Paratropis elicioi Dupérré 2015

Figs 1–10, 50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68

Paratropis elicioi Dupérré, 2015a: 328, figs 1–13.

(misidentification of P. elicioi): Paratropis sp. Perafán et al., 2019: 8, fig. 2.

Type material. ECUADOR: Cotopaxi Province, Otonga Biological Reserve: Holotype. ♂: (-00.41941 -78.99607), 1717 m, pitfall near Rio Esmeraldas, 25.xi–08.xii.2014, N. Dupérré & E. Tapia (QCAZ), examined. Paratype. ♀: (-00.41941 -78.9960), 1717 m, pitfall near Rio Esmeraldas, 3–16.viii.2014, N. Dupérré & E. Tapia (QCAZ), examined .

New material examined. ECUADOR: Cotopaxi Province: Pristirana Natural Reserve, collected in pitfalls by E.E. Tapia & Family Tapia-Caisaguano: 1346m (-00.42195 -78.95456) 26 Feb.–9 Mar. 2019, 1♂, (ZMH) ; 1367m (-00.42151 -78.95788) 6–16 Feb. 2019, 4♂ 1♀, (ZMH); 16–26 Feb. 2019, 1♂, (DTC); 1397m (-00.422297 -78.958126) 16–26 Feb. 2019, 1♂, (ZMH); 26 Feb.–9 Mar. 2019, 1♂, (ZMH); 1449m (-00.424920 -78.95708) 16–26 Feb. 2019, 10♂, pitfall, (DTC, ZMH); 26 Feb.–9 Mar. 2019, 9♂ ♀ 1, (AMNH); 1485m (-00.42414 -78.95719), 13. Sept. 2013, 1juv., (DTC); 1498m (-00.423418 -78.958775) 16–26 Feb. 2019, 27♂ 3♀, (DTC, QCAZ, ZMH); 26 Feb.–9 Mar. 2019, 8♂, (QCAZ); 1521m (-00.424742 -78.959769) 16–26 Feb. 2019, 7♂, (ZMH); 26 Feb.–5 Mar. 2019, 4♂, (AMNH) . ECUADOR: Santo Domingo de los Tsachilás: Otonga Biological Reserve (-00.39596 -78.98100) 1290m, 6 juv., pitfall trap, 28 June–12 July 2014, E.E. Tapia & I. Tapia (DTC) ; 2 juv., pitfall trap, 23 July–05 Aug. 2014, E.E. Tapia & I. Tapia (ZMH) .

Diagnosis. Paratropis elicioi most resembles P. pristirana sp. n., but adult males and females are distinguished from all other species by the combination of the following characters: smaller size (male 8.5; female 11.5), body with large multi-layered spatulate setae (Figs 1, 2, 68), through most of its lifespan covered with sand and soil (Figs 1–4); ITC absent on all legs (Figs 50–56); male palpal bulb strongly constricted, embolus straight with slightly bent tip (Figs 7–9); reaching base of palpal femur (Figs 5, 6); female spermathecae short, curved inward, without longitudinal folds, with numerous, elongated, sinuous vesicles apically (Fig. 10).

Description. See Dupérré (2015a).

Natural History. P. elicioi is a small cryptic species (Figs 1–4). Both males and females are completely covered by soil and sand and they are found in sympatry with P. pristirana sp. n., and P. otonga sp. n. Adult males were collected in large numbers by pitfall trapping in February and March. Juveniles were collected by pitfall from June to August. P. elicioi was found in low evergreen mountain forest in the Chocó region of Ecuador at an altitudinal range of 1290–1717m.

Distribution. Ecuador, Cotopaxi and Santo Domingo de los Tsachilás provinces.