16: (1) 10 (1): (1) 9 (1): 14: 14: 15: 12: 10: 9: 4: 2.

Genitalia: female: spermathecae paired, with long ducts ending in oval sacs (Fig. 7A). Male: genital opercula containing 9 setae on anterior operculum (sternite II), 8 setae clustered together just anterior to the aperture, 4 in posterior margin of aperture, and 4 in distal margin of posterior operculum (sternite III).

Dimensions: holotype female (ICN APs-841), with range of 4 female paratype in parentheses: Body length 1.36 (1.12‒1.36). Pedipalps: trochanter 0.22/0.15 (0.21‒0.24/0.14‒0.15), femur 0.35/0.15 (0.33‒0.38/0.14‒0.16), patella 0.31/0.15 (0.31‒0.34/0.15‒0.17), chela (with pedicel) 0.56/0.2 (0.53‒0.56/0.18‒0.20), chela (without pedicel) 0.49 (0.49‒0.50), hand (without pedicel) length 0.24 (0.22‒0.24), movable finger length 0.27 (0.26‒0.28). Carapace 0.5/0.46 (0.49‒0.52/0.41‒0.46). Leg IV: femur + patella 0.28/0.10 (0.28‒0.30/0.22‒0.23), tibia 0.22/0.07 (0.22‒0.23/0.06‒0.07), tarsus 0.17/0.04 (0.16‒0.18/0.04).

Allotype male (ICN APs-842), with other male in parentheses: Body length 1.18 (1.03). Pedipalps: trochanter 0.21/0.13 (0.21/0.14), femur 0.34/0.16 (0.35/0.16), patella 0.32/0.16 (0.33/0.15), chela (with pedicel) 0.52/0.19 (0.52/0.20), chela (without pedicel) 0.48 (0.48), hand (without pedicel) length 0.23 (0.22), movable finger length 0.25 (0.26). Carapace 0.47/0.41 (0.48‒0.39). Leg IV: femur + patella 0.27/0.11 (0.26/0.10), tibia 0.22/0.07 (0.21/0.06), tarsus 0.17/0.04 (0.16/0.04).