Anyphaena natachae Rivera-Quiroz & Álvarez-Padilla 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Rivera-Quiroz, F. Andrés
name: Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Anyphaenidae
Anyphaena
Anyphaena natachae

description: Anyphaena natachae sp. nov.
urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: AA547563-9B11-4AF3-BFEA-0738DBB895D4
Figs 1A–C, 3–5, 52
Differential diagnosis
Males of A. natachae sp. nov. have the RTA posterior branch single and cone-shaped, the anterior RTA branch rectangular with a curved apical margin (Figs 4C–D, 5C–D). Both RTA branches are similar to those of A. hespar Platnick, 1974 (Platnick & Lau 1975: figs 39–40), A.wanlessi Platnick & Lau, 1975 (Platnick & Lau 1975: figs 103–104) and A. inferens Chamberlin, 1925 (Brescovit 1997: figs 7–8, 11– 13), but differ from these species by the ventral tegular projection tip being flat and squared, the slightly curved median apophysis, and the retrolateral tegular projection margin not overlapping the median apophysis (Figs 4A–D, 5A, D). Females of this species are differentiated from those of A. inferens (Platnick & Lau 1975: figs 115–116; Brescovit 1992: figs 1–2, 1997: figs 9–10) by the acute posterior edge of the epigynal midpiece and the atrium lateral borders being longer and less curved (Figs 4E–F, 5E–F).
Etymology
The species epithet is dedicated to Natacha Merritt, friend of the authors and a taxonomy supporter.
Material examined
Holotype MEXICO • ♀; Veracruz, Calcahualco, Xamaticpac, Plot II; 19.12614° N, 97.06708° W; alt. 1700 m; 4–17 Feb. 2014; Arcanolab team leg.; oak and tropical wet forest fragment; LUP; CNAN-T01532.
Allotype MEXICO • ♂; same locality as for holotype; 2–11 Oct. 2013; BEAT; CNAN-T01516.
Paratypes MEXICO • 2 ♀♀, 1 ♂; same collection data as for allotype; CNAN-T01562.
Additional material
MEXICO • 1 ♂; Veracruz, Calcahualco, Xamaticpac, Plot I; 19.14172° N, 97.20597° W; alt. 1710 m; 19–27 Apr. 2013; Arcanolab team leg.; oak and tropical wet forest fragment; LUP • 19 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 2–11 Oct. 2013; BEAT • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; ANYM067 • 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; ANYM068 • 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; ANYM072 • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; CRP • 5 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; LUP • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 4–17 Feb. 2014; BEAT • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; CRP • 1 ♀; Xamaticpac, Plot II; 19.12614° N, 97.06708° W; alt. 1700 m; 19–27 Apr. 2013; Aracnolab team leg.; oak and tropical wet forest fragment; LUP • 21 ♀♀, 2 ♂♂; same collection data as for preceding; 2–11 Oct. 2013; BEAT • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; ANYM071 • 1 ♂, expanded palp; same collection data as for preceding; PXF302 • 3 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; LUP • 4 ♀♀; same collection data as for preceding; 4–17 Feb. 2014; LUP
Description
Female
Total length 4.88. Carapace light yellow, pattern with light brown longitudinal marks over the ocular quadrangle, same pattern but darker delineating cephalic area and center, two dark longitudinal bands from ocular quadrangle lateral sides, around thoracic area and carapace margins, clypeus light yellow (Fig. 3A, D). Sternum yellow, darker at margins, intercoxal triangles present on all legs. Labium brown, white at tip, longer than wide. Endites dark yellow, rectangular, slightly broader at tip (Fig. 3C). Chelicerae darker than cephalothorax, paturon dorsal surface with brown reticulated pattern (Fig. 3D), promargin with four teeth, retromargin with seven to eight denticles. Leg coloration: light yellow with scattered brown patches irregularly distributed