Pescennina epularis Simon, 1903

Platnick, Norman I. & Dupérré, Nadine, 2011, The Goblin Spider Genus Pescennina (Araneae, Oonopidae), American Museum Novitates 2011 (3716), pp. 1-64 : 49-63

Pescennina epularis Simon

Figures 230–243

Pescennina epularis Simon, 1903a: 33 (female syntype from Caracas , Distrito Federal or San Esteban, Carabobo, Venezuela, in MNHN; examined).

NOTE: As already reported by Roth (1988), the only specimen of the genus that has been located in the Simon collection is labeled “ Pescennina dives ,” a manuscript name that Simon apparently changed prior to publication.

DIAGNOSIS: Males have three terminal prongs on the embolar base, with the right one much shorter than the others (fig. 235); females have a heart-shaped posterior receptaculum almost completely enclosed by the apodemes (figs. 242, 243).

MALE (PBI_OON 21, figs. 230–237): Total length 1.64. Carapace yellow-brown, without any pattern; surface of elevated portion of pars cephalica smooth, sides striated. ALE separated by their radius to diameter, PLE-PME separated by more than PME diameter. Sternum yellow, surface rugose. Chelicerae, endites, and labium yellow. Dorsal scutum yellow-brown, without color pattern, with deep depression immediately behind anterior margin; postepigastric scutum yellow-brown. Specimen teneral, only certain leg color pattern is femur IV basally white, remainder with longitudinal prolateral and retrolateral dark stripes. Palp yellow; embolar base with two distal prongs but right one reduced to tiny triangle.

FEMALE (PBI_OON 1789, figs. 238–243): Carapace length 0.75 (abdomen damaged). Carapace and sternum orange-brown. Chelicerae, endites, and labium yellow-brown. Both available females have abdomen too damaged to be able to determine its color pattern or whether it has a constriction; postepigastric scutum yellow. Femora I, II with basal darkening on prolateral surface, longitudinal darkening on ventral surface, III, IV with basal portion unmarked but with prolateral and retrolateral sides darkened; patella IV distally darkened; tibia IV ventrally darkened. Anterior genitalic ducts making four coils around only slightly dumbbell-shaped transverse duct; posterior receptaculum heart shaped.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Venezuela: Uncertain locality, either Caracas, Distrito Federal or San Esteban , Carabobo ( MNHN 3629 , PBI_OON 239), 1♀ (syntype). Miranda: El Lucerno, Parque Nacional Guatopo, 28 km N Altagracia, June 7, 1987, flight intercept trap in ravine, elev. 700 m (S., J. Peck, AMNH PBI_OON 1789), 1♀ , June 8, 1987, rotted log litter, elev. 700 m (S., J. Peck, AMNH PBI_OON 21), 1♂ .

DISTRIBUTION: Northern Venezuela.

Pescennina orellana , new species

Figures 244–251 , 296–302

TYPE: Male holotype taken at an elevation of 216 m at a site 1 km S of Onkone Gare Camp, 0°39′ 25.77″S, 76°27′ 10.8″W, Reserva Etnica Waorani , Orellana, Ecuador (Oct. 8, 1995; T. Erwin et al.), deposited in USNM (PBI_OON 477) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS: In having a relatively wide carapace, large eyes, and a narrow dorsal scutum, males resemble those of P. cupida , but have a much shorter embolar base (fig. 249); females also resemble those of P. cupida but have longer apodemes (fig. 302).

MALE (PBI_OON 478, figs. 244–251): Total length 1.83. Carapace orange-brown, without any pattern; surface of elevated portion of pars cephalica finely reticulate, sides granulate. ALE separated by their radius to diameter, PLE-PME separated by less than PME radius. Sternum orange-brown, surface finely reticulate. Chelicerae, endites, and labium orange-brown. Abdomen cylindrical, dorsum soft portions white. Dorsal scutum orange-brown, without color pattern but with reticulate surface; postepigastric scutum orange-brown. Legs orange-brown, without darkenings. Palp pale orange; basal portion of embolus with wide, translucent conductor.

