Tayshaneta archambaulti, Ledford, Joel, Paquin, Pierre, Cokendolpher, James, Campbell, Josh & Griswold, Charles, 2012

Ledford, Joel, Paquin, Pierre, Cokendolpher, James, Campbell, Josh & Griswold, Charles, 2012, Systematics, conservation and morphology of the spider genus Tayshaneta (Araneae, Leptonetidae) in Central Texas Caves, ZooKeys 167, pp. 1-102 : 19-20

Tayshaneta archambaulti sp. n. Figs 13 A–F34A–F 52C58

Type data.

Male holotype from Grapevine Cave, 7 miles west of Wimberly, Hays County, Texas, 18-Nov-2009, J. Ledford, K. O’Connor, 30.04N, 98.22W, (CASC).

Etymology.

This species is named in honor of Martin Archambault, fellow caver and friend who helped collect many leptonetids in Texas and Mexico.

Other material examined.

USA: Hays County: Burnett Ranch Cave, 7mi. W. of Wimberly, 1982, A. Grubbs, 30.02N, 98.21W, 1♂, 2 ♀, 3 juvs (AMNH); Grapevine Cave, 7mi. W. of Wimberly, 26-May-1989, A. Grubbs, 30.04N, 98.22W, 1♂ (AMNH); Grapevine Cave, 7mi. W. of Wimberly, 23-April-1995, A. Grubbs, Vreeland, 30.04N, 98.22W, 1♂, 1 ♀, 5 juvs, (TMM);Grapevine Cave, 7mi. W. of Wimberly, 18-November-2009, J. Ledford, K. O’Connor, 30.04N, 98.22W, 4♂, 5 ♀, 7 juvs, (TMM).

Diagnosis.

Tayshaneta archambaulti can be separated from all Tayshaneta species that lack a ventral sclerite, except Tayshaneta coeca and Tayshaneta devia , by the following combination of characters: embolus oval to quadrate, lacking sculpture along its margin (E, Fig. 34D); retrolateral tibial spine short, occupying less than 0.50 × the length of the palpal tarsus (RTS, Fig. 34A). Separated from Tayshaneta devia by having a retrolateral tibial spine with sculpture along its entire length and from Tayshaneta coeca by having the embolus curved distally and extending beyond the apical portion of the bulb (E, Fig. 34E).

Description.

Male (holotype). Body length 1.35, carapace 0.64 long, 0.56 wide, length 1.13 × width. Carapace light brown, eyes reduced, sparsely setose (Figs 13 A–F). Legs elongate and thin, femur I 1.5 × carapace length, covered in fine setae with few scattered spines.Palpal tarsus entire, tapering apically; retrolateral tibial spine weakly recurved, on weakly elevated base, sculptured throughout, length 0.32 × tarsus length (RTS, Fig. 34A). Bulb suboval, length 1.71 × width; embolus oval to quadrate (E, Fig. 34D), length 2.0 × width. Abdomen pale to yellow-brown, without pattern, 0.70 long, 0.54 wide, covered in fine setae.

Variation(n = 4). Total length 1.34-1.63; carapace length 0.88-1.36 × carapace width; length femur I 1.35-1.65 × carapace width.

Female (Grapevine Cave). Body length 1.32, carapace 0.63 long, 0.51 wide, length 1.25 × width. Pigmentation and setation same as for male (Figs 13 D–F). Legs elongate and thin, femur I 1.34 × carapace length, covered in fine setae with few scattered spines.Atrium oval, length 0.51 × width, spermathecae with twisted stalks and large, circular heads (Fig. 52C). Abdomen pale to yellow-brown, without pattern, 0.69 long, 0.54 wide, covered in fine setae.

Variation (n = 4). Total length 1.32-1.72; carapace length 1.20-1.29 × carapace width; length femur I 1.34-1.75 × carapace width.

Distribution.

This species is known only from Burnett Ranch Cave and Grapevine Cave in southwestern Hays County (Fig. 58).

Natural History.

Individuals for this species were collected throughout Grapevine Cave, however, most specimens were encountered at the base of the cave’s vertical entrance in the twilight area under stones. They were collected in fine sheet webs similar to other Tayshaneta species.