Architis neblina Santos & Nogueira

Santos, Adalberto J. & Nogueira, André A., 2008, Three new species, new records and notes on the nursery-web spider genus Architis in Brazil (Araneae: Pisauridae), Zootaxa 1815, pp. 51-61 : 55

Architis neblina Santos & Nogueira sp.nov.

Figures 7–8 , 12

Type material. Holotype: female from São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Parque Nacional do Pico da Neblina , Cachoeira do Tucano, state of Amazonas, BRAZIL, 0o39’54”S 65o56’09”W, 22.IX.2007, A.A. Nogueira coll. ( INPA 2593). Paratypes: 1Ψ, same locality as holotype, 23.IX.2007, N. Lo Man Hung coll. ( INPA 2594); 1Ψ, same locality, 24.IX.2007, N. Lo Man Hung coll. ( INPA 2595); 1Ψ, same locality, 24.IX.2007, A.A. Nogueira coll. ( INPA 2596); 3Ψ, same locality, 24.IX.2007, N. Lo Man Hung coll. ( IBSP 91474); 1Ψ, same data ( IBSP 91475).

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

Diagnosis. Architis neblina Santos & Nogueira sp. nov. resembles Architis ikuruwa , A. comaina , A. altamira and A. catuaba Santos sp. nov. in the presence of long copulatory ducts which are enclosed in epigynal integument folds. It can be distinguished from these species by a small anterior subtriangular projection over MF in the epigynum ( Fig. 7 ) and by the posterior fourth of the copulatory ducts, which are inside sclerotised cases ( Fig. 8 ).

Description. Male. Unknown.

Female (based on holotype from São Gabriel da Cachoeira, Brazil). Carapace reddish-brown, pilose, with a median and a pair of light green lateral stripes. Anterior eye row strongly procurved, with lateral eyes larger than median eyes. Posterior eyes with approximately the same diameter as anterior laterals. Thoracic sulcus conspicuous. Clypeus cream-coloured, with lateral red-brown bands under lateral anterior eyes. Chelicerae yellow, suffused with dark grey. Labium and endites reddish-brown. Sternum cream-coloured, with four radial dark-grey stripes on each side. Pedipalpus cream-coloured, with dark-grey rings apically on each segment from femur to tarsus and basally on tibia and tarsus. Leg coxa and trochanter cream-coloured, remaining segments reddish-brown with pale rings basally, medially and apically on femur, tibia, metatarsus and tarsus. Abdomen dorsally reddish-brown, dark-grey in posterior third, with scattered cream-coloured stripes. Laterally dark grey, with longitudinal scattered cream-coloured stripes. Venter dark grey, suffused with creamcoloured spots on anterior half and with a pair of marginal cream-coloured stripes. Anterior lateral spinnerets reddish-brown, remaining spinnerets black. Total length 4.3. Carapace 1.8 long, 1.6 wide. Tibia I length 3.2, II 3.2, III 2.6, IV 3.0. Abdomen 2.4 long, 1.2 wide. Epigynum with long median field and projecting beyond epigastric sulcus ( Fig. 7 ). Posterior fourth of copulatory ducts encapsulated inside bilobed sclerotised cases. Base of spermathecae indistinct, stalk of spermathecae short and wide. Head of spermathecae with an irregular, bilobed spermathecal knob. Fertilisation ducts mesal, connected to the stalk of spermathecae and curved ectally ( Fig. 8 ).

Variation. Total length 3.6–4.7, carapace width 1.5–1.7 (n = 8).

Natural history. All the specimens were collected at night in a mature dryland forest by visual search as part of a study on the variation in spider species richness along an altitudinal gradient at the Pico da Neblina , the highest Brazilian mountain. The specimens of A. neblina Santos & Nogueira sp. nov. occurred only at the lower level of the altitudinal gradient, approximately 100 m a.s.l.

Distribution. Known only from type locality in northern Brazilian Amazonia.

Figures

FIGURES 7 – 10. Architis spp. 7 – 8, Architis neblina Santos & Nogueira sp. nov. (paratype IBSP 91474): 7, female epigynum, ventral view; 8, female internal genitalia, dorsal view. 9 – 10, Architis capricorna Carico (IBSP 94871): 9, female epigynum, ventral view; 10, male pedipalpus, ventral-retrolateral view. The arrow points to a hyaline area at the retrolateral-posterior border of the cymbial alveolus. Abbreviations: C, conductor; CD, copulatory ducts; dRTA, dorsal branch of retrolateral tibial apophysis; DTP, distal tegular projection; FD, fertilisation ducts; HS, head of spermathecae; LL, lateral lobes of epigynum; MA, median apophysis; MF, median field of epigynum; RP, retrolateral projection of VTA; SC, sclerotised case of CD; SK, spermathecal knob; SS, stalk of spermathecae; ST, subtegulum; vRTA, ventral branch of retrolateral tibial apophysis; VTA, ventral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 7 – 9, 0.1 mm; 10, 0.2 mm.