Nops variabilis Keyserling 1877
Creators: name: Sánchez-Ruiz, Alexander
name: Brescovit, Antonio D.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2018
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Caponiidae
Nops
Nops variabilis

description: Nops variabilis Keyserling, 1877
Figure 71G‒L; 74A‒F
Nops variabilis Keyserling, 1877: 218, pl. 7, fig. 8. Male and female syntypes from New Granada (today city of Bogotá), Colombia, E. Keyserling (NHM 1890.7.1.492, only the female in the vial; examined). Hasselt, 1887: 85, pl. 6, figs 8–9. Berland, 1913: 85, pl. 7, fig. 11.
Remarks. Male syntype was not examined and may be lost. Fortunately specimens from Paramo de Monserrate, a locality on the outskirts of the city of Bogotá (type locality) can be assigned to this species.
Additional material examined. COLOMBIA: Bogotá: Páramo de Monserrate (4°36′21″N, 74°2′23″W), Bogotá, 1968‒1969, H. Sturm, 1♂ 1♀ 2 immature (AMNH). Ditto, 3200 m, 28.xii.1967, Espel grandifl, 1♀ 2 immatures (AMNH). Cundinamarca: Páramo de Monserrate, 7 Km NE Bogotá (4°15′N, 74°01′W) 3230 m, 30.ix.1989, H. Sturm, 1 immature (MCZ 12 8509). 15 km E Bogotá, 3300 m, 16.iii.1974, L & N Herman, 1♀ (AMNH). Choschi Rd., 3300 m, 19.vii.1967, P & B Wygodzinsky, 1 immature (AMNH). VENEZUELA: Mérida: Páramo La Culata, 18.5 km NE Mérida, (08°44′34″N, 71°03′44″W), 2950 m, 25.v.1998, R. Anderson, dead leaves under Espeletia schultzi, 1 immature (AMNH). Tachira: Páramo La Negra, 15 Km SE Pueblo Hondo (08°14′50″N, 71°52′31″W), 2910 m, 27.v.1998, R. Anderson, dead leaves under Espeletia sp., 1♀ (AMNH).
Diagnosis. Males and females resemble similar congener Nops quito, which have a similar abdominal pattern as in figure 6K, and the posterior unpaired claws small (Fig. 5C); but can be distinguished by having the PLS of equal size as the PMS similar to the figure 7C‒D.
Description. Male (Bogotá, AMNH): Carapace, chelicerae and legs light orange, coxae and trochanters lighter (Fig. 74A). Endites, labium and sternum light orange. Abdomen light gray, dorsal pattern as in figure 6K, lighter ventrally. Anal tubercle and spinnerets light gray. Total length 8.9. Carapace 5.5 long, 3.6 wide. Sternum 4.4 long, 3.2 wide. Leg measurements: I: 3.9; II: 3.75; III: 3.5; IV: 4.0. Posterior unpaired claws small, as in other three‒clawed spiders (Fig. 5C). PLS of equal size as PMS. Palp with straight embolus, not twisted and shorter than palpal tibia (Figs 71H‒I; 74B‒C); embolar tip with a small cut on prolateral side and one short extensions (Fig. 71H‒I).
Female (Bogotá, AMNH): Carapace, chelicerae, labium, coxae, legs, endites and sternum as in male. Abdomen as in male (Fig. 74D). Anal tubercle and spinnerets whitish yellow. Total length 9.5. Carapace 5.9 long, 4.2 wide. Sternum 4.95 long, 3.8 wide. Leg measurements: I: 4.2; II: 4.1; III: 3.7; IV: 4.35. Posterior unpaired claws (Fig. 71L) and PLS as in male. External genital area with slightly sclerotized anterior plate, and lep, unremarkable ess (Fig. 74E). Internal genitalia with wide invagination on receptaculum and uterus externus with narrow base (Figs 71J; 74F).
Natural history. Specimens from AMNH were collected with Barber pitfall traps.
Distribution. Known from Venezuela and Colombia (Fig. 57G).
description: Published as part of Sánchez-Ruiz, Alexander & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2018, A revision of the Neotropical spider genus Nops MacLeay (Araneae: Caponiidae) with the first phylogenetic hypothesis for the Nopinae genera, pp. 1-121 in Zootaxa 4427 (1) on page 107, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4427.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/1271779