The six-eyed sand spiders of the genus Sicarius (Araneae: Haplogynae: Sicariidae) from the Brazilian Caatinga
Author
Magalhães, Ivan L. F.
Author
Brescovit, Antonio D.
Author
Santos, Adalberto J.
text
Zootaxa
2013
3599
2
101
135
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.248572
41b713af-5f0d-46bd-b6a3-4bc2e32b0c56
1175-5326
248572
9412439A-C8E1-4FA6-B51A-D9169A50970C
Sicarius ornatus
new species
Figs 20
; 29–31;39–40; 104–123; 130–133; 140–141; 148–149; 163–165; 166
Type
material.
Male
holotype
from Milagres, Bahia,
Brazil
(
12°54'54.2''S
39°51'27.9''W
),
I/2011
, M.A. Ulisséa
coll.,
deposited in
IBSP
161102
.
Paratypes
: same collecting data, 13 (
IBSP
161098
), 13 (
IBSP
161100
), 13 (
IBSP
161102
);
12
–
16/VI/2010
, 13 (
IBSP
161085
), 13 (
MPEG
ARA
19207), 13 (
UFMG
11039) 1Ƥ (
UFMG
11042), 13 (
IBSP
161088
), 1Ƥ (
IBSP
161089
), 13 (
MNRJ
6524), 23 (
IBSP
161091
), 13 (
IBSP
161092
), 13 (
IBSP
161093
), 13 (
IBSP
161094
), 13 (
MZSP
48989), 13 (
IBSP
161096
), 13 (
IBSP
161097
);
28/I/2010
, Equipe Feira de Santana
coll.
, 1Ƥ (
IBSP
161081
);
1/V/2009
, 13 (
IBSP
161082
); mata atrás do Posto Andorinhas (
12°54'21''S
39°50'53''W
,
750m
),
16
–
19/III/2012
, E.S. Araújo & A. Medeiros
coll.
, 13 2Ƥ (CHNUFPI 250), 13 (CHNUFPI 73), 13 (CHNUFPI 74), 13 (CHNUFPI 258).
FIGURES 160–165.
Habitats where
Sicarius diadorim
n. sp.
(160–162) and
S. ornatus
n. sp.
(163–165) have been found. 160. Cerrado-Caatinga transition in Itacarambi, Minas Gerais. Photo by M.T.T. Santos. 161. Caatinga near rocky outcrops in Itaobim, Minas Gerais. Photo by G.F.B. Pereira. 162. Secondary Caatinga in Itaobim, Minas Gerais. 163. Atlantic Forest- Caatinga transition in Itabaiana, Sergipe. 164. Small cave near stream in Itabaiana, Sergipe. 165. Cave in Ituaçu, Bahia.
Etymology.
The name is due to the unusual morphology of the genitalia of both sexes in this species: the male has a keel in the palpal embolus, and the female has up to five pairs of ventral branches in the spermathecae.
Diagnosis
. Males differ from those of all other
Sicarius
species by having a keel in the embolus (
Figs 104–109
,
131–133
). Females have up to ten digitiform branches in the ventral face of the spermathecae (
Figs 111, 115, 119
,
141
,
149
, arrows), more easily seen in lateral view, and short, non-convoluted spermathecae branches (
Figs 110–121
). The two central branches of the spermathecae are extended posteriorly in relation to the lateral ones, and the ventral face of the spermathecae is covered with many pores (
Fig. 115, 119
,
149
). Subadult females have very short spermathecae branches; in ventral view and as in the adult, the middle ones are extended posteriorly (
Figs 122–123
).
FIGURE 166.
Distribution of
Sicarius
species in Brazil.
Description
. Male (IBSP
161102
,
holotype
). Coloration and general appearance as described for the genus. Total length 11.25. Carapace: length 5.39, anterior width 2.37, thoracic region width 5.73. Clypeus height 0.92. Eyes diameters and interdistances: ALE 0.25, PLE 0.25, PME 0.23, ALE–PLE 0.2, PME–ALE 0.51. Sternum: length 2.2, width 3.14. Leg I: femur 6.74, patella 2.35, tibia 7.34, metatarsus 5.32, tarsus 2.39. II: femur 7.69, tibia 7.69. III: femur 6.91, tibia 6.56. IV: femur 7.08, patella 2.2, tibia 5.93, metatarsus 4.84, tarsus 2.29. Opisthosoma: length 5.8, width 5.18. Five picks in the palpal femur. Palp as in
Figs 104–109
,
130–133
.