FEMALE (PBI_OON 645, figs. 296–302): Total length 1.97. Abdominal dorsum white, without color pattern. Anterior genitalic ducts with long longitudinal ventral portion followed distally by irregular coils; apodemes large, widely separated.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Ecuador: Orellana : 1 km S Onkone Gare Camp, 0°39′ 25.77″S, 76°27′ 10.8″W, Reserva Etnica Waorani , Oct. 5, 1995, elev. 216 m (T. Erwin et al. USNM PBI_OON 479, 645), 2♂, 1♀ , June 21, 1996, elev. 216 m (T. Erwin et al., USMN PBI_OON 478), 1♂ .

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from a lowland Amazonian site in Orellana province, Ecuador.

Pescennina piura , new species

Figures 252–266

TYPE: Male holotype from Pariamarca, Río Blanca, Piura, Peru (July 13, 2006; M. Deza), deposited in MELM (94, PBI_OON 14816) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS: Males can easily be recognized by the serrated right edge of the embolar base

(fig. 257), females by the short, triangular posterior receptaculum that is completely enclosed by the apodemes (figs. 265, 266).

MALE (PBI_OON 14816, figs. 252–259): Total length 1.86. Carapace orange-brown, without any pattern; surface of elevated portion of pars cephalica finely reticulate, sides finely reticulate. ALE separated by their radius to diameter, PLE-PME separated by more than PME diameter. Sternum orange-brown, surface rugose. Chelicerae, endites, and labium orangebrown. Dorsal scutum orange-brown, without color pattern, with deep depression immediately behind anterior margin; postepigastric scutum orange-brown. Femora I, II with basal darkenings on prolateral and retrolateral surfaces, III, IV with basal portion unmarked but with prolateral and retrolateral sides darkened; patella IV distoventrally darkened; tibia IV ventrally darkened. Palp orange-brown; side of embolar base with series of serrations.

FEMALE (PBI_OON 2370, figs. 260–266): Total length 1.85. Abdominal dorsum gray with anterior pair of paramedian white spots, followed posterior by two lateral white spots, then median wide spot, posteriorly with procurved white stripe; postepigastric scutum yellow-brown. Anterior genitalic ducts with tranverse duct not expanded at sides; posterior receptaculum short, triangular.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Peru: Lima: Pantanos de Villa , 12°12′24.8″S, 76°59′19.4″W, Mar. 20, 2005, beating, elev. 20 m (W. Paredes, MUSM PBI_OON 523), 1♂ . Piura : near Mallares, Río Chira , Jan. 4, 1942 (D., H. Frizzell, CAS 25861, PBI_OON 2370), 1♀ .

DISTRIBUTION: Western slopes of the Peruvian Andes (Lima, Piura).

Pescennina loreto , new species

Figures 267–281

TYPES: Male holotype and female allotype taken by canopy fogging at Pithecia , 5°11′ S, 72°42′ W, Loreto, Peru (May–June 1990; T. Erwin, D. Silva et al.), deposited in MUSM (500078, PBI_OON 519, 29540) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

DIAGNOSIS: Males can easily be recognized by the narrow, sinuous, laterally directed right prong on the embolar base (fig. 272), females by the wide, rectangular posterior receptaculum (figs. 280, 281).

