Josa chazaliae
Creators: name: Martínez, Leonel
name: Kochalka, John A.
name: Cabra-Garcia, Jimmy
name: Ramírez, Martin
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Anyphaenidae
Josa
Josa chazaliae

description: Josa chazaliae (Simon, 1897)
Figures 1–8
Tomopisthes chazaliae Simon, 1897: 11 (female lectotype MNHP 18396; vchLAM-243 and two females paralectotypes MNHP vchLAM-242 and vchLAM-244 here designated, from Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia, De Dalmas coll., in MNHP, examined).
Josa chazaliae: Ramírez, 2003: 109.
Note. The syntypes correspond to two different species; the lectotype (MNHP 18396 vchLAM-243) and one of the paralectotypes belong to Josa chazaliae (MNHP vchLAM-242) and the other to an undescribed species, which is described below as Josa samaria sp. nov. (MNHP vchLAM-244). Only records from the additional material examined were mapped, as the type’s label lacks a specific locality within the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Other material examined: COLOMBIA. Magdalena: Ciénaga, San Pedro, Parque Natural Nacional Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Loma de la Cebolleta, misc. vegetation, low-medium, manual caught, 3505 m, J. Kochalka leg., 9.V.1975, 1 ♂ (MUSENUV-Ar-2671; vchLAM-245), 1 ♂ (MACN-Ar 46690; vchLAM-246). Cesar: Valledupar, Parque Nacional Natural Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta (NW Donachuí), Meoyaca, Río Donachuí, 3974 m, [10°47′39.9″N, 73°36′03.6″W], 18.I.1974, 1 ♀ (MUSENUV-Ar-2672; vchLAM-247); 3596 m, [10°47′04.5″N, 73°33′40.4″W], 2.I.1973, 2 ♀ (MACN-Ar 46691; vchLAM-248); Donachuí, Rio Donachuí, top of woody vegetation, 4230 m, [10°47′50.0″N, 73°37′34.5″W], 6.I.1973, 1 ♀ (MUSENUV-Ar-2673).
Diagnosis. Males of Josa chazaliae are similar to those of Josa berlandi sp. nov. by the small conductor with the external region apically bifid and by the short embolus (Figs 7H–I, compare with Figs 25A–D, 26A–C, 27A–I), but can be differentiated from this species by the conductor widening towards the apex with both apical tips of the external section of the conductor of about the same length, the posterior one curved towards the internal region and with a subapical pronounced bump (Fig. 7A–D, arrow), median apophysis bifid with its anterior branch tubular and slightly curved (Figs 5A, 6A, 7A–D), and the very small and rugous retrobasal tegular lobe (Fig. 7A, F). Females are easily distinguishable by the very thin and short ducts of the accessory bulb restricted to the lateral regions of the vulva (Figs 6D–E, 8A–D), the swollen, triangular basal sclerotized projections of the epigyne (Figs 2E, 5E), the long median septum, and median field oval with deep copulatory openings (Figs 2E, 5E–F, 6D–E, 8A–F).
Description. Female (description based on the lectotype, MNHP 18396; vchLAM-243 and a female MUSENUV- Ar-2671; vchLAM-245). (Figs 1–2, 4): Total length 7.42. Carapace length 3.70, width 2.56, height 1.64. Clypeus length 0.22. Sternum length 1.88, width 1.29. Legs. Leg I: ti length 1.90/width 0.51, mt 1.53. II: ti 1.81/0.47, mt 1.49. III: ti 1.61/0.41, mt 1.57. IV: ti 2.21/0.46, mt 2.18. Spines: legs I–II, femur d 1-1-1, p 2ap; tibia v 2-2-2; metatarsus v 2bas. III, femur d 1-1-1, p 0-d1-d1, r 0-d1-d1; patella r 1me; tibia v 2-2-2, p 1-d1-1-0, r 1-d1-1-0, d (r1-1) bristles; metatarsus d 0-p1-2, v 2-0-2, p d1-1-0-1, r d1-1-0-1. IV=III but femur r d1ap; patella d 1-1, r 1; metatarsus v 2-2-2. Abdomen: length 3.75, width 1.86, spiracle–epigastrium 1.26. Body dehydrated, damaged. Color: carapace dark brown, with two wide longitudinal dark bands on sides, narrowed in cephalic region. Ocular area on dark patch with eyes bordered by black rings. Carapace with fringe of white setae on sides. Clypeus brown, low, with some white setae. Chelicerae brown with black patches and fine setae on front. Endites, labium, and sternum dark brown, labium and endites light in apical region. Legs dark brown, with long darker stripes on dorsal edges of femora. All articles covered by white setae. Abdomen dorsally with median spots on dark gray background and abundant white setae; anterior region with bunch of thick setae; venter uniformly dark gray, with light dots. Epigyne: anterior plate sclerotized with deep anterior excavations, median notch long and narrow (Figs 2E, 5E, arrows). Median field transverse, large, oval in posterior view, with medial depression (Fig. 8E–F). Lateral lobes with sclerotized extensions very wide, forming a longitudinal concavity, posterior extensions rounded at base (Figs 2E, 5E). Copulatory ducts long, touching with the accessory bulb ducts medially (Fig. 6E). Spermathecae rounded medially positioned in the epigyne, oriented towards median region (Figs 5F, 6E, 8A–E). Ducts of accessory bulbs long, thin, convergent (Figs 2E, 5E–F, 6D–E, 7).
