Selenops beynai Schawaller, 1984

Crews, Sarah C., 2011, A revision of the spider genus Selenops Latreille, 1819 (Arachnida, Araneae, Selenopidae) in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, ZooKeys 105, pp. 1-182 : 82-83

† Selenops beynai Schawaller, 1984 Figs 111-118

Selenops beynai Schawaller 1984:3, Figs 1-5 (♂, examined).

Type material.

Holotype male from northern Dominican Republic, in amber (SMNHS).

Diagnosis.

Males can be distinguished from other species by the shape of the RTA and the location of the MA and embolus (Figs 112-115).

Remarks.

This species was first described by Schawaller (1984). Despite HR-CT scanning ( Penney et al. 2007), details of this spider, in particular the copulatory organs, are still lacking. One palp is poorly preserved and the other is damaged. Other juvenile specimens from the SMNHS are beautifully preserved, however, it is unknown whether these are the same species. Dominican amber has been dated as being 16 myo ( Iturralde-Vinent 2001).

Description.Holotype male: Color:overall greyish, though somewhat difficult to see due to poor preservation and color of the amber, no markings visible on the carapace or abdomen; legs yellowish with annulations on femora and tibiae. Carapace:1.08 times longer than broad. Eyes: AER nearly straight; PER slightly recurved; AME larger than PME, PLE largest, ALE smallest; eye diameters, AME 0.33, ALE 0.19, PME 0.28, PLE 0.36. Mouthparts:Chelicerae with stout setae medially and anteriorly; maxillae longer than broad, with tuft of conspicuous setae distally; labium distally rounded. Sternum:longer than wide, posteriorly indented. Legs:Leg I only slightly shorter than legs II, III and IV; leg formula 2431; spination: leg I, Fm pr 1 –1– 1, d 1 –1– 0, rl 1 –1– 1; leg II, Fm pr 1 –1– 0, d 0 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 1; leg III, missing; leg IV, Fm pr 0 –1– 1, d 0 –1– 1, rl 1 –1– 0. Pedipalm:cymbium oval in ventral view; conductor large, attached to center of bulb curving around lateral margin; embolus beginning at 6 o'clock, curving around the lateral margin of cymbium; MA originating at 4 o'clock; RTA doesn't reach cymbium in ventral view; both apophyses small. Dimensions: Total length 8.60. Carapace length 4.00, width 3.70. Abdomen length 4.60, width 3.00. Pedipalp: Fm 1.10, Pt 0.25, Ti 0.50, Ta 1.00, total 2.85. Leg I: Fm 4.00. Leg II: Fm 5.35. Leg III: Fm 4.55. Leg IV: Fm 4.85.

Natural history.

This species is only known from a single fossil specimen, and thus, the natural history is unknown. However, as it was found in amber and many species of Caribbean Selenops are found under bark, it is likely that this species was also found under the bark and on the trunks of trees.

Distribution.

Known only from a single specimen in Dominican amber.