Corresponding author: William A. Shear (
Academic editor: Dmitry Logunov
The genus Trilasma Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942 is reinstated for Mexican ortholasmatines, and Cladolasma Suzuki, 1963 is reinstated for two species from Japan and Thailand, Cladolasma parvula Suzuki, comb. n. and Cladolasma angka (Schwendinger & Gruber), comb. n. Eight new species in the subfamily Ortholasmatinae Shear & Gruber, 1983 are described, as follows: Ortholasma colossus sp. n. is from California, Trilasma tempestado sp. n., Trilasma hidalgo sp. n., Trilasma trispinosum sp. n., Trilasma ranchonuevo sp. n., Trilasma petersprousei sp. n. and Trilasma chipinquensis, sp. n. are from México, and Trilasma tropicum sp. n. from Honduras, the farthest south for a dyspnoan harvestman in the New World. A new distribution record for Martensolasma jocheni Shear 2006 is given. The recently described Upper Cretaceous amber fossil Halitherses grimaldii Giribet & Dunlop 2005 is not a member of the Ortholasmatinae, but is likely a troguloidean of an undiagnosed family.
The harvestman subfamily
Since 1983, there has been little activity in the study of these most unusual harvestmen, but a few years after the 1983 monograph’s publication,
Ortholasmatines have received some attention in studies of harvestman phylogeny.
The first Mexican species of ortholasmatine, previously Ortholasma (Trilasma) bolivari (Goodnight & Goodnight 1942), was placed by
I also describe in this paper a new Californian species from the Sierra Nevada, including Sequoia National Park.
Though
Ortholasmatines are the most southerly occurring members of the harvestman suborder Dyspnoi, which appears to be limited to the northern hemisphere. In many cases these harvestmen are clearly associated with boreal regions or relatively high elevations, and indeed such is the case with ortholasmatines, though they seem tolerant of drier habitats so long as temperatures are moderate to low. With the exception of
The cuticular ornamentation of
Giribet and Dunlop included
All the evidence suggests to me that
Two distinct types of palpal setae in the Dyspnoi, not necessarily homologous, have been confused in some recent literature, where both are referred to as “clavate” hairs or setae. In the superfamily
However, the palpal setae in some species of the superfamily
Details need to be examined before these setae are used further as characters in phylogenetic reconstructions. For example, both types of hairs appear to be absent at least in adults of the ischyropsalidoid genera
Several specimens of
Recently,
Measurements of the appendages of single specimens were taken from material temporarily mounted in glycerine on microscope slides, using a calibrated ocular micrometer in an Olympus BX-50 compound microscope. Lengths and widths of appendage segments were taken from their greatest lengths and greatest widths; length of first cheliceromere includes the apodeme, that of the second cheliceromere the fixed finger. Total leg lengths do not include coxae or trochanters, and are the summed lengths of the femora, patellae, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi. Body dimensions were measured under an Olympus SZH stereomicroscope, using an external scale and camera lucida attachment, and photomicrographs were taken using this microscope and a mounted Luminera Infinity 1 digital camera; photographs were manipulated for clarity in the programs PhotoShop and IPhoto. The animals in these photographs appear red or orange rather than their field color of brown or black because the use of transmitted light in taking the photographs enhanced the clarity of the keel cells, but incidentally produced the colors; removing the color results in less clarity.
Total length was measured from the distal tip of the median hood process to the posterior margin of the abdominal scute, excluding the extended keel tubercles; total width at the widest point of the body (usually near the posterior margin of the scute). Length of the median hood process was measured in dorsal view from the keel just posterior to the eye tubercle to the distal tip, and width was measured at the widest point. All measurements are in millimeters. Tarsal article counts vary, sometimes on the left and right sides of the same individual, but usually only by one or two articles. The counts given in the descriptions below should be taken as possibly varying by one or two in either direction.
Map coordinates and approximate elevations were obtained from Google Earth when the data did not appear on collection labels.
TMM Texas Memorial Museum
AMNH American Museum of Natural History
CAS California Academy of Sciences.
