Acanthoctenus remotus Chickering, 1960

Polotow, Daniele & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2012, An update on tropical Ctenidae from Jamaica (Arachnida: Araneae), Zootaxa 3481, pp. 39-46 : 40-42

Acanthoctenus remotus Chickering, 1960

Figs 1A–D

Acanthoctenus remotus Chickering, 1960: 81 , figs 1–6 (male holotype and female paratype from Upper Mountain View [18o 01’N, 76o 54’W], St. Andrew Parish, Jamaica, 15.I.1950, C.B. Lewis col.; male paratype with same locality as holotype, 15.V.1950, C.B. Lewis; female paratype from Cross Roads [18o 01’N, 76o 54’W], St. Andrew Parish, Jamaica, 3.XII.1950, R.P. Bengry col., all MCZ, examined).

Other material examined. JAMAICA: St. Andrew Parish, Upper Mountain View (18o 01’N, 76o 54’W), 1 female, II.1951, C.B. Lewis col. ( MCZ); Half-Way Tree (18o 01’N, 76o 54’W), 2 females, 18.X.1950, R.P. Bengry col. ( MCZ).

Diagnosis. Males of Acanthoctenus remotus (Figs 1A–B) resemble those of A. spiniger (Lehtinen 1967: 458, fig. 420) by the curved tibia, short and conical retrolateral tibial apophysis and presence of a distal projection on the median apophysis, but can be distinguished by the median apophysis larger distally, a shorter retrolateral cymbial projection and a spine-like embolus with a broader base. Females of A. remotus (Fig. 1C) resemble those of A. spiniger (Lehtinen 1967: 458, fig. 414) by the shape of the median sector, but can be distinguished by the larger depression anterior of the copulatory opening.

Description. Male (MCZ, holotype). Colouration: pale brown, except the PLE and ALE on black tubercles. Total length 11.30. Carapace 5.20 long, 4.50 wide. Clypeus 0.30 high. Eye diameters: AME 0.20, ALE 0.20, PME 0.32, PLE 0.33. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal teeth, median largest; 3 retromarginal subequal teeth; without intermarginal denticles. Leg measurements: I: femur 8.40/ patella 3.00/ tibia 10.30/ metatarsus 9.70/ tarsus 2.60/ total 34.00; II: 7.50/ 2.70/ 7.60/ 7.60/ 2.40/ 27.80; III: 6.00/ 2.10/ 5.30/ 6.60/ 2.10/ 22.10; IV: 8.00/ 2.30/ 7.30/ 9.90/ 2.70/ 30.20. Leg formula 4123. Leg spination: tibia I v2-2 -2-2-2-2-2, r1-1-1-1-1-1, p1-1-1-1-1, II v2-2 -2-2-2-2, r0- 1-1-1-1, p0-1-1-1-1, III v2-2 -2, r1-1-1, p1-1-1, IV v2-2 -2, r1-1-1, p1-1; metatarsus I and II v2-2 -2-1ap, r1-1-1-1, p1-1-1-1, III v2-2 -2, r1-1-1, p-1-1-1, IV v1 r-1p-1r-1p-1r-2, r1-1-1, p1-1-1. Palp (Figs 1A–B): tibia with two elongated prolateral spines; tibia shorter than cymbium; cymbium elongated, with several short distal spines; tegulum oval; median apophysis almost in central area of tegulum; conductor hyaline and elongated, covering tip of the embolus.

FIGERES 1A–D. Acanthoctenus remotus Chickering. A –B. Male palp (A. ventral view; B. retrolateral view). C–D. Epigyne (C. ventral view; D. dorsal view). Scale bars: 1mm. Abbreviations: C, conductor; CD, copulatory ducts; CY, cymbium; E, embolus; FD, fertilization ducts; LS, lateral sector; MA, median apophysis; MS, median sector; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; S, spermathecae; TI, tibia. Arrow pointing to copulatory opening.

Female (MCZ, paratype). Colouration as in male, except reddish brown chelicerae. Total length 14.50. Carapace 5.80 long, 4.70 wide. Clypeus 0.30 high. Eye diameters: AME 0.27, ALE 0.25, PME 0.32, PLE 0.35. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal teeth, median largest; 3 retromarginal subequal teeth; without intermarginal denticles. Leg measurements: I: femur 6.70/ patella 2.90/ tibia 7.30/ metatarsus 6.10/ tarsus 1.70/ total 24.70; II: 6.20/ 2.60/ 6.00/ 5.40/ 1.50/ 21.70; III: 5.30/ 2.10/ 4.30/ 4.80/ 1.40/ 17.90; IV: 6.80/ 2.10/ 5.90/ 7.60/ 2.00/ 24.40. Leg formula 4123. Leg spination: tibia I v2-2 -1r-1p-1r-2-2-2-2-2, r0-1-1-1-1, p0-1-1-1-1, II v2-2 -1p-1r-1p-1r-2-2- 2-1p, r0-1-1-1-0, p1-1-1-1-0, III v2-2 -2, r1-1-1, p1-1-1, IV v2-2 -2, r1-1, p1-1; metatarsus I and II v2-2 -2, p1-1-1, r1-1, III v2-2 -2, r1-1-1, p-1-1-1, IV v1 r-1p-1r-1p-1r-2, r1-1-1, p1-1-1. Epigyne (Figs 1C–D): median sector elongated and narrower anteriorly; lateral sectors large, not covered by median sector; depression anterior of copulatory opening elongated; short copulatory duct; anterior area of spermathecae curved; posterior area of spermathecae long; fertilization ducts pointed anteriorly.

Distribution. Known only from Jamaica ( Fig. 4 ).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Collection localities of three Ctenidae species. A. World map; B. Close up, Caribbean Sea, Jamaica.