Sparianthis beebei, Rheims, 2020

Rheims, Cristina A., 2020, Revision of the spider genus Sparianthis Simon, 1880 (Araneae, Sparassidae Sparianthinae), Zootaxa 4890 (2), pp. 151-191 : 158-159

Sparianthis beebei sp. nov.

Figs 11–16, 143

Type material. Holotype: ³ from Trinidad & Tobago, Trinidad, Arima, Simla [William Beebe Tropical Research Station, 10.6914, -61.2874], 20 April 1964, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69673 ) . Paratype: 1♀, from Trinidad & Tobago, Trinidad, no specific locality, April 1964, A.M. Chickering leg. ( MCZ 69674 ) .

Etymology. The specific name honours Charles William Beebe, an American naturalist, who established the Simla Tropical Research Station, where the holotype was collected; genitive case.

Diagnosis. Males of S. beebei sp. nov. resemble those of S. crulsi by the palp with mRTA sickle-shaped, arising from base of dRTA ( Figs 13, 65). They are distinguished from the latter species by TBE with distal projection resembling a fishtail (short and laminar in S. crulsi ) ( Fig. 12). Females resemble those of S. juazeiro sp. nov. by the epigyne with lateral furrows reaching anterior furrow ( Figs 14, 90). They are distinguished from the latter species by median septum beer glass-shaped, constricted at posterior fourth, and internal ducts with first turn anteriad (median septum hour glass-shaped, constricted at middle, and first turn mediad in S. juazeiro sp. nov.) ( Figs 14–16).

Description. Male (holotype): Prosoma brown; fovea darker brown; eye borders black. Chelicerae brown, slightly darker than prosoma. Legs and palps brown, slightly lighter than prosoma. Labium brown, distally lighter. Endites pale brown. Sternum yellowish brown with pale brown margins. Opisthosoma grayish cream colored; dorsally with brownish gray pattern of elongate, irregular marks laterally, lighter gray stripes along each side of cardiac mark. Total length 6.4. Prosoma: 2.9 long, 2.5 wide. Opisthosoma: 3.5 long, 2.0 wide. Eyes: diameters 0.20, 0.14, 0.12, 0.16; interdistances: 0.18, 0.04, 0.28, 0.16, 0.12, 0.04. Legs (2143): I: 11.5 (3.1, 1.5, 3.1, 3.0, 0.8); II: 11.7 (3.3, 1.5, 3.0, 3.1, 0.8); III: 9.2 (2.7, 1.3, 2.1, 2.4, 0.7); IV: 11.1 (3.2, 1.1, 2.6, 3.2, 1.0). Spination follows the generic pattern. Metatarsi III–IV with ventral distal preening combs. Palp: tibia with prolateral spines long; tegulum with retro-proximal protrusion; TBC wide, keel-like; embolus slender, with no projections, running distally and curving ventral-proximally at distal margin of alveolus ( Figs 11–13).

Description. Female (paratype): Coloration lighter than male; prosoma with darker brown lines extending posteriorly from behind PLE and PME. Total length: 7.3. Prosoma: 2.9 long, 2.6 wide. Opisthosoma: 4.3 long, 2.6 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.20, 0.16, 0.12, 0.14; interdistances: 0.18, 0.08, 0.30, 0.20, 0.14, 0.08. Legs (4213): I: 9.5 (2.7, 1.5, 2.5, 2.2, 0.6); II: 9.8 (2.9, 1.6, 2.5, 2.3, 0.6); III: 8.0 (2.4, 1.3, 1.8, 1.9, 0.6) IV: 9.9 (2.7, 1.6, 2.2, 2.6, 0.8). Spination follows the generic pattern except femora II–III: r0 and tibia III: p0-0-1. Metatarsi III–IV with ventral distal preening combs. Epigyne: epigynal field rectangular, longer than wide; anterior furrow slightly recurved; median septum at least two times longer than wide, with posterior margin rounded ( Fig. 14). Vulva: internal ducts slender, half spermathecae width; glandular projection arising from duct at first turn; spermathecae rounded ( Figs 15–16).

Distribution. Only known from the type locality, in Arima, Trinidad & Tobago ( Fig. 143).