Family
Nemastomatid
1. | With a forward-projecting process on the eye tubercle, bearing elongate T-shaped tubercles laterally | 2 |
– | Without such a process, eye tubercle with small, blunt dorsal spine; Aguascalientes, Puebla, México | |
2. | Frontal border of the carapace with a single long process on either side of the eye tubercle | 3 |
– | Frontal border of the carapace with two or more such processes | 4 |
3. | Metapeltidium separated from both carapace and abdominal scutum; keel cells small, not in transverse rows; southern Japan and SE Asia | |
– | Metapeltidium fused to abdominal scutum, partially fused to carapace; keel cells larger, arranged in approximate transverse rows; northern Pacific coast of North America | |
4. | Dorsal hood process with median armed tubercles; scute with rows of small cells between rows of large ones; males without a gland on first cheliceromere; central and northwestern México to Honduras | |
– | Dorsal hood process without median armed tubercles; only large cells on scute; males with dorsal gland on first cheliceromere; western North America from southern California to northern British Columbia |
Martensolasma jocheni
Ortholasmatines lacking a median hood process on the eye tubercle and having a simple pattern of keel cells; scutum magnum present.
24 km north of Xicotepec de Juarez, 1070 m asl, oak forest litter, Puebla, México, collected 17 June 1983 by R. Anderson, male (AMNH).
This specimen is virtually identical to the holotype and paratype males from Aguascalientes, Aguascalientes, México, despite having been collected about 480 km (300 miles) east-southeast of there. The Aguascalientes type specimens came from a garden, and I speculated that they might have been introduced, but then only considered introductions from outside México. While it is possible (though unlikely) that the species has a natural range of this size, the Aguascalientes specimens could have been brought to that major urban center with garden plants from Puebla. Future collecting may solve the dilemma, and may also produce the presently unknown females.
Ortholasmatines with single lateral hood processes on each side of eye tubercle (two or more such processes in
In addition to the type,
Southern Japan; northern Thailand.
While the male of
With regard to
Ortholasmatines in which the median hood process arises rostrally and is distinctly spoon-shaped, widest past its midlength, and lacks a median, dorsal row of T-shaped tubercles (
As delimited here,
1. | Large animals, males 4.5 mm or longer, females 6 mm or longer; southern Sierra Nevada in Tulare and Kern Cos., California | |
– | Smaller animals, males less than 4 mm, females 4.5 mm or less | 2 |
2. | Leg femora banded, body with median light stripe; northern California north to Vancouver Island | |
– | Leg femora not banded, body uniform in color | 3 |
3. | Leg femora without false articulations; San Francisco Bay area | |
– | At least second femora with false articulations | 4 |
4. | All femora with false articulations; San Francisco Bay area south to Los Angeles, Sierra Nevada foothills, caves in higher Sierras | |
– | False articulations only in femora 2 and 4; southern California and Coronado Islands |
Male holotype and two female paratypes collected in Bear Den Cave, Sequoia National Park, Tulare Co., California, 1 May 2004, by J. Krejcaet al. deposited in California Academy of Sciences (CAS); male and female paratypes from same locality, collected 17–18 July 2003 by J. Krejca et al. deposited in Field Museum of Natural History (FMNH).
The notably larger size of the females distinguishes this species of
The species name, a Latin noun in apposition, refers to a gigantic statue, or by implication, anything outlandishly large for its type.
