Paecilaemella geminorum Medrano, Caramori & Kury, 2025, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Medrano, Miguel
name: Caramori, Laura R.
name: Kury, Adriano B.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2025
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Opiliones
Cosmetidae
Paecilaemella
Paecilaemella geminorum

description: Paecilaemella geminorum sp. nov.
Figs 1C, D, E; 6; 7
Etymology. The species name derives from the Latin genitive plural of geminus (twin), referring to the dorsal blot, resembling the traditional symbol of the Gemini zodiac constellation.
Holotype. 1 ♂ (QCAZI 278596) Ecuador, Orellana, San José de Payamino Centro de Turismo Comunitario Petroglifos, Rio Tutapishco, Sr. Julio (-0.568364°,-77.33974°, alt.: 426 m), 6 Dec 2021, APL Giupponi, AA Granado, AB Kury, M Medrano leg.
Paratypes. 1 ♂ (MNRJ 264) same data as the holotype; 1 ♂ (MNRJ 691) Ecuador, Pastaza, Puyo, surroundings of Puyo, Teniente Hugo Ortiz (-1.38624°,-77.94437°, alt.: 1051 m), 10 Dec 2021. APL Giupponi, AA Granado, AB Kury, MA Medrano leg.; 1 ♂ 1 ♀ (MNRJ 640) Ecuador, Sucumbíos, Lumbaqui bridge in El Dorado de Cascale (0.082575°,-77.27911°, alt.: 430 m), 05 Dec 2021, APL Giupponi, AA Granado, AB Kury, M Medrano leg.
Other examined material. 3 ♂ 1 juv. (MNRJ 9523, burned) Ecuador, Sucumbíos, Lumbaqui, Cerro Lumbaqui, near the city (0.038461°,-77.316782°, alt.: 738 m), 23 Jul 2018. A Giupponi, A Kury & M Medrano leg.
Distribution. Ecuador, Napo moist forests and Eastern Cordillera real montane forests at Sucumbios, Pastaza and Orellana provinces (Fig. 8).
Diagnosis. P. geminorum can be distinguished from other species within the genus by its simple chevron (Fig. 1C, 6A) and the absence of distal armature on the prolateral side of femur IV (Fig. 6D–E). It shares similarities with P. andi, including a continuous gemini mask (Fig. 1C, 6A) and a penis with MS D2 positioned more basally than MS A (Fig. 7A, D). In contrast, it differs from P. armasi because the latter bears a discontinuous gemini mask (Fig. 1B, 4A) and has both MS A and MS D2 aligned at the same height (Fig. 5A, C).
Description. (Male holotype) (Fig. 6). Measurements. Body length: 6.8. Maximum width of scutum: 5.6. Carapace length: 2.7, width 3.8. Interocular distance: 1.0. Legs: I: 33.21 (1.07, 9.75, 1.56, 5.87, 9.28, 5.68), II: 66.54 (1.03, 18.03, 2.61, 15.18, 20.05, 9.64), III: 33.89 (1.05, 11.20, 1.67, 6.08, 9.09, 4.80), IV: 51.27 (0.95, 17.32, 2.82, 9.86, 14.02, 6.30).
Dorsum. Large sized cosmetid (dorsal scutum length approximately 7 mm). Dorsal scutum in dorsal view epsilon-shaped with shallow cheliceral sockets (Fig. 6A). Dorsal scutum flat in lateral view (Figs 1D, 6B), coxa IV entirely visible in dorsal view (Fig. 6A), thicker than scutum in lateral view (Fig. 1D). Ocularium low, narrow, with median depression. Scutal grooves poorly delimited. Scutum entirely unarmed and without any granules (Figs 1C –D). Free tergites I–III and anal operculum smooth and unarmed (Fig. 6A).
