Diamonds in the rough: Ibotyporanga (Araneae, Pholcidae) spiders in semi-arid Neotropical environments Author Huber, Bernhard A. 33607F65-19BF-4DC9-94FD-4BB88CED455F Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, LIB, Bonn, Germany. b.huber@leibniz-lib.de Author Meng, Guanliang 7E8C41F8-77BB-468F-BE9A-D3F1DFCA1E4E Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig, LIB, Bonn, Germany. G.Meng@leibniz-lib.de Author Král, Jiří E836F3B5-D704-4EEC-966A-0C4F1FAD324B Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. spider@natur.cuni.cz Author Ávila Herrera, Ivalú M. E3687584-7F64-450D-9492-BE0DD4864AD6 Department of Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. avilai@natur.cuni.cz Author Carvalho, Leonardo S. 28AA7D67-3C9D-495E-8C17-33D35F1A0FAC Campus Amílcar Ferreira Sobral, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Floriano, Piauí, Brazil. carvalho@ufpi.edu.br text European Journal of Taxonomy 2024 2024-10-18 963 1 169 https://europeanjournaloftaxonomy.eu/index.php/ejt/article/download/2687/12427 journal article 10.5852/ejt.2024.963.2687 2118-9773 13963130 BA331360-A678-4233-A7CC-7308EF8B6D7E Ibotyporanga naideae Mello-Leitão, 1944 Figs 55C–D , 60–64 , 132 ; SEM Figs 3E–F , 4D , 6C , 7B , 8A–B , 10D , 11E–F , 13C , 14C , 15F , 18F , 19D, H , 20C, F , 21C, F Ibotyporanga naideae Mello-Leitão 1944: 6 ( ♀ ). Ibotyporanga naideae – Huber 2000: 94 , figs 38–39, 60, 78, 104, 109, 128, 174, 357–366 ( ♂ ♀ ). — Carvalho & Avelino 2010: 6 . — Astrin et al. 2007 : table 1 (molecular data). Diagnosis Males are easily distinguished from most known congeners (except I. kanoe sp. nov. and I. diroa ) by long and slender procursus without dorsal branch ( Fig. 62A–C ); from I. kanoe and I. diroa by long cheliceral apophysis directed upwards ( Fig. 63A–D ) and by details of genital bulb: strongly developed retrolateral tubercles ( Fig. 11E–F ) and tip of embolus with small pointed dorsal process (arrow in Fig. 62F ); from I. diroa also distinguished by presence of prolateral process proximally on procursus (arrow in Fig. 62B ) and by very short and indistinct prolateral sclerite on bulbous part of genital bulb ( Fig. 62D ). Females differ from known congeners by relatively long and narrow epigynum with very indistinct, weakly curved anterior pocket ( Fig. 64A–C ); from most congeners (except I. sertao sp. nov. ) also by pair of long tubes in internal genitalia ( Figs 63F–H , 64G–H ) (present but much shorter in the similar I. kanoe ). Fig. 60. Known geographic distributions of Brazilian species of Ibotyporanga Mello-Leitão, 1944 with a long procursus without a dorsal branch. A . I. naideae Mello-Leitão, 1944 ; TL=type locality; “?” =assignment uncertain (see text). The three operational groups of I. naideae mentioned in the text are circled and numbered, and representative male chelicerae are shown for each group (all at same scale, cf. Fig. 63). Lower right: tibia 1 lengths in all measured males and females of the three operational species groups (for details see text). B . I. kanoe and I. diroa . Abbreviations:AM =Amazonas; BA=Bahia; MG =Minas Gerais; MS =Mato Grosso do Sul; MT=Mato Grosso; PA=Pará; RO= Rondônia. Remark We found considerable variation among specimens from different localities, concerning mainly size (body size, leg length, male palp and female epigynum size) and the length of the male cheliceral apophysis (see Variation below). Some of this variation may indicate species limits. We do not split this species for several reasons. First, in its current circumscription, the species is easily diagnosable by numerous morphological