Syspira alayoni Sánchez-Ruiz & Santos & Brescovit & Bonaldo 2020, species nova

Syspira alayoni species nova

Figures 3A – C, 9, 10C

Types. Female holotype (MNHNSD 09.1624) from Loma El Curro (18°22'48.8"N – 71°01'35.2"W), 1379 m, Parque Nacional Sierra Martín García, Province Barahona, Dominican Republic, 30.V.2014, G. de los Santos. Female paratype (MNHNSD 09.1625), 31.VII–02.VIII.2013, P. Torres & G. de los Santos, other data as holotype.

Other material examined. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: Province Barahona, Parque Nacional Sierra Martín García, Loma El Curro (18°22'42.2"N – 70°01'21.8"W), 1323 m, 31.V.2014, F. Paz, P. Torres & G. de los Santos, 1♀, 3 juv (MNHNSD 09.1626).

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of the Cuban arachnologist Giraldo Alayón García.

Diagnosis. Females of S. alayoni sp. n. can be distinguished from other Hispaniolan species by the narrower dorsal median plate, 2.5 times longer than wide (Fig. 3B); other known species have it wider, 1.5 or less times longer than wide.

Description. Male: Unknown.

Female (holotype MNHNSD 09.1624): carapace orange with the two dark-gray paramedian bands (Fig. 10C). Chelicerae dark orange; labium, endites and sternum orange (dark orange towards the edges). Palp orange. Legs orange with no marked difference in the coloration of metatarsus and tarsus. Abdomen gray with three white longitudinal dorsal rows extending from the anterior part almost to the middle and then showing many white spots (Fig. 10C); ventrally yellow with gray spots. Total length 7.8, carapace length 3.4, width 2.8. Eye diameters: AME 0.12, ALE 0.14, PME 0.16, PLE 0.14. Chelicerae 1.5 long, with three promarginal and two retromarginal teeth. Leg femur length: I—2.6; II—2.4; III—2.3; IV—3.0. Palp: claw with three teeth (Fig. 3C); spination: patella p1; tibia p2 - 0 - 0, d0 - 0 - 1; tarsus v0 - 0 - 2 p2 - 1 - 0, r1 - 1 - 0, d1 - 0 - 0 (Fig. 3C). Leg spination: I—tibia v2 - 2 - 0, p0, r0, d0; metatarsus v2 - 0 - 0, p0, r0, d0; II—tibia v1 - 1 - 2, p0, r0, d0, metatarsus v2 - 0 - 0, p0, r0, d0; III—tibia v2 - 2 - 2, p1 - 1 - 0, r1 - 1 - 0, d1 - 1 - 0, metatarsus v1 - 2 - 1, p1 - 1 - 0, r1 - 1 - 1, d2 - 2 - 2; IV—tibia v2 - 2 - 2, p1 - 1 - 0, r1 - 1 - 0, d1 - 1 - 0, metatarsus v2 - 2 - 2, p1 - 1 - 1, r1 - 1 - 0, d2 - 2 - 2. Abdomen length 3.9. Epigynum: atrium wider than long, with a long and narrow dorsal median plate (Fig. 3B), with atrial lateral dorsal folds and an atrial hood not projected (Fig. 3A); anterior edges of posterior plates rounded and separated from each other (Fig. 3A); primary spermathecae coiled; secondary spermathecae globular and projected internally; fertilization ducts longer than spermathecae; L-shaped copulatory ducts (Fig. 3A – B).

Remarks. This species was collected in the cloud forest remnants at the top of Loma El Curro Mountain from Parque Nacional Sierra Martín García.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Barahona Province, Dominican Republic (Fig. 9).