Plato novalima, Prete, Pedro H., Cizauskas, Igor & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2018

Prete, Pedro H., Cizauskas, Igor & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2018, Three new species of the spider genus Plato and the new genus Cuacuba from caves of the states of Para and Minas Gerais, Brazil (Araneae, Theridiosomatidae), ZooKeys 753, pp. 107-162 : 133-137

Plato novalima sp. n. Figures 3E, 5, 6, 16

Plato sp.: Pinto-da-Rocha, 1995: 74 (examined, now in IBSP 56068, IBSP 56075, and IBSP 56081).

Types.

Holotype: male from Cave VG_28 (20°07'00"S, 43°53'57"W), Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 29/III-1/IV/2011, V. Felice coll., deposited in IBSP 175196. Paratypes: male and female from Cave RF_15 (19°55'19"S, 43°29'43"W), Barão de Cocais, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 10-21/III/2009, R. Andrade coll. (MZSP70927); Male from Cave VG_28 (20°07'00"S, 43°53'57"W), Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 02-10/VIII/2011, Andrade et al. coll. (MZSP70926); Female from Cave VG_26 (20°07'00"S, 43°53'57"W), Nova Lima, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 29/III-01/IV/2011, G.P. Perroni coll. (MPEG 32024); Male from Cave VL_10 (20°17'9"S, 43°56'44"W), Itabirito, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 18-25/IV/2007, R. Andrade coll. (MPEG 32023); Female from Cave VL_09 (20°17'9"S, 43°56'47"W), Itabirito, Minas Gerais, Brazil, 18-25/IV/2007, R. Andrade coll. (MPEG 32025).

Other material examined.

