Tafana nevada, De Oliveira & Brescovit, 2021

De Oliveira, Luiz Fernando M. & Brescovit, Antonio Domingos, 2021, Taxonomic revision and cladistic analysis of ghost spiders of the genus Tafana Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Dionycha, Anyphaenidae), with the descriptions of twelve new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 742, pp. 1-77 : 30-33

Tafana nevada sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:ABEBEE44-6E38-47E3-A0BA-7C343EB73C9B

Figs 17–18 , 32L , 35

Diagnosis

Males of Tafana nevada sp. nov. resemble those of T. riveti and T. humahuaca sp. nov. by having the short embolus, but differ from the others by having the apophysis at the base of the embolus long and curved ( Figs 17C–D , 18A–C ). Females resemble those of T. humahuaca sp. nov. by having the epigynal plate with parallel lateral lobes, but differ by having a large atrium in the anterior region and a hyaline membrane in the posterior region ( Figs 17F–G , 33L ).

Etymology

The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from type locality, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.

Material examined

Holotype COLOMBIA • 1 ♂; Sierra Nueva Granada, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta ; [10°52′00″ N, 73°43′12″ W]; 9 Apr. 1975; J.A. Kochalka leg.; AMNH.

Paratype COLOMBIA • 1 ♀; San Pedro, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta ; [10°52′00″ N, 73°43′12″ W]; 26 Feb. 1975; J.A. Kochalka leg.; AMNH .

Other material

COLOMBIA – Magdalena Departament • 1 ♀; Santa Marta, San Pedro, Carmelo , Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta ; [10°52′00″ N, 73°43′12″ W]; 26 Feb. 1975; J.A. Kochalka leg.; IBNP • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 3 Mar. 1975; J.A. Kochalka leg.; IBNP • 1 ♂; Santa Marta, SE of the Cerro, Yosagaca , Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta ; [10°52′00″ N, 73°43′12″ W]; 30 Dec. 1973; J.A. Kochalka leg.; IBNP • 1 ♂; Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Serra Nueva Granada ; [10°52′00″ N, 73°43′12″ W]; 9 Apr. 1975; J.A. Kochalka leg.; IBNP • 1 ♀; Santa Marta, San Pedro, Carmelo , Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta ; [10°52′00″ N, 73°43′12″ W]; 7 Feb. 1974; J.A. Kochalka leg.; IBSP 209872 • 1 ♂; Santa Marta, Serra Nueva Granada ; [10°52′00″ N, 73°43′12″ W]; 20 Feb. 1974; J.A. Kochalka leg.; IBSP 209873 . – Cordillera Oriental • 2 ♀♀; Scorpa Mission, Serra del Perijá ; [10°00′59″ N, 72°57′28″ W]; 10–22 Aug. 1968; B. Malkin leg.; AMNH . – Cundinamarca • 1 ♀; Sasaima, Finca Bella Vista ; [4°57′54″ N, 74°26′05″ W]; 16 Mar. 1965; P.R. Craig leg.; CAS .

VENEZUELA – Aragua • 1 ♀; Rancho Grande ; [10°38′30″ N, 68°00′31″ W]; 4 Mar. 1959; A.M. Nadler leg.; AMNH . – Monagas • 1 ♀; Caripe, Cueva del Guácharo ; [10°10′09″ N, 63°30′36″ W]; 20–30 Jul. 1987; S. and J. Peck leg.; AMNH .

Description

Male (holotype, AMNH)

COLOR. Exemplar probably discolored. Carapace reddish brown ( Fig. 17A ). Labium, sternum and endites reddish brown. Chelicerae reddish. Legs I–IV yellow, darker at tarsi. Abdomen yellow with dark spots ( Fig. 17A ).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 5.6, carapace length 2.6, width 2.2. Clypeus height 0.06. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.1, ALE 0.12, PME 0.14, PLE 0.12; AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.02, PME– PME 0.12, PME–PLE 0.14, ALE–PLE 0.02. Chelicerae 1.1 long, with four promarginal teeth and four retromarginal denticles.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. I—femur 2.5 / patella 1.0/ tibia 2.53 / metatarsus 2.2 /tarsus 0.9 /total 9.13; II— 2.3/ 1.0/ 2.2 /2.0 / 0.8/ 8.3; III—1.8 / 0.62 / 1.9/ 1.2/ 0.6/ 6.12; IV—2.4/ 0.9 /2.0 / 2.6/ 0.62 / 8.52.

LEG SPINATION. I—tibia v1-1-0, metatarsus v2-0-0; II—tibia v0-2-0, p0-1-0; III—tibia v1-2-2, p0-1-1, r1-1-0, metatarsus v2-1-2; IV—tibia r1-1-0, metatarsus v2-1-2.

PALP. Retrolateral tibial apophysis conical and curved; cymbium with retrolateral projection; apophysis at the base of the embolus long and curved; embolus extremely short; ventral tegular process near the median apophysis; median apophysis slender and curved; subtegulum not projected; sperm duct with secondary looping reaching the apex of the tegulum ( Figs 17C–D , 18A–C ).

ABDOMEN. Length 3.0, epigastric furrow 0.7 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 1.1 from base of spinnerets.