details, especially when males are available. A split into two or more species would currently result in poorly diagnosable species. Second, topotypical males are not available. The males from Maranhão listed below are from localities more than 600 km from the type locality in Pará . Third, while there are quite substantial differences between the extremes, i.e., between the most northern ( Maranhão ) and most southern ( Mato Grosso do Sul ) specimens, our limited sample of intermediate localities suggests that this may be a clinal, continuous variation. We thus suggest that this species should not be split until more data become available, in particular: (1) topotypical males; (2) samples from further localities in poorly sampled regions like Mato Grosso and Goiás ; (3) molecular sequence data from specimens across the entire geographic range. Type material BRAZIL – Pará • 4 ♀♀ , syntypes ; [Belém], Aurá ; 1.41° S , 48.39° W ; ~ 20 m a.s.l. ; date unknown; Leitão Carvalho leg.; MNRJ 1532 (examined by BAH in 1999; probably lost – see section ‘On lost types’ above) . New material examined BRAZIL – Pará • 1 ♀ ; Almeirim , Reserva Genética do Pacanari , Monte Dourado ; 0.6359° S , 52.5672° W ; 25 Oct. 2001 ; J.A.P. Barreiros leg.; MPEG 1634 • 1 ♀ ; Belém , Bosque Rodrigues Alves ; 1.4303° S , 48.4562° W ; 25 Oct. 2001 ; J.A.P. Barreiros leg.; MPEG 11208 • 1 ♀ ; same locality and collector as for preceding; 22 Feb. 2003 ; MPEG 11209 . – Maranhão • 1 ♂ , 1 ♀ ; Carolina , Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Mansinha , near headquarters; 7.1357° S , 47.4351° W ; 290 m a.s.l. ; 23 Aug. 2022 ; L.S. Carvalho leg.; CHNUFPI 4205 • 2 ♀♀ ; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 4200 , 4206 • 1 ♀ , 7 juvs; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 4203 • 1 ♀ ; Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Mansinha ; 7.1262° S , 47.4440° W ; 315 m a.s.l. ; 22 Aug. 2022 ; L.S. Carvalho leg.; CHNUFPI 4194 • 1 ♂ ; Aldeias Altas , Riacho Curva , 2.5 km from bridge over Riacho Limpeza ; 4.6618° S , 43.4411° W ; 100 m a.s.l. ; 11 Dec. 2021 ; G.S. Lustosa et al. leg.; CHNUFPI 4207 • 2 ♂♂ , 1 ♀ ; Caxias , Campus da Universidade Estadual do Maranhão ; 4.8658° S , 43.3550° W ; ~ 100 m a.s.l. ; 2007; F. Limeira leg.; IBSP 122457 • 2 ♂♂ ; Caxias , Reserva Ecológica Inhamum ; 4.8917° S , 43.4147° W ; 16–20 Sep. 2007 ; J.F.B. Lima-Lobato et al. leg.; IBSP 122455 • 1 ♂ ; same locality and collector as for preceding; 20–23 Sep. 2007 ; IBSP 122456 • 2 ♂♂ ; same locality as for preceding; 2–5 Oct. 2007 ; J.F.B. Lima-Lobato & F. Limeira de Oliveira leg.; IBSP 129096 • 1 ♂ ; same locality as for preceding; 2 Oct. 2007 ; J.F.B. Lima-Lobato leg.; IBSP 130973 • 2 ♂♂ ; same locality and collector as for preceding; 23–26 Apr. 2007 ; IBSP 130975 • 1 ♂ ; same collection data as for preceding; IBSP 130977 • 1 ♂ ; same locality and collector as for preceding; 2 Oct. 2007 ; IBSP 131045 • 1 ♂ ; Caxias , Riacho Favaca , Garrafas village ; 4.9044° S , 43.3009° W ; 80 m a.s.l. ; 27 Dec. 2021 ; G.S. Lustosa et al. leg.; CHNUFPI 4201 • 1 ♂ ; Barão de Grajaú , road to Povoado Manga , babaçu palm gallery forest ; 6.7456° S , 43.3179° W ; 160 m a.s.l. ; 23 Jul. 2023 ; L.S. Carvalho et al. leg.; CHNUFPI 5062 . – Piauí • 1 ♂ , 1 ♀ , 1 juv. ; Floriano , Fazenda do Colégio Técnico de Floriano, at Rio Parnaíba ; 6.7592° S , 43.0550° W ; 110 m a.s.l. ; 18 Dec. 2019 ; L.S. Carvalho et al. leg.; CHNUFPI 4042 • 1 ♀ ; same locality as for preceding; 6.7596° S , 43.0557° W ; 105 m a.s.l. ; 22 Jul. 2023 ; CHNUFPI 5048 • 1 ♂ ; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 