Phonotimpus arcitos, 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 : 18-19

Phonotimpus arcitos sp. nov.

Figures 118–125 , 149–155 , 339

Type material. Male holotype, female allotype, and two female paratypes from the Cueva de Los Arcitos , Yerbabuena, 23.9121624°N, 99.4317541°W, Tamaulipas, Mexico (Nov. 19, 1979; J. Reddell, D. McKenzie), deposited in AMNH .

Other material examined. MEXICO: Nuevo León: Sótano de Puerto los Valasos [23.8851655°N, 99.4656125°W], Cuauhtémoc , 2.5 km NW Rancho Nuevo, Jan. 2, 1987, P. Sprouse, 1♀ ( AMNH) . Tamaulipas: Cueva de la Onza, [23.9650267°N, 99.4750398°W], 500 m N Conrado Castillo , Mar. 21, 1982, G. Atkinson, 1♀ ( AMNH) . Cueva de Punto las Calaveras [23.941638°N, 99.4690283°W], 1 km ENE Revilla, Feb. 1993, P. Sprouse, 1♂, 1♀ ( AMNH) . Cueva del Brinco [23.960377°N, 99.4743544°W], historical section, Sept. 22, 1982, P. Sprouse, 1♀ ( AMNH) . Cueva del Tecolote [23.8619845°N, 99.3781012°W], Los San Pedro , Apr. 26, 1980, D. Honea et al., 1♀ ( AMNH) . Cueva Tecolote [23.9595018°N, 99.4748048°W], Conrado Castillo , 38 mi SW El Barretal, Aug. 24, 1973, R. Jameson, D. McKenzie, F. Pérez, 1♀ ( AMNH) [N.B.: Nuevo León per label, but “ El Barretal Nuevo Leon ” is in the Municipio de Güémez, Tamaulipas]. “Entrada del Viento Baja” [apparently an entrance to the Cueva del Brinco , 23.9573068°N, 99.4763473°W], Mar. 17, 1979, G. Atkinson, 1♀ ( AMNH) . Sótano de las Calenturas [23.9054488°N, 99.4202091°W], Nov. 19, 1979, D. Pate et al., 1♀ ( AMNH) . Sótano de Trejo [23.8480868°N, 99.3539523°W], elev. 1620 m, entrance chamber, 3 km SE Los San Pedro, Nov. 24, 1987, D. Pate, 1♀ ( AMNH) , Nov. 25, 1987 D. Pate, 1♀ ( AMNH) .

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Diagnosis. This species is apparently confined to caves. Males resemble those of P. chipinque sp. nov. and P. tetrico sp. nov. in having the retrolateral tibial apophysis shorter than the dorsal apophysis, with a truncated apex, but the retrolateral apophysis has a small, basal, spinelike projection ( Fig. 151 ); females can be recognized by the deep atrium, wide U-shape formed by copulatory ducts, bursae having a posterior rounded extension and tubular spermathecae about the same length as copulatory ducts ( Figs 153–155 ).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length 1.81. Carapace yellow, with only vague traces of submarginal bands of maculations, pars thoracica steeply sloping, pars cephalica rounded; sternum, mouthparts yellow, unmarked, each cheliceral paturon with one strong, erect bristle near base; abdomen narrow, dorsum light gray, with faint traces of four threadlike white chevrons plus large white mark immediately above spinnerets, scutum oval, covering about three-fourths of abdomen length, posteriorly covering about half of abdomen width, sides light gray, posteriorly with longitudinal rows of white spots, venter white, unmarked ( Figs 118–121 ); legs yellow, unmarked. Leg spination: femora: I d1-0-0, p0-0-2; II–IV d1-0-0; tibiae: I v4-4-4; II v4-4-2; metatarsi I, II v2-2-3.

Palpal femur subdistally incrassate, with retrolateral excavation extending over distal half of femur length, patch of spinules on distal, prolateral half; dorsal tibial apophysis long, straight, distally attenuate ( Figs 151–152 ); retrolateral apophysis much shorter, with small, pointed, ventrally directed projection near base, tip truncated, notched, prolaterally excavated ( Figs 150–151 ); distal border of palpal tibia deeply notched prolaterally ( Figs 149– 150 ); tegulum greatly expanded proximally, retrolaterally; embolar base membranous; embolus short, tubular, weak, extending along the distal edge of alveolus, obscured by cymbial setae; embolar basal process arched, thumb-shaped distally, covering embolus; conductor long, tip wide; apical tegular apophysis strong, hook-shaped, projecting behind conductor ( Figs 149–152 ).

Female (allotype): Total length 2.20. As in male, except each cheliceral paturon with two strong, erect bristles near base, dorsal scutum covering only anterior one-third of abdomen length ( Figs 122–125 ). Leg spination as in male.

Epigynum very large, with deep, undivided, posterior atrium occupying two thirds of epigynum width, its anterior border straight; copulatory openings diagonally inverted U-shape about one diameter apart, occluded with dark secretions, situated at middle of atrium; copulatory ducts forming a wide U-shape, long, sclerotized, extending anteriorly to epigynal atrium, about as long as primary spermathecae; bursae large, longer than wide, with a posterior, rounded extension; tubular primary spermathecae almost reaching posterior epigynal margin, situated laterally and about as long as copulatory ducts ( Figs 153–155 ).

Distribution. Known only from caves of the Purificación area, in at least the Municipios de Ciudad Victoria, Güémez, and Hidalgo of central Tamaulipas and the Municipio de General Zaragoza in adjacent Nuevo León. There are two caves in which this species and P. tetrico have both been collected ( Fig. 339 ).

Figures

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

FIGURES 105–121. 105–108. Phonotimpus sanpedro sp. nov., female. 109–112. P. taman sp. nov., female. 113–117. P. eutypus Gertsch & Davis, 1940 male (113–114) and female (115–117). 118–121. P. arcitos sp. nov., male. 105, 109, 115, 118. Carapace, dorsal view. 107, 111, 117, 120. Same, ventral view. 106, 110, 116, 119. Abdomen, dorsal view. 108, 112, 121. Same, ventral view. 113. Habitus, dorsal view. 114. Same, ventral view.

FIGURES 122–141. 122–125. Phonotimpus arcitos sp. nov., female. 126–133. P. boneti sp. nov., male (126–129) and female (130–133). 134–141. P. chipinque sp. nov., male (134–137) and female (138–141). 122, 126, 130, 134, 138. Carapace, dorsal view. 124, 128, 132, 136, 140. Same, ventral view. 123, 127, 131, 135, 139. Abdomen, dorsal view. 125, 129, 133, 137, 141. Same, ventral view.

FIGURES 149–155. Phonotimpus arcitos sp. nov., male (149–152) and female (153–155). 149. Left palp, prolateral view. 150. Same, ventral view. 151. Same, retrolateral view. 152. Same, dorsal view. 153. Epigynum, ventral view. 154. Cleared epigynum, ventral view. 155. Same, dorsal view.