Chrysometa pecki Levi, 1986

Kallal, Robert J. & Hormiga, Gustavo, 2016, Redescription of the Jamaican orb-weaving spider Chrysometa pecki Levi, 1986 (Araneae, Tetragnathidae), including the first description of the male, Zootaxa 4066 (1), pp. 95-100 : 96

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4066.1.11

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C9D733A8-7504-427A-B566-D5C5CB8FB45C

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6055712

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/0F6A1A69-FFA8-FFF5-24C1-FEC484C5F8A8

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Chrysometa pecki Levi, 1986
status

 

Chrysometa pecki Levi, 1986 View in CoL ( Figs. 1–23 View FIGURES 1 – 7 View FIGURES 8 – 14 View FIGURES 15 – 23 )

C. pecki Levi, 1986: 117 View in CoL , f. 23–26. Holotype: JAMAICA, Trelawny Parish, 2.5 km SSE of Stewart Town, 18.3874, -77.4487*, 2.iv.1969, S. Peck & A. Fiske, 1 female (AMNH; not examined). Paratypes: Same data, 3 females (AMNH; not examined). JAMAICA, St. Andrew Parish, Hardwar Gap, 18.0825, -76.7361*, i.1966, R. Kern, 1 female (AMNH; not examined).

Material examined. JAMAICA, Trelawny Parish, Trelawny Parish, Drip Cave, Stewart Town, 18.3874, -77.4487*, 25.viii.1974, S. Peck, 7FF, 1M, 20Juv ( AMNH); Trelawny Parish, Drip Cave, 18.3874, -77.4487*, 28.vii.1973, R. Norton & R. Zimmerman, 6FF ( AMNH); St. Ann Parish, Mt. Plenty Cave, Goshen, 18.3318, -77.0526*, 20.viii.1975, S. Peck, 3FF, 1M, 3Juv ( AMNH); St. Mary Parish, Mt. Plenty Cave, 18.3318, -77.0526*, 31.iii.1973, R. Norton & R. Zimmerman, 1M ( AMNH). * Longitude and latitude estimated based on label data.

Diagnosis. Females can be distinguished from all other Chrysometa species by the smooth venter of the epigynum and relatively rugose posterior area ( Fig. 13 View FIGURES 8 – 14 ). The male is diagnosed by the unique and conspicuous morphology of its paracymbium, which is very large and curved, with its apical region reaching near the tibia-patella joint ( Figs. 5–7 View FIGURES 1 – 7 ). C. cornuta (Bryant, 1945) males have a curved paracymbium but has a distal process that is completely lacking in C. pecki ; C. distincta (Bryant, 1940) males have a relatively large paracymbium but much smaller and less curved than in C. pecki , scarcely exceeding half the tibia length.

Description. Male ( Figs. 1–7 View FIGURES 1 – 7 , 18–23 View FIGURES 15 – 23 )(from St. Ann Parish, 20.viii.1975). Total length 5.17. Carapace 2.82 long, 2.08 wide, 1.01 high, brownish yellow, with brown pars cephalica, dark brown fovea with longitudinal marking ( Fig. 1 View FIGURES 1 – 7 ), and lighter brown ocular area ( Figs. 2, 3 View FIGURES 1 – 7 ); sternum 1.12 long, 1.19 wide, of similar color as pars thoracica. Eye rows slightly recurved, anterior row more so than the posterior. AMEs relatively large, on small prominence; lateral eyes juxtaposed, on a small prominence; AME diameter 0.25; AMEs interdistance ca. 1/4 diameter of AME; AME–PME distance ca. 1/2 AME diameter. Clypeus low, ca. 1/3–1/2 an AME diameter. Chelicerae dark brown, ectally rugose, with three prolateral and four retrolateral teeth. Leg formula 1243, annulated, alternating light and dark brown. Abdomen 3.08 long, 2.12 wide, 2.15 high, with dark brown and reflective guanocyte pattern ( Fig. 1 View FIGURES 1 – 7 ); venter of abdomen with reflective guanocyte area between epigastric furrow and spinning field, tapering anteriorly ( Fig. 4 View FIGURES 1 – 7 ). Palps ( Figs. 5–7 View FIGURES 1 – 7 , 18–23 View FIGURES 15 – 23 ) with CEBP and CEMP; paracymbium with membranous articulation, very large, curving mesally, terminating near tibiapatella joint; conductor with two points, one rounded and one sharp; sperm duct spiraled, without switch-backs.

Female ( Figs. 8–17 View FIGURES 8 – 14 View FIGURES 15 – 23 ) (from Trelawny Parish, 25.viii.1974). Total length 6.31. Carapace 2.92 long, 2.02 wide, 1.15 mm high, brownish yellow, with dark brown pattern on pars cephalica ( Figs. 8, 10 View FIGURES 8 – 14 ); sternum 1.04 mm long, 1.09 mm wide, mostly brown as in pars cephalica, with lighter anterior area. Eye rows slightly recurved, anterior row more so than posterior. AMEs relatively large, on small prominence; lateral eyes juxtaposed, on a small prominence; AME diameter 0.24. AME interdistance 1/2 an AME diameter. AME–PME distance ca. 1/2 an AME diameter. Clypeus low, ca. 1/2 an AME diameter. Chelicerae reddish brown, with three prolateral and four retrolateral teeth. Legs annulated, alternating light and dark brown. Abdomen 3.31 long, 3.22 wide, 2.65 high; globose, with dark brown mottling and white reflective guanocyte patches in a somewhat banded pattern ( Fig. 8 View FIGURES 8 – 14 ); abdomen venter with whitish area of guanocytes between epigastric furrow and spinning field ( Fig. 11 View FIGURES 8 – 14 ). Spinnerets as in Figs. 15–17 View FIGURES 15 – 23 . Epigynum rounded, with smooth ventral surface, rugose posterior surface, and large central lobe; copulatory opening posterior-facing; spermathecae associated with glands; fertilization ducts emerge dorsally from posterior area of spermathecae ( Figs. 13, 14 View FIGURES 8 – 14 ).

Variation. Males’ (n=3) total length 5.10–5.19, carapace length 2.57–2.99, width 1.98–2.26, height 0.60–1.01; abdomen length 2.46–3.08, width 1.88–2.16, height 1.92–2.15; sternum length 0.97–1.12, and width 1.10–1.21. Females’ (n=3) total length 6.04–6.31, carapace length 2.88–3.00, width 2.02–2.28, carapace height 0.99–1.19; abdomen length 3.31–3.41, width 2.22–2.99, height 2.65–2.93; sternum length 1.04–1.08, and width 1.09–1.23. Levi (1986) noted the lighter pattern and smaller spots in the color pattern of a female from Hardwar Gap, Jamaica (not examined).

Natural history. Nothing is known about this species other than that it has been collected in cave habitats.

Distribution. Known only from Jamaica ( Fig. 24 View FIGURE 24 ).

AMNH

American Museum of Natural History

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Tetragnathidae

Genus

Chrysometa

Loc

Chrysometa pecki Levi, 1986

Kallal, Robert J. & Hormiga, Gustavo 2016
2016
Loc

C. pecki

Levi 1986: 117
1986
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