Epicratinus zelda, Gonçalves & Brescovit, 2020

Gonçalves, Ricardo Antonio & Brescovit, Antonio Domingos, 2020, Taxonomic review and cladistic analysis of Neotropical spider genus Epicratinus Jocqué & Baert, 2005 (Araneae: Zodariidae) with description of eleven new species, Zootaxa 4886 (1), pp. 1-77 : 20-23

Epicratinus zelda sp. nov.

Figs 32–33 .

Type. Male holotype from Serra de Baturité , 4º16’S, 38º56’W, Parque das Trilhas, Guaramiranga, Ceará, Brazil, R. Azevedo, deposited in IBSP 211847. Paratype: 1♀, same data of holotype, deposited in IBSP 211848 .

Additional material examined: BRAZIL, Ceará, Guaramiranga, Parque das Trilhas, Serra de Baturité , 4º16’S, 38º56’W, 2♁ 3♀, R. Azevedo ( IBSP 97942 ) .

Diagnosis. Males and females with two well defined colors in femurs II, III and IV, pale yellow and burnt orange. Males of E. zelda sp. nov. are easily recognized by having a well-separated bifid RTA, directed retrolaterally with the upper portion of the RTA small, tapered, hyaline dark brown and the hyaline lower portion. Females present epigynum with reniform spermathecae with apparent transverse cut in ventral view ( Figs 32 , 33 ).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun taken in apposition and is in reference to Princess Zelda. Princess Zelda is the titular character in Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda video game series. She appears in several incarnations throughout the series, generally as a member of Hyrule’s royal family and an associate of the protagonist Link. The shape of the epigynum remembers the Hyrule’s symbol.

Description. Male (IBSP 211847). Color: carapace light brown in the cephalic area darkening as it approaches the posterior border of the carapace, burnt orange sternum, burnt orange chelicerae, pale yellow coxae, coloration extending almost to the middle of femurs II, III and IV, femur I and portion median and distal of the femurs II, III and IV burnt yellow, patella, tibia, tarsus and metatarsus yellow; dorsal abdomen predominantly dark brown with five white spots (2-2-1) and speckled spots, broad dorsal light brown medium shield, short bristles throughout the abdomen; ventral abdomen pale yellow with four white spots (two on each side), little sclerotinized, yellow burnt above the epigastric furrow. Total length 3.05; carapace length 1.55; width 1.1; abdomen length 1.3; maximum length of spinnerets 0.1; chelicerae length 0.46; clypeus height 0.39. Eyes: diameters AME 0.05, ALE 0.06, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08. Interdistances AME-AME 0.02, AME-ALE 0.05, PME-PME 0.05, PME-PLE 0.15, ALE-PLE 0.04. Spinulation: I: Fe d1-0-0, p0-0-1, r0, v0; Pa d0, p0, r0, v0; Ti d0, p0, r0, v1-1-0; Me d0, p0, r0, v0-0-2. II: Fe d1-0- 1, p0, r0-1-0, v0; Pa d0, p0, r0, v0; Ti d0, p0, r0, v1-1-0; Me d0, p0, r0, v1-0-2. III: Fe d1-0-1, p0-1-1, r0-1-1, v0; Pa d0-0-1, p0-1-0, r0-1-0, v0; Ti d1-1-0, p1-0-1, r1-0-1, v0-1-2; Me d0-1-0, p0-1-1, r0-1-1, v0-2-3. IV: Fe d1-2-1, p0, r0-0-1, v0; Pa d0-0-1, p0-1-0, r0-1-0, v0; Ti d1-1-0, p1-0-1, r1-0-1, v1-1-2; Me d0-1-0, p0-1-1, r1-1-1, v2-1-3. Formula: 4132.

Measurements of legs:

Palp. Femur with a dorsal spine (0-0-1); patella with a discrete apophysis apical distal dorsal retrolateral; tibia with a row of median bristles in the middle portion of the retrolateral margin; RTA bifid well separated, directed retrolaterally, the upper portion of the RTA small and sharp, hyaline dark brown, the lower portion is hyaline, has broad base and cuneate end, a small dark brown PTA present, also presents a ventral elevation with one of the faces with a small membrane; cymbium with concavity accommodating the lower extremity of the RTA, two spines in the distal prolateral margin and two distal spines; subtegulum with curved ridge; tegulum with median haematodocha near the base of the embolus; membranous conductor; tegular apophysis small tapered; spermatic duct visible; embolus flattened, well conspicuous with a flap projected from the median region.

Female (IBSP 211847). Color: carapace light brown uniform and smooth, sternum dark orange, chelicerae dark orange, pale yellow coxae, coloration extending almost to the middle of femurs II, III and IV, femur I and medial and distal portion of femurs II, III and IV yellow burned, patella, tibia, tarsus and yellow metatarsals; dorsal abdomen predominantly dark brown with five spots (2-2-1) and numerous small white spots, short bristles throughout the abdomen; ventral abdomen pale yellow with two brown bands, one on each side, little sclerotinized, dark orange above the epigastric furrow. Total length 3.75; carapace length 1.7; width 1.15; abdomen length 2; maximum length of spinnerets 0.2; chelicerae length 0.56; clypeus height 0.45. Eyes: diameters AME 0.06, ALE 0.07, PME 0.08, PLE 0.07. Interdistances AME-AME 0.02, AME-ALE 0.05, PME-PME 0.06, PME- PLE 0.2, ALE-PLE 0.03. Spinulation: I: Fe d1-1-0, p0, r0, v0; Pa d0, p0, r0, v0; Ti d0, p0, r0, v1-1-0; Me d0, p0, r0, v1-0-2. II: Fe d1-1-0, p0, r0, v0; Pa d0, p0, r0, v0; Ti d0, p0, r0, v1-1-0; Me d0, p0, r0, v1-0-1. III: Fe d0-1-1, p0, r0, v0; Pa d0-0-1, p0-1-0, r0-1-0, v0; Ti d1-1-0, p1-0-1, r1-0-1, v1-1-2; Me d0-1-0, p0-1-1, r0-1-1, v1-1-3. IV: Fe d0-2-2, p0, r0, v0; Pa d0-0-1, p0-1-0, r0-1-0, v0; Ti d1-1-0, p1-0-1, r1-0-1, v1-1-2; Me d0-1-0, p0-1-1, r1-1-1, v2-1-3. Formula: 4132.

Measurements of legs:

Epigynum. Epigynal plate elliptical, wider than long. Ventrally shows small atrium and reniform spermathecae visible in transparency with apparent cross-section. Vulva presents spermathecae reniform and copulatory ducts encapsulated, distant 1.5 x between them.

Variation. Males (n = 3): total length 3‾3.05, carapace 1.5‾1.55, femur I 1‾1.04. Females (n = 4): total length 3.7‾3.75, carapace 1.6‾1.7, femur I 0.98‾1.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality ( Fig. 39 ).

Clade B

Figures

FIGURE 32. A. Epicratinus zelda sp. nov. (IBSP 211847) Habitus male, dorsal view. B. Male, ventral view. C. (IBSP 211848) Female, dorsal view. D. Female, ventral view. (Scale = 1 mm).

FIGURE 33. A. Epicratinus zelda sp. nov. (IBSP 211847) Male palp, dorsal view. B. (IBSP 211847) and C. Ventral view. D. (IBSP 211848) Epigynum, ventral view. E. (IBSP 97942) Vulva. F. Vulva. (Scale in A, B = 0.5; C, D, E, F = 0.2 mm).

FIGURE 39. Area of occurrence of Epicratinus mauru sp. nov. and E. zelda sp. nov. (clade A).