Scaphiella palenque, Platnick & Dupérré N., 2010

Platnick, N. & Dupérré N., 2010, The Goblin Spider Genus Scaphiella (Araneae, Oonopidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2010 (332), pp. 1-156 : 13-16

Scaphiella palenque , new species Figures 71–93; map 4

TYPE: Male holotype from Berlese of litter taken along rainforest trail, S Ruinas de Palenque, near Templo de León, Chiapas, Mexico (Jan. 24, 1976, C. Alteri), deposited in AMNH ( PBI _OON 29859).

DIAGNOSIS: This species resembles S. campeche in microsculpture, but males can easily be recognized by the distally modified and darkened endites (figs. 76, 82–84), the greatly thickened palpal femur (fig. 78), and the long, basally widened embolus (fig. 79); females have a much more rounded epigynal atrium (figs. 91–93).

MALE (PBI_OON 29863, figs. 71–84). Total length 1.42. Carapace with granulations present only along lateral margins and posterior declivity. Sternum smooth. Endites with strong, toothlike anteromedian projection. Abdomen unpatterned, scuta smooth. Palpal femur greatly expanded; embolus evenly arched, tip directed ventrally.

FEMALE (PBI_OON 29856, figs. 85–93). Total length 1.43. Endites unmodified. Epigynal atrium with strong posterolateral margins, anterior sclerite narrow, short; apodemes short, directed dorsolaterally.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: MEXICO: Chiapas: Palenque , Mar. 2–24, 1975, Berlese (C. Alteri, AMNH PBI _OON 29856), 1 U ; road into Palenque , Jan. 13, 1976, Berlese, dry grass at edge of field, along horse trail (C. Alteri, AMNH PBI _OON 29863), 2 -; ca 5 mi NW Palenque , Jan. 31, 1976, Berlese, rotted log in field (C. Alteri, AMNH PBI _OON 29864), 1 -.

DISTRIBUTION: Chiapas, Mexico (map 4).