Abstract
A remarkable new species of Avicularia Lamarck, 1818, Avicularia rickwesti sp. nov., is described from Dominican Republic. Female specimens of the new species are unusual by having two very short and broad spermathecae with distal half strongly sclerotized, a feature not found in any other aviculariine. Additionally, it has the leg coxae with spiniform setae, smaller on leg I and prolateral leg II, larger, black on retrolateral leg II, prolateral and retrolateral leg III and prolateral leg IV. Males are unknown. The new species is known only from two localities, in southwestern Dominican Republic. This is the first record for the subfamily on Hispañola which is close to the northern boundary for the Aviculariinae distribution.
Highlights
Avicularia Lamarck, 1818 comprises 51 species known from the Neotropics (PLATNICK 2012), of which 46 are from South America
The new species has some spiniform setae on posterior leg coxae not found or weakly developed in other aviculariines (Figs 4 and 5)
The abdomen has an oak leaf pattern (Figs 1214) with resemblance in aviculariines only with Ephebopus foliatus West, Marshall, Fukushima & Bertani, 2008. All these apomorphic characteristics make A. rickwesti sp. nov. very distinct from other Avicularia species and its inclusion into this genus could be seen as inadequate at first glance
Summary
All measurements are in millimeters and were obtained with a Mitutoyo digital caliper with an error of 0.005 mm, rounded up to two significant decimals. The female is distinguished from those of all other Avicularia species (Fig. 1) by the two very short and broad spermathecae, twice wider than longer, with distal half strongly sclerotized (Fig. 2) It can be distinguished by the leg coxae with spiniform setae; small on leg I and prolateral leg II (Figs 3 and 4), large, black on retrolateral leg II, prolateral and retrolateral leg III and prolateral leg IV (Figs 5 and 6). Urticating hairs: type II (0.69 long, 0.015 wide) on the abdomen dorsum (Figs 10 and 11). Femora dorsally black with abundant pinkish setae, patellae, tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi grayish. Labium, sternum, maxilla, abdomen and legs ventrally black (Figs 12-14). A small female (carapace 8.1 long, 6.1 wide) from Jaragua National Park, Los Tres Charcos, collected in 20 February 2012, had and eggsac 8.8 in diameter, with 15 eggs probably infertile and one spiderling
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