5061 • 1 ♂ ; Floriano , Bairro Meladão , in house; 6.7831° S , 43.0367° W ; 17 Nov. 2013 ; L.S. Carvalho leg.; CHNUFPI 1169 • 1 ♂ ; same locality and collector as for preceding; 1 Apr. 2013 ; CHNUFPI 4187 • 1 ♀ ; União , near Usina Comvap Ltda ; 4.8477° S , 42.8486° W ; 85 m a.s.l. ; 2007; J. Queiroz et al. leg.; CHNUFPI 5055 • 1 ♂ ; Parnaiba , Distrito de Irrigação de Tabuleiros Litorâneos do Piauí – DITALPI ; 3.0123° S , 41.7968° W ; 30 m a.s.l. ; 5 May 2012 ; M. Vaz leg.; CHNUFPI 1002 . – Bahia • 7 ♂♂ , 16 ♀♀ ; SE of Jacobina , ‘site 1’; 11.2205° S , 40.4787° W ; 520 m a.s.l. ; 28 Nov. 2022 ; B.A. Huber and A.S. Michelotto leg.; CHNUFPI 5894–5895 • 2 ♂♂ , 3 ♀♀ ; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 9030 [deposited in ZFMK Ar 24357] • 2 ♂♂ , 5 ♀♀ , in pure ethanol; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 5896 [deposited in ZFMK Br22-236; 1 ♂, 1 ♀ used for SEM] • 1 juv. , in pure ethanol, identity confirmed by CO1 barcode; S of Contendas do Sincorá ; 13.7826° S , 41.0507° W ; 320 m a.s.l. ; hillside with shrubby caatinga woodland on sandy soil; 11 Nov. 2022 ; B.A. Huber and L.S. Carvalho leg.; CHNUFPI 5897 [deposited in ZFMK Br22-153] . – Distrito Federal • 1 ♂ ; Brasília ; 15.7975° S , 47.8919° W ; 28 May 2011 ; P.C. Motta leg.; DZUNB 6652 • 1 ♂ , 1 ♀ ; Sobradinho , near road DF 425 , Condomínio Fraternidade ; 15.6638° S , 47.8365° W ; 18 Mar. 2013 ; P.C. Motta leg.; DZUNB 6966 . – Goiás • 5 ♂♂ , 9 ♀♀ ; Caldas Novas , Parque Estadual da Serra de Caldas Novas ; 17.8083° S , 48.7000° W ; 1 Nov. 2014 ; P.C. Motta leg.; DZUNB 7522 • 3 ♂♂ , 1 ♀ ; same locality and collector as for preceding; 24 Apr. 2015 ; DZUNB 7788 . – Minas Gerais • 2 ♀♀ ; Itaobim , roadside of BR 111 ; 16.5061° S , 41.5089° W ; 270 m a.s.l. ; 9 Apr. 2015 ; L.S. Carvalho leg.; CHNUFPI 3774 , 4199 • 1 ♂ ; Prudente de Morais , Fazenda do Sapé, road MG-424 ; 19.500° S , 44.117° W ; 850 m a.s.l. ; 2 Jun 2001 ; E.S.S. Álvares leg.; UFMG 6068 • 2 ♂♂ , 11 ♀♀ ; same locality and collector as for preceding; Nov. 2001 ; IBSP 56007 • 1 ♂ , 1 ♀ , 1 juv. ; Santana do Riacho , Cardeal Mota , Serra do Cipó ; 19.3377° S , 43.6385° W ; 805 m a.s.l. ; 17 Jul. 2012 ; P.H. Martins et al. leg.; UFMG 12586 • 1 ♂ ; Belo Horizonte , Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais , Laboratório de Aracnologia ; 19.8683° S , 43.9658° W ; 820 m a.s.l. ; 1 Nov. 2015 ; L.S. Carvalho leg.; CHNUFPI 1679 • 1 ♂ ; same locality as for preceding; A.J. Santos leg.; UFMG 17235 • 1 ♂ ; Belo Horizonte , Parque Municipal das Mangabeiras ; 19.9541° S , 43.9053° W ; 5–12 Dec. 2008 ; H.H. Santos et al. leg.; UFMG 7958 • 1 ♂ ; Brumadinho , trail to Cachoeira das Ostras ; 20.0947° S , 44.0154° W ; 985 m a.s.l. ; 5 Jul. 2015 ; P.H. Martins and L.S. Carvalho leg.; CHNUFPI 3971 • 1 ♂ , 2 ♀♀ ; Brumadinho , Monumento Natural Serra da Calçada ; 20.0971° S , 44.0279° W ; 5 Jul. 2015 ; P.H. Martins et. al. leg.; UFMG 18323 • 1 ♂ ; Ouro Preto , Floresta Estadual Uaimii ; 20.2966° S , 43.5747° W ; 1010 m a.s.l. ; 8 Jan. 2016 ; A. Anker and P.H. Martins leg.; CHNUFPI 3960 . – São Paulo • 3 ♂♂ , in pure ethanol; Campinas , in building; 22.9° S , 47.1° W ; ~ 600– 700 m a.s.l. ; Mar. 2004 ; A. Santos ; ZFMK G117 . – Mato Grosso do Sul • 2 ♂♂ ; Corumbá , Morro do Azeite ; 19.4833° S , 57.3167° W ; Aug. 1998 ; J. Raizer et al . leg.; IBSP 38728 • 2 ♂♂ , 7 ♀♀ ; Corumbá , Hotel Passo do Lontra ; 19.5747° S , 57.0378° W ; Apr. 1998 ; J. Razier et al. leg.; IBSP 21973 • 1 ♂ ; Três Lagoas , Horto Barra do Moeda ; 20.950° S , 51.783° W ; Jan. 2009 ; M. Uehara-Prado leg.; UFMG 5099 • 1 ♂ ; same locality and collector as for preceding; Nov. 2008 ; UFMG 5144 • 4 ♂♂ ; Porto Murtinho , Terra Indígena Kadiwéu , collecting point “8B”; 20.473° S , 56.998° W ; 200 m a.s.l. ; 21 Jun.