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 ramosae Huber & Brescovit, 2003 Figs 74 , 80–83 Ibotyporanga ramosae Huber & Brescovit, 2003: 19 , figs 18–21 ( ♂ ). Diagnosis Males are distinguished from known congeners by strongly curved main branch of procursus ( Fig. 81A–C ; more than one entire turn; similar only in I. sertao sp. nov. ); from possibly closest relative ( I. imale sp. nov. ; according to molecular data, Fig. S2 ) also by shorter dorsal branch of procursus without bend. Females are externally possibly indistinguishable from putatively close relatives (species with a split procursus but without median sclerite in female internal genitalia: I. imale , I. guanambi sp. nov. , I. capivara sp. nov. , I. sertao ); I. capivara seems to have longer legs (tibia 1>1.4); I. sertao is distinguished by internal genitalia with distinct pair of convoluted tubes and by absence of large median expandable sac. Females of I. imale and I. guanambi may be morphologically indistinguishable from those of I. ramosae . Type material BRAZIL – Bahia • ♂ holotype ; São Desiderio , Gruta das Pedras Brilhantes ; 12.418° S , 45.075° W (see Remark below); 8 Jul. 2000 ; E.F. Ramos leg.; pitfall , caatinga; IBSP 28758 ; presumably lost – see section ‘On lost types’ above . New material examined BRAZIL – Bahia • 1 ♂ , without legs; São Desiderio , near Gruta da Passagem ; 12.4177° S , 45.0743° W ; 535 m a.s.l. ; 28 Aug. 2016 ; L.S. Carvalho and B.T. Faleiro leg.; CHNUFPI 3730 • 1 ♂ , very damaged; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 3742 • 1 ♀ , without legs; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 3728 • 1 ♀ (epigynum lost after clearing), 3 juvs; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 3748 • 1 ♀ , without legs; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 3794 • 1 ♀ , without legs; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 4195 • 1 ♀ ; same collection data as for preceding but inside Gruta da Passagem ; “Carv82”; CHNUFPI 3683 • 1 ♀ , without legs; same collection data as for preceding; CHNUFPI 3782 . Remark The coordinates of the type locality given in Huber & Brescovit (2003) are wrong. The exact coordinates are those given above. The specimens newly examined here are from a neighboring cave and its surrounding in the same outcrop, less than 100 m NE of Gruta das Pedras Brilhantes. Redescription of male (amendments, see Huber & Brescovit 2003 ) Measurements of male in CHNUFPI 3730: carapace width 0.72; chelicerae width: 0.30; distance PME– PME 60 µm; diameter PME 70 µm; distance PME–ALE 25 µm; distance AME–AME 15 µm; diameter AME 45 µm; sternum width/ length: 0.47/0.42. Clypeus modified as usual in genus. Sternum with very low humps near coxae 1, not different from those in females. Tibia 1 in male in CHNUFPI 3742: 0.92; Fig. 80. Ibotyporanga ramosae Huber & Brescovit, 2003 , male from Brazil, Bahia, São Desiderio, near Gruta da Passagem, CHNUFPI 3730. Left palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Scale line: 0.3 mm. with numerous short vertical hairs on tibia 1. Palp as in Fig. 80 ; palpal femur retrolateral process distinct, not directed towards distal; femur-patella joints not shifted to one side; patella dorsally barely longer than medially wide; tibia-tarsus joints slightly shifted toward retrolateral side; procursus ( Fig. 81A–C ) main branch subdistally a wide band, one side sclerotized, other side membranous; dorsal branch of procursus much shorter than main branch, slender and weakly curved; genital bulb ( Fig. 81D–F ) with distinct prolateral sclerite on bulbous part, embolus with slender prolateral ridge. Fig. 81. Ibotyporanga ramosae Huber & Brescovit, 2003 , male from Brazil, Bahia, São Desiderio, near Gruta da Passagem, CHNUFPI 3730. A–C . Left tarsus and procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. D–F . Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Abbreviation: db =dorsal branch of procursus. Scale lines: 0.2 mm. Fig. 82. Ibotyporanga ramosae Huber & Brescovit, 2003 . A–B . Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views, male holotype from Brazil, Bahia, São Desiderio, Gruta das Pedras Brilhantes (adapted from Huber & Brescovit 2003 ). C . Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view (asterisk: expandable membranous sac not drawn, cf. Fig. 83D), female from Bahia, São Desiderio, near Gruta da Passagem, CHNUFPI 3683. Scale lines: 0.2 mm. Description of female In general, similar to male but slightly darker, carapace also laterally sometimes with darker bands; clypeus unmodified; tibia 1 with few short vertical hairs; tibia 1 length in two females : 1.20, 1.23. Epigynum ( Fig. 83A–B ) anterior plate trapezoidal, posterior margin almost straight, anteriorly with weakly curved, shallow pocket; posterior plate relatively small. Internal genitalia ( Fig. 83C–F ) with pair of narrow pore plates laterally on curved membranous arc and very transparent and variably large anterior expandable membranous sac, possibly with lateral compartments or pouches. Distribution Known from type locality and neighboring area only, in Bahia , Brazil ( Fig. 74 ). Natural history The spiders were found under rocks of a secondary arboreous caatinga, inside and outside arenitic caves. The region is altered by cattle and grazing, decreasing habitat quality. One egg sac had a diameter of 2.0, was slightly flattened, and contained about 25 embryos.