Loxosceles ericsoni Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallao

Bertani, Rogerio, Schimonsky, Diego M. von, Gallao, Jonas E. & Bichuette, Maria E., 2018, Four new troglophilic species of Loxosceles Heinecken & Lowe, 1832: contributions to the knowledge of recluse spiders from Brazilian caves (Araneae, Sicariidae), ZooKeys 806, pp. 47-72 : 47

Loxosceles ericsoni Bertani, von Schimonsky & Gallao sp. n. Figs 1, 7-12, 13-17, 55

Type material.

Male holotype (MZUSP 74427) and female paratype (MZUSP 74429), BRAZIL: Minas Gerais, Januária, Epigean Janelão Cave (15°06'S, 44°14'W) 600 m a.s.l., M.E. Bichuette, P.P. Rizzato, and J.E. Gallão leg., 22.vii.2012; Boquete Cave (15°04'S, 44°17'W) 681 m a.s.l., 1 female paratype, same collectors and date (MZUSP 74430); Bonita Cave (15°06'S, 44°14'W) 661 m a.s.l., paratypes 4 females, same collectors and date (LES 14592).

Other material examined.

BRAZIL, Minas Gerais: Januária, epigean habitats near Janelão Cave (15°06'S, 44°14'W) 600 m a.s.l., 2 immatures, M.E. Bichuette, P.P. Rizzato and J.E. Gallão leg., 22.vii.2012 (MZUSP 74428); Boquete Cave, 681 m a.s.l., 1 female, 2 immatures, M.E. Bichuette, P.P. Rizzato, and J.E. Gallão leg., 23.vii.2012 (LES 14593), 2 immatures, same collectors and date (MZUSP 74431); Bonita Cave, 681 m a.s.l., 3 immatures, same collectors and date (LES 14594).

Diagnosis.

Males of Loxosceles ericsoni sp. n. resemble those of L. karstica sp. n. by the palpal tibia length being less than 2 and more than 1.4 times the palpal cymbium length. They can be distinguished from L. karstica sp. n. by the longer cymbium and slender embolus (Figs 11, 12). Females of L. ericsoni sp. n. differ from those of all other Loxosceles species by the extremely narrow sclerotized transversal plate and the two straight, very long, and slender receptacles (Figs 15-17).

Description.

Male holotype: Total length 6.85. Carapace 3.20 long, 3.04 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.23, PME 0.21, PLE 0.22, PME-PLE 0.04, PME-ALE 0.25; clypeus 0.35. Leg formula II, I, IV, III. Leg lengths: leg I: femur 8.73, patella 1.23, tibia 10.71, metatarsus 10.68, tarsus 1.93, total 33.28; II (right leg, left missing): 11.87, 1.27, 15.01, 15.80, 1.70, 45.65; III: 8.46, 1.15, 8.65, 11.22, 1.59, 31.07; IV: 9.29, 1.23, 9.73, 12.42, 1.80, 34.47. Palp: femur 1.53 long, 0.27 wide; patella 0.45 long, 0.32 wide; tibia 0.87 long, 0.35 wide; cymbium 0.62 long, 0.33 wide. Labium 0.63 long, 0.56 wide. Sternum 1.58 long, 1.60 wide. Femur I 2.7 times as long, tibia I 3.3 times as long and leg I 10.4 as long as carapace. Palpal femur 5.6 times longer than wide, tibia 2.5 times longer than wide, cymbium longer than wide (Figs 11, 12). Bulb suboval and slightly longer than half cymbium length. Embolus slender, long, gently curved and ending in a short and steep curvature on apex, approximately 2.4 times longer than bulb length in retrolateral view, without carina (Figs 8-10). Cephalic region of carapace with some sparse long setae (Fig. 7). Carapace with light brown pars cephalica and border (Fig. 7). Legs and palp light brown, covered by short, greyish setae. Coxae, endites, and sternum light brown.

Female paratype: Total length 9.37. Carapace 4.04 long, 3.55 wide. Eye sizes and interdistances: ALE 0.26, PME 0.21, PLE 0.24, PME-PLE 0.01, PME-ALE 0.56; clypeus 0.42. Leg formula II, I, IV, III. Leg lengths: leg I: femur 8.41, patella 1.42, tibia 10.05, metatarsus 9.41, tarsus 1.87, total 31.16; II: 9.70, 1.32, 11.66, 12.34, 1.92, 36.94; III: 7.98, 1.33, 7.58, 9.35, 1.51, 27.75; IV: 8.48, 1.34, 8.64, 10.98, 1.89, 31.33. Palp: femur 2.05 long, 0.35 wide; patella 0.58 long, 0.38 wide; tibia 1.27 long, 0.26 wide; tarsus 1.94 long, 0.20 wide. Labium 0.69 long, 0.66 wide. Sternum 2.18 long, 1.96 wide. Femur I 2.1 times as long, tibia I 2.5 times as long, and leg I 7.7 as long as carapace. Palpal femur 5.8 times longer than wide, tibia 4.9 longer than wide, tarsus not incrassate (Fig. 14). Spermathecae sclerotized transverse plate extremely narrow. Two receptacles almost straight, long, slender, parallel to transverse sclerotized plate (Figs 15-17). Dorsal part of the bursa copulatrix with a central area medially sclerotized (Fig. 17). Cephalic region of carapace with some sparse long setae (Fig. 13). Carapace with light brown pars cephalica and border (Fig. 13). Legs light brown, covered by short, greyish setae. Palp light brown, except reddish brown tibia and tarsus (Fig. 14). Coxae and sternum light brown. Endites and labium brown.

Etymology.

The specific name is in honor of Ericson Cernawsky Igual from Grupo Pierre Martin de Espeleologia (GPME) for his contribution to Brazilian speleology and his commitment to the conservation of caves.

Remarks.

Loxosceles ericsoni sp. n. females have highly modified spermathecae (Figs 15-17). Although they have a transverse plate, it is very narrow and does not connect directly to the two receptacles (Figs 16, 17). The receptacles themselves are two long, slender tubes positioned parallel to the transverse plate and converging to the center. Despite the modified female genitalia, it is possible to include this species in the gaucho group by the male palpal morphology, as they have a cymbium almost the same length as the palpal tibia (Figs 11, 12).