–17 Dec. 2021 ; B.A. Arrua and V.A. Nacagava leg.; CHNUFPI 5075 , 5076, 5077, 5082 • 1 ♀ ; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 5079 • 2 ♀♀ ; Terra Indígena Kadiwéu , collecting point “7B”; 20.465° S , 56.992° W ; 175 m a.s.l. ; 21 Jun. 2021 – 15 Feb. 2022 ; B.A. Arrua and V.A. Nacagava leg.; CHNUFPI 5070 , 5078 • 1 ♂ ; Terra Indígena Kadiwéu , collecting point “6B”; 20.461° S , 56.990° W ; 180 m a.s.l. ; 21 Jun. 2021 ; B.A. Arrua and V.A. Nacagava leg.; CHNUFPI 5084 • 3 ♂♂ ; Terra Indígena Kadiwéu , collecting point “6A”; 20.459° S , 56.983° W ; 200 m a.s.l. ; 21 Jun. 2021 – 15 Feb. 2022 ; B.A. Arrua and V.A. Nacagava leg.; CHNUFPI 5085 , 5086, 5087 • 2 ♂♂ ; Terra Indígena Kadiwéu , collecting point “2”; 20.441° S , 56.996° W ; 180 m a.s.l. ; 25 Oct. 2021 ; B.A. Arrua and V.A. Nacagava leg.; CHNUFPI 5069 , 5071 • 2 ♂♂ ; Terra Indígena Kadiwéu , collecting point “3”; 20.438° S , 57.004° W ; 170 m a.s.l. ; 21 Jun. 2021 ; B.A. Arrua and V.A. Nacagava leg.; CHNUFPI 5072 , 5074 • 2 ♀♀ ; same locality and collector as for preceding; 17 Dec. 2021 – 15 Feb. 2022 ; CHNUFPI 5073 , 5080 • 1 ♂ ; Terra Indígena Kadiwéu , collecting point “4B”; 20.437° S , 57.028° W ; 160 m a.s.l. ; 17 Dec. 2021 ; B.A. Arrua and V.A. Nacagava leg.; CHNUFPI 5081 • 1 ♂ ; Terra Indígena Kadiwéu , collecting point “10”; 20.404° S , 57.060° W ; 160 m a.s.l. ; 21 Jun. 2021 ; B.A. Arrua and V.A. Nacagava leg.; CHNUFPI 5083 • 3 ♂♂ , 1 ♀ ; Dois Irmãos do Buriti , Piraputanga , Fazenda Correntes II ; 20.45° S , 55.50° W ; 16–26 Feb. 2008 ; R. Bessi leg.; IBSP 128742 • 2 ♂♂ , 8 ♀♀ ; Brasilândia , Usina Hidrelétrica Sérgio Motta ; 22.4781° S , 52.9581° W ; 11–21 Oct. 2001 ; IBSP team leg.; IBSP 31603 . Fig. 61. Ibotyporanga naideae Mello-Leitão, 1944 , male from Brazil, Bahia, SE of Jacobina, ZFMK Ar 24357. Left palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Scale line: 0.3 mm. Fig. 62. Ibotyporanga naideae Mello-Leitão, 1944 , male from Brazil, Bahia, SE of Jacobina, ZFMK Ar 24357. A–C . Left tarsus and procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views (arrow: distinctive prolateral process proximally on procursus). D–F . Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views (bold arrow: distinctive apophysis on embolus). Abbreviation: ps= prolateral sclerite. Scale lines: 0.2 mm. Fig. 63. Ibotyporanga naideae Mello-Leitão, 1944 . A–B . Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views, male from Brazil, Bahia, SE of Jacobina, ZFMK Ar 24357. C–D . Male chelicerae, lateral views, males from Mato Grosso do Sul, Terra Indígena Kadiwéu (C), CHNUFPI 5071, and from Maranhão, Reserva Mansinha (D), CHNUFPI 4205; all chelicerae at same scale. E . Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view, female from Maranhão, Reserva Mansinha, CHNUFPI 4206. F . Left tube in female internal genitalia, female from Maranhão, Reserva Mansinha, CHNUFPI 4205. G–H . Tubes in female internal genitalia, same specimen as in E. Scale lines: A–E=0.3 mm; F–H=0.1 mm. Fig. 64. Ibotyporanga naideae Mello-Leitão, 1944 . A–C . Abdomens, ventral views, females from Brazil, Bahia, SE of Jacobina (A–B at same scale, ZFMK Ar 24357) and from Maranhão, Reserva Mansinha (C), CHNUFPI 4205. D–E . Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views, same specimen as in A. F . Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view, same specimen as in B. G–H . Posterior part of cleared female genitalia, dorsal views, females from Maranhão, Reserva Mansinha, CHNUFPI 4206 (G) and CHNUFPI 4205 (H). Scale lines: 0.3 mm. PARAGUAY – Boquerón • 1 ♂ ; “Enciso” (Teniente Agripino Enciso National Park) , “T89.15.0 r1”; 21.2030° S , 61.6591° W ; 255 m a.s.l. ; 4 Nov. 2001 ; M. Leponce leg.; IRSNB . Redescription Male ( Bahia ; ZFMK Ar 24357) MEASUREMENTS . Total body length 2.3, carapace width 0.90. Distance PME–PME 75 µm; diameter PME 75 µm; distance PME–ALE 30 µm; distance AME–AME 10 µm; diameter AME 60 µm. Leg 1: 4.99 (1.33+0.32 +1.27 +1.60 + 0.47), tibia 2: 1.05, tibia 3: 0.95, tibia 4: 1.37; tibia 1 L/d: 11; diameters of leg femora 0.21–0.22, of leg tibiae 0.10–0.11. COLOUR (in ethanol). Prosoma and legs mostly ochre-yellow, carapace medially and ocular area slightly darker brown, legs with darker rings on femora (subdistally) and tibiae (proximally and subdistally); abdomen gray with many darker internal marks dorsally and laterally; ventrally with distinct light brown plates in front of gonopore and in front of spinnerets. BODY . Habitus as in Fig. 55C . Ocular area slightly raised. Carapace with distinct but shallow thoracic groove. Clypeus with sclerotized rim with median notch. Sternum wider than long (0.62/0.50), with pair of low and indistinct anterior processes near coxae 1. Abdomen globular; gonopore with four epiandrous spigots in two groups ( Fig. 4D ); spinnerets as in congeners ( Figs 6C , 8A ). CHELICERAE . As in Fig. 63A–B ; width 0.35; with very long median frontal apophysis directed upwards in proximal half; stridulatory files ( Fig. 10D ) fine but clearly visible in dissecting microscope. PALPS . As in Fig. 61 ; coxa unmodified; trochanter with distinct ventral protrusion; femur proximally with distinct retrolateral process slightly directed toward distal, with prolateral stridulatory pick, distally widened but unmodified; femur-patella joints and tibia-tarsus joints not shifted toward one side; patella dorsally approximately as long as medially wide; tarsus with small capsulate tarsal organ ( Fig. 13C ), without dorsal process; procursus ( Fig. 62A–C ) proximally wide and with prolateral process, distal part very long and slender, curved towards dorsal and lateral, with narrow but distinct light prolateral band; genital bulb ( Fig. 62D–F ) with very short and indistinct prolateral sclerite on bulbous part and strongly developed retrolateral tubercles on bulbous part ( Fig. 11E–F ); tip of embolus with small pointed dorsal apophysis. LEGS . Without spines but with longer hairs ventrally on femora; without curved hairs; with several rows of short vertical hairs on tibia 1; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 59%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1; tarsus 1 with ~4–5 pseudosegments, distally fairly distinct. Variation (male) Here, we divide the available specimens into three operational groups ( Fig. 60A ), without implying that these groups are ‘natural’: a northern group (Maranhão, Piauí, Tocantins) with the largest specimens, an intermediate eastern group (Bahia, Minas Gerais, São Paulo), and a southern group (Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraguay ) with the smallest specimens. Tibia 1 in 16 males of northern group: 1.50–2.20 (mean 1.82); in 16 males of eastern group: 1.20–1.52 (mean 1.35); in 13 males of southern group: 1.10–1.30 (mean 1.17). Cheliceral apophysis length in males of northern group: 0.41–0.44; eastern group: 0.32– 0.38; southern group: 0.25–0.27. Genital bulb length in northern group: 0.55–0.60; eastern group: 0.46– 0.57; southern group: 0.42–0.45. Palpal tibia