Bolostromus epiphyticus Dupérré 2023, new species

Bolostromus epiphyticus new species

Fig. 37–43, map. 2

Type material. Female holotype from Ecuador, Cotopaxi Province, Pristirana Natural Reserve, San Francisco de las Pampas (-00.42414 -78.95719) 1485m, 7 Nov. 2015, N. Dupérré, E.E. Tapia, C. Tapia (QCAZ). Allotype: 1J from Ecuador, Pichincha province, Unión del Toachi (-00.31383 -78. 95441) 880m, 23 Nov. 2013, malaise trap, G. Onore (QCAZ). Paratypes: same data as holotype: 5♀, 7 Nov. 2013 (QCAZ, ZMH-A0001794, A0001802, A0001819); 1♀, August 2013 (ZMH-A0002718); 1♀, August–Sept. 2012 (ZMH-A0001801); 1♀, June–August 2014 (ZMH-A0001804); 1♀, Oct. 2014 (ZMH-A0001814); 1♀, Dec. 2014 (ZMH-A0001800). Pichincha province: 1J, Unión del Toachi (-00.31383 -78. 95441) 880m, 1.XII.2020, hand collected, G. Onore (ZMH-A0019761). Cotopaxi Province, 1♀, San Francisco de las Pampas, Pristirana Natural Reserve (-00.424351 -78.959237) 1521m, 15 May 2021, hand collecting beating epiphytes, Faml. Tapia Caisaguano (ZMH-A0014891); 1♀, 27 Feb. 2021, hand collecting beating epiphytes, Faml. Tapia Caisaguano (ZMH-A0014890).

Additional material: ECUADOR: Cotopaxi Province: San Francisco de las Pampas, Pristirana Natural Reserve (-00.42414 -78.95719) 1480m, 4 juv., 24 Nov. 2019, hand collected at base of epiphytes, Faml. Tapia Caisaguano (DTC); 1 juv., May 2014 (ZMH-A001816); 1 juv., 7 Nov. 2015 (ZMH-A001808); Pichincha province: Unión del Toachi (-00.32207 -78.950968) 850m, 3 juv., 1.XII.2020, hand collected, G. Onore (DTC).

Etymology. The specific name is from the Latin epiphyticus (epiphytes) and refers to the habitat where female specimens have been collected.

Diagnosis. Females most resemble B. busu n. sp. and B. fauna, but are distinguished from most species by the longitudinal black bands on legs I–II (Fig. 40A, B); from the latter species by their elongated spermathecae, with external lobes (Fig. 40C, D), shorter spermathecae with internally positioned lobed in B. busu n. sp. (Fig. 12E) and B. fauna (Fig. 17C). Male most resemble B. nischki n. sp. and B. fonsecai n. sp. but are distinguished from both species by the longitudinal black bands on legs I–II (Fig. 42D); from B. nischki n. sp. by their elongated, straight palpal tibia (Fig. 43A, B), shorter in the latter (Fig. 46A, B); from B. fonsecai n. sp. by their heavily spined tibiae I (Fig. 42D) the latter with only five small spines on tibia I (Fig. 63D).

Description. Female (holotype): Total length: 16.06; carapace length: 7.38; carapace width: 5.41; carapace: 4.06; abdomen length: 8.68. CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace almost rectangular but wider anteriorly, margin sinuous; pars cephalica dark reddish-brown, smooth; pars thoracica slightly lighter reddish-brown smooth; cephalic groove well defined, pit present medially; fovea broad, procurved (Fig. 38A); caput strongly elevate (Fig. 38C). Clypeus height: 0.53. Sternum elongated 4.01/2.86, dark brown apico-laterally, lighter brown medio-basally, reticulated; posterior sigillae oval, median and anterior sigillae rounded (Fig. 38B). Labium dark reddish-brown without cuspule, elongated. Endites quadrangle, dark reddish-brown with 23 cuspules; serrula not observed. Chelicerae dark reddish-brown; promargin eight teeth and 17 denticles; rastrellum with 20 spines. EYES: AME: 0.27; ALE: 0.34; PLE: 0.15; PME: 0.12; interdistances: AME: 0.23; AME-ALE: 0.18; PME: 1.04; PME-PLE: 0.1; LE: 0.29; ocular quadrangle: 1.52/1.76/0.66. ABDOMEN: Oval, uniformly dark gray dorsally and ventrally (Fig. 37A, B). Spinnerets: median spinnerets: 0.81; lateral spinnerets: 1.11/0.93/1.1. LEGS: Leg I, femur with black mark apico-retrolaterally and prolaterally; patellae with black longitudinal band prolaterally; tibiae and metatarsi with black band prolaterally and retrolaterally; tarsi uniformly yellow; leg II, femur with black mark apico-retrolaterally and prolaterally; patellae, tibia and metatarsi with diffused black longitudinal band prolaterally; leg III–IV without a pattern, uniformly yellow. Coxae I–II with inner short stiff setae. Metatarsi I, II with thick, half scopulae; tarsi I–II with thick complete scopulae (Fig. 40A); III–IV no scopulae; palpal tarsi with thick apical scopula. Tarsal claw teeth (9/6) (7/6) (4-5/5) (3/4-5). LEGS MEASUREMENTS: I 16.96 (5.06/2.57/3.61/3.33/2.39); II 15.24 (4.55/2.54/ 3.32/2.7/2.13); III 10. 55 (3.19/1.96/1.80/1.97/1.63); IV 16.08 (4.87/2.43/3.80/3.27/1.71); leg formula: 1423. LEGS SPINATION: femur I-III (0); IV with 15 grouped pro-apical spines; patellae I, II, IV (0); III with 10p, 2r; tibia I, IV (0); II 1vap; III 1v, 2vap, 3p, 1d, 1r; metatarsus I 1-1v, 2vap; II 1-1-1-1v, 3vap; III 2p, 2-2-2-2d, 2r, 2-2-1v, 3vap; IV 3r, 2-2-1-2-1-1v, 3vap; tarsus I, II (0); III 14v; IV 12v. GENITALIA: Spermathecae elongated with small (right side) rounded external lobe and elongated, narrow external lobe (left side) (Fig. 40C).