MALE (PBI_OON 29540, figs. 267–274): Total length 1.61. Carapace orange-brown, without any pattern; surface of elevated portion of pars cephalica smooth, sides striated. ALE separated by their radius to diameter, PLE-PME separated by PME radius to PME diameter. Sternum pale orange, surface rugose. Chelicerae, endites, and labium pale orange. Dorsal scutum orange-brown, without color pattern, with deep depression immediately behind anterior margin; postepigastric scutum orange-brown. Femora I, II with basal darkening on prolateral surface, longitudinal darkening on ventral surface, III, IV with basal portion unmarked but with prolateral and retrolateral sides darkened; patella IV distally darkened; tibia IV ventrally darkened. Palp orange-brown; embolar base skewed medially, with narrow right prong. FEMALE (PBI_OON 519, figs. 275–281): Total length 2.01. Abdominal dorsum gray with anterior pair of paramedian white spots, followed posterior by two lateral white spots, then median wide spot, posteriorly with procurved white stripe. Anterior genitalic ducts highly coiled; posterior receptaculum wide, rectangular, posteriorly invaginated.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Peru: Madre de Dios: Zona Reservada Pakitza , 11°56′ S, 71°17′ W, June 1992, fogging, elev. 356 m (T. Erwin, D. Silva et al., MUSM 501558 , 501568 , 501572 , PBI_OON 520–522), 1♂, 6♀ .

DISTRIBUTION: Amazonian Peru (Loreto, Madre de Dios), known only from canopy fogging .

Pescennina grismadoi , new species

Figures 282–288

TYPE: Female holotype taken by beating foliage in a disturbed Amazonian forest at an elevation of 330 m at Concesíon Forestal La Chonta, Guarayos, 15°42′42″S, 62°46′20″W, Santa Cruz, Bolivia (Oct. 26–30, 2010; C. Grismado, M. Vacaflores, M. Pérez), deposited in MACN (PBI_OON 43140) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a patronym in honor of Cristian Grismado, one of the collectors of the type.

DIAGNOSIS: Females can easily be recognized by the greatly thickened transverse bar connecting the apodemes (figs. 287, 288).

MALE: Unknown.

FEMALE (PBI_OON 43129, figs. 282–288): Total length 1.74. Carapace orange-brown, without any pattern; surface of elevated portion of pars cephalica finely reticulate, sides finely reticulate. ALE-PLE separated by ALE radius to ALE diameter, PLE-PME separated by more than PME diameter. Sternum yellow-brown, surface rugose. Chelicerae, endites, and labium orange-brown. Abdominal dorsum gray, with pair of mostly fused anterior spots, followed posteriorly by pair of lateral transverse stripes almost reaching median white spot; wide, procurved transverse white stripe occupying most of posterior third of abdominal length; postepigastric scutum yellow-brown. Femora I, II with basal darkening on prolateral surface and ventral dark stripe, III, IV with basal white rings, IV with middle third of article darkened on sides; patella IV, tibia IV darkened except at base. Anterior genitalic ducts with four coils around transverse duct distinctly expanded at sides; transverse bar connecting apodemes much wider than apodemes, posterior receptaculum rectangular.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Four females taken with the type (MACN), three by beating foliage (PBI_OON 43129, 43130, 43135), and one by sifting leaf litter (PBI_OON 43137), in the same locality.

VARIATION: The single female taken from litter has longer apodemes and a longer posterior receptaculum than do the specimens taken by beating foliage, and it could conceivably represent a different species; males from both habitats are needed to answer that question.

DISTRIBUTION: Eastern Bolivia.

Pescennina otti , new species

Figures 289–295

TYPE: Female holotype taken by fogging at Fepagro, Maquiné, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (Apr. 2006; R. Ott et al.), deposited in MCN (47349, PBI_OON 563) .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a patronym in honor of Ricardo Ott, one of the collectors of the holotype.

DIAGNOSIS: Females can easily be recognized by the lack of a transverse portion of the anterior genitalic ducts, together with the very small, circular posterior receptaculum (figs. 294, 295).

MALE: Unknown.