BRAZIL. Minas Gerais: Barão de Cocais, Cave Mina Gongo Soco, 4♀ 02-24/XI/2007 (IBSP 127615, IBSP 127618) collected by R. Andrade coll.; Cave RF_05 (19°55'3"S, 43°29'10"W), 2♀ (IBSP 181157); 3♀, 10-21/III/2009 (IBSP 181144); Cave RF_07 (19°55'5"S, 43°29'13"W), 1♀ (IBSP 181134); Cave RF_09 (19°55'6"S, 43°29'13"W), 1♀ (IBSP 181137); Cave RF _13 (19°55'18"S, 43°29'28"W), 1♂ 1♀ (IBSP 181136); 4♀ (IBSP 181140); Cave RF_14 (19°55'19"S, 43°29'41"W), 1♀ (IBSP 181147); 2♀ (IBSP 181135); Cave RF_19 (19°55'19"S, 43°29'48"W), 1♀ (IBSP 181139, IBSP 181155); Cave RF_20 (19°55'21"S, 43°29'50"W), 1♀ 10-21/III/2009 (IBSP 181149); Cave RF_25 (19°55'26"S, 43°29'57"W), 1♀ (IBSP 181133); Cave RF_38 (19°55'42"S, 43°30'30"W), 3♂ 14♀ (IBSP 181146, IBSP 181132, IBSP 181138, IBSP 181142); Cave RF_46 (19°55'46"S, 43°30'36"W), 3♂ 8♀ (IBSP 181156, IBSP 181141); 2♀ (IBSP 181150); Cave RF_52 (19°56'5"S, 43°31'8"W), 1♂ 1♀ (IBSP 181145); Cave RF_55 (19°56'10"S, 43°31'23"W), 1♀ (IBSP 181151); Cave RF_57 (20°1'34"S, 43°41'8"W), 1♀ (IBSP 181153); Cave RF_59 (19°56'2"S, 43°31'58"W), 2♀ (IBSP 181152, IBSP 181158); Cave RF_72 (19°55'8"S, 43°28'19"W), 1♂ 14♀ (IBSP 181154, IBSP 181148), all collected on 10-21/III/2009 by R. Bessi et al.; Caeté; Cave AP_46 (20°2'28"S, 43°40'44"W), 1♀ (IBSP 175143); 3♀ (IBSP 175150, IBSP 175151); Cave AP_47 (20°1'39"S, 43°40'52"W), 3♀ (IBSP 175144- IBSP 175146) 4♀ (IBSP 175152- IBSP 175154); Cave AP_49 (20°2'8"S, 43°41'29"W), 1♀ (IBSP 175149); 1♂ 2♀ (IBSP 175175); Cave AP_55 (20°1'35"S, 43°40'47"W), 2♀ (IBSP 175148); 1♀ (IBSP 175156); Cave E_47 (20°2'10"S, 43_41'31"W), 1♀ (IBSP 175147); Cave E_71, 1♀ (IBSP 175142), all collected on 13-17/IV/2010 by R. Bessi et al.; Cave APOL_12 (20°0'11"S, 43°40'8"W), 1♀, 21-25/XI/2011 (IBSP 175169); 1♀, 30/ VI– 15/VII/2011 (IBSP 175166); Cave APOL_18 (20°3'7"S, 43°42'10"W), 1♀, 02-07/I/2012 (IBSP 175171); 1♀, 30/ VI– 15/VII/2011 (IBSP 175160); Cave APOL_29 (20°2'36"S, 43°41'56"W), 1♀, 30/ VI– 15/VII/2011 (IBSP 175161); Cave APOL_31 (20°0'11"S, 43°40'8"W), 1♀ 30/ VI– 15/VII/2011 (IBSP 175162); 2♀, 21-25/XI/2011 (IBSP 175170), all collected by G. P. Perroni et al.; Cordisburgo, Cave Morena (19°10'5"S, 44°20'20"W), 2♀ IV/1986, F. Chaimowicz coll. (IBSP 56075); 1♂ 12♀, 12-13/X/2007 (IBSP 132151, IBSP 132152, IBSP 132160, IBSP 132157, IBSP 132161), all collected by G. R.S. Ruiz & E. O. Machado; Curvelo, Cave Lapa do Mosquito (18°37'59"S, 44°24'37"W), 1♀, IV/1986 (IBSP 56068); 1♀, 30/XI/1992 (IBSP 56081) collected by F. Chaimowicz coll.; Itabirito, Cave VL_10 (20°17'9"S, 43°56'44"W), 1♂ 1♀, 18-25/IV/2007 (IBSP 115744,); Cave VL_12 (20°17'46"S, 43°56'47"W), 2♀, 18-25/IV/2007 (IBSP 115737); 3♀, 18-25/IV/2007 (IBSP 115740, IBSP 115756); 1♂ 12♀, 03-20/XI/2007 (IBSP 128821, IBSP 128844, IBSP 128822); 2♂ 2♀, IV/2008 (IBSP 128841, IBSP 128842), all collected by R. Andrade et al.; Lima Duarte, Parque Estadual de Ibitipoca, Cave Gruta dos Coelhos (19°5'11"S, 43°56'12"W), 3♀, 08/X/2002, F. Tulio coll. (IBSP 39723); Cave A, 3♀, 07/III/2006 (IBSP 117707); Cave B, 2♀, 07/III/2007 (IBSP 117702, IBSP 117698), all collected by M. E. Bichuette & F. P. Franco; Mariana, Cave CH_07 (20°14'35"S, 43°31'1"W), 4♀, 28-30/IV/2009 (IBSP 145929); Cave CH_20 (20°13'43"S, 43°31'4"W), 1♀, 28-30/IV/2009 (IBSP 146001); Cave CH_25 (20°13'37"S, 43°31'4"W), 1♀, 23-30/IX/2008 (IBSP 146031), all collected by F. P. Franco et al.; Cave FN_01 (20°13'39"S, 43°25'49"W), 9♀, 05-09/V/2008 (IBSP 146108, IBSP 146134, IBSP 146142); Cave FN_04 (20°13'18"S, 43°26'3"W), 1♀, 05-09/V/2009 (IBSP 146127); Cave FN_06 (20°13'7"S, 43°25'50"W), 4♂ 11♀, 05-09/V/2009 (IBSP 146154, IBSP 146156, IBSP 146165, IBSP 146171, IBSP 146161, IBSP 146169); Cave FN_09 (20°12'27"S, 