diameter in northern group: 0.26–0.30; eastern group: 0.24–0.28; southern group: 0.21–0.23. Apart from size variation, the course of the distal part of the procursus seems to be quite consistent within localities but variable among localities. However, this variation is difficult to assess, mainly because small differences in the angle of view result in very different images of the course. Also, the somewhat angular course in males from Bahia shown in Fig. 62A–C becomes more evenly rounded when the palp is slightly compressed by a cover slide (as was done for fig. 360 in Huber 2000 ). However, a more evenly curved procursus was also observed among the males newly examined herein (e.g., in males from Floriano, Piauí ). Female In general, similar to male ( Fig. 55D ); clypeus unmodified; tibia 1 with few short vertical hairs. Epigynum ( Fig. 64A–C ) anterior plate trapezoidal, relatively long, posterior margin almost straight, anteriorly with weakly curved, shallow pocket. Internal genitalia ( Figs 63E , 64D–F ) with heavily sclerotized median structure, with pair of relatively large, weakly sclerotized pore plates, and pair of convoluted ducts ( Figs 63F–H , 64G–H ) originating laterally from membranous transversal structure and leading into widened terminal sacs. Course of convoluted ducts apparently consistent across localities, but the original course is easily affected by the process of preparation. Median sclerotized structure apparently variable among sites: newly cleared female from near type locality (MPEG 11208) resembles drawing of syntype in Huber (2000 : fig. 364; anterior round element, posterior widening), while cleared specimens from Maranhão and Bahia appear slightly different ( Fig. 64D–H ; anterior round element indistinct or absent; not or barely widening posteriorly). Size variation similar to that in males: tibia 1 in 18 females of northern group: 1.67–2.23 (mean 1.96); in 22 females of eastern group: 1.40–1.70 (mean 1.52); in five females of southern group: 1.20–1.27 (mean 1.24); in three syntypes from Pará ( Huber 2000 ): 1.61–1.77. Epigynum proportions (length/width) fairly consistent across groups, but narrower anteriorly in eastern group than in other groups. Epigynum width in northern group: 0.52–0.64; eastern group: 0.48–0.60; southern group: 0.40–0.44. Epigynum length in northern group: 0.52–0.62; eastern group: 0.48–0.54; southern group: 0.40–0.48. Distribution This species has a wide distribution in the Cerrado and Caatinga biomes of Brazil ( Fig. 60A ). The records from Amazonas and Mato Grosso in Huber (2000) are based on females only, i.e., on possibly misidentified specimens. This is also true for the single female specimen from Almeirim ( Pará ) listed above. Natural history This species has been collected repeatedly in artificial habitats, suggesting that it has been spreading with humans. In Floriano ( Piauí ), Belo Horizonte ( Minas Gerais ), and Campinas ( São Paulo ), specimens were collected inside buildings. Near Jacobina (Bahia) , the species was extremely abundant in a pile of rocks for construction dumped at the roadside; the microhabitat was shared with Mesabolivar spinulosus (Mello-Leitão, 1939) and the introduced Physocyclus globosus . At Reserva Mansinha ( Maranhão ), the spiders were collected among tiles and bricks in a Cerrado sensu stricto area, but no specimen was collected in natural environments. At other sites in Maranhão , specimens were collected with beating tray in the understory vegetation of riparian zones in the Cerrado biome, a microhabitat shared with several other Pholcidae species.