Female (paratype, AMNH)

COLOR. Exemplar probably discolored. Carapace reddish brown ( Fig. 17B ). Labium, sternum and endites reddish brown. Chelicerae reddish brown. Legs I–IV yellow, darker at tarsi. Abdomen yellowish gray with dark spots ( Fig. 17B ).

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 5.9, carapace length 2.6, width 2.0. Clypeus height 0.04. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.1, ALE 0.12, PME 0.12, PLE 0.1; AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.06, PME– PME 0.14, PME–PLE 0.12, ALE–PLE 0.04. Chelicerae 1.2 long, with four promarginal teeth and five retromarginal denticles.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. I—femur 1.88 / patella 1.0/ tibia 1.2 /metatarsus 1.1 /tarsus 0.7/ total 5.88; II— 1.7/ 0.9/ 1.4 /1.2 / 0.6/ 5.8; III—1.1 / 0.6/ 0.9/ 1.1/ 0.4/ 4.1; IV—1.2/ 0.8/ 1.2/ 2.1 /0.6 / 5.9.

LEG SPINATION. I—tibia v1-1-0, metatarsus v2-0-0; II—tibia v0-0-0; III—tibia v1-2-2, r1-1-0, metatarsus v2-1-2; IV—tibia v1-2-2, r1-1-0.

EPIGYNUM. Hood semicircular and sclerotized; broad atrium; lateral lobes covering copulatory ducts; posterior region covered by cuticle. Internally, copulatory ducts short; primary spermathecae large and oval; secondary spermathecae above the primary spermathecae and rounded; long fertilization ducts in horizontal position ( Figs 17F–G , 33L ).

ABDOMEN. Length 3.3, epigastric furrow 0.45 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 1.4 from base of spinnerets.

Variation

Two males: total length 4.2–4.9; carapace 1.9–1.9; femur I 1.7–1.9. Ten females: total length 4.3–6.7; carapace 1.6–2.4; femur I 1.3–1.9.

Distribution

Venezuela and Colombia ( Fig. 35 ).

Figures

Fig. 17. Tafana nevada sp. nov. (A, C–E =holotype, ♂, AMNH; B, F–G= paratype, ♀, AMNH). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, dorsal view. C. Left palp, ventral view. D. Left palp, retrolateral view. E. Left palp, dorsal view). F. Epigynum, ventral view. G. Vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: A=atrium; ABE= apophysis of base of embolus; CD= copulatory ducts; CO =copulatory opening; FD = fertilization ducts; H =hood; LL =lateral lobes; RTA=retrolateral tibial apophysis; S1= primary spermathecae; S2 =secondary spermathecae; T =tegulum, VTP=ventral tegular process. Scale bars: A–B= 3.5 mm; C–G= 0.25 mm.

Fig. 18. Tafana nevada sp. nov., ♂ (IBNP). A. Left palp, ventral view. B. Left palp, ventral view (arrow indicating the base of the embolus). C. Left palp, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: ABE=apophysis of base of the embolus; C =cymbium; E =embolus; MA=median apophysis; RTA=retrolateral tibial apophysis; ST =subtegulum; T= tegulum; VTP=ventral tegular process. Scale bars: A, C=0.4 mm; B =0.2 mm.

Fig. 32. Female genitalia, digested. A. Arachosia praesignis (Keyserling, 1891) (Amaurobioidinae) (IBSP 87975). B. Xiruana gracilipes (Keyserling, 1891) (Anyphaeninae) (IBSP 166120). C. Aysha prospera Keyserling, 1891 (IBSP 19783). D. Anyphaena accentuata (Walckenaer, 1802) (MCN). E. Patrera fulvastra Simon, 1903 (MCN 24208). F. Tafana riveti Simon, 1903 (MCZ). G. Tafana straminea (L. Koch, 1866) (AMNH). H. Tafana quelchi (Pocock, 1895) (IBSP 32131). I. Tafana kunturmarqa sp. nov. (ICN-Ar). J. Tafana humahuaca sp. nov. (MACN-Ar 41788). K. Tafana pastaza sp. nov. (AMNH). L. Tafana nevada sp. nov. (AMNH). Abbreviations: CD =copulatory ducts; CO= copulatory opening; FD = fertilization ducts; H =hood; S1= primary spermathecae; S2 =secondary spermathecae. Asterisks to globose membranous extension of proximal copulatory ducts. Scale bars: A–B, D–I, K–L=0.25 mm; C=0.3 mm; J = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 35. Distribution map of species of Tafana.

Fig. 33. Female genitalia, digested. A. Tafana huatanay sp. nov. (MUSM). B. Tafana ruizi sp. nov. (IBSP 258183). C. Tafana silhavyi (Caporiacco, 1955) (MNHN). D. Tafana maracay sp. nov. (MNHN 11314). E. Tafana arawak sp. nov. (MNHN 11320). F. Tafana pittieri sp. nov. (AMNH). G. Tafana oliviae sp. nov. (MCZ). H. Tafana orinoco sp. nov. (MIZA 07062). Abbreviations: CD =copulatory ducts; FD =fertilization ducts; H =hood; S1 =primary spermathecae; S2 =secondary spermathecae. Scale bars: A–H =0.25 mm.