Attacobius lavape Bonaldo & Pesquero & Brescovit 2018, n. sp.

Attacobius lavape n. sp. (Figs 1−14)

Type material. ♂ holotype and ♀ paratype from Sítio São João, Morrinhos, Goiás, Brazil (17°44.324'S, 49°00.171'W), 30.VI.2016, M.A. Pesquero leg. (MPEG 35193). Paratypes: 3♂, 3♀ from Horta Aberta, Alameda Jonas Inocêncio de Oliveira, suburbs of Morrinhos, Goiás, Brasil (17°44.877'S, 49°07.123'W), 18.V.2018, M.A. Pesquero leg. (MPEG 35194; IBSP 220034, 220035).

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from Portuguese substantive Lava-Pé, common name of fire ants, alluding to the association of these spiders with Solenopsis saevissima F. Smith.

Diagnosis. Males of Attacobius lavape n. sp. are similar to those of A. verhaaghi and A. lamellatus by the presence of an additional, median lobe on RTA (ML, Fig. 14) and by the finger-shaped dorsal lobe (DL, Fig. 14; Bonaldo & Brescovit 2005: figs 4, 5; Pereira-Filho et al. 2018: figs 7, 8). They differ from both species by the median extension of the median apophysis composed of a single piece (mMa, Figs 4 ‾5, 12), but individually, differ from those of A. lamellatus by the slender median lobe (Figs 4, 14) and by the larger cymbial transverse process (CTP, Figs 5, 14), and from those of A. verhaaghi by the prolateral and ventral tegular keels being separated from each other (PVK, PTK, Figs 4, 10). Females are similar to those of A. verhaaghi and A. lamellatus by the large, rounded epigynal ventral plate (Bonaldo & Brescovit 1998: figs 15, 17; 2005: figs 6, 8), but can be distinguished from both species by the flat, not medially depressed ventral plate (EVP, Fig. 6) and by the short, straight, sclerotized posterior transversal septum (PTS, Fig. 7).

Description. Male (Holotype, MPEG 35193). Carapace uniform pale yellow, anterior median eye area with neglectable black spot (Fig. 1); chelicerae pale yellow with fangs light brown; endites white, labium pale yellow; sternum pale yellow with brown margins; legs: femur and patella yellow, tibia, metatarsus and tarsus dark yellow; abdomen pale gray. Total length 3.04. Carapace 1.24 long, 1.02 wide, 0.43 high. Clypeus 0.09 high. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.11, ALE 0.06, PME 0.06, PLE 0.07; AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.01, PME–PME 0.12, PME– PLE 0.04, ALE–PLE contiguous. MOQ length 0.16, front width 0.23, back width 0.24. Chelicerae 0.46 long, with 3 promarginal and 2 retromarginal teeth. Sternum 0.70 long, 0.72 wide. Abdomen 1.50 long, 1.08 wide. Leg measurements. I: femur 0.97/ patella 0.43/ tibia 0.81/ metatarsus 0.76/ tarsus 0.53/ total 3.50. II: 0.90/ 0.39/ 0.69/ 0.75/ 0.62/ 3.35. III: 0.80/ 0.30/ 0.70/ 0.77/ 0.61/ 3.18. IV: 1.01/ 0.39/ 0.84/ 0.97/ 0.74/ 3.95. Leg spination: I: femur d1-1-0, p1, r0, v0; tibia d0, p0, r0, v2-2 -2; metatarsus d0, p0, r0, v2-2 -0. II: femur d1-1-0, p0, r0, v0; tibia d0, p0, r0, v1 r-2-2; metatarsus d0, p0, r0, v0. III: femur d1-1-0, p0, r0, v0; tibia d0, p0, r0, v0; metatarsus d0, p0, r0, v0. IV: femur d1-1-0, p0, r0-0-1, v0; tibia d0, p0, r0, v0; metatarsus d0, p0, r0, v0. Palp: RTA with three lobes, apical spur sclerotized, with wide base arising medially from ventral lobe, median lobe small, membranous; dorsal lobe small, finger-shaped, oriented dorsally, without apical process; cymbial prolateral process fused to cymbial transversal process; cymbial transversal process large, sinuous, without basal prong, with lamellar apices; cymbial retrolateral tubercle small, longer than wide; cymbial retro-dorsal process large, pointed; prolateral tegular keel large, obtuse extension; ventral tegular keel small, well separated from prolateral tegular keel; tegular retrolateral groove present, deep, extended prolaterally, forming third, proximal tegular keel; distal extension of median apophysis blunt, folded distally; median extension of median apophysis smooth, composed by singe piece, proximal extension of median apophysis long, folded distally (Figs 3 – 5, 9 – 14).

Female (Paratype, MPEG 35193). Coloration as in male, anterior median eye area without black spot (Fig. 2). Total length 3.27. Carapace 1.19 long, 0.98 wide, 0.43 high. Clypeus 0.07 high. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.09, ALE 0.04, PME 0.07, PLE 0.06, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE contiguous, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.03, ALE– PLE contiguous. MOQ length 0.17, front width: 0.21, back width: 0.22. Chelicerae 0.38 long, teeth as in male. Sternum 0.67 long, 0.75 wide. Abdomen 2.04 long, 1.28 wide. Leg measurements. I: femur 0.92/ patella 0.40/ tibia 0.72/ metatarsus 0.73/ tarsus 0.60/ total 3.37. II: 0.87/ 0.39/ 0.65/ 0.66/ 0.59/ 3.16. III: 0.81/ 0.35/ 0.63/ 0.74/ 0.55/ 3.08. IV: 1.00/ 0.40/ 0.80/ 0.93/ 0.65/ 3.78. Leg spination: I: femur d1-1-0, p0-0-1, r0, v0; tibia d0, p0, r0, v2-2 -2; metatarsus d0, p0, r0, v2-2 -0. II: femur d1-1-0, p0, r0, v0; tibia d0, p0, r0, v0-1r-0; metatarsus d0, p0, r0, v2-2 -0. III: femur d1-1-0, p0, r0, v0; tibia d0, p0, r0, v0; metatarsus d0, p0, r0, v0. IV: femur d1-1-0, p0, r0, v0; tibia d0, p0, r0, v0; metatarsus d0, p0, r0, v0. Epigynum: ventral surface not excavated, ventral plate present, large, flat; posterior transversal septum short, sclerotized, straight; dorsal extension of epigynal posterior plate reduced; copulatory openings posterior, medially placed; copulatory ducts converging medially; spermathecae fused medially to each other; primary spermathecae small, tubular; secondary spermathecae large (Figs 6 – 8).

Variation. 4♂: total length 2.83–3.24; carapace length 1.24–1.35; femur I 0.97–1.17. 4♀: total length 3.13–3.49; carapace length 1.19–1.40; femur I 0.92–1.07.

Natural history. Individuals of both sexes and at various stages of development (egg sacs excluded) were observed living within colonies of S. saevissima, preying on eggs, larvae and pupae (R.S.D Carvalho, C.A.F Mendonça & M.A. Pesquero, personal observations).

Distribution. Known only from the municipality of Morrinhos, Goiás, Brazil.

Other material examined. BRAZIL: Goiás: Morrinhos, Sítio São João (17°44.324'S, 49°00.171'W), 1♂, 1♀, 30. VI.2016, M.A. Pesquero leg. (IBSP 215375, SEM).