Eucteniza cuixmala, Valdez-Mondragón & Jiménez, 2024

Valdez-Mondragón, Alejandro & Jiménez, Maria Luisa, 2024, On the Mexican trapdoor spiders: description of a new species of the spider genus Eucteniza Ausserer (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Euctenizidae) from the western coast of Mexico, Zootaxa 5453 (4), pp. 538-548 : 541-545

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.5453.4.4

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:B467491E-A297-4010-9E45-0390CB5F8F00

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11240683

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/4A521556-FFEE-FFEA-0DE2-D5B1FCBEFAB3

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Eucteniza cuixmala
status

sp. nov.

Eucteniza cuixmala sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:168682B7-47A3-44E9-9253-B140129B00DD

Figures 1–19 View FIGURES 1–4 View FIGURES 5–7 View FIGURES 8–11 View FIGURES 12–15 View FIGURES 16–19

Holotype. MEXICO: Jalisco: 1 ♂ holotype ( CARCIB-Ar-050 ) from Estación de Biología , Institute of Biology , UNAM Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve , path Buho (19.4988°, -105.0404°, 65 m a.s.l.), Municipality San Patricio, 17-June-2016, A. Zaldivar, B. Garner, V. Salinas Cols., pitfall trap.

Etymology. The specific epithet is a noun in apposition in reference to the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve, a tropical deciduous forest on the western coast of Mexico where the type locality is located.

Diagnosis. Eucteniza cuixmala sp. nov. resembles E. relata in the leg I morphology; however, the tibia I in the new species does not have prolateral distal spines, only one distal megaspine ( Figs 13, 15 View FIGURES 12–15 , arrows), whereas E. relata has few (4) to many prolateral distal spines (21) (Bond & Goodwin, 2013: figs 25, 26, 29). Although both species have tibia I with 2 two large, tightly grouped median-ventral megaspines on tibia I, the distal megaspine is markedly longer and wider than basal megaspine in E. cuixmala sp. nov. ( Figs 12–15 View FIGURES 12–15 , 16 View FIGURES 16–19 ), whereas in E. relata both megaspines have the same length and distal megaspine is slightly wider than basal one (Bond & Goodwin 2013: figs 25, 26, 29). Tibia I in the new species is wider (widest part) than in E. relata , with a ratio of 2.5X (length/ width) ( Figs 12–15 View FIGURES 12–15 ) in E. cuixmala sp. nov., whereas in E. relata is 2.2X (Bond & Goodwin, 2013: figs 25, 26, 29). Metatarsi I in the new species has a small megaspine in median region ( Fig. 12 View FIGURES 12–15 , arrow), which is absent in E. relata (Bond & Goodwin, 2013: figs 25, 26, 29). The legs of E. relata are more setose (Bond & Goodwin, 2013: figs 25–27) than those of E. cuixmala sp. nov. ( Figs 12–19 View FIGURES 12–15 View FIGURES 16–19 ). The palp tibia in the new species is slightly wider (widest part) than E. relata (2.5X in E. cuixmala sp. nov. versus 2.4X in E. relata ). Also, body coloration in the new species is pale orange ( Figs 1–19 View FIGURES 1–4 View FIGURES 5–7 View FIGURES 8–11 View FIGURES 12–15 View FIGURES 16–19 ), whereas E. relata is dark brown (Bond & Goodwin, 2013: fig 24).

Description. Male (holotype): Specimen collected using pitfall traps, preserved and observed in 80% ethanol. Measurements: Total length (prosoma+opisthosoma) 12.40. Carapace 5.60 long, 4.70 wide (widest part). Clypeus length 0.20. Diameter of eyes: AME 0.33, ALE 0.36, PME 0.20, PLE 0.31. Labium: LBl 0.65, LBw 0.95. Sternum: STRl 3.65, STRw 3.10. Leg lengths: I: femur 5.30/ patella 2.65/ tibia 3.80/ metatarsus 3.70/ tarsus 2.50/ total 17.95; II: 4.70/ 2.50/ 3.70/ 3.50/ 2.60/ 17.00; III: 4.20/ 2.00/ 2.70/ 4.00/ 3.20/ 16.10; IV: 5.70/ 2.80/ 5.00/ 5.10/ 3.80/ 22.4. Leg formula: 4-1-2-3.

