Sparianthis megalopalpa Rheims 2020, comb. nov.
Creators: name: Rheims, Cristina A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2020
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Sparassidae
Sparianthis
Sparianthis megalopalpa

description: Sparianthis megalopalpa (Caporiacco, 1954) comb. nov.
Figs 109–116, 143
Pseudosparianthis megalopalpus Caporiacco, 1954: 127, figs 34, 34a
(Holotype ³, French Guyana, Lower Oyapock River, 1900, Geay leg., MNHN, not located, not examined). World Spider Catalog 2020.
Additional material examined. ECUADOR: Orellana: 1³, Tiputini Biodiversity Station, near Yasuni National Park (Erwin Transect T/1 Sta. 1) (-0.6319, -76.1442), 22 October 1998, T. L. Erwin et al. leg. (USNM); 1³, same locality as previous specimen, 21 October 1998, same collector as previous specimen (USNM); 1³, same locality as previous specimen, 7 February 1999, same collector as previous specimen (USNM); 1³, Reserva Etnica Waorani (Transect Ent. 1km S Onkone Camp, 216.3 m) (-0.6571, -76.4530), 3 October 1996, T. L. Erwin et al. leg. (USNM); 1³, same locality as previous specimen, 4 October 1996, same collector as previous specimen (USNM). FRENCH GUIANA: Cayenne: 1³, Kourou, Piste de Compagnons [5.1167, -52.7000], 2009-2011, V. Vedel leg. (MNHN).
Diagnosis. Males of S. megalopalpa resemble those of S. boraris sp. nov. by the palp with mRTA as large as vRTA and larger than dRTA (Figs 28, 116). They are distinguished from the latter species by vRTA single branched, conical and mRTA bifid, with two truncated branches in retrolateral view (vRTA bifid, with one branch short and blunt and the other longer and conical, and mRTA long, pointed in ventral view and rectangular in retrolateral view in S. boraris sp. nov.) (Figs 115–116). They are additionally distinguished from all species of the genus in having a TBE with apical projection long, cylindrical, widening at tip, and with sub-apical prong-like projection (Figs 115–116).
Redescription. Male (USNM): Coloration generally brown. Prosoma brown, darker at eye area; fovea dark brown; eye borders black. Chelicerae, legs and pedipalps lighter than prosoma. Labium and endites pale brown, distally lighter. Sternum pale brown with slightly darker margins. Opisthosoma pale gray, with no distinct pattern; ventral muscle sigilla inconspicuous (Figs 109–110). Total length: 6.7. Prosoma: 2.7 long, 2.5 wide. Opisthosoma: 3.7 long, 1.6 wide. Eyes: diameters: 0.20, 0.14, 0.10, 0.16; interdistances: 0.12, 0.02, 0.26, 0.18, 0.10, 0.04. Legs (2143): I: 17.5 (5.0, 2.2, 4.6, 4.6, 1.1); II: 18.4 (5.5, 2.2, 4.8, 4.7, 1.2); III: 14.3 (4.3, 1.7, 3.5, 3.8, 1.0); IV: 16.6 (4.7, 1.6, 3.9, 4.9, 1.5). Spination follows the generic pattern, except tibia I: p1-0-0; d0; v3-2-2; tibia II: d0, v3-2-2; tibiae III–IV: d0-0-1; metatarsi I–II: v2-2-2. Metatarsus III–IV with ventral distal preening combs. Palp: tibia with prolateral spines long; tegulum retro-proximally indented, without retro-proximal protrusion; TBC keel-like, retrolateral part protruding distally; embolus slender, bent retrolaterally at distal margin of alveolus (Figs 111–116).
Female: unknown.
Variation. Males (n = 5): total length 6.3–7.2; prosoma length: 2.5–2.9; femur I length 2.8–3.1.
Distribution. Known from eastern Ecuador and French Guiana (Fig. 143).
description: Published as part of Rheims, Cristina A., 2020, Revision of the spider genus Sparianthis Simon, 1880 (Araneae, Sparassidae Sparianthinae), pp. 151-191 in Zootaxa 4890 (2) on pages 181-182, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4890.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/4301730