Male holotype: total length, 4.5, width, 2.25. Color uniform blackish brown, legs somewhat lighter brown. Carapace arcuate, about twice as wide as long, with complete lateral and posterior submarginal keels; median keels connect eye tubercle and innermost lateral hood process, lateral keels also arising on innermost lateral hood process. Two acute lateral hood processes each about half as long as median hood process. Circumocular keels absent, only subocular portion present. Median hood process arising dorsally on eye tubercle, length 1.6, width 1.0; bearing 24 lateral T-shaped tubercles, all connected. Metapeltidium free, complete keel along anterior margin. Scute 2.6 long, 2.25 wide. Pattern of scute keels typical, paired median scute spines low, scarcely standing above level of keels; posterior marginal keel with complete fenestrations (
Chelicerae (
Genital operculum broadly rounded, marginate, suture faintly indicated. Penis (
Female paratype: total length, 6.6, width, 4.2. Nonsexual characters as in male (
Appendage article measurements (mm) of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 1.10 | 0.76 | 0.70 | - | 0.52 |
Leg 1 | 1.90 | 0.60 | 1.10 | 1.10 | 1.10 |
Leg 2 | 4.00 | 0.75 | 3.50 | 2.50 | 1.20 |
Leg 3 | 1.90 | 0.40 | 2.00 | 0.90 | 1.10 |
Leg 4 | 3.20 | 1.00 | 3.00 | 1.30 | 1.20 |
All specimens deposited in CAS unless otherwise noted. CALIFORNIA: Fresno Co., 3 mi. south of Trimmer, 4 June 1967, under rhyolite in oak forest, T. Briggs, female (AMNH). Tulare Co., Johnsondale, Kern River, 4 July 1956, V. Roth, W. Gertsch, female (AMNH); Lost Soldier’s Cave, December 1977, A. Grubbs, female (AMNH); 21 July 2003, J. Krejcaet al., female, 23 July 2003, molt fragment, 9 November 2003, female; Lightening Cave, 30 June 1952, A. Lange, female (used for SEM; AMNH); Sequoia National Park, Ash Mtn., 26 April 1951, E. Schlinger, male (AMNH); Paradise Cave, 30 April 2004, J. Krejca et al., male, juveniles; Lange Cave, 6 May 2004, J. Krejca et al., male, 2 females, 6 May 2004, male, female, 7 May 2004, late instar juvenile; Carmoe Crevice, 5 July 2003, J. Krejcaet al., male; May’s Cave, 16 May 2004, J. Krejca et al., female, early juvenile; Hidden Cave, 15 November 2003, J. Krejca, V. Loftin, male; Highway 245, 14 mi. north of Woodlake, near Cottonwood Creek and Rattlesnake Creek confluence, 26 March 2009, M. Hedin et al., female (pictured alive and in the field in
Appendage article measurements (mm) of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 1.10 | 0.90 | 0.70 | - | 0.46 |
Leg 1 | 1.50 | 0.52 | 1.20 | 1.00 | 1.10 |
Leg 2 | 3.50 | 0.80 | 2.60 | 2.10 | 1.60 |
Leg 3 | 1.80 | 0.52 | 1.52 | 0.90 | 0.96 |
Leg 4 | 2.20 | 0.80 | 2.20 | 1.10 | 1.04 |
The preponderance of cave records is probably misleading; the species shows no signs of troglomorphosis and specimens from caves are nearly identical to the few surface-collected specimens. The cool, moist environment of caves probably attracts individuals (troglophily). Caves have been much more thoroughly collected than surface habitats, and in this case most of the records come from a biological survey of the caves of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The caves mentioned in the Distribution section are located on a map in
The size of the species, at least 50% longer than the next largest, is striking when seen side-by-side with congeners; only
Trilasma bolivari Goodnight & Goodnight, 1942, by monotypy. Of Ruaxphilos, Ruaxphilos petrunkevitchou Goodnight & Goodnight, 1945, by monotypy.