43°26'19"W), 3♀, 16-21/I/2009 (IBSP 146185, IBSP 146188); Cave FN_10 (20°12'27"S, 43°26'19"W), 1♂ 2♀, 05-09/V/2009 (IBSP 146197); Cave FN_12 (20°12'29"S, 43°26'19"W), 1♂ 4♀, 16-21/I/2009 (IBSP 146218); Cave FN_13 (20°12'26"S, 43°26'18"W), 8♀, 05-09/V/2009 (IBSP 146225); Cave FN_14 (20°12'27"S, 43°25'58"W), 1♀, 05-09/V/2009 (IBSP 146247); Cave FN_23 (20°12'30"S, 43°26'22"W), 1♀, 01-02/IX/2010 (IBSP 175209); Cave FN_27 (20°13'25"S, 43°26'15"W), 1♀, 01-02/IX/2010 (IBSP 175210); 1♀, 03-07/II/2011 (IBSP 175211), all collected by R. Andrade et al.; Cave GS-12 (20°10'53"S, 43°31'8"W), 3♀ (IBSP 175177, IBSP 175178); Cave GS_19 (20°11'17"S, 43°30'31"W), 1♀ (IBSP 175176); Cave GS_22 (20°14'46"S, 43°28'48"W), 1♀ 06-16/VI/2011 (IBSP 175183); Cave GS_26 (20°13'0"S, 43°29'34"W), 1♀ (IBSP 175181); Cave GS_33 (20°12'31"S, 43°29'45"W), 1♀ (IBSP 175182); Cave GS_35 (20°10'47"S, 43°30'39"W), 1♂ 3♀ (IBSP 175179, IBSP 175180), all collected on 16/ I– 11/II/2011 by R. Bessi et al.; Matozinhos, Cave Gruta dos Irmãos Piriá (19°10'58"S, 44°6'35"W), 2♀, 30/XI/1992, F. Chaimowicz coll. (IBSP 56082); Cave MOC_70/71 (19°32'47"S, 44°0'50"W), 2♀, 28/ VI– 01/VII/2011, F. P. Franco & C. A. R. Souza et al. (IBSP 181131); Nova Lima, Cave VG_02 (20°9'30"S, 43°49'8"W), 1♀, 29/ III– 01/IV/2011 (IBSP 175187); Cave VG_07 (20°6'6"S, 43°53'44"W), 1♀, 29/ III– 01/IV/2011 (IBSP 175188); 2♀, 02-10/VIII/2011 (IBSP 175199); Cave VG_20 (20°7'24"S, 43°54'4"W), 1♀ 02-10/VIII/2011 (IBSP 175200); 2♀, 29/ III– 01/IV/2011 (IBSP 175189); Cave VG_26 (20°6'60"S, 43°53'55"W), 7♀, 02-10/VIII/2011 (IBSP 175203); 2♀, 29/ III– 01/IV/2011 (IBSP 175194, IBSP 175201, IBSP 175202); 6♀, 29/ III– 01/IV/2011 (IBSP 175191- IBSP 175193); Cave VG_28 (20°6'59"S, 43°53'56"W), 6♀, 02-10/VIII/2011 (IBSP 175206, IBSP 181130, IBSP 175205); 1♂ 2♀, 29/ III– 01/IV/2011 (IBSP 175195, IBSP 175197); Cave VG-40 (20°8'60"S, 43°52'28"W), 1♀, 02-10/VIII/2011 (IBSP 175208); 1♀, 29/ III– 01/IV/2011 (IBSP 175198), all collected by R. Andrade et al.; Pedro Leopoldo, Cave Gruta do Nei (19°37'45"S, 44°0'30"W), 4♀, 05-06/X/2009 (IBSP 175249, IBSP 175250); 2♀, 12-15/I/2009 (IBSP 175239, IBSP 175240), F. P. Franco et al.; Cave Gruta do Sufoco (19°37'46"S, 44°0'35"W), 10♀, 05-06/X/2009 (IBSP 175241- IBSP 175246, IBSP 175248); 2♂ 28♀, 12-15/I/2009 (IBSP 175235- IBSP 175238), all collected by F. P. Franco et al.; Rio Acima, Cave AP_09 (20°1'33"S, 43°40'54"W), 1♂ 4♀, 19-23/VII/2008 (IBSP 175215- IBSP 175217); Cave AP_10 (20°1'33"S, 43°40'55"W), 2♀, 19-23/VII/2008 (IBSP 175222); 1♂ 3♀, 14-21/XI/2008 (IBSP 175220); Cave AP_13 (20°1'40"S, 43°40'51"W), 2♀, 19-23/VII/2008 (IBSP 175218); Cave AP_15 (20°1'40"S, 43°40'52"W), 1♀, 19-23/VII/2008 (IBSP 175219); Cave AP_19 (20°1'43"S, 43°40'57"W), 1♀, 14-21/XI/2008 (IBSP 175221); Cave AP_21 (20°1'41"S, 43°40'53"W), 2♀ 14-21/XI/2008 (IBSP 175223, IBSP 175224); 1♂, 19-23/VII/2008 (IBSP 175214); Cave AP_36 (20°2'28"S, 43°40'44"W), 1♀, 14-21/XI/2008 (IBSP 175213); 2♀, 19-23/VII/2008 (IBSP 175212) all collected by R. Bessi et al.; Santa Bárbara, Cave APOL_10 (19°59'58"S, 43°39'55"W), 4♀, 21-25/XI/2011 (IBSP 175167, IBSP 175168); 9♀, 30/ VI– 15/VII/2011 (IBSP 175164, IBSP 175163); Cave APOL_11 (20°0'3"S, 43°39'57"W), 1♀, 30/ VI– 15/VII/2011 (IBSP 175165); Cave APOL_17 (20°3'9"S, 43°42'4"W), 1♀, 09-13/I/2012 (IBSP 175172); 3♀, 30/ VI– 15/VII/2011 (IBSP 175157- IBSP 175159); Cave SG_10 (20°3'17"S, 43°41'8"W), 2♀, 02-07/I/2012 (IBSP 175155, IBSP 175174); 3♀, 26-30/IX/2011 (IBSP 175173), all collected by G. P. Perroni et al.; Vazante, Cave P_04 (17°55'13"S, 46°48'37"W), 1♀ (IBSP 175185); 1♀ (IBSP 175184); Cave V_02 (17°55'36"S, 46°49'34"W), 1♀ (IBSP 175186), all collected on 16-19/VIII/2012 by A.P. Bueno.