Venter. Coxae I–III triangular, transverse to main body axis. Coxae II to IV connected by tubercle bridges. Ventral elements of coxa I: e1 = ca. 8 tubercles forming a row; e2 = 3 large tubercles clustered; e3 = 1 very large conical process; e4 = 1 huge bifid process; e5 = indistinct cluster of ca. 5 cusps. Coxa IV pentagonal, greatly developed, oriented obliquely, but almost parallel to the body axis. Stigmatic area T-shaped with stigmata large, unconcealed. Free sternites smooth and unarmed.
Chelicera (Figs 6A, G). Neither basichelicerite nor hand thickened or swollen in males. Bulla short, rounded, bordered with rounded tubercles, eight ectal and 10 posterior. Movable finger with one basal triangular tubercle and a row of smaller rounded tubercles going distally. Fixed finger with a row of rounded tubercles, larger than those of the movable finger.
Pedipalpus (Figs 6H, I). Trochanter with stout antero-dorsal protuberance. Femur strongly compressed, concave on mesal surface, borders armed with long tubercles. Tibia strongly depressed, with a weakly distinct groove on the mesal edge. Shape asymmetrical, with ectal side more pronounced, armed distally with a row of seven short spines. Corresponding mesal side with a widely spaced row of seven short spines, increasing in size distally. Tarsus moderately elongate, with tight irregular ventro-ectal row of short spines, a much sparser ventro-mesal row of short spines and a proximal mesal cluster of short spines.
Legs. Elongate and moderately thick (growing thicker from I to IV). Males with basitarsomeres I thickened, first basitarsomere four to five times longer than the following ones. All femora straight. Femur IV with distal comb of retro-ventral spines. Tibia with two ventral rows of granules. Tarsal claws unpectinate. Tarsal formula: 6(3)- 6(3)/?-18(3)/11-11/12-12.
Color (1C–E, 6A). Pattern color of the gemini mask as follows: Two continuous longitudinal parallel lines forming a suspender on DS, completed by two horizontal lines (chevron and omega stripe) forming the gemini sign. Background of body (dorsal and ventral) and appendages Reddish Black (24), dorsal scutum with lighter mottling Deep Yellowish Brown (75) in carapace, laterals and anterior portion of the abdomen as depicted in Figure 6A. Pedipalps and chelicerae Dark Grayish Red (20) with lighter mottling Deep Yellowish Brown (75). Blots Yellowish White (92). Distal portion of femur, tibia and patella of the legs Deep Orange Yellow (69). Patella and metatarsus Deep Orange Yellow (69) in the proximal portion.
Variation. Some males have reduced tubercles in the distal comb in femur IV. Females with basitarsomeres not thickened in leg I and not as long as those in males, chelicerae slightly smaller than in male. The chevron may exhibit a median division or be divided into more portions, while the omega stripe, whether entire or medianly divided.
Genitalia (Fig. 7). Ventral plate of penis rectangular, widening slightly distally. Lateral margins of the dorsal portion of VP (at MS C level) concave along their length, basal to MS C1-C2. Five pairs of larger macrosetae inserted on lateral margin of VP: Two pairs C1-C2 greatly developed, curved and flattened, the third pair of macrosetae, adjacent to C1-C2, robust, cylindrical and straight, is best interpreted as D1, while D2 is much reduced and located basally, inserted in the dorsal part of the VP. The fifth pair of MS, here interpreted as A1, is straight and similar in shape to D1. A pair of small macrosetae B is located ventro-basally on VP, while E1–E2 also reduced are located ventrally. Microsetae type 4 covering the lateral margins of the VP, but absent in the middle. Stylus strongly curved, cylindrical, with small wattle and a well-developed ventral peak formed by barbels. Dorsal process of glans thumb-shaped.
description: Published as part of Medrano, Miguel, Caramori, Laura R. & Kury, Adriano B., 2025, Three new species of Paecilaemella (Cosmetidae: Flirteinae) from the upper Amazonian Basin, pp. 222-236 in Zootaxa 5563 (1) on pages 230-233, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5563.1.15, http://zenodo.org/record/14595947