Ortholasmatines in which the median hood process arises dorsally, projects anteriorly in a shallow curve, and is parallel-sided or nearly so, with a dorsal row or rows of tubercles (spoon-shaped and lacking dorsal tubercles in
Scanning electron micrographs of
Scanning electron micrographs. 4–8
Sexual dimorphism in
The following characters seem to be useful in defining and separating the species of
While I am still certain that
Right chelicerae, mesal views. 10 Ortholasma colossus sp. n., male 11
Right palpi, lateral views. 20
Penes. 30, 31
1. | Troglomorphic facies, depigmented animals with reduced eyes and elongate legs and palpi; caves in Tamaulipas | |
– | Medium tan or dark brown to black animals with normal eyes | 2 |
2. | Two lateral hood processes | 4 |
– | Three lateral hood processes | 3 |
3. | Femora 2 and 4 of males each with a false articulations (females unknown); median hood process normally broad, with 5 or 6 dorsal tubercles; Tamaulipas | |
– | All femora of males with false articulations; median hood process extremely narrow, with only 1 or 2 dorsal tubercles; Veracruz | |
4. | Femur of second leg longer than or equal to scute length | 5 |
– | Femur of second leg shorter than scute | 6 |
5. | Fourth femur with two false articulations; second femur about as long as scute; Nuevo Léon | |
– | All femora without false articulations; second femur longer than scute; San Luis Potosí | |
6. | Fourth femur with a basal false articulation; Nuevo Léon | |
– | All femora lacking false articulations | 7 |
7. | Second metatarsus with two or three false articulations; Distrito Federal, Puebla and adjacent states | |
– | Second metatarsus without false articulations | 8 |
8. | Males about 3.0 mm long; about 15 dorsal tubercles on median hood process; Hidalgo, México | |
– | Males about 2.5 mm long; about 8 dorsal tubercles on median hood process; Honduras |
Male holotype (TMM) from Rancho Nuevo, Tamaulipas, México, collected 10 April 1982 by Terri Treacy.
Like
The species epithet, a noun in apposition, refers to the type locality.
Male holotype: total length, 2.7, width, 1.6. Color pale tan to yellowish brown. Carapace arcuate, about 1.5X as wide as long, with complete lateral and posterior submarginal keels; pair of median keels connecting eye tubercle and innermost lateral hood process, lateral keels arising both on innermost and middle lateral hood processes. Three blunt lateral hood processes each about one-half as long as median hood process. Circumocular keels suppressed, subocular portion vaguely indicated, eyes relatively large, bulging. Median hood process arising dorsally on eye tubercle, with nearly parallel sides, then converging distally, length 0.9, width 0.3; median keels of carapace continuing as rows of lateral tubercles on median hood process, about 18–20 lateral tubercles, linearly connected; 5 or 6 dorsal tubercles present, connected linearly to one another but not obviously to lateral tubercles. Metapeltidium free, complete keel along anterior margin, 6 tubercles posterior to keel, connected to it by single branch each. Scute 1.6 long, 1.6 wide. All keels relatively low. Small keel cells present only on areas 2–4, as single transverse rows of 6–8 cells. Paired median scute spines prominent, on areas 4, 5 larger than adjacent keel tubercles (
Chelicerae (
Genital operculum broadly rounded, marginate, notched. Penis (
Appendage article measurements of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 0.70 | 0.50 | 0.50 | - | 0.31 |
Leg 1 | 0.80 | 0.40 | 0.60 | 0.80 | 0.40 |
Leg 2 | 1.50 | 0.60 | 1.20 | 1.94 | 1.60 |
Leg 3 | 0.90 | 0.44 | 0.66 | 0.72 | 0.40 |
Leg 4 | 1.40 | 0.52 | 1.00 | 1.00 | 0.82 |
The male holotype of
Rancho Nuevo is in the Sierra Nevada Oriental in western Tamaulipas, near the Nuevo Léon border and about 22 miles northwest of Ciudad Victoria. Coordinates: 23°51'50.40N; 99°27'07.43W, elevation 8600’ (2650 m).While the region around Rancho Nuevo is famous for its caves, this specimen was collected on the surface and shows no signs of troglobiosis.
Female holotype, male and female paratypes (TMM) from Puerto del Aire, Veracruz, México, collected 6 January 1966 by J. Richter, in cloud forest oak litter.
Differing from all other
The species epithet refers to the three lateral hood processes.
Female holotype: total length, 2.6, width, 1.7. Color uniform chestnut brown, legs somewhat lighter brown, proximal parts of femora whitish yellow. Carapace arcuate, about 1.5X as wide as long, with complete lateral and posterior submarginal keels; pair of median keels connect eye tubercle and innermost lateral hood process, lateral keels also arising on innermost lateral hood process. Three blunt lateral hood processes each about one-fourth as long as median hood process. Circumocular keels absent, subocular portion vaguely indicated, eyes relatively large, bulging. Median hood process arising dorsally on eye tubercle, narrow, length 0.9, width 0.11; median keels of carapace continue as rows of reduced lateral tubercles on median hood process, about 18–20 lateral tubercles, linearly connected; only 2 or 3 dorsal tubercles present. Metapeltidium free, complete keel along anterior margin, 6 tubercles posterior to keel, connected to it by single branch each. Scute 1.5 long, 1.7 wide. All keels relatively low. Small keel cells of scute area 1 absent, small keel cell rows progressively wider posteriorly, widest on area 4; small cells of area 5 in two groups either side of midline. Paired median scute spines small, on areas 4, 5 no larger than adjacent keel tubercles (
Chelicerae (
Genital operculum broadly rounded, marginate, with suture. Ovipositor typical of subfamily.
