3.3. 3.

Figures 8, 9, 10, 11, 18, Tables 3, 4

Type material.

Holotype: ARGENTINA • 1 ♂; Mendoza, Malargüe Department, Calmucó; 36.7832°S 69.8830°W; Apr. 1996; A. Giudicci leg.; MACN -Ar 46352. Paratype: ARGENTINA • 1 ♀; Mendoza, Malargüe Department, Salinillas; 36.2773°S 68.5858°W; 29 Jan. 1979; A. Roig leg.; MACN -Ar 46354.

Diagnosis.

Euathlus kupal sp. nov. can be distinguished from all known congeners by a unique combination of characters in males: tibial apophysis with two robust branches, the PB shorter than the RB and both bearing strong internal spines (Fig. 9), palpal organ slender with a long embolus with multiple small teeth along the curvature of the embolus: six well-defined teeth of varying sizes and three to four smaller teeth (Fig. 10). Females are diagnosed from all known species by the shape of the spermathecae, consisting of two low seminal receptacles with small mounds along the upper margin, each bearing a large semi-spheroid lateral chamber oriented downward, connected by a wide duct (Fig. 11 D, E).

Description male.

Male holotype (MACN -Ar 46352). — Coloration (in alcohol): Carapace reddish with long whitish setae on margins, legs light brown / orange, abdomen brown with long yellowish setae, booklung openings yellowish (Fig. 8 A – E). Total length 23.22. — Prosoma: Carapace length 12.32, width 11.47. Anterior eye row procurved, posterior one recurved. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.20, ALE 0.48, PME 0.28, PLE 0.43, AME - AME 0.40, AME - ALE 0.19, PME - PME 0.74, PME - PLE 0.11, ALE - PLE 0.19, OQ length 1.33, width 1.68. Clypeus 0.16. Fovea transverse, deep, slightly recurved, width 1.30. Labium length 1.65, width 1.80, with 116 cuspules. Maxillae (right / left) with 110 / 120 cuspules. Sternum length 5.14, width 4.35 (Fig. 8 B). Chelicerae with 7 well-developed teeth on promargin of furrow and 4 small teeth on the proximal area of retromargin. — Appendages: Tarsi I – IV densely scopulated, undivided. Metatarsi I fully scopulated, II 2 / 3 scopulated, III 1 / 2 scopulated, IV 1 / 4 apically scopulated. Leg and palpal segments lengths in Table 3. Spination: Patellae of palp and legs III and IV, tarsi of palp and legs I – IV, 0. Femora: palp 0-0 - 0 - 1 P; I 0-0 - 0 - 1 P; II 0-1 - 0 - 1 P, 0-1 - 0 - 0 R; III 1-1 - 0 - 1 P, 1-0 - 0 - 0 D; IV 0-1 - 0 - 0 P. Patellae: I 0-0 - 0 - 1 V. Tibiae: palp 1-1 - 0 - 1 P, 1-0 - 0 - 0 R; I 2-2 - 0 - 2 (ap) V, 2-1 - 0 - 0 P, 2-1 - 0 - 0 R; II 3-3 - 0 - 3 (ap) V, 1-1 - 1 - 0 P; III 2-1 - 0 - 3 (ap) V, 2-2 - 1 - 0 P, 1-2 - 1 - 0 R; IV 2-1 - 0 - 3 (ap) V, 1-2 - 1 - 0 P, 0-2 - 1 - 0 R. Metatarsi: I 1-0 - 0 - 1 (ap) V; II 1-0 - 0 - 1 (ap) V; III 3-2 - 0 - 2 (ap) V, 1-1 - 0 - 1 P, 1-1 - 1 - 1 R; IV 3-2 - 1 - 3 (ap) V, 1-1 - 0 - 1 P, 2-2 - 1 - 1 R. Metatarsus I straight. Tibial apophysis of legs I consists in two short well-developed black branches originating from a common base. Retrolateral branch slightly longer than prolateral, PB with a basal internal short strong spine, RB with a subapical internal short strong spine (Fig. 9). Metatarsus I rests retrolaterally on the tibial apophysis when flexed. — Opisthosoma: Abdomen dorsally with a rectangular patch of urticating setae with types III and IV. Four spinnerets, PMS 1.15 long and PLS three segmented, basal segment 1.56 long, medial segment 0.86 long, and apical segment 1.01 long. — Genital organs: Palpal organ piriform, elongated, with a relatively slender tegulum. Embolus long and slightly slender, starting to curve proximally to the tegulum in a retrolateral direction. Prolateral keels unequal, PS flat and weakly developed, PI well developed, bearing six well-defined teeth of varying sizes and three to four smaller teeth along the curvature of the embolus (Fig. 10).

