Plato miranda ( Brignoli, 1972 )

Prete, Pedro H. & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2024, Taxonomic revision of the orb weaving spider genus Plato Coddington, 1986 (Araneae: Theridiosomatidae) with the description of three new species, Zootaxa 5471 (1), pp. 1-32 : 19-20

Plato miranda ( Brignoli, 1972)

Figures 14 , 15 , 23

Wendilgarda miranda Brignoli, 1972: 375 , figs 24, 26–28, 30 (male holotype and six females paratypes from Cueva Alfredo Jahn , Miranda, Venezuela, 21.ii.1968, Bordon & P. Strinati col., deposited in Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève, not examined).

Plato miranda : Coddington, 1986: 33; Lopez, 1996: 192, fig. 10.

Remarks. Despite not having located the type series, we obtained specimens from the type locality, collected by the MNRJ team.

Material examined. VENEZUELA. Lara: Parque Nacional Yacambu (10°32'46.5"N, 69°37'14.7"W), 1♀, xii.2002, A. Perez & A. Giupponi col. ( MNRJ 12851 ); Miranda : Birongo, Cueva Alfredo Jahn (10°29'16.5"N, 66°15'02.1"W), 1♂, 6♀, 20.xii.2002, O. Villareal col. ( MNRJ 12836 , SEM 1♂, 1♀) .

Diagnosis. Males of Plato miranda are recognized by the long, thin, and pointed conductor apophysis (fig. 14B). Females are recognized by the heavily sclerotized transversal groove of the epigyna, with a posteriorly elongated and elevated median region (fig. 15B, D, F).

Description. Male (MNRJ 12836). Carapace, sternum, labium, endites and chelicerae brown. Light brown legs. Abdomen grayish, length: 1.4. Total length: 2.2. Carapace length: 1.05. Clypeus height: 0.26. Sternum: 0.55 in length and width. Eyes: AME: 0.1; AME-AME: 0.07; ALE-PLE: contiguous (0.07 each); PME-PME separated by 1 PME (0.08). Legs: I femur 1.32/ patella 0.47/ tibia 1.1/ metatarsus 0.74/ tarsus 0.4/ total 4.03; II 1.14/ 046/ 0.93/ 0.62/ 0.52/ 3.67; III 0.64/ 0.3/ 0.62/ 0.45/ 0.42/ 2.43; IV 1/ 0.35/ 0.68/ 0.6/?/?. Palp. Cymbial lamella short and curved (fig. 14E). Embolus with wide distal apophysis small, surrounded by the hyaline membrane (fig. 14A, D). Abdomen oval.

Female (MNRJ 12851). Same color pattern as male. Abdomen oval, length: 1.6. Total length: 2.3. Carapace length: 1. Clypeus height: 0.2. Sternum: 0.5 in length and width. Eyes: AME: 0.1; AME-AME: 0.04; ALE-PLE: contiguous (ALE: 0.07; PLE: 0.05); PME-PME separated by 1 PME (0.08). Legs: I femur 1.32/ patella 0.47/ tibia 1/ metatarsus 0.68/ tarsus 0.54/ total 3.99; II 1.1/ 0.42/ 0.8/ 0.58/ 0.52/ 3.42; III 0.7/ 0.32/ 0.52/ 0.42/ 0.42/ 2.38; IV 0.92/ 0.34/ 0.65/ 0.51/ 0.42/ 2.84. Epigynum: epigynal plate triangular with large transversal groove (fig. 15B, F). Dorsal plate covering the spermathecae, well sclerotized as the ventral epigynal plate (fig. 15C, E).

Variation. 6 females: total length: 2.22–3.6; carapace: 1.02–1.4; femur I: 1.4–1.55.

Distribution. Known from departments of Lara and Miranda, Venezuela (fig. 23).

Figures

FIGURE 14. Plato miranda, from Birongo, Miranda, Venezuela. A, embolus, distal view, illustration; B–D, male palp, right, mirrored; B, mesal view; C, prolateral view; D, ventral view, SEM; E, cymbium, right, ventral view, mirrored, SEM. Abbreviations, C, conductor.CA, conductor apophysis. CL, cymbial lamella. Cy, cymbium. E, embolus. EA, embolic apophysis. ED, embolic division. MA, median apophysis. O, embolic opening. PC, paracymbium. ST, subtegulum. T, tegulum. Scales: A, B, C, 0.2; D, E, 0.1.

FIGURE 15. Plato miranda, from Birongo, Miranda, Venezuela.A, female body, dorsal view; B–G, epigynum; B, ventral view; C, illustration, dorsal view; D, lateral view, clarified; E, lateral cut view, clarified; F, ventral view, SEM; G, dorsal view, SEM. Abbreviations, At, atrium. CD, copulatory ducts. CP, central pit. DP, dorsal plate. FD, fertilization ducts. S, spermathecae. Su, epigynal support. TG, transversal groove. Scales: A, 2; B, C, D, E, 0.2; F, G, 0.1.

FIGURE 23. Distribution of records of Plato (South America).