Male paratype: total length, 2.3, width, 1.2. Nonsexual characters as in female, but dorsal ornament reduced, obscured in paratype by secretion; median hood process 0.79 long, 0.2 wide. Scute 1.2 long, 1.2 wide. Chelicera (
Scanning electron micrographs of female
Appendage article measurements of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 0.60 | 0.57 | 0.50 | - | 0.25 |
Leg 1 | 0.70 | 0.40 | 0.50 | 0.80 | 0.65 |
Leg 2 | 1.05 | 0.55 | 0.70 | 1.60 | 1.55 |
Leg 3 | 0.75 | 0.40 | 0.50 | 0.80 | 0.65 |
Leg 4 | 1.05 | 0.40 | 0.74 | 1.00 | 1.80 |
Appendage article measurements of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 0.65 | 0.51 | 0.49 | - | 0.30 |
Leg 1 | 0.78 | 0.40 | 0.50 | 0.80 | 0.74 |
Leg 2 | 1.18 | 0.44 | 0.74 | 1.70 | 1.70 |
Leg 3 | 0.80 | 0.38 | 0.60 | 0.74 | 0.80 |
Leg 4 | 1.10 | 0.46 | 0.80 | 1.30 | 1.30 |
This species is the most distinctive of all
Puerto del Aire is a small village west of the larger city of Acultzingo, Veracruz, and southeast of Morelos Canadá, Puebla, virtually at the Puebla-Veracruz border (18°42'13.5N; 97°21'29.6W). The elevation is about 2556 m (7500 ft.) asl.
Holotype female and male paratype (TMM) from Cueva de Polvo Tempestado, 1–2 km south of San Josecito, Nuevo Léon, México, collected 1 March 1989 by George Veni and Allan Cobb; female paratype (TMM) from Sótano de las Tres Ventanas, Purifacición area, Cuauhtémoc, Nuevo Léon, México, collected 29 November 1981 by Paul Fambro; male paratype (TMM) from Pozo de las Pantaletas, Santa Marta de Arriba, 20 km southeast of Zaragoza (UTM 433010/2656459), collected 26 November 1999 by Peter Sprouse. See Notes, below, for a detailed discussion of these localities.
A long-legged, pale species most similar to
Scanning electron micrographs of female
The species epithet is a noun in apposition, referring to the type locality.
Female holotype: total length, 2.6, width, 1.5. Color pale tan to yellowish brown. Carapace arcuate, about 1.5X as wide as long, with complete lateral and posterior submarginal keels; pair of median keels connecting eye tubercle and innermost lateral hood process, lateral keels arising both on innermost and middle lateral hood processes. Two blunt lateral hood processes each about one-third or less as long as median hood process. Circumocular keels suppressed, but subocular portion visible, eyes relatively small. Median hood process arising dorsally on eye tubercle, with nearly parallel sides, then converging distally, widest at about midlength, length 0.90, width 0.40; median keels of carapace continuing as rows of lateral tubercles on median hood process, about 20 lateral tubercles, linearly connected; 11–12 dorsal tubercles present, connected complexly to one another and to lateral tubercles. Metapeltidium free, complete keel along anterior margin, 4 tubercles posterior to keel, connected to it by single branch each. Scute 1.6 long, 1.5 wide. All keels relatively high. Small keel cells present on areas 1–5; area 1 with 3–4 small cells in midline, area 2 with about 10 small cells in transverse row less than ½ width of scute, area 3 with about 16 small cells in midline, area 4 with 20–23 small cells in transverse row about 2/3 width of scute, area 5 with two paramedian groups of 3–4 small cells. Paired median scute spines relatively prominent, on all areas distinctly larger than adjacent keel tubercles (
Chelicerae (
Genital operculum broadly rounded, separated from sternite by suture. Ovipositor typical of genus.