Female. (IBSP
161089
,
paratype
from Milagres, Bahia). Coloration and general appearance as described for the genus. Total length 13.5. Carapace: length 6.27, anterior width 2.65, thoracic region width 6.48. Clypeus height 0.99. Eyes diameters and interdistances: ALE 0.23, PLE 0.23, PME 0.23, ALE–PLE 0.23, PME–ALE 0.69. Sternum: length 2.4, width 3.15. Leg I: femur 6.61, patella 2.66, tibia 7.25, metatarsus 4.9, tarsus 2.4. II: femur 7.51, tibia 7.25. III: femur 7.25, tibia 6.3. IV: femur 7.08, patella 2.45, tibia 6.34, metatarsus 5, tarsus 2.4. Opisthosoma: length 6.68, width 7. Six picks in the palpal femur. Spermathecae as in
Figs 110–121
,
140–141
,
148–149
.
Variation
. Carapace length: males 4.85–6.75 (n=10), females 5.28–6.61 (n=11). Femur II: males 6.82–9.5 (n=10), females 6.48–8.12 (n=11). Picks in the palpal femur: 5–7. Spermathecae branches 13–24. Genitalic morphology is variable in both sexes (
Figs 104–121
). The keel varies greatly in size (
Figs 132–133
); some individuals were first thought to represent a different species, but as there is intrapopulational variation, we prefer to regard them as intermediate forms of the same species. Some females have five pairs of ventral branches in the spermathecae (
Figs 119, 121
), others three (
Fig. 141
), others have only one (
Figs 115
).
Distribution
.
Brazil
, eastern Bahia and Sergipe (
Fig. 166
).
Natural history.
This species has been collected from Caatinga areas, from caves (
Fig. 165
) and from an Atlantic forest-Caatinga transition area (
Fig. 163
). In Sergipe, specimens were taken from a small cave beside a stream (
Fig. 164
), in much more humid conditions than it is usual for
Sicarius
spiders. Eggsacs have been found attached to stones or to small crevices in stones. Thirty-nine newly hatched individuals had between 1.32 and
1.5mm
in carapace length.
Other material examined. Bahia
:
Andaraí
, Igatu [
12°53’S
41°19’W
],
10
–
12/III/2012
, A.P.L. Giupponi
et al. coll.
, 23 2Ƥ
5 juveniles
(
MNRJ
6355);
Iramaia
, Gruta do Calixto [
13°17'35''S
41°3'48''W
],
1/I/2010
, 1Ƥ
1 juvenile
(
ISLA
2209);
Itaetê
, arredores da Gruta
Natal
, Fazenda Rio Alegre [
12°58’S
40°58’W
],
4/IV/2005
, D.R. Pedroso & M.E. Bichuette
coll.
, 1Ƥ
2 juveniles
(
MNRJ
6261);
Ituaçu
, Gruta Mangabeira [
13°50'21.9''S
41°18'55.2''W
,
522m
], T.K.
Brazil
coll.
, 1Ƥ
1 juvenile
(
IBSP
10236) (
13°50'21.9''S
41°18'55.2''W
,
522m
),
15/I/ 2012
, I.L.F. Magalhães
et al. coll.
, 13 (
IBSP
162249), 13 (
IBSP
162250), 1Ƥ (
IBSP
162252), 1Ƥ (
IBSP
162253), 1Ƥ (
IBSP
162254), 13 (
UFMG
11018), 1Ƥ (
UFMG
11019);
Jequié
[
13°51’S
40°4’W
,
215m
],
2005
–
2006
, L. Bocardo
coll.
, 13 (
IBSP
70973);
Maracás
, próximo à sede da Ferbasa (
13°28'16''S
40°26'17''W
,
954m
),
1/V/2012
, E.S. Araújo & A. Medeiros
coll.
, 23 (CHNUFPI 251);
Milagres
(
12°54'54.2''S
39°51'27.9''W
),
12
–
16/VI/2010
, M.A. Ulisséa
coll.
,
1 juvenile
(
IBSP
161093
), (
12°54’21’’S
39°50’54’’W
), E.S. Araújo & A. Medeiros,
9/VII/ 2012
, 13 (CHNUFPI 258);
Mucugê
, Reserva Particular do Patrimônio Natural Adília Paraguaçu Batista [
12°59’S
41°22’W
,
983m
],
VII/2005
, J.P.Souza-Alves
coll.
, 1Ƥ (
IBSP
56507).
Sergipe
:
Itabaiana
, Parque Nacional Serra de Itabaiana, gruta (
10°45'0.2''S
37°20'26''W
,
188m
),
14
–
20/IX/1999
, A.D. Brescovit
et al. coll.
, 4Ƥ
3 juveniles
(
IBSP
67162),
19/V/2012
, I.L.F. Magalhães & J.L. Chavari
coll.
, 13 (
IBSP
162807), 13 (
IBSP
162808), 13 (
IBSP
162811), 1Ƥ (
IBSP
162812), 1Ƥ (
IBSP
162815), 13 (
UFMG
11726), 13 (
UFMG
11727), 1Ƥ (
UFMG
11728), 1Ƥ (
UFMG
11729).