Phonotimpus gertschi, Platnick & Chamé-Vázquez & Ibarra-Núñez, 2022

Platnick, Norman I., Chamé-Vázquez, David & Ibarra-Núñez, Guillermo, 2022, The guardstone spiders of the genus Phonotimpus Gertsch & Davis (Araneae: Phrurolithidae) from northeastern Mexico, Zootaxa 5219 (1), pp. 1-48 : 35-36

Phonotimpus gertschi sp. nov.

Figures 246–252 , 291–298

Type material. Male holotype and female allotype from the Cueva de San Pedro, 4 km N Tlamaya, San Luis Potosí, Mexico (Dec. 28, 1984; P. Sprouse), deposited in AMNH. According to Sprouse (1985), the cave is situated about 500 m NW of the village of San Pedro Huitzquilico, on the western side of a valley, at the base of a cone hill, and has two large chambers .

Other material examined. One male taken with the types ( AMNH) .

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of Willis Gertsch, who established the genus in 1940 (based on specimens collected by L. Davis), and who first recognized this species as new in 1985.

Diagnosis. This species appears to be a troglobite, with reduced and depigmented eyes as well as elongated appendages ( Figs 291, 295 ). Males can be easily distinguished by the extraordinarily long, slender, arched embolus that arises prolaterally, about at middle of tegulum length, long conductor, hook-shaped apical tegular apophysis pointing distal-retrolaterally ( Fig. 247 ), and bent, sharp retrolateral apophysis with dorso-basal, rounded bump ( Figs 247–248 ). The female has the median groove largely restricted to the anterior portion of epigynum, with an oblong copulatory opening near the anterior epigynal margin, the posterior portion has a pair of distinctive, rounded lateral ridges, first part of copulatory ducts directed posteriorly, second part directed obliquely, V-shaped ( Figs 250–252 ).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 1.78. Carapace yellow, with no pigment around reduced eyes, pars thoracica gently sloping, pars cephalica gently rounded; sternum, mouthparts yellow, each cheliceral paturon with two erect bristles near base, median bristle greatly elongated; abdomen narrow, white, unmarked except under dorsal scutum, markings, scutum restricted to cardiac area ( Figs 291–294 ); legs pale yellow, unmarked. Legs with very long trichobothria from tibiae to tarsi, legs IV greatly elongated. Leg spination: femora: I p0-2-0; II d1-0-0, p0-0-1; III, IV d1-0-0; tibiae I, II v4-4-4; metatarsi I, II v4-2-2.

Palpal femur distally incrassate, with one dorso-distal spine, ventral excavation extending over distal half of femur length, patch of spinules on distal, prolateral half; dorsal tibial apophysis arched, wide at base but abruptly narrowed at about half its length, tip curved prolaterally ( Fig. 249 ); retrolateral apophysis originating at base of tibia, with dorso-basal, rounded bump ( Figs 247, 249 ), base extending far to side of segment, bent at 90° angle at about one-third its length, then flattened, bent again directed ventrally, tip sharp ( Figs 247–249 ); cymbium with a short, deep groove on its proximal, prolateral side, corresponding with tip of dorsal tibial apophysis; tegulum expanded proximally; embolar base small, membranous; embolus hook-shaped, greatly elongated, slender, arising at the prolateral side of embolar base, about at middle of tegulum length, extending along prolateral, distal edge of alveolus; embolar basal process slender, extended along most embolus length; conductor elongated, widened distally; apical tegular apophysis hook-shaped, pointing distal-retrolaterally ( Figs 246–247 ).

Female (allotype): Total length 1.88. As in male, except both cheliceral paturons’ bristles greatly elongated, abdominal scutum even smaller than in male ( Figs 295–298 ). Leg spination as in male except metatarsus II v3-2-2; all except distalmost pair of spines under tibia I greatly elongated, each about one-third as long as tibia.

Epigynum large, posterior sides with rounded lateral ridges; one small oblong copulatory opening on anterior third of epigynum; copulatory ducts long, first part parallel, directed posteriorly, widening, second part directed obliquely, V-shaped; elongated bursae lateral to copulatory opening, larger than primary spermathecae, which are kidney-shaped, touching the posterior epigynal margin ( Figs 250–252 ).

Distribution. Known only from a cave in the Municipio de Xilitla in southeastern San Luis Potosí ( Fig. 339 ).

Figures

FIGURE 339. Northeast Mexico, showing distribution of the Phonotimpus species described in this work.

FIGURES 246–252. Phonotimpus gertschi sp. nov., male (246–249) and female (250–252). 246. Left palp, prolateral view. 247. Same, ventral view. 248. Same, retrolateral view. 249. Same, dorsal view. 250. Epigynum, ventral view. 251. Cleared epigynum, ventral view. 252. Same, dorsal view.

FIGURES 287–305. 287–290. Phonotimpus valles sp. nov., female. 291–298. P. gertschi sp. nov., male (291–294) and female (295–298). 299–306. P. pozas sp. nov., male (299–302) and female (303–306). 287, 291, 295, 299, 303. Carapace, dorsal view. 289, 293, 297, 301, 305. Same, ventral view. 288, 292, 296, 300, 304. Abdomen, dorsal view. 290, 294, 298, 302, 306. Same, ventral view.