Chrysometa chipinque Levi, 1986

Salgueiro-Sepúlveda, F. Javier & Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando, 2018, New species of the orb-weaving spider genus Chrysometa (Araneae, Tetragnathidae) from oak forests near of the Pico de Orizaba National Park (Veracruz, Mexico), Zootaxa 4450 (3), pp. 301-330 : 320-323

Chrysometa chipinque Levi, 1986

Figures 14 , 15 , 19

Taxonomic note: The female previously described as C. chipinque by Levi (1986) was incorrectly associated to this species and it belongs to C. puya n. sp. based on our COI data. The correct female of C. chipinque is described here for the first time.

Type material. Allotype (CNAN-T1183). Female from Pico de Orizaba National Park , Xamaticpac , Calcahualco , Veracruz, Mexico. Plot I: 19° 7' 34.1" N, 97° 4' 1.5" W, 1,710 m. February 4–17, 2014. Paratypes. Ten females, 24 males. Types are deposited in the Colección Nacional de Arácnidos ( CNAN) at the Instituto de Biología ( IBUNAM) .

Diagnosis. Females of C. chipinque can be distinguished from all sympatric species by the following features: epigynum with globular transverse bar without arms protruding over the epigynal plate and deep copulatory openings ( Figs. 14D , 15D ). Males of C. chipinque are distinguished from C. rosarium and all sympatric species by the following features: paracymbium with large and membranous median prong, short and pointed lower prong and thin and short triangular cymbial ectomedian process apophysis ( Figs. 14I , 15 , A, B, C). Chrysometa rosarium males have a shorter and more triangular paracymbium median prong, a rounded lower prong and a thinner and larger cymbial ectomedian process apophysis.

Description. Female. Total length 3.5. Cephalothorax: length 1.6, width 1.2. Carapace pale-yellow, brown rectangular pattern over the cephalic region narrowing towards the fovea, with darker margins ( Fig. 14A ). Ocular area whitish. Eyes subequal in size ( Fig. 14G ). AME diameter 0.08, PME 0.1, ALE and PLE 0.1. Chelicerae paleyellow, with few scattered setae and smooth cuticle ( Fig. 14G ). Endites longer than wide, pale-yellow. Labium wider than long, same color as the endites. Sternum white, wider between the first and second legs ( Fig. 14C ). Abdomen: dorsally bright yellow, covered with guanine silvery patches uniformly distributed and without pattern defined ( Fig. 14A ); ventrally gray, with lateral guanine patches ( Fig. 14C ). Leg lengths: I 7.3, II 5.8, III 3.4 and IV 5. Legs pale-yellow. First pair with brown spots, white femur in the second pair and darker in other segments. Tarsi brown. Epigynum: epigynal plate rectangular, wider than long, globular transverse bar without arms protruding over the epigynal plate, small rectangular septum; deep copulatory openings with sclerotized margins ( Figs. 14D , 15D ). Spermathecae, copulatory ducts and fertilization ducts as shown in Figure 14E, F .

Male. As in female except as noted. Total length 3.4. Cephalothorax: length 1.8, width 1.3. Carapace: dorsal coloration dark-yellow, with the pattern extended to the pedicel. Ocular area same color. Eyes subequal in size ( Fig. 14H ). AME diameter 0.11, PME 0.12, ALE and PLE 0.12. Chelicerae dark-yellow, larger and narrower, with large teeth. Cuticle rugose, setae bases enlarged and more abundant at base ( Fig. 14H ). Abdomen: dorsally brighter, with few small separated guanine patches, laterally smaller. Ventrally pale gray, without guanine patches. Leg lengths: I 10.3, II 7.9, III 3.9 and IV 4.5. Leg I completely brown, leg II–IV darker. Pedipalp: CEBP triangular, curved ventrally. CEMP large and flattened, with a thin and small apophysis. Paracymbium straight, small and wide, with a large, triangular and membranous median prong; upper prong rectangular, lower prong triangular. Embolus thin and short, tubular; EBA short and curved in apical region, conductor small and flattened ( Figs. 14I , 15A, B, C ). Conductor, embolus and EBA in ventral view as in Figures 14I , 15A .

Variation. Female total length 2.8–3.9, cephalothorax length 1.5–1.8, cephalothorax width 1.1–1.4. Male total length 2.8–3.4, cephalothorax length 1.3–1.8, cephalothorax width 1–1.3.

Material examined. N=35. Mexico: Veracruz, Xamaticpac, Calcahualco. Two males Plot I: 19 7' 34.1" N, 97 4' 1.5" W, 1,710 m.; two males Plot II: 19 7' 32.5" N, 97 4' 3.2" W, 1,700 m., April 19–27, 2013. One female, four males Plot I: 19 7' 34.1" N, 97 4' 1.5" W, 1,710 m.; eight females, 13 males Plot II: 19 7' 32.5" N, 97 4' 3.2" W, 1,700 m., October 2–11, 2013. One female, two males Plot I: 19 7' 34.1" N, 97 4' 1.5" W, 1,710 m.; one female, one male Plot II: 19 7' 32.5" N, 97 4' 3.2" W, 1,700 m., February 4–14, 2014. Colección Nacional de Arácnidos ( CNAN) at the Instituto de Biología ( IBUNAM) .

Distribution. Mexico ( Levi 1986). Female known only from the type locality ( Fig. 19 ).

Biology. Specimens were collected in a Quercus forest with secondary plant growth. Specimens were found in both Plots during all three expeditions (expedition I: May 21–30, 2012; expedition II: October 4–14 2012 and expedition III: February 15–24 2013). Most specimens were captured by direct collecting at night followed by beating vegetation; only three were found by cryptic search.

Figures

FIGURE 14. Chrysometa chipinque, female. A, habitus dorsal view. B, lateral view. C, ventral view. D, epigynum ventral view. E, epigynum ventral view (cleared). F, dorsal view (cleared). G, prosoma anterior view. Male. H, prosoma anterior view. I, pedipalp ventral view. Scale bars, A, B, C, 1.0 mm; D, I, 0.2 mm; E, F, 0.1 mm; G, H, 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 15. Chrysometa chipinque, male. A, pedipalp ventral view, B retrolateral view. C, dorsal view. Female. D, epigynum ventral view. E, posterior view. Scale bars, 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 19. Species Distribution Map. Atotonilco Locality: Chrysometa citlaltepetl, C. triangulosa, C. rosarium, C. atotonilco and C. sagicuta.. Xamaticpac Locality: C. xamaticpac, C. puya and C. chipinque.