Episinus jimmyi, Chavari, João Lucas & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2014

Chavari, João Lucas & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2014, The first species of the spider genus Episinus in Colombia (Araneae, Theridiidae), Zootaxa 3846 (1), pp. 145-150 : 146-148

Episinus jimmyi new species

Figs 1–20

Types. Male holotype from Parque Natural Regional El Vínculo (3°50’19”N, 76°18’20”W) Buga, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, 09.X.2008, J.C. García leg., deposited in ICN 7524; Paratypes with the same data as holotype except date: 2 males, 26 Aug 2008 (ICN 7526); 10 Oct 2008 (IBSP 165076) and 3 females, 28 Aug 2008 (ICN 7525); 26 Aug 2008 (ICN 7527); 9 Oct 2008 (IBSP 165077).

Other material examined. COLOMBIA: Valle del Cauca: Buga: Parque Natural Regional El Vínculo (3°50’19”N, 76°18’20”W), Aug–Oct 2008, J.C. García leg., 5♂ 8♀ 2 juv. ( IBSP 165078–165085).

Etymology. The species is in honor of Jimmy Cabra García, the Colombian arachnologist that collected all specimens.

Diagnosis. Males of Episinus jimmyi n. sp. are similar to those of E. crysus Buckup & Marques, 1992 by the presence of dorsal nipple-like projections on the abdomen and the conductor apophysis (see Buckup & Marques, 1992, fig. 8), but the embolus base is shorter ( Figs. 5 , 10 ). Females resemble E. pyrus Levi, 1964 in the presence of dorsal nipple-like projections on the abdomen and the presence of a transverse lip in the epigynum (see Levi, 1964, figs 34–36), but can be distinguished by the transverse lip situated anteriorly to the spermathecae ( Figs. 8, 9 , 15 ) and fertilization ducts directed downwards ( Figs. 9 , 15, 17 ).

Description. Male (Holotype): Total length 0.77. Carapace 0.32 long, 0.3 wide, yellow-white. Sternum 0.30 long, 0.28 wide, yellow-white. Abdomen 0.45 long, 0.50 wide, yellow, with nipple-like projections and white spots dorsally ( Figs 1, 2 ) and yellow-white ventrally. Eyes red and subequal in size, about 0.07 diameter ( Fig. 1 ). Clypeus height about 1.0 times AME diameter. Legs I, total length 2.5, femur 0.67, patella 0.22, tibia 0.62, metatarsus 0.57, tarsus 0.42; II 1.87/0.65/0.17/0.40/0.35/0.30; III 1.23/0.47/0.12/0.27/0.17/0.20; IV 1.94/0.62/0.20/ 0.45/0.40/0.27. Legs yellow-white, patella IV red ( Fig. 1 ). Tarsal organ capsulated with rounded orifice ( Fig. 12 ). Trichobothrial socket rounded, with elevated border ( Fig. 13 ). Palp: conductor with two apophyses and fused basally to the embolus ( Fig. 10 ). Median apophysis between the TTA and cymbium ( Fig. 11 ). Ejaculatory duct originating in subtegulum, close to petiole ( Fig. 7 ). TTA curved over the conductor ( Fig. 6 ).

Female (Paratype) (ICN 7525). Total length 1.22. Carapace 0.50 long, 0.84 wide, yellow-white with slightly dark spots dorsally and yellow-white ventrally. Sternum 0.30 long, 0.32 wide, yellow-white. Abdomen 0.84 long, 0.72 wide, yellow with white spots, dorsal region dusky, with five red nipple-like projections ( Figs 3, 4 ). Eyes subequal in size about 0.08 diameter. Clypeus height about 1.0 times AME diameter. Legs I, total length 2.78, femur 0.82, patella 0.24, tibia 0.68, metatarsus 0.60, tarsus 0.44; II 1.74/0.48/0.22/0.36/0.38/0.30; III 1.14/0.28/ 0.10/0.36/0.20/0.20; IV 1.62/0.44/0.20/0.40/0.38/0.20. Legs yellow-white, patella IV red ( Figs. 3, 4 ). Tarsus and metatarsus with curved chemosensory setae irregularly distributed ( Fig. 18 ). Third claw long, slender and curved at tip, with one short tooth ( Fig. 20 ), paired claws without teeth ( Fig. 19 ). Epigynum: epigynal plate semicircular, grooved posteriorly, with small and rounded copulatory pores ( Fig. 14 ); copulatory duct short and in the basal region of the spermathecae ( Figs. 8, 9 ); spermathecae oval with a group of glandular pores in the apical region ( Figs. 8, 9 , 15, 16 ), fertilization ducts curved ( Figs. 9 , 15, 17 )

Natural history. The specimens were collected manually at night in grasses, riparian forest, secondary forest and bamboo forests.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Southwestern Colombia.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 4. Episinus jimmyi n. sp., 1 – 2, Male habitus (IBSP 165080). 3 – 4, Female habitus (IBSP 165080). 1, 3, Dorsal. 2, 4, Lateral. Scale bars, 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 5 – 9. Episinus jimmyi n. sp., 5 – 7 Male palp (holotype ICN 7524). 8 – 9, Epigynum (paratype ICN 7525). 5, Ventral. 6, Prolateral. 7, Ventral, semi-expanded. 8, Ventral. 9, Dorsal. Abbreviations: C, conductor; Ca, conductor apophysis; CD, copulatory duct; E, embolus; FD, fertilization duct; Lip, transversal lip; MA, median apophysis; S, spermathecae; ST, subtegulum; T, tegulum; TTA, theridioid tegular apophysis. Scale bars, 5 – 7, 0.1 mm; 8 – 9, 0.05 mm.

FIGURES 10 – 13. Episinus jimmyi n. sp., Male palp. 10, Ventral. 11, Prolateral, expanded. 12, Cymbium, tarsal organ. 13, Cymbium, base of trichobothria. Abbreviations: C, conductor; Ca, conductor apophysis; Cy, cymbium; E, embolus; MA, median apophysis; T, tegulum; TTA, theridioid tegular apophysis. Scale bars, 10 – 11, 100 µm; 12, 5 µm; 13, 10 µm.

FIGURES 14 – 20. Episinus jimmyi n. sp., 14 – 17, Epigynum. 14, Ventral. 15, Dorsal, 16, Spermathecae, glandular pores, ventral view. 17, Fertilization ducts, ventral view. 18, Female tarsus I, chemosensitive setae (arrow). 19, Female tarsus I, claws. 20, Female tarsus I, third claw. Abbreviations: FD, fertilization duct; Lip, transversal lip; S, spermathecae. Scale bars, 14 – 15, 50 µm; 30 µm:; 18 – 19, 10 µm; 16 – 17, 20 µm.