Sparianthina milleri ( Caporiacco, 1955 ) Jaeger & Rheims & Labarque, 2009

Jaeger, Peter, Rheims, Cristina & Labarque, Facundo, 2009, On the huntsman spider genera Sparianthina Banks, 1929 and Anaptomecus Simon, 1903 from South and Central America (Araneae, Sparassidae), ZooKeys 16 (16), pp. 115-147 : 128-130

Sparianthina milleri ( Caporiacco, 1955) comb. n.

Figs 55-64 , 76

Macrinus milleri Caporiacco, 1955: 404 , figs 57a–b (description ♁; holotype ♁, Venezuela, Aragua, Rancho Grande, 1.VIII.1949, Racenis leg., MUCV 810, in MBUC, examined). Brignoli 1983: 594. Platnick 2009.

Further material examined. VENEZUELA.1 ♁, Rancho Grande , 24.VI.–1.VII.1945, W. Beebee ( AMNH) ; 1 ♁, Aragua, Maracay, Rancho Grande , 1.–10.VIII.1987, Bordan & Peck ( AMNH) ; 2 ♁♁, 1.–10.VIII.1987, Bordan and Peck ( AMNH). 1 ♀ ( PJ 2855 ), Aragua, Henri Pittier National Park, nr Rancho Grande , 1100-1800 m, 12.–30.XI.1997, T. Pape leg. ( NHRS) .

Diagnosis. Males: embolus massively widened, conductor directed prolaterally; DTA with well differentiated tip in ventral view pointing retrolatero-distally; sperm duct with retrolateral S-shaped bend; RTA massive with various small appendages, palpal tibia appearing triangular ( Figs 55-57 ). Females: epigynal furrows present over entire length of epigyne (but inconspicuous in posterior part), anterior epigynal furrow situated laterally close to margin of epigynal field, posterior furrows S-shaped, running from lateral to median body axis ( Fig. 58 ); fertilisation ducts situated at epigastric furrow; glandular appendages long and massive, pointing in an anterior direction, converging ( Figs 59-61 ).

Redescription. Male (Holotype, MUCV 810). Total length 5.7. Prosoma: 2.7 long, 2.7 wide. Opisthosoma: 2.6 long, 2.0 wide. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.24, ALE 0.16, PME 0.22, PLE 0.22, AME–AME 0.10, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.24, PME–PLE 0.20, AME–PME 0.18, ALE–PLE 0.24. Legs: I: femur 4.0, patella 1.3, tibia 4.4, metatarsus 3.7, tarsus 1.6, total 15.0; II: 4.6, 1.4, 4.8, 4.1, 1.6, 16.5; III: 3.6, 1.1, 3.3, 3.3, 1.2, 12.5; IV: 4.2, 1.0, 3.8, 4.2, 1.6, 14.8.

Palp as in diagnosis. RTA massive, with wide dorsal branch bearing a small distalmedian projection. Ventral branch bifid. Embolus and conductor arising from tegulum at a 9-o’clock-position ( Figs 55-57 ).

Colouration generally brown ( Fig. 76 ). Specimen very badly preserved.

Description. Female. Total length 6.6. Prosoma: 3.0 long, 2.9 wide, anterior width 1.5. Opisthosoma: 3.6 long, 2.5 wide. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.17, ALE 0.25, PME 0.22, PLE 0.27, AME–AME 0.11, AME–ALE 0.05, PME–PME 0.25, PME– PLE 0.24, AME–PME 0.25, ALE–PLE 0.22, clypeus AME 0.33, clypeus ALE 0.29. Palp: femur 1.2, patella 0.7, tibia 1.2, metatarsus -, tarsus 1.7, total 4.8; legs: I 3.5, 1.4, 3.7, 2.8, 1.3, 12.7; II: 4.0, 1.5, 3.9, 3.1, 1.4, 13.9; III: 3.2, 1.2, 2.9, 2.6, 1.1, 11.0; IV: 3.5, 1.0, 3.2, 3.2, 1.4, 12.3. Leg formula 2143. Spination: palp 131, 101, 2121, 1014; femur I–III 323, IV 321; patella 000; tibia 2024; metatarsus I–II 0014, III 2014, IV 3036. Ventral tarsus III and IV with bristles in two rows, tarsus IV with more and stronger bristles. Chelicerae with ca. 15 denticles in a row, basally with two denticles beside this row, 3 (+ 1 small) anterior and 6 posterior teeth ( Fig. 63 ). Palpal claw with 9-10 teeth ( Fig. 64 ). Spinnerets cylindrical.

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis. Epigynal field roughly rectangular, with lateral outgrowths ( Fig. 58 : arrows) and without anterior bands, longer than wide. Posterior lobe of epigyne almost rectangular with rounded edges, distinctly extending beyond the epigastric furrow ( Fig. 58 ). Internal duct system with wide ducts throughout and with reticulate structure close to glandular pores ( Figs 59-61 ).

Colouration. Body and appendages yellowish-brown. Dorsal prosoma with darker striae and posterior-marginal band, fovea marked. Legs with indistinct spine patches. Sternum, labium, ventral gnathocoxae and coxae bright pale yellow. Opisthosoma without pattern.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Relationship. As diagnostic characters for Sparianthina are congruent with those found in S. milleri comb. n. (shifted tegulum, complex RTA, membranous conductor flexible, epigynal furrows only in anterior part, internal duct system of females with glandular appendages, etc.) the species is transferred to this genus. Relationships within the genus cannot be recognised.

Figures

Figures 55-64. Sparianthina milleri (Caporiacco, 1955) comb. n. from Venezuela (55-57 ♁ holotype 58-64 NHRS, PJ 2855).55-57 Left ♁ palp (55 prolateral 56 ventral 57 retrolateral) 58 Epigyne, ventral (arrows point to lateral outgrowths of epigynal field) 59 Internal duct system, dorsal 60 Schematic course of internal duct system, dorsal 61 Detail of right glandular appendage, dorsal 62 Eyes, dorsal 63 Chelicerae, ventral 64 Palpal claw, retrolateral.

Figures 74-79. Sparianthina spp., habitus, dorsal. 74-75 S. selenopoides (74 ♁ 75 ♀) 76 S. milleri comb. n., ♁ 77 S. adisi sp. n., ♁ 78 S. deltshevi sp. n., ♁ 79 S. saaristoi sp. n., ♁.