Description female.

Female paratype (MACN -Ar 46354). — Coloration (in alcohol): Carapace and legs light brown / orange, abdomen brown (Fig. 11 A). Total length 18.92. — Prosoma: Carapace length 8.87, width 7.91. Anterior eye row procurved, posterior one recurved. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.14, ALE 0.44, PME 0.23, PLE 0.36, AME - AME 0.32, AME - ALE 0.18, PME - PME 0.59, PME - PLE 0.08, ALE - PLE 0.15, OQ length 0.83, width 1.46. Clypeus 0.20. Fovea transverse, short, slightly recurved, width 0.86. Labium length 1.21, width 1.43, with 53 cuspules. Maxillae (right / left) with 82 / 76 cuspules. Sternum length 4.16, width 3.66 (Fig. 11 B). Chelicerae with 7 large teeth on promargin of furrow and 4 small teeth on the proximal area of retromargin. — Appendages: Tarsi I-IV densely scopulated, undivided. Metatarsi I 2 / 3 scopulated, II 1 / 2 scopulated, III 1 / 3 scopulated, IV 1 / 4 apically scopulated. Leg and palpal segments lengths in Table 4. Spination: Femur of leg IV, patellae and tarsi of palp and legs I – IV, 0. Femora: palp 0-0 - 0 - 1 P; I 0-0 - 0 - 1 (ap) P, II 0-0 - 0 - 1 (ap) P, 0-0 - 0 - 1 R. Tibiae: palp 1-2 - 0 - 3 (ap) V, 0-0 - 0 - 1 R; I 0-1 - 0 - 0 V, 0-0 - 0 - 1 (ap) P; II 0-1 - 0 - 1 (ap) V, 0-0 - 0 - 1 (ap) P; III 0-2 - 0 - 2 (ap) V, 0-1 - 1 - 0 P, 1-0 - 1 - 0 R, IV 0-2 - 1 - 3 (ap) V, 0-0 - 1 - 0 P, 1-0 - 1 - 0 R. Metatarsi: I 0-1 - 0 - 1 (ap) V; II 0-1 - 0 - 1 (ap) V; III 2-2 - 0 - 3 (ap) V, 1-1 - 0 - 1 P, 1-1 - 0 - 1 R; IV 2-2 - 1 - 3 (ap) V, 0-1 - 0 - 1 P, 1-2 - 1 - 1 R. — Opisthosoma: Abdomen with large oval urticating setae patch with types III and IV. Four spinnerets, PMS 0.68 long and PLS three segmented, basal segment 1.63 long, medial segment 0.95 long, and apical segment 1.11 long. — Genital organs: Spermatheca with two low seminal receptacles with mounds on its upper margin, each with a large semi-spheroid lateral chamber oriented downward, connected with a wide duct without noticeable constriction (Fig. 11 D, E).

Etymology.

The specific name “ kupal ” is a noun in the nominative singular, used in apposition to the generic name. It is derived from the Mapuche language, where it means ‘ family’ or ‘ lineage. ’ This term honors the author’s family and also serves as a recognition of the Mapuche people who historically inhabited the region where this species was discovered.

Distribution and natural history.

The region where this species inhabit is characterized by arid and cold conditions, with large daily and annual temperature ranges and scarce precipitation with a mean annual precipitation of about 360 mm. The average annual temperature is 12 ° C. Winters are cold, with average temperatures around 5 ° C, while summers are mild, averaging 20 ° C (Tello et al. 2021). This area comprises an overlap of three floristic districts: Monte Occidental, Patagonian Steppe, and the High Andean region. This ecotone condition, combined with the great variety of topographies and substrates present, represents a relevant feature from a botanical point of view. It is possible to find a wide variety of flora, including marginal elements from the aforementioned floristic districts and a significant number of endemic species, such as Sporobolus mendocinus Méndez and Adesmia glandulifolia Steibel and Ulibarri (Prina et al. 2003) (Fig. 18).