Male paratype: total length, 2.1, width, 1.3. Color uniform light chestnut brown. Nonsexual characters as in female (see
Appendage article measurements of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 0.80 | 0.65 | 0.56 | - | 0.34 |
Leg 1 | 1.10 | 0.40 | 0.70 | 1.12 | 1.00 |
Leg 2 | 2.00 | 0.60 | 1.50 | 2.90 | 1.80 |
Leg 3 | 1.12 | 0.40 | 0.80 | 1.16 | 1.00 |
Leg 4 | 1.70 | 0.40 | 1.28 | 1.50 | 1.24 |
Appendage article measurements of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 0.72 | 0.60 | 0.46 | - | 0.30 |
Leg 1 | 0.90 | 0.46 | 0.64 | 0.90 | 0.90 |
Leg 2 | 1.50 | 0.56 | 1.08 | 2.00 | 1.30 |
Leg 3 | 0.84 | 0.50 | 0.66 | 0.80 | 0.96 |
Leg 4 | 1.40 | 0.56 | 1.28 | 1.00 | 1.10 |
Like
Female holotype (TMM) from Hoya de las Guaguas, 10 km south of Aquismón, San Luis Potosí, México, collected 29 August 1986 by Peter Sprouse.
Trilasma petersprousei sp. n. is a long-legged species, with long, thin pedipalps. The high tarsal count of the holotype (6, 12, 6, 8) and the presence of 12 false articulations in the second metatarsi also distinguish it from other species.
Photographs of bodies, dorsal views. 46 male Trilasma petersprousei sp. n.47female
Photographs of bodies, dorsal views. 48 male Trilasma tempestado sp. n. 49 male
The species is named for the collector, Peter Sprouse of Zara Environmental, LLC, a noted explorer of Mexican caves who has collected many new species of troglobionts and troglophiles.
Female holotype: total length, 3.4, width, 1.9. Color pale tan to yellowish brown. Carapace arcuate, about 1.5X as wide as long, with complete lateral and posterior submarginal keels; pair of median keels connecting eye tubercle and innermost lateral hood process, lateral keels arising both on innermost and middle lateral hood processes. Two blunt lateral hood processes each about one-half as long as median hood process. Circumocular keels suppressed, but subocular portion obvious, eyes relatively large, bulging. Median hood process arising dorsally on eye tubercle, with nearly parallel sides, then converging distally, widest slightly beyond midlength, length 1.10, width 0.45; median keels of carapace continuing as rows of lateral tubercles on median hood process, about 20 lateral tubercles, linearly connected; about 15 dorsal tubercles present, connected complexly to one another and to lateral tubercles. Metapeltidium free, complete keel along anterior margin, 6 tubercles posterior to keel, connected to it by single branch each. Scute 1.8 long, 1.9 wide. All keels relatively low. Small keel cells present on areas 1–4; area 1 with 2–3 small cells in midline, area 2 with 4–6 small cells in transverse row less than ½ width of scute, area 3 with 5–6 small cells in midline, area 4 with 10–12 small cells in transverse row about ½ width of scute. Paired median scute spines not prominent, on areas 4, 5 only slightly larger than adjacent keel tubercles (
Chelicerae (
Genital operculum broadly rounded, separated from sternite by suture. Ovipositor typical of genus.
Appendage article measurements of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 1.00 | 0.86 | 0.70 | --- | 0.44 |
Leg 1 | 1.65 | 0.60 | 1.08 | 1.15 | 1.25 |
Leg 2 | 4.05 | 0.90 | 3.10 | 3.50 | 2.50 |
Leg 3 | 1.80 | 0.50 | 1.30 | 1.05 | 1.25 |
Leg 4 | 3.10 | 1.10 | 2.40 | 1.25 | 1.58 |
While
Hoya de las Guaguas (sometimes spelled Huahuas in Spanish) is an immense pit, 478 m (1565’) deep, developed in limestone of the Sierra Huasteca, and located at 21°31'56'N; 99°02'01.15W, about 460 m (1500’) asl. The entrance is large enough that sufficient light reaches the floor to sustain a plant community (P. Sprouse, pers. comm.).