Male (MUSENUV-Ar-2671; vchLAM-245) (Figs 3): Total length 4.54. Carapace length 2.34, width 1.61, height 0.72. Clypeus length 0.10. Sternum length 1.20, width 0.79. Legs. Leg I: ti length 2.17/width 0.26, mt 1.88. II: ti 1.97/0.25, mt 1.72. III: ti 1.32/0.23, mt 1.20. IV: ti 1.62/0.27, mt 1.55. Spines: legs s I–II, femur d 1-1-1, p 2ap, r 0-d1-d1; tibia v 2-2-2, p 1-d1-1-0, r 1-d1-1-0; metatarsus v 2-2-0, p d1-d1-0, r d1-d1. III–IV, femur d 1-1-1, p 0- d1-d1, r 0-d1-d1; patella r 1me; tibia v 2-2-2, p 1-d1-1-0, r 1-d1-1-0, d (r1-1) bristles; metatarsus d 0-p1-2, v 2-2-2, p d1-1-0-1, r d1-1-0-1. Abdomen: length 2.34, width 1.35, spiracle–epigastrium 0.83. Color: carapace brown, with two faint dark bands on sides, anteriorly covered by white setae. Ocular area brown with eyes bordered in black rings. Clypeus brown, low, with abundant white setae. Chelicerae brown with black stripes and fine setae on front. Endites, labium, and sternum brown; labium and sternum darker. Legs coxae-tarsi brown, with some tenuous dark patches. Articles with a few white and black setae. Abdomen dehydrated, with a pattern of faint spots on a brown background. Dorsum covered with few fine white setae. Venter uniformly brown. Palp: tegulum with small basal retrolateral lobe, very sclerotized, rugous (Figs 5A, 6A, 7A, 8A–F). Median apophysis large, bifid, anterior tip long, tubular, hook-shaped, posterior branch membranous at base with external border sub-rounded (Figs 5A, 6A, 7A–B). Conductor small, rounded, with projected base, external section wide, anteriorly swollen, bifid, with both tips equal in length, but posterior tip curved towards internal region (Fig. 7A–B, D); internal section ending as a sharp tip (Fig. 7D). Paramedian apophysis cup-shaped, small, heavily sclerotized, concave, apically sharp (Figs 5A, D; 6A–C; 7A–E). Embolus short, not describing a complete loop around bulb, tape-shaped at base, coiled, with poorly developed laminar projection; basal process small, flat, retrolateral region pointed in posterior region, prolateral region oval, poorly pronounced into external keel (Figs 5A–D, 6A–C, 7).
Variation: Males (n=2): total length: 4.28–4.54; carapace length: 2.18–2.34, width: 1.57–1.61; abdomen length: 2.14–2.34, width: 1.19–1.35. Females (n=3): total length: 7.40–8.19; carapace length: 3.52–3.70, width: 2.47–2.56; abdomen length: 3.75–4.42, width: 1.86–2.64. Fresh specimens look more pigmented.
Distribution. Only known for Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, Colombia (Fig. 31).
description: Published as part of Martínez, Leonel, Kochalka, John A., Cabra-Garcia, Jimmy & Ramírez, Martin, 2025, Revealing the identity of Josa chazaliae (Simon, 1897) (Araneae: Anyphaenidae): new species and the highest altitude record for a spider in South America, pp. 201-242 in Zootaxa 5566 (2) on pages 204-213, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5566.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/14702734