Nops largus Chickering, 1967

Figures 37A‒L; 38A‒L; 39A‒L; 40A‒E

Nops largus Chickering, 1967: 11, figs 11–15. Male holotype from Forest Preserve, Canal Zone (9°06′N, 79°44′W), Panama, 21.i.1958, A. M. Chickering (MCZ 21783) ; female paratype from Barro Colorado Island (9°9′19″N, 79°50′54″W), Canal Zone, Panama, i.1958 (MCZ 128560); all types examined.

Additional material examined. PANAMA: Panamá: Barro Colorado Island (9°9′19″N, 79°50′54″W), Canal Zone, 17.iii.1936, W. Gertsch, 1♀ (AMNH). Ditto , vi.1950, 2 ♂ 4♀ 76 immatures (MCZ 128564). Ditto, vi.1954, 3 ♀, 16 immatures (MCZ 128562). Ditto, viii.1954, 1 ♂ 3♀ 15 immatures (MCZ 128552). Ditto, viii.1950, 1 ♀ 21 immatures (MCZ 12 8563). Ditto , vii.1939, 2 ♀ 39 immatures (MCZ 12 8558). Ditto, iii.1964, 1 ♂ 1♀ 10 immatures (MCZ 128556). Ditto, vii.1954, 1 ♂ 1♀ (MCZ 128286). Ditto, viii.1936, 1 ♂ 2♀ 15 immatures (MCZ 1 28566). Ditto, vi‒vii.1934, 2 ♂ 1♀ 15 immatures (MCZ 128 567). Ditto, vii.1939, 2 ♂ 4♀ 35 immatures (MCZ 128554). Ditto, vi‒vii.1936, 1 ♀ 22 immatures (MCZ 128561). Ditto, viii.1939, 2 ♂ 3♀ 39 immatures (MCZ 1 28565). Ditto, viii.1950, 15 immatures (MCZ 128523). Ditto, ii.1958, 2 immatures (MCZ 128524) ; all by A. M. Chickering. Ditto, viii.1943 ‒iii.1 944, J. Zetek, 1♀ (MCZ 128536). Forest Preserve (no more data), vii.1954, A. M. Chickering, 2♂ 2 immatures (MCZ 128520). Ditto, vii‒viii.1 939, A. M. Chickering, 1♂ 3♀ 21 immatures (MCZ 128555). Ditto, ii.1958, A. M. Chickering, 4 immatures (MCZ 128522). France Field (9°19′N, 79°54′W) , Canal Zone, viii.1939, A. M. Chickering, 2♀ 6♀immature 14 immatures (MCZ 128559). Frijoles (9°10′32″N, 79°47′55″W), Canal Zone, vii.1979, B.L. Thorne, 2 immatures (MCZ 128586) . Ditto, viii.1936, A. M. Chickering, 1♀ (MCZ 128527). Bayano region, upper Río Maje (9°07′N, 79°01′W), 15.vi.1976, L. Kirkendall, 1♀ (AMNH). Chilibré (9°09′43″N, 79°37′28″W), Canal Zone, viii.1939, 8 immatures (MCZ 128529) . Arraijan (8°56′22″N, 79°39′01″W), 19. viii.1936, 3 ♀ (MCZ 128534). Ditto, 6. vii.1950, 2 immatures (MCZ 12 8557). Pedro Miguel (9°1′N, 79°36′W) , iii.1958, 1 ♀ (MCZ 128525). Ditto, viii.1954, 4 immatures (MCZ 128533). Summit Gardens (9°3′55″N, 79°38′51″W) , Canal Zone, vii.1954, 1 immature (MCZ 128532) . Ditto, v.1964, 5 immatures (MCZ 128521). Gamboa (9°06′50″N, 79°41′50″W) , Canal Zone, viii.1939, 4 immatures (MCZ 128528) . Ditto, vii.1954, 1 immature (MCZ 128518). Madden Dam (9°12′45″N, 79°36′56″W) , Canal Zone, 8. viii.1939, 1 ♂ 15 immatures (MCZ 128553). Ditto, viii.1936, 2 ♂ 4 immatures (MCZ 128535). Ditto, ii.1958, 1 ♂ (MCZ 12 8530). Ditto , vii.1954, 2 ♀ (MCZ 128531). Colon: Fort Sherman (9°21′52″N, 79°57′31″W) , 15. viii.1939, 7 ♀ 4 immatures (MCZ 128537). Fort Davis (9°17′27″N, 79°54′45″W) , viii.1936, 1 immature (MCZ 128517). Fort Randolph, viii.1936, 1 ♀ 3 immatures (MCZ 128538); all by A. M. Chickering. Pipeline Road, Soberania National Park (9°7′N, 79°42′W) , 7.viii.1983, L. N. Sorkin, 1♀ (AMNH). Chiriqui: El Volcan, viii.1950, A. M. Chickering, 3 immatures (MCZ 128519). El Valle (8°25′23″N, 82°20′11″W) , vii.1936, A. M. Chickering, 1♀ 1 immature (MCZ 1285268). Hornito, Finca La Suiza (8°44′4″N, 82°14′24″W), 1220 m, 1‒6.vi.2000, H. & A. Howden, 1♀ (AMNH).

Diagnosis. Both sexes resemble the similar congener Nops campeche n. sp. by having the most common abdominal pattern (Fig. 6I), and the posterior unpaired claws elongated and dorsally reflexed; but can be distinguished by lacking the abdominal pattern with a longitudinal, whitish gray line between the two irregular spots reaching the pedicel, and the PLS longer than PMS. Males have the embolus thicker in the middle part (Figs 37C‒E; 40C), ending in three long extensions (Fig. 40D‒E).

Description. Male (holotype): Carapace dark orange. Chelicerae, palps and legs orange; coxae and trochanters lighter (Fig. 37A). Endites, labium and sternum orange (Fig. 37B). Abdomen green grayish dorsally with the most common pattern as in figure 6I (Fig. 37A). Anal tubercle and spinnerets lighter than abdomen. Total length 8.0. Carapace 5.5 long, 3.0 wide. Sternum 3.6 long, 3.2 wide. Leg measurements: I: 3.9; II: 3.7; III: 3.3; IV: 4.05. Posterior unpaired claws elongated and dorsally reflexed (Fig. 39I). PLS longer than PMS. Palp with a prolaterally curved embolus, longer than palpal tibia (Fig. 37C‒E); tip ending in three long extensions (Fig. 40D‒E).

Female (MCZ 128560): Carapace, chelicerae, labium, legs, coxae, endites and sternum as in male. Abdomen as in male, but somewhat lighter (Fig. 37F). Anal tubercle and spinnerets lighter than abdomen. Total length 8.5. Carapace 5.75 long, 3.2 wide. Sternum 3.8 long, 3.5 wide. Leg measurements: I: 4.2; II: 4.0; III: 3.6; IV: 4.5. Posterior unpaired claws and PLS as in male. External genital area with weakly sclerotized anterior plate, strongly sclerotized lep and remarkable ess (Fig. 37J, L). Females with wide invagination on receptaculum and uterus externus with narrow base (Figs 37K; 40A‒B).

Variation. Immatures with poorly defined dorsal pattern on abdomen.

Natural history. Chickering (1967) found this species especially abundant on Barro Colorado Island, Panama together with Nops ursumus . Immature specimens collected by B.L. Thorne from Frijoles, Canal Zone were associated with termite nests.

Distribution. Known only from Panama (Fig. 36B).