Female holotype (AMNH) from Chipinque Mesa, Monterrey, Nuevo Léon, México, collected 24 June 1969 by Stewart B. Peck.
The paired median area tubercles are strongly developed in this species and project well above the level of the keels. Like trispinosum sp. n., there is a single false articulation in female femur 4, but trispinosum sp. n. has 3 lateral hood processes, while chipinquensis sp. n. has 2.
Photographs of bodies, dorsal views. 50 female
The species epithet, an adjective, refers to the type locality.
Female holotype: total length, 2.7, width, 1.5. Color dark brown, nearly black (possibly artifact of preservation). Carapace arcuate, about 1.5X as wide as long, with complete lateral and posterior submarginal keels; pair of median keels connecting eye tubercle and innermost lateral hood process, lateral keels arising both on innermost and middle lateral hood processes. Two blunt lateral hood processes each about one-half as long as median hood process. Circumocular keels strongly developed, but subocular portion easily seen in dorsal view, eyes relatively small. Median hood process arising dorsally on eye tubercle, with nearly parallel sides, only slightly converging distally, length 0.95, width 0.40; median keels of carapace continuing as rows of lateral tubercles on median hood process, about 16 lateral tubercles, linearly connected; about 6 dorsal tubercles present, connected in a single row to one another but not to lateral tubercles. Metapeltidium free, complete keel along anterior margin, 6 tubercles posterior to keel, connected to it by single branch each. Scute 1.7 long, 1.5 wide. All keels well elevated above dorsum. Small keel cells present on areas 2–4; areas 2, 3 with 5–8 small cells in midline, area 4 with 10–12 small cells in transverse row about 2/3 width of scute. Paired median scute spines prominent, on all areas significantly larger than adjacent keel tubercles, standing well above keels; pair of spines also present on metapeltidium (
Chelicerae (
Genital operculum broadly rounded, separated from sternite by suture. Ovipositor typical of genus.
Appendage article measurements of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 0.80 | 0.32 | 0.30 | --- | 0.40 |
Leg 1 | 1.00 | 0.40 | 0.64 | 1.20 | 0.96 |
Leg 2 | 1.80 | 0.60 | 1.10 | --- | --- |
Leg 3 | 1.00 | 0.46 | 1.00 | 1.20 | 1.00 |
Leg 4 | 1.52 | 0.50 | 1.00 | 1.40 | 1.20 |
The holotype female was mentioned and briefly described by
Chipinque Mesa is a ridge of the Sierra Madre Oriental overlooking the city of Monterrey, to the north. Approximate coordinates are 25°36'29.43N; 100°21'18W; elevation at the top of the ridge is 1524 m (5000’). Chipinque Mesa is now a part of the Parc Nacional Cumbre and is a popular sight-seeing destination for visitors to Monterrey. It is densely forested in pines.
I no longer include
I provide some new illustrations (
Scanning electron micrographs of female
Male holotype (TMM) from El Chico, Pachuco, Hidalgo, México, collected 1 January 1976, no collector named.
This species is closest to
The species epithet is a noun in apposition, referring to the Mexican state of Hidalgo.