from femora to tarsi (Fig. 3A–C). Abdomen light yellow, homogenously covered with brown patches concentrated in transverse chevrons over posterior central line, ventral surface with clear rectangle and dark longitudinal midline cut by tracheal spiracle at center of abdomen (Fig. 3A–C). Epigynum atrium longer than wide, delineated by slightly curved sclerotized borders. Hood elliptical, wider than long. Midpiece same width as hood, rectangular, posterior half tapering. Copulatory openings inside atrium posterior margins. Copulatory ducts hook-shaped, entering posterior margins of spermathecae. Fertilization ducts entering spermathecae dorsal to copulatory ducts. Seminal receptacles curved and near posterior atrium border (Figs 4E–F, 5E–F). Cephalothorax length 2.23, thoracic width 1.61, cephalic width 1.12. Clypeus height 0.09. Eye diameters: AME 0.09, ALE 0.12, PME 0.12, PLE 0.12. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.09, AME–ALE 0.04, ALE–PLE 0.09, PME–PME 0.17, PME–PLE 0.11. Femur lengths: I 1.71, II 1.63, III 1.41, IV 1.83. Leg spination: femur I d1-1-1, p0-0-2, r0-0-1. Tibia I v3-2-2, p1-1-1, r1-1-1. Metatarsus I v2-2-0, p1-1-1, r1-1-1. Femur II d1-1-1, p0-0-1, r0-0-1. Tibia II v2-2-1, p1-1-1, r1-1-1. Metatarsus II v2-2-0, p1-1-1, r1-1-1. Femur III d1-1-1, p0-0-1, r0-0-1. Tibia III v1-1-2, p1-1-0, r1-1-0. Metatarsus III v2-2-2, p1-1-2, r1-1-2. Femur IV d1-1-1, p0-0-1, r0-0-1. Tibia IV v1-1-2, p1-1-0, r1-1-0. Metatarsus IV v1-1-2, p1-1-2, r1-1-2.
Male
Total length 4.68. Cephalothorax and abdomen reticulated patterns as in female, coloration dark brown (Fig. 3E). All coxae covered with scattered setae (Fig. 3F). Chelicerae promargin with six teeth, retromargin with eight to nine denticles. Pedipalp ventral tegular projection straight, tip roughly rectangular (Figs 1A, 4A–B, 5A–B). Prolateral tegular projection curved and surrounding ventral tegular projection (Figs 1A–B, 4A–B, 5A–B). Retrolateral tegular projection enclosing other two tegular apophyses, ventral margin straight (Figs 1A–B, 4A, D, 5A, D). Median apophysis slightly curved and projected apically (Figs 4A, 5A). Embolus black, thicker than median apophysis, and coiling towards apex (Figs 1A–B, 4A, 5A). RTA anterior branch flat, curved and longer than wide, RTA posterior branch single, spine-shaped and located at base (Figs 4C–D, 5A, C–D). Prolateral apophysis absent (Figs 4B– C, 5 BC). Pedipalp tibia slightly longer than wide, ventral surface with large white tubercle at base (Figs 4A–D, 5A–D). Cephalothorax length 2.26, thoracic width 1.71, cephalic width 0.93. Clypeus height 0.07. Eye diameters: AME 0.09, ALE 0.12, PME 0.11, PLE 0.12. Eye interdistances: AME– AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–PLE 0.06, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.8. Femur lengths: I 2.37, II 2.15, III 1.78, IV 2.29. Leg spination as in female.
Variation
Females (N =10): total length 4.69 (± 0.5), cephalothorax length 2.15 (±0.07), thoracic width 1.57 (± 0.05), cephalic width 1.07 (± 0.05), femur I 1.69 (± 0.04). Males (N=10): total length 4.44 (± 0.19), cephalothorax length 2.15 (±0.09), thoracic width 1.67 (± 0.05), cephalic width 0.91 (± 0.03), femur I 2.23 (± 0.09).
Distribution
This species is found in oak mixed with tropical wet forest fragments around Pico de Orizaba Volcano National Park (Fig. 52).
Natural history
Most specimens were collected over vegetation by direct searching or with a beating tray. This species is present year-round.
description: Published as part of Rivera-Quiroz, F. Andrés & Álvarez-Padilla, Fernando, 2023, Integration or minimalism: twenty-one new species of ghost spiders (Anyphaenidae: Anyphaena) from Mexico, pp. 1-94 in European Journal of Taxonomy 865 on pages 9-13, DOI: 10.5852/ejt.2023.865.2097, http://zenodo.org/record/7867448