Prosoma: Carapace longer than wide, protruding anteriorly, with surface smooth, not setose, hexagonally shaped, dark yellowish in anterior part and paler posteriorly ( Figs 1, 3 View FIGURES 1–4 ). Ocular region slightly elevated ( Figs 3 View FIGURES 1–4 , 6 View FIGURES 5–7 ). Foveal groove deep and procurved, U-shaped ( Fig. 3 View FIGURES 1–4 ). AER straight, PER recurved. Largest ALE, smallest PME ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 5–7 ). Right PLE missing ( Fig. 6 View FIGURES 5–7 ). Sternum longer than wide, pyriform-shaped, pale orange, setose mainly in anterior part, with sigilla visible ( Fig. 4 View FIGURES 1–4 ). Median pair sternal sigilla large and elongate. Labium wider than long, dark orange, with long setae anteriorly, without cuspules ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 5–7 ). Endites long and setose, with an inconspicuous apical-prolateral conical apophysis, without cuspules ( Fig. 5 View FIGURES 5–7 ).

Chelicerae: Promargin furrow with six large teeth, retromargin furrow with approximately 10 small denticles. Rastellum with several small spines.

Opisthosoma: Longer than wide, setose, dark gray, without pattern dorsally; lighter gray ventrally ( Figs 1, 2 View FIGURES 1–4 , 7 View FIGURES 5–7 ). Spinnerets beige ( Fig. 7 View FIGURES 5–7 ). PMS small and rounded, single segment, with spigots. PLS long and conical, all three segments with spigots: basal segment length> median segment> distal segment.

Legs: Very light tarsal scopulae on all legs ( Figs 12, 13 View FIGURES 12–15 , 17, 18 View FIGURES 16–19 ). Tibiae, metatarsi, and tarsi with dorsal trichobothria, lacking pattern, only tarsi with slightly staggered dorsal row, variable in number. Leg patterns: Tibia I: with two large, tightly grouped median-ventral megaspines ( Figs 12–15 View FIGURES 12–15 ) and long ventral spiniform setae in basal half; tibiae II: with one median and long megaspine and several long spiniform setae ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 16–19 ); metatarsi II: with two long spiniform setae ( Fig. 17 View FIGURES 16–19 , arrows); tibiae III and IV: scattered long spiniform setae ( Fig. 18 View FIGURES 16–19 ); metatarsi and tarsi with small scattered spiniform setae ( Fig. 18 View FIGURES 16–19 ). Femora with long spiniform setae, more conspicuous in femora II–IV ( Figs 17, 18 View FIGURES 16–19 ). Patellae III and IV with small spiniform setae on prolateral part, more numerous in patellae III ( Figs 19 View FIGURES 16–19 , arrows).

Pedipalps: Articles setose. Femora pale orange, long, and cylindrical. Patellae pale orange ( Figs 8, 9 View FIGURES 8–11 ). Tibiae pale orange, long, and cylindrical, widened in mid-section, curved and setose ventrally ( Figs 8, 9 View FIGURES 8–11 ). Cymbium brownish and setose, without spines, but with numerous small spiniform setae ( Figs 10, 11 View FIGURES 8–11 ). Bulb oval, located toward internal part of pedipalp ( Figs 10, 11 View FIGURES 8–11 ). Embolus short, thin, and curved, pointing toward retrolateral part of the tibia, slightly widened apically ( Figs 11 View FIGURES 8–11 ).

Female. Unknown.

Natural history. The specimen was collected using a pitfall trap in a tropical deciduous dry forest at 65 m a.s.l. within the Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve, which is part of the Estación de Biología, Institute of Biology, UNAM. The trap was collocated next to the path name ‘Buho’, one of several paths within the biological research station ( Figs 20, 21 View FIGURES 20–21 ).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 22 View FIGURE 22 ).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Euctenizidae

Genus

Eucteniza

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