Male (allotype): Total length: 8.94; carapace length: 4.48; carapace width: 3.51; carapace height: 2.01; abdomen length: 4.46. CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace elongated hexagonal margin sinuous; pars cephalica dark brown, rugose; pars thoracica lighter brown, rugose; cephalic groove well defined, with pit shallow medially; fovea broad, procurved (Fig. 42A); caput highly elevated; ocular quadrangle on mound (Fig. 42C). Clypeus height: 0.16. Sternum 2.49/1.58, dark brown, lineate, posterior sigillae oval, median and anterior rounded (Fig. 42B). Labium elongated, reddish-brown without cuspule. Endites reddish-brown with nine small, inner cuspules; serrula present. Chelicerae dark reddish-brown; promargin nine teeth and 13 denticles; rastrellum with eight spines. EYES: AME: 0.27; ALE: 0.23; PLE: 0.18; PME: 0.04; interdistances: AME: 0.09; AME-ALE: 0.06; PME: 0.65; PME-PLE: 0.07; LE: 0.12; ocular quadrangle: 1.13/1.10/0.43. ABDOMEN: Oval; dorsally and ventrally dark gray (Fig. 41A, B). Spinnerets: median spinnerets: 0.41; lateral spinnerets: 0.77/0.63/0.84. LEGS: Leg I, femur with black mark apico-retrolaterally and prolaterally; patella with black longitudinal band prolaterally; tibia and metatarsi with black band prolaterally and retrolaterally; tarsi uniformly yellow; leg II, femur with black mark apico-retrolaterally and prolaterally; patellae, tibia and metatarsi with diffused black longitudinal band prolaterally; leg III–IV without a pattern, uniformly yellow. Coxae I –II with short stiff setae interiorly (Fig. 42B, arrow). Tibia I with large curved megaspine (Fig. 42D, arrow); metatarsi I curved with thin, apical scopulae; tarsi I with full scopulae (Fig. 42D); leg II metatarsi with short apical scopulae, tarsi with full scopulae; leg III–IV without scopulae. Tarsal claw teeth (10/8) (9/8) (6/7) (7/7). LEGS MEASUREMENTS: leg I 16.68 (4.52/2.04/3.75/4.04/2.33); II 14.07 (3.97/1.53/3. 33/3.32/1.92); III 9.52 (2.78/1.09/1.70/2.54/1.41); IV 14.20 (3.86/1.28/3.82/3.52/1.72); leg formula: 1423. LEGS SPINATION: femur I–II (0); III 1-1 d; IV 1-1 - 1-1 d, 11 grouped pro-apical spines; patellae I, II, IV (0); III with 8p, 2d, 1r; tibia I 1-1-2-1-1-2v; 2r; 3p; II 1-1 - 1-1 -2-1v; 3vap; 2p; III 2 p, 1d, 1-1v; 2vap; IV 2 vap; metatarsus I 1, 1vap; II 1-1 - 2-1 v, 3vap; III 1 p, 2-2-2d, 2-2v, 3vap; IV 2-1 - 1-2 -1, 3vap; tarsus I, II (0); III 1-1 - 2 v; IV 2-2 - 2-1 - 2v. GENITALIA: Palp measurements: 3.25/1.17/2.78/0.89; bulb: 0.99/0.38. Palp: tibia with diffuse black band retrolaterally; straight; cymbium with seven apical spines apically (Fig. 43A, B); bulb globose; embolus long, slightly sinuous apically (Fig. 43 C–E).

Distribution. Ecuador, Cotopaxi and Pichincha Provinces.

Natural history. Females specimens were collected by hand, or beating the base of epiphytes from trees at 1485m in a low evergreen mountain forest. Male specimens were hand collected or found in a Malaise trap, 11km away in an evergreen foothill forest between 850– 880m. The match of the two sexes is based on size, coloration (leg I with black longitudinal bands), and the presence of stiff setae of coxae I, II.