Canaima loca Huber 2020, sp. nov.

Canaima loca Huber sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 3CD86337-E326-4EC5-A392-52CFB0BADF58

Figs 50–51, 62–67, 75–77, 1029, 1034

Diagnosis

Distinguished from known congeners by armature of male chelicerae (Figs 65–66; pair of long flattened frontal apophyses), by shape of procursus (Fig. 63; short, with pair of slender distal apophyses connected by transparent membrane), and by internal female genitalia (Figs 67, 77): pair of semicircular sclerites; angular anterior sclerite, tongue-shaped posterior membranous process (arrow in Fig. 67; similar to C. perlonga Huber sp. nov.), and large anterior median receptacle; note that female of C. merida Huber, 2000 is unknown.

Etymology

The species name (Spanish: crazy) refers to the erratic running of this species when the leaf on which it rested was turned; used as noun in apposition.

Type material

VENEZUELA – Trujillo • ♂ holotype, ZFMK (Ar 21827), near Boconó, Laguna Negra (9.3054° N, 70.1752° W), 1870 m a.s.l., 21 Nov. 2018 (B.A. Huber, O. Villarreal M.).

Other material examined

VENEZUELA – Trujillo • 8 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀, ZFMK (Ar 21828), and 8 ♀♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Ven18- 209), same collection data as for holotype • 3 ♀♀, misidentified paratypes of Mecolaesthus discrepantis (González-Sponga, 2003), MIZA 105754 (MAGS 1383), Boconó, Laguna Negra [approximately 9.305° N, 70.175° W], 28 Feb. 1993 (A.R. Delgado, M.A. González S.) • 1 ♀, MIZA 105814 (MAGS 1426), same locality, 13 Sep. 1996 (M.A. González S.).

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 1.5, carapace width 0.75. Distance PME–PME 45 µm; diameter PME 70 µm; distance PME–ALE 45 µm; AME absent. Leg 1: 11.5 (2.7+ 0.3+2.9+ 4.3+1.3), tibia 2: 1.6, tibia 3: 1.3, tibia 4: 1.7; tibia 1 L/d: 48.

COLOR (in ethanol). Prosoma and legs ochre-yellow, carapace with thin median dark line; legs without dark rings; abdomen pale greenish gray, dorsally and laterally densely covered with dark bluish marks.

BODY. Habitus as in Fig. 50. Ocular area slightly raised. Carapace with distinct thoracic groove. Clypeus unmodified. Sternum wider than long (0.52/0.40), with pair of anterior humps. Abdomen oval.

CHELICERAE. As in Figs 65–66, with very short entapophyses and pair of long flattened frontal apophyses.

PALPS. As in Figs 62–63; coxa with distinct retrolateral apophysis, trochanter with small ventral process, femur proximally with retrolateral process, distally with two small ventral processes, one slightly prolateral, the other slightly retrolateral; tibia very short, dorsally angular; procursus with pair of slender distal apophyses connected by transparent membrane; genital bulb (Fig. 64) with complex distal process.

LEGS. Without spines and curved hairs; with slightly higher than usual density of vertical hairs on tibiae; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 23%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1; tarsus 1 with ~15 pseudosegments, distally fairly distinct.

Male (variation)

Tibia 1 in seven males (incl. holotype): 2.8–3.2 (mean 3.0).

Female

In general similar to male (Fig. 51) but without humps on sternum, and sternum posteriorly slightly inflated; with few vertical hairs on tibiae. Tibia 1 in seven females: 2.3–2.5 (mean 2.4). Epigynum (Fig. 75) light brown transversal plate, whitish inflated area in front of epigynum, internal sclerites partly visible in uncleared specimens; posterior plate indistinct, light brown. Internal genitalia (Figs 67, 77) with pair of semicircular sclerites open laterally and partly surrounding pore plates; angular anterior sclerite, and large anterior median receptacle; with tongue-shaped posterior membranous process (arrow in Fig. 67).

Distribution

Known from type locality only, in Venezuela, Trujillo (Fig. 1034).

Natural history

At Laguna Negra this species was very abundant in the leaf litter, especially on the undersides of Cecropia leaves. When the leaves were turned, the spiders started to run erratically at high speed and eventually dropped from the leaf. Even when leaves were carefully shaken over a white plastic sheet, the spiders continued their running with quick turns, resulting in the loss of about half of the specimens found. No webs were seen.