Modisimus makandal Huber & Fischer & Astrin 2010, SP. NOV.

MODISIMUS MAKANDAL HUBER & FISCHER SP. NOV.

(Figs 11, 12, 44, 67, 139–141, 197)

Type: Male holotype from near Cana (19°29.8 ′ N, 71°16.9 ′ W), Santiago Rodríguez Prov., Dominican Republic; overhangs along river, 150 m a.s.l., 15 November 2005 (B.A. Huber), in ZFMK (DR 53 a).

Etymology: The species name refers to Makandal, a famous Maroon, or runaway slave, who tried to organize a mass slave uprising, but was betrayed and burned at the stake in 1758; it is used as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis: Medium-sized species, with distinctive pattern of modified hairs on male chelicerae (Fig. 140), and distinctive epigynum shape (Fig. 44); otherwise similar to M. vittatus.

Male (holotype): Total length, 2.7; carapace width, 1.4. Leg 1: 31.5 (8.1 + 0.5 + 7.9 + 13.0 + 2.0); tibia 2, 5.1; tibia 3, 4.1; tibia 4, 4.6. Tibia 1 L/d: 55. Habitus, in general, similar to M. vittatus (cf. Figs 30–34), carapace pale ochre-white, ocular area darker brown, clypeus with pair of brown stripes; sternum with two wide brown longitudinal bands, medially whitish; legs light brown, tips of femora and tibiae whitish, indistinct darker rings on femora and tibiae subdistally; abdomen bluish grey, dorsally, laterally, and especially posteriorly, densely covered with black spots grouped by distinctive lines made of bluish-white spots (cf. M. vittatus); ventrally with dark bluish mark between genital area and spinnerets. Ocular area strongly elevated, with several stronger hairs on top; thoracic furrow distinct. PME–PME, 105 Mm; PME diameter, 115 Mm; PME–ALE, 135 Mm; AME– AME, 20 Mm; AME diameter, 20 Mm. Sternum wider than long (0.75/0.55), unmodified. Each chelicera with ~20 strong modified hairs, forming an arc, and with roughly seven hairs of similar size in laterodistal patch (Fig. 140). Palps as in Figure 139, coxa with retrolateral apophysis, femur with rounded proximal and pointed distal ventral apophyses, with distinctive retrolateral ‘step’; procursus with dark dorsal spinelike process, and membranous structures distally, bulb with large, weakly curved apophysis, with small black rounded branch subdistally. Legs with spines in ventral rows on femora 1 and 2 (~35 spines on femur 1 and 20 spines on femur 2; with a few spines in second row distally on femur 2); retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 8%; all femora with higher than usual density of short vertical hairs; curved hairs on tibiae 1–3 and all metatarsi; prolateral trichobothrium missing on tibia 1, present on all other tibiae. Tarsus 1 with ~25 pseudosegments.

Variation: Tibia 1 in 25 other males: 6.2–9.2 (mean 7.7); the males from Labadie are larger than those from other localities (ranges 8.1–9.2 vs. 6.2–8.1). Small males without spines on femora 1 and 2.

Female: In general similar to male; rings on legs tend to be more distinct; at least some females with a few weak spines distally on femur 1. Tibia 1 in 18 females: 4.7–7.0 (mean 5.7); the females from Labadie are larger than those from other localities (ranges 6.1–7.0 vs. 4.7–6.5). Epigynum, relatively small and simple externally, barely elevated, with a few stronger hairs laterally directed inwards (Fig. 44); dorsal view as in Figures 67 and 141.

Distribution and habitat: Known from several localities in the north-western Dominican Republic and northern Haiti (Fig. 197). This species typically occurs close to the ground, among and under rocks, and in cavities of embankments.

Material examined: Dominican Republic: Santiago Rodríguez Prov., near Cana, 1♂, holotype above; same data, 3♂, 4♀ and one juvenile (ZFMK, DR 53); same data, 2♀, in pure ethanol (ZFMK, DR 100-37). Haiti: Dept Nord, forest near Labadie at 19°47.1 ′ N, 72°14.5 ′ W, 10–30 m a.s.l., domed sheets among rocks, 4 December 2007 (B.A. Huber), 8♂, 7♀ and some juveniles (ZFMK, Haiti 28/29); same data, 3♂, 2♀ and two juveniles, in pure ethanol (ZFMK, Haiti 90); near Plaisance at 19°36.3 ′ N, 72°27.4 ′ W, 490 m a.s.l., forest along brook, 5 December 2007 (B.A. Huber), 10♂, 5♀ and one juvenile (ZFMK, Haiti 34/35); same data, 1♂ and 2♀, in pure ethanol (ZFMK, Haiti 105). Dept Artibonite, north-east of Gonaïves at 19°29.5 ′ N, 72°29.5 ′ W, 300 m a.s.l., small forest patch near river, near ground among plants and rocks, 4 December 2007 (B.A. Huber), 5♂, 6♀ and some juveniles (ZFMK, Haiti 38); same data, 2♂, 4♀ and one juvenile, in pure ethanol (ZFMK, Haiti 92).

Assigned tentatively: Haiti: Dept Nord, Cap-Haïtien, lower altitude, part of city, 27–30 March 1969 (L. Raynolds), 1♀ (AMNH).