Mesilla vittiventris Simon 1903

Mesilla vittiventris Simon, 1903 Figures 3A–H, 4.

Mesilla vittiventris Simon 1903:30 (Female holotype from Cayembe, Pichincha, Ecuador, deposited in MNHN 20286, examined).

Diagnosis. Males of Mesilla vittiventris Simon, 1903 can be distinguished by their very long, thin cymbium; a long median apophysis distally erected and single, extremely short retrolateral tibial apophysis (Figs 3 C–E). Females are characterized by the epigynum with long, wide lateral borders, curved inward and with a septum; a long atrium and small seminal receptacles situated on the anterior third of the copulatory ducts (Figs 3G, H).

Note. Brescovit (1997) illustrated the internal genitalia of the Mesilla vittiventris type specimen. That epigynum, being detached from the abdomen and suffering from dissection, did not present the copulatory ducts, only fertilization ducts (Brescovit 1997, fig. 151). Here, new illustrations of the well preserved epigynal plate of the Colombian specimen belonging to this species are included.

Description. Male. (ICN–Ar 9696). Carapace yellowish. Chelicerae brown, labium and endites brown. Sternum reddish-brown. Legs yellow. Abdomen dorsally grayish; ventrally yellow. Spinnerets yellow (Fig. 3A). Total length 7.12, carapace length 2.49, width 1.99, high 0.68. Clypeus height 0.15. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.10, ALE 0.18, PME 0.2, PLE 0.21; AME–AME 0.23, AME–ALE 0.35, PME–PME 0.48, PME–PLE 0.38, ALE–PLE 0.43. Chelicerae 1.72 long, distal large retromarginal teeth, six promarginal teeth, six retromarginal denticle Leg I—femur 6.13/ patella 0.86/ tibia 7.08/ metatarsus 6.82/ tarsus 1.87/ total 22.76; II—5.77/ 0.81/ 6.68/ 6.59/ 1.85/ 21.7; III—3.3/ 0.81/ 2.63/ 3.54/ 1.17/ 11.45; IV—4.42/ 0.73/ 4.77/ 6.31/ 1.55/ 17.78. Leg spination (Fig. 3F): I—II d1-1-0-0-0, v2-2-2-2-2, p0, metatarsus p1-0-0-0-0; III—tibia v0-2-2-0-0, p0-1-1-0-0, r1-1-1-1-0, metatarsus v2-0-0-2-0; IV—tibia v1-1-1-2-1, metatarsus v1-0-1-1-1, p0-2-0-1-2. Abdomen, twice the length of carapace, length 4.61, epigastric furrow 0.68 from tracheal spiracle, spiracle 2.93 from base of spinnerets. Palp: retrolateral tibial apophysis very small, apically sharpened; cymbium shorter than tibia; subtegulum inconspicuous; tegulum longer than wide; median apophysis very long, sinuous and apically inserted; embolus long, basally inserted on the tegulum, apically filiform, with narrow base (Figs 3 C–E).

Female. Described by Brescovit (1997), figs 150-151. Complementary description: Dorsal body as in Fig. 3B. Epigynum: lateral borders sclerotized, parallel and wide; atrium long; internally with short, wide copulatory ducts; seminal receptacles small and medially situated on the copulatory ducts; spermathecae large, oval, posteriorly positioned; fertilization ducts as long as the spermathecae (Figs 3G, H).

Variation. Males (n=3): total length: 7.03–8.20; carapace length: 2.05–2.71; femur I length: 6.13–6.66.

Distribution. Known from Colombia and Ecuador (Fig. 4; Brescovit 1997: 65).

Material examined. Three males from surroundings of the entrance of the Reserva Natural Río Ñambí, (1°17′4.38″N; 78°5′18.24″W), 1179 m, Vereda Altaquer, Barbacoas, Nariño, Colombia, 5.VII.2017, W. Galvis leg. (ICN-Ar 9696 [m#1], ICN-Ar 10644 [m#2]). Female from Alto del Mirador (2°58′0″N, 78°11′0″W), 180m, Parque Nacional Natural Gorgona, Cauca, Colombia, 30.XI.2000, H. Torrez leg. (ICN-Ar 6271).