Etymology.

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

Diagnosis.

Male resembles P. ferriferus sp. n. and P. striatus sp. n. in the rounded tegulum, posterior portion of conductor hyaline and partially overlapping the embolus, and longer than larger bulb. It can be distinguished by the proximal portion of the conductor with an elongated tip and a prickly projection (Fig. 5 C–F) and median apophysis with a single long rounded tip (Figs 5D). The female resembles P. ferriferus sp. n. in the larger than long epigynal plate, with a sclerotized canoe-shaped internal plate surrounding the spermathecae, but is distinguished by the smoothly projected posterior edge (Fig. 6 A–B) and straight curvature of copulatory ducts (Fig. 6C).

Description.

Male (holotype IBSP 175196). Cephalothorax brown. Sternum dark brown, slightly longer than wide. Endite, labium, and chelicerae slightly darker than sternum. Legs brown. Abdomen ovoid, grayish, covered with bristles (Fig. 5A). Total length 2.1. Carapace 1.24 long. Clypeus: height 0.27. Sternum 0.66 long, 0.59 wide. Eye measurements: AME 0.09; ALE-PLE: grouped, 0.08 each; PME-PME: separated by diameter of 1 PME (0.08 each). Legs: I femur 1.55/ patella 0.65/ tibia 1.3/ metatarsus 1/ tarsus 0.78/ total 5.28. II 1.42/ 0.55/ 1.15/ 0.8/ 0.72/ 4.64. III 0.88/ 0.45/ 0.81/ 0.61/ 0.59/ 3.34. IV 1.15/ 0.45/ 0.94/ 0.64/ 0.52/ 3.7. Palp: cymbium pointed. Robust and sclerotized conductor, except posterior region, hyaline, covering the embolus. Embolus covered by the conductor. Flattened and darkened embolus, with rounded opening and two small mesal embolic apophyses (Fig. 5 C–G; Coddington 1986:,12). Abdomen: 1.2 long.

Female (paratype IBSP 175204). Color as in male, except for lightly brown sternum and yellowish abdomen (Fig. 5B). Total length 2.79. Carapace 0.96 long. Clypeus: height: 0.28. Sternum 0.74 long, 0.68 wide. Eye measurements: AME 0.1. ALE-PLE: grouped, 0.09 each. PME-PME: separated by 0.1 (PME: 0.1 each). Legs: I femur 1.84/ patella 0.67/ tibia 1.39/ metatarsus 1.02/ tarsus 0.9/ total 5.82. II 1.6/ 0.68/ 1.25/ 0.9/ 0.86/ 5.29. III 1.25/ 0.45/ 0.88/ 0.65/ 0.67/ 3.9. IV 1.42/ 0.54/ 1.02/ 0.78/ 0.61/ 4.37. Epigynal plate large. Sclerotized posterior border, bristles disperse but concentrated in the median region. Internally, spermathecae ovoid, covered by sclerotized internal plate. Glandular ducts in the middle of copulatory duct (Fig. 6 A–C). Abdomen: 1.75 long.

Variation.

10 males: total length: 2.1-2.5; carapace: 1.15-1.28; femur I: 1.55-1.75. 10 females: total length: 2.5-3.1; carapace: 0.96-1.45; femur I: 1.25-1.84.

Distribution.

Common in the Iron Quadrangle, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil (Fig. 16).

Natural history.

Most specimens were collected in caves in iron formations, in the middle of their orbicular webs and usually in the twilight zone (Fig. 3E). Egg sacs had a cubic shape and were fixed on the walls of caves. In some cases, more than one egg sac was observed on a single guide wire.