Magnacarina aldana ( West, 2000 ) West, 2000

Jorge I. Mendoza, Arturo Locht, Radan Kaderka, Francisco medina & Fernando Pérez-Miles, 2016, A new genus of Theraphosid spider from Mexico, with a particular palpal bulb structure (Araneae, Theraphosidae, Theraphosinae), European Journal of Taxonomy 232, pp. 1-28 : 8-10

Magnacarina aldana ( West, 2000) comb. nov.

Figs 1–4

Hapalopus aldanus West, 2000: 299 , fig. 1 A–D (D ♂♀).

Hapalopus aldanus – Schmidt 2003: 168, figs 386–389 (♂♀).

Emended diagnosis

Magnacarina aldana comb. nov. males differ from M. cancer sp. nov. in possessing a thinner prolateral inferior keel that is distally rounded and oriented to the apex, and the retrolateral apophysis is thinner apically; females differ in possessing a wider spermatheca. Magnacarina aldana comb. nov. differs from M. primaverensis sp. nov. in possessing a highly developed accessory apophysis and a lower number of prolateral accessory keels as well as in the thinner prolateral inferior keel and the coloration of the carapace and legs in both sexes. Magnacarina aldana comb. nov. differs from M. moderata sp. nov. in that males have a retrolateral nodule of megaspines and females a medially longer spermatheca.

Magnacarina aldana comb. nov. is characterized by the following character combination: male palpal bulb with a prominent primary projection that is strongly curved retrolaterally ( Fig. 2 A); retrolateral and prolateral superior keels thin and well developed, posterior extension of prolateral superior keel ends on the back face ( Fig. 2 D–E); secondary projection possesses two prolateral accessory keels ( Fig. 2 B, D). Prolateral inferior keel wide and increasing from posterior to apical ( Fig. 2 C–E). Apical keel well developed, covering the sperm pore that opens towards prolateral ( Fig. 2 D–E). Prolateral apophysis conical with one inner spine longer than its length ( Fig. 1 G–H); retrolateral apophysis strongly curved to dorsal ( Fig. 1 H–I); accessory apophysis slightly developed ( Fig. 1 G, I). Male palpal tibia retrolateral process short subconical, slightly developed on distal third ( Fig. 1 F). Spermatheca reduced and low, with one single semicircular, strongly sclerotized receptacle. Uterus externus is three times wider, and longer than the spermatheca ( Fig. 3 E–H). Variations summarized in Table 1 .

Type material examined

Holotype

MEXICO: ♂, Nayarit, Mpio. Santa Rosa, 8 km W of Compostela, highway 200 , 10 Jan. 1996, coll. N.M. Palomera ( AMNH) .

Allotype

MEXICO: ♀, same data as the holotype ( AMNH) .

Paratypes

MEXICO: 2 ♀♀, same data as the holotype ( LAAH) ; 1 ♂, Nayarit, Santa Rosa, 8 km W of Compostela, highway 200 , 11 Jan. 1996, coll. N.M. Palomera ( LAAH) .

Other material examined

MEXICO: 1 ♀, Nayarit, 8 km S. of Compostela, Jul. 1996, coll. N. Palomera and R.C. West ( CNAN- Ar010267 ) .

Distribution and natural history

Only known from the type locality. West (2000) mentioned that all specimens were collected in tropical deciduous forest while clearing land near cattle pastures. Males were found wandering during the daytime and females were found in shaded areas residing in scrapes under large rocks or fallen logs. He also indicated that the species is sympatric with Aphonopelma nayaritum (Chamberlin, 1940) .

Figures

Fig. 1. Magnacarina aldana (West, 2000), ♂, paratype (LAAH). A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Prosoma, ventral view. C. Opisthosoma, dorsal view. D. Ocular tubercle, dorsal view. E – J. Left side. E. Metatarsus I, Prolateral view. F. Palp tibia, dorsal view. G. Tibial apophyses, ventral view. H. Tibial apophyses, prolateral view. I. Tibial apophyses, retrolateral view. J. Retrolateral nodule with megaspines, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A – C = 2 mm; E, F = 1 mm; D, G – I = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 2. Magnacarina aldana (West, 2000), ♂, paratype (LAAH). Left palpal bulb. A. Retrolateral view. B. Prolateral view. C. Dorsal view. D. Apex, prolateral view. E. Apex, apical view. White arrow indicates sperm pore. Scale bars: A – C = 1 mm; D, E = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 3. Magnacarina aldana (West, 2000). A – E. ♀, paratype (LAAH). A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Prosoma, ventral view. C. Opisthosoma, dorsal view. D. Ocular tubercle, dorsal view. E. Spermatheca, ventral view. F – H. Spermatheca ventral view. F. ♀, paratype (AMNH). G. ♀, paratype (LAAH). H. ♀ (CNAN-Ar 010276). Scale bars: A – C = 4 mm; E – H = 1 mm; D = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 4. Magnacarina aldana (West, 2000), habitus; ♀, in habitat (Nayarit) Photo: R. C. West.

Tables

Table 1. Magnacarina aldana (West, 2000) and Magnacarina cancer Mendoza & Locht sp. nov. Variations of some quantitative characters in the specimens of the type series. Measurements in mm. Hyphens represent the interval between the lowest and highest value of each character. When left and right side values were taken, it was indicated as (left / right).

Specimens measurements	Magnacarina	aldana sp. nov.	Magnacarina cancer sp. nov.
	Males (2)	Females (4)	Males (3)	Females (1)
Total length	20.26, 20.31	16.81–31.00	10.15–16.47	13.7
Carapace length	7.92, 8.17	6.32–10.33	5.33–7.45	5.2
Carapace width	6.33, 7.42	5.70–9.17	4.0–7.18	4.5
Sternum length	3.20, 3.50	2.73–4.38	2.80–3.17	2.45
Sternum width	3.00, 3.25	2.73–3.81	2.78–3.16	2.4
Labium length	0.90, 0.94	0.87–1.25	0.83–1.0	1.0
Labium width	1.20, 1.25	1.20–1.50	1.20–1.30	1.11
Cheliceral teeth (left/right)	9/10	9/10	11/10–12	8/8
Labial cuspules	52, 84	52–73	26–29	60
Maxillary cuspules (left/right)	145–157/132–159	112–179/91–201	66–109/68–110	97/100
Spermatheca length medially	–	0.23–0.41	–	0.17
Spermatheca base width	–	0.77–1.06	–	0.8
Accesorial apophysis spines (left side)	4	–	3–5	–
Number of megaspines in nodule (left side)	10	–	12– 14	–