Plato guacharo ( 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 : 12-14

Plato guacharo ( Brignoli, 1972)

Figures 11 , 12 , 23

Wendilgarda guacharo Brignoli, 1972: 372 , figs 19–23 (male holotype and eight females paratypes from Cueva del Guacharo ,

Monagas, Venezuela, 18.ii.1968, P. Strinati col., deposited in Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève, not examined). Plato guacharo : Coddington, 1986: 33; Lopez, 1996: 192, fig. 8.

Materials examined. VENEZUELA. Monagas: Caripe, Cueva del Guacharo (10°08'03.7"N, 63°21'14.9"W), 2♂, 2♀, xii.2002, A. Perez & A. Giupponi col. ( MNRJ 12830 , SEM 1♂, 1♀); 2♀, 26.iii.1957, P. San Martin col. ( CAS) .

Diagnosis. Males of P. guacharo are identified by the short digitiform conductor apophysis rounded distally, small and strongly sclerotized (fig. 11B). Females are recognized by the conspicuous protuberance of the support in the transversal groove of the epigynal plate, which is transversally flattened (fig. 12D) and by the posteriorly bifid dorsal plate (fig. 12C).

Description. Male (MNRJ 12830). Carapace, sternum, labium and endites light brown. Chelicerae brown. Legs brown, except femurs II, III and IV dark brown. Abdomen grayish, length:0.9. Total length: 2. Carapace length: 1.16. Clypeus height: 0.28. Sternum: 0.52 in length and 0.5 in width. Eyes: AME: 0.1; AME-AME: 0.04; ALE-PLE: contiguous (0.08each); PME-PME separated by 0.07 (PME 0.09). Legs: I femur 1.39/ patella 0.46/ tibia 1.08/ metatarsus 0.8/ tarsus 0.6/ total 4.33; II 1.08/ 0.46/ 0.93/ 0.6/ 0.52/ 3.59; III 0.85/ 0.35/ 0.55/ 0.48/ 0.48/ 2.71; IV 1.06/ 0.35/ 0.7/ 0.54/ 0.46/ 3.11. Palp. Cymbial lamella short and recurved (fig. 11F).. Embolus with thick distal apophysis (fig. 11D). Abdomen oval.

Female (MNRJ 12830). Coloration as in male, except labium, endites and chelicerae dark brown. Abdomen oval, length: 1.74. Total length: 2.6; Carapace length: 1.25; Clypeus height: 0.25; Sternum: 0.65 in length and width; Eyes: AME: 0.08; AME-AME: 0.06; ALE-PLE: contiguous (0.09 each); PME-PME separated by 1 PME (0.1). Legs: I femur 1.5/ patella 0.54/ tibia 1.18/ metatarsus 0.85/ tarsus 0.67/ total 4.74. II 1.33/ 0.52/ 1.05/ 0.76/ 0.64/ 4.3. III 0.93/ 0.43/ 0.7/ 0.5/ 0.48/ 3.04. IV 1.12/ 0.43/ 0.81/ 0.68/ 0.56/ 3.6. Epigynum: epigynal plate uniformly sclerotized (fig. 12B, F). Dorsal plate poor sclerotized, partially covering spermathecae (fig. 12E). Copulatory ducts rounded (fig. 12C).

Variation. 2 males: total length: 2–2.16; carapace: 1.06–1.16; femur I: 1.39. 4 females: total length: 2.4–2.7; carapace: 1.02–1.25; femur I: 1.5–1.7.

Distribution. Caves in department of Monagas, Venezuela (fig. 23).

Figures

FIGURE 11. Plato guacharo, from Monagas, Venezuela. A, male body, dorsal view; B, C, E, G, male palp, right, mirrored; B, mesal view; C, ventral view, expanded; D, embolus, distal view, illustration; E, prolateral view; F, cymbium, ventral view, right, mirrored, SEM; G, ventral view, 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, 1; B, C, D, E, 0.2; F, G, 0.1.

FIGURE 12. Plato guacharo, from Monagas, Venezuela. A, female body, dorsal view; B–G, epigynum; B, ventral view; C, illustration, dorsal view; D, lateral view; E, lateral cut, clarified; F, ventral view, SEM; G, anterior 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).