Carapoia pulchra, Huber, 2018

Huber, Bernhard A., 2018, The South American spider genera Mesabolivar and Carapoia (Araneae, Pholcidae): new species and a framework for redrawing generic limits, Zootaxa 4395 (1), pp. 1-178 : 143-146

Carapoia pulchra sp. n.

Figs 593–595 , 644–651 , 661–662

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from most similar known species ( C. suassunai ) by shape of epigynum (compare Figs 648–649 and Figs 655–656 ; anterior epigynal plate without pair of processes at posterior margin; central depression not divided into two large round depressions); also by armature of male chelicerae (compare Figs 646– 647 and Figs 653–654 ; pair of frontal apophyses thinner, in more lateral position, pointing more forward) and by slightly shorter procursus with longer dorso-distal apophysis (compare Figs 651, 652 ).

Etymology. The specific name is an adjective, Latin pulcher, pulchra = beautiful.

Type material. BRAZIL: Alagoas: ♂ holotype, 1♀ paratype, UFMG (21552–53), and 10♂ 14♀ paratypes, ZFMK (Ar 19256–57), Reserva Biológica de Pedra Talhada (9°14.5’–14.0’S, 36°26.5’–27.2’W), 650–700 m a.s.l., 20–21.v.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho).

Other material examined. BRAZIL: Alagoas: 7 juvs, together with female paratypes; 2♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br 15-211) same data as types . 1♂ 1 juv., ZFMK (Ar 19258), near Murici, Estação Ecológica de Murici (9°14.8’S, 35°50.3’W), 350–400 m a.s.l., 18.v.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho) . 1♂ 5♀, ZFMK (Ar 19259), Usina Serra Grande , forest above sugarcane plantations (8°58.3’S, 36°05.7’W), 450–550 m a.s.l., 22– 23.v.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho) ; 1♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, same data, ZFMK (Br 15-215).

Paraíba: 3♂ 6♀, ZFMK (Ar 19260), Floresta Nacional da Restinga de Cabedelo, " Mata do Amém " (7°03.9’S, 34°51.2’W), 30 m a.s.l., 2.vi.2015 (B.A. Huber, L.S. Carvalho) ; 1♂ 4♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Br 15-249), same data .

Description. Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 3.6, carapace width 1.4. Distance PME-PME 140 µm, diameter PME 130 µm, distance PME-ALE 90 µm, distance AME-AME 20 µm, diameter AME 40 µm. Sternum width/length: 0.90/ 0.60. Leg 1: 37.2 (9.1 + 0.5 + 9.0 + 16.5 + 2.1), tibia 2: 5.5, tibia 3: 3.8, tibia 4: 4.7; tibia 1 L/d: 69. Femora 1–4 width (at half length): 0.21, 0.22, 0.22, 0.21.

COLOR (in ethanol). Prosoma and legs ochre-orange, carapace median line darker, legs without dark rings; abdomen pale greenish gray, with few dark internal marks dorsally and laterally, ventrally with ochre-orange areas in front of gonopore and in front of spinnerets.

BODY. Habitus as in Fig. 593 ; ocular area raised; carapace with distinct median furrow; clypeus unmodified; sternum unmodified.

CHELICERAE. With pair of long slender frontal apophyses and whitish area between apophyses and laminae ( Figs 646–647 ).

PALPS. As in Figs 644–645 ; coxa with retrolateral apophysis; trochanter barely modified; femur with retrolateral process proximally, distally slightly widening; tarsus simple, with flat procursus (i.e. narrow in dorsal view), distally with dorsal apophysis and ventral membranous process ( Fig. 651 ); genital bulb without apophysis, with large conical process mostly membranous, with transparent worm-shaped ventral process (arrow in Fig. 645 ).

LEGS. Densely covered with short hairs, with many short spines on first legs only (femora: mostly pro- and retrolaterally, over entire length; tibiae: first half only, only laterally); with curved hairs dorsally on metatarsi 1–3 (proximally) and on tibiae 2–3 (few); with short vertical hairs in two dorsal rows on all tibiae; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 3%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1; tarsus 1 with>30 pseudosegments, distally fairly distinct.

Male (variation). Tibia 1 in 14 other males: 7.8–9.7 (mean 8.7).

Female. General body shape and size similar to male but coloration different ( Figs 594–595 ): ochre-brown rather than orange, carapace with distinct lateral and median brown marks, clypeus and sternum dark brown, legs with distinct dark rings (femora subdistally, tibiae proximally and subdistally, metatarsi proximally), brown marks on abdomen usually more numerous and darker. Legs without spines, with curved hairs on legs 1 only, vertical hairs in usual low density. Tibia 1 in 24 females: 5.1–6.6 (mean 5.9). Epigynum as in Figs 648–649 , 661 ; anterior plate brown, strongly sculptured, with pair of anterior processes; without posterior plate, without diverging sclerites. Internal genitalia as in Figs 650 , 662 , with elongated lateral pore-plates diverging posteriorly; with dark median mark between epigynum and spinnerets, and light brown plate in front of spinnerets.

Natural history. This species was partly abundant from near the ground up to approximately 1 m above ground level. The relatively large domed webs (20–30 cm diameter) usually transformed into a funnel that led to the underside of a leaf, usually a curled brown or partly brown leaf that was either still attached to the vegetation or suspended in its position by silk. The position of the spider reminded of C. lutea , i.e. the abdomen was bent so that the dorsal side faced upwards against the leaf. In partly brown leaves, the spiders seemed to prefer to sit in the brown parts. Females with egg-sacs were particularly well hidden in strongly curled leaves. By contrast, the pale juveniles were sometimes found on regular green leaves. Males and females were sometimes found close together within a shelter. When disturbed, the spiders vibrated strongly and then jumped off the web.

Distribution. Known from several localities in Alagoas and Paraíba states ( Brazil) ( Fig. 742 ).

Figures

FIGURE 742. Known distribution of the Carapoia cambridgei group.

FIGURES 590–600. Live specimens, Carapoia cambridgei group (part 2). 590–592. C. utinga sp. n., males and female from Belém. 593–595. C. pulchra sp. n., male and females from Pedra Talhada. 596–598. C. suassunai sp. n., male from Mata de Pipa, and females fromGuaribas and Pao Ferro.599–600.C.lutea (Keyserling,1891), male from Iguaçú,female withjuveniles from Turvo.

FIGURES 644–650. Carapoia pulchra sp. n. (ZFMK Ar 19256–57). 644–645. Left male palp, prolateral and retrolateral views (arrow points at transparent ventral process). 646–647. Male chelicerae, lateral and frontal views. 648–649. Epigynum, lateral and ventral views.650.Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view.Scale lines: 0.5 (644–645, 648–650), 0.3 (646–647).

FIGURES651–658. Carapoiapulchra sp. n. (651, ZFMK Ar 19256) and C. suassunaisp. n. (652–658, ZFMKAr 19261–62). 651–652. Left procursi, retrolateral views (at same scale). 653–654. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 655–657. Epigynum, ventral, lateral, and frontal views. 658. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines:0.3 (651–654), 0.5 (655– 658).

FIGURES 659–664. Female epigyna, ventral views and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 659–660. Carapoia utinga sp. n. (ZFMK Ar 19255). 661–662.C. pulchra sp. n. (ZFMK Ar 19257). 663–664. C. suassunai sp. n. (ZFMK Ar 19262).