Extraordinarius Rheims 2019, gen. nov.
Creators: name: Rheims, Cristina A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2019
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Sparassidae
Extraordinarius

description: Extraordinarius gen. nov.
http://zoobank.org/ E313168A-80AC-4EAF-AB96-A14658857DA5
Etymology. The generic name is a Latin adjective meaning “remarkable”, “extraordinary” and refers to the welldeveloped, Z-shaped, sclerotized conductor of the male palps. Gender is masculine.
Type species. Extraordinarius andrematosi sp. nov.
Diagnosis. Species of the genus Extraordinarius gen. nov. resemble those of the non-Neotropical Pleorotus, Rhacocnemis, Stasina, Stipax, Thelcticopis and Thomasettia in having a sclerotized conductor in the male palp. They are distinguished from the latter genera by the Z-shape of the conductor, tapering retrolaterally, with tip reaching the retrolateral cymbial margin (Figs 15, 30, 43, 55). They are further distinguished from all Sparianthinae genera by the median apophysis arising from tegulum at 5:30–6:00 o’clock position (between 1–4 o’clock in all other genera) and by the presence of a TBE laminar, distally rounded, with hyaline margins (Figs 20, 35, 46, 49, 60). Females resemble those of Diminutella by the vulva with internal ducts running anteriorly as a double helix (Rheims & Alayón, 2018, figs 4E–F). They are distinguished from the latter genus in having the duct system encapsulated, with an additional convoluted part, not organized in a double helix, close to fertilization ducts, and by lacking a blind ending projection (Figs 23–24, 38–39, 63–64).
Description. Total length of males 9.7–11.8 (n = 6), of females 11.0–14.3 (n = 6). Prosoma longer than wide; cephalic region higher than thoracic region; fovea slightly conspicuous on posterior third of prosoma. Eight eyes arranged in two rows, the anterior row straight, the posterior straight or slightly procurved; AME larger than ALE and more separated from each other than from laterals; PME smaller than PLE and equidistant (Figs 10, 12, 25, 27, 40, 50, 52). Clypeus low, less than AME diameter. Chelicerae longer than wide, with three promarginal teeth, the basal one smallest, and two small retromarginal teeth; intermarginal denticles absent; one single retromarginal escort setae at the base of fang (Fig. 1). Labium slightly longer than wide. Endites convergent with dense scopulae on internal margin. Serrula with a single row of denticles (Fig. 2). Sternum longer than wide. Female pedipalp with single pectinate claw with 6–7 short, gently curved teeth (Fig. 3). Legs laterigrade, 4123 or 4213. Trochanter smooth. Metatarsi I–IV with distal dorsal trilobate membrane with median hook much smaller than lateral projections (Fig. 4). Tarsi and anterior half of metatarsi scopulate. Trichobothria present on dorsal tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, arranged in several rows that converge to one on metatarsi. Trichobothria with well-differentiated proximal and distal plates; proximal plate with several transverse ridges; distal plate with transverse ridge; trichobothrial setae thickened in a basal bulb (Fig. 5). Tarsal organ capsulate, with round to oval opening (Fig. 6), located distally on tarsi. Tarsi with pair of pectinate claws, with 7–8 gently curved teeth, closer together on claws of legs III–IV, and claw tufts with deeply indented setae (Figs 7–8). Spination pattern in males: femora I–III: p1-1-1; d0-1-1; r1-1-1; femur IV: p1-1-1; d0-1-1; r0-0-1; patellae I–IV: 0; tibiae I–IV: p1-0-1; r1-0-1; v2-2 -2; metatarsi I–II: p1-1-1; r1-1-0; v2 -0-0; metatarsi III–IV: p1-1-1; r1-1-1; v2-2 -0; palp: femur p0-0-1; d0-1-2; patella 0; tibia p1-0; in females: femora I–II: p1-1-0; d0-1-1; r1-0-0; femur III: p1-1-1; d1-0-0; r1-0-0; femur IV: p1-1-0; d1-1-0; r0-0-1; patellae I–IV: 0; tibiae I–III v2-2 -2; tibia IV: p1-0-1; r1-0-1; v1 p-2-2; metatarsi I–II p1-1-1; r1-1-0; v2 -0-0; metatarsi III–IV p1-1-1; r1-1-1; v2-2 -0; palp: femur p0-0-1; d0-1-2; patella p1; r1; tibia p2-1; d1-1; r1-1; tarsus: p2-1; r2-1. Opisthosoma oval, longer than wide, with tegument ring at posterior end, close to base of spinnerets (Figs 13, 27, 40, 53). Male epiandrium with epiandrous spigots arranged in scattered bunches (Fig. 9). Six spinnerets: anterior lateral spinnerets contiguous, conical and bi-segmented. Basal segment elongate and cylindrical, distal segment short and truncated. Posterior median spinnerets conical and short. Posterior lateral spinnerets conical and bi-segmented. Basal segment elongate and cylindrical, distal segment short and truncated. Male palp: tibia shorter than one third of cymbium length, with one prolateral spine; VTA slightly displaced retrolaterally; RTA single, arising distally from tibia; cymbium with well-developed retrobasal process, large round alveolus and small, rounded dorsal scopulae; subtegulum ring-shaped; tegulum with large laminar TBE and sclerotized, concave TBC; median apophysis elongate, apically hook-shaped; conductor large, Z-shaped, with tip reaching the retrolateral cymbial margin; embolus filiform, arising from tegulum between 7–9 o’clock positions (Figs 20, 35, 46, 48–49, 60). Female epigyne: divided into lateral lobes and median septum; lateral lobes simple, without projections, partially covering the median septum; median septum bearing short scape (Figs 22, 37) or smooth (Fig. 62).
Distribution. Known from southeastern Brazil, states of São Paulo, Espírito Santo and Minas Gerais (Fig. 65).
Composition. Extraordinarius andrematosi sp. nov., E. brucedickinsoni sp. nov., E. klausmeinei sp. nov. and E. rickalleni sp. nov.
Monophyly and relationships. In the absence of a cladistic analysis, not much can be said about the relationships between Extraordinarius gen. nov. and the remaining Sparianthinae genera. The presence of a sclerotized conductor in the male palp could suggest a closer relationship with the non-Neotropical Pleorotus, Rhacocnemis, Stasina, Stipax, Thelcticopis and Thomasettia. Nevertheless, cheliceral dentition (two small retromarginal teeth), number of ventral spines on tibiae I–II (three pairs) and eye arrangement (anterior row straight, posterior straight or gently procurved) are markedly different from the latter genera and suggest it might, in fact, be related to the Neotropical Neostasina, Pseudosparianthis, Sampaiosia and Sparianthis. Thus, until further phylogenetic studies are carried out, the position of the genus within the subfamily remains controversial.
The monophyly of the genus, on the other hand, seems to be well substantiated. As pointed out by Rheims & Alayón (2016), Sparassidae species are usually conservative and rarely deviate from the generic bauplan. Extraordinarius gen. nov. shows a combination of genitalic characters not found in any other Sparianthinae genera, such as the shape of the sclerotized conductor and tegular apophyses, the position of the median apophysis in the male palps and the general conformation of the internal duct system of the female vulva. I believe that these characters support the hypothesis of this being a distinguished lineage within Sparianthinae and even if new species are to be discovered in the future, they will probably show the same diagnostic features.
description: Published as part of Rheims, Cristina A., 2019, Extraordinarius gen. nov., a new genus of Sparianthinae spiders (Araneae: Sparassidae) from southeastern Brazil, pp. 83-99 in Zootaxa 4674 (1) on pages 84-85, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4674.1.4, http://zenodo.org/record/3458436