Male holotype: total length, 3.2, width, 1.3. Color dark brown, nearly black. Carapace arcuate, about 1.5X as wide as long, with complete lateral and posterior submarginal keels; pair of median keels connecting eye tubercle and innermost lateral hood process, lateral keels arising both on innermost and middle lateral hood processes. Two blunt lateral hood processes each about one-third as long as median hood process. Circumocular keels strongly developed, subocular portion especially prominent. Median hood process arising dorsally on eye tubercle, widest point past midline of length, length 1.0, width 0.4; median keels of carapace continuing as rows of lateral tubercles on median hood process, about 30 lateral tubercles, linearly connected; about 15 dorsal tubercles present, connected in a single row to one another but not to lateral tubercles. Metapeltidium free, complete keel along anterior margin, 8 tubercles posterior to keel, connected to it by single branch each. Scute 1.3 long, 1.3 wide. All keels well elevated above dorsum. Small keel cells present on areas 2–5; area 2 with 5 or 6 small cells in single transverse row; area 3 with 10 to 12 small cells in single transverse row, but row is slightly wider than row on area 2; area 4 with two paramedian groups of 2 or 3 small cells each; area 5 similar, but only 1 or 2 small cells. Paired median scute spines prominent, significantly larger than adjacent keel tubercles on areas 2–5 (
Chelicerae (
Genital operculum broadly rounded, not separated from sternite by suture. Penis typical of genus (
Appendage article measurements of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 0.80 | 0.56 | 0.44 | --- | 0.37 |
Leg 1 | 1.10 | 0.60 | 0.80 | 0.70 | 0.78 |
Leg 2 | 2.00 | 0.70 | 1.70 | 1.60 | 1.44 |
Leg 3 | 1.10 | 0.56 | 0.90 | 0.65 | 0.80 |
Leg 4 | 1.60 | 0.60 | 1.60 | 0.90 | 1.00 |
“El Chico” doubtless refers to what is now Parque Nacional El Chico, located north of the city of Pachuca. The Parque is extensive but approximate coordinates are 20°12'26N; 98°43'52W; elevations within the park range from 2300–3090 m (7540–10131’) asl. The mountains are covered with a dense pine forest, with fir at the higher elevations.
Male holotype and female paratype from “Las Ventas, Honduras,” collected 11 February 1939 by R. V. Chamberlin (AMNH).
The short, relatively crassate legs and the extremely prominent subocular keels (
Scanning electron micrographs of female
The species epithet refers to the occurrence of the species in the Neotropics.
Male holotype: total length, 2.5, width, 1.4. Color uniform light chestnut brown, metatarsi and tarsi of legs 3, 4 whitish yellow. Nonsexual characters as in female (see
Chelicera (
Genital operculum broadly rounded, marginate, with two small, lateral notches. Penis typical (
Female paratype: The female paratype (
Chelicerae as described for male, but lacking dorsal protuberance on basal article, tooth on second article. Palpus (
Genital operculum broadly rounded, marginate, with suture.
Appendage article measurements of
Femur | Patella | Tibia | Metatarsus | Tarsus | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Palpus | 0.72 | 0.60 | 0.46 | --- | 0.30 |
Leg 1 | 0.90 | 0.46 | 0.64 | 0.90 | 0.90 |
Leg 2 | 1.50 | 0.56 | 1.08 | 2.00 | 1.30 |
Leg 3 | 0.84 | 0.50 | 0.66 | 0.80 | 0.96 |
Leg 4 | 1.40 | 0.56 | 1.28 | 1.00 | 1.10 |
I mounted the only female on an SEM stub under the impression there was a second female in the collection, but the second specimen turned out to be a male. Thus measurements of the appendages of the female became impossible, but there is no reason not to suspect that the typical sexual dimorphism in appendage lengths is characteristic of this species.
Las Ventas is not listed for Honduras by the U. S. Board on Geographical Names (http://geonames.nga.mil/ggmagaz), nor could it be found by Google Earth. There are four places named Las Ventanas and one called Las Ventanillas, scattered in four different departments of Honduras. There is a village of Las Ventas in El Salvador (13°35'58.55N; 88°21'00W; 365 m (1050’) asl) but it is in the central part of the country, not close to the border with Honduras. Otherwise the name evidently is not used for a populated place in Central America. The type locality is therefore in doubt, but because the collection was made 70 years ago, it is possible “Las Ventas” was in existence then in Honduras, having since disappeared from geographic databases, or the label is a lapsus for one of the Las Ventanas. In any case, if this species is really from Honduras, it occurs farther south than any New World dyspnoan, at approximately the same latitude as
I am grateful to Jean Krejca, Stewart Peck, James Reddell, Lorenzo Prendini and Darrell Ubick for loans of material, and to Fred Coyle for specimens of