FEMALE (PBI_OON 563, figs. 289–295): Total length 1.60. Carapace orange-brown, without any pattern; surface of elevated portion of pars cephalica smooth, sides finely reticulate. ALE separated by more than their diameter, PLE-PME separated by more than PME diameter. Sternum orange-brown, surface rugose. Chelicerae, endites, and labium orange-brown. Abdomen slightly constricted in middle; dorsum white, with dark gray markings outlining anterior pair of paramedian white spots, followed posteriorly by lateral pair of white spots, white circle with gray interior, and sharply delimited posterior, transverse white stripe; postepigastric scutum, yellowbrown. Femora I, II darkened prolaterally at base, ventrally for most of length, III, IV darkened on sides; patella IV darkened; tibia IV darkened ventrally and on sides. Anteriorly directed genitalic duct almost straight, with posteriorly directed portion making two loose loops, without transverse duct; posterior receptaculum small, round, with asymmetrical anterior margin.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Brazil: Rio Grande do Sul: Fepagro, Maquiné , Jan. 2006, fogging (R. Ott, et al., MCN 47348, PBI_OON 564), 1♀ .

DISTRIBUTION: Southern Brazil (known only from canopy fogging).

Figures

FIGS. 230–237. Pescennina epularis Simon, male. 230. Habitus, dorsal view. 231. Same, lateral view. 232. Cephalothorax, ventral view. 233. Habitus, anterior view. 234. Abdomen, ventral view. 235. Embolar base of left palp, dorsal view. 236. Left palp, prolateral view. 237. Same, retrolateral view.

FIGS. 238–243. Pescennina epularis Simon, female. 238. Carapace, dorsal view. 239. Same, lateral view. 240. Same, anterior view. 241. Cephalothorax, ventral view. 242. Genitalia, ventral view. 243. Same, dorsal view.

FIGS. 244–251. Pescennina orellana, new species, male. 244. Habitus, dorsal view. 245. Same, lateral view. 246. Cephalothorax, ventral view. 247. Habitus, anterior view. 248. Abdomen, ventral view. 249. Embolar base of left palp, dorsal view. 250. Left palp, prolateral view. 251. Same, retrolateral view.

FIGS. 296–302. Pescennina orellana, new species, female. 296. Habitus, dorsal view. 297. Cephalothorax, ventral view. 298. Anterior portion of abdomen, ventral view. 299. Habitus, anterior view. 300. Same, lateral view. 301. Genitalia, ventral view. 302. Same, dorsal view.

FIGS. 252–259. Pescennina piura, new species, male. 252. Habitus, dorsal view. 253. Same, lateral view. 254. Cephalothorax, ventral view. 255. Habitus, anterior view. 256. Abdomen, ventral view. 257. Embolar base of left palp, dorsal view. 258. Left palp, prolateral view. 259. Same, retrolateral view.

FIGS. 260–266. Pescennina piura, new species, female. 260. Habitus, dorsal view. 261. Cephalothorax, ventral view. 262. Abdomen, ventral view. 263. Habitus, anterior view. 264. Same, lateral view. 265. Genitalia, ventral view. 266. Same, dorsal view.

FIGS. 267–274. Pescennina loreto, new species, male. 267. Habitus, dorsal view. 268. Same, lateral view. 269. Cephalothorax, ventral view. 270. Habitus, anterior view. 271. Abdomen, ventral view. 272. Embolar base of left palp, dorsal view. 273. Left palp, prolateral view. 274. Same, retrolateral view.

FIGS. 275–281. Pescennina loreto, new species, female. 275. Habitus, dorsal view. 276. Cephalothorax, ventral view. 277. Abdomen, ventral view. 278. Habitus, anterior view. 279. Same, lateral view. 280. Genitalia, ventral view. 281. Same, dorsal view.

FIGS. 282–288. Pescennina grismadoi, new species, female. 282. Habitus, dorsal view. 283. Cephalothorax, ventral view. 284. Abdomen, ventral view. 285. Habitus, anterior view. 286. Same, lateral view. 287. Genitalia, ventral view. 288. Same, dorsal view.

FIGS. 289–295. Pescennina otti, new species, female. 289. Habitus, dorsal view. 290. Cephalothorax, ventral view. 291. Abdomen, ventral view. 292. Habitus, anterior view. 293. Same, lateral view. 294. Genitalia, ventral view. 295. Same, dorsal view.