Abstract
Four new Colombian species of the spider genus Medionops Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017 are described and illustrated: M. carolinae sp. nov. (male and female) from Boyacá department, M. cauca sp. nov. (male) from Cauca department, M. luiscarlosi sp. nov. (male and female) from Caldas department and M. santarosa sp. nov. (male) from Risaralda department. Additionally, the distribution of the type species of M. blades Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017, previously known only from Bogotá, Cundinamarca department, is extended to several localities in the Boyacá department. An updated identification key for all Medionops species is provided.
Highlights
The family Caponiidae Simon, 1890 is an unusual group of ground-wandering spiders, commonly found under rocks, tree trunks and leaf litter
Previous studies of pretarsal morphology in Medionops by Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit (2017; 2018) suggest that the genus is closely related to Nops MacLeay, 1839 and Nopsides Chamberlin, 1924, since some characteristics, such as the elongated unpaired claws and the presence of an arolium, are exclusive to these three genera
Medionops is one of the few genera presenting all three membranous structures of the pretarsal morphology that appear in members of this subfamily (Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit 2018)
Summary
The family Caponiidae Simon, 1890 is an unusual group of ground-wandering spiders, commonly found under rocks, tree trunks and leaf litter. It is represented by 19 genera and 127 species (World Spider Catalog 2021) occurring in America, Africa and Asia. The Nopinae genus Medionops Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit, 2017 was proposed by Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit (2017) for seven species distributed in Trinidad, Panama, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela and Brazil Members of this genus are characterized by having all legs with an elongated and dorsally reflexed unpaired claw, associated with a large and globose arolium (Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit 2017). Previous studies of pretarsal morphology in Medionops by Sánchez-Ruiz & Brescovit (2017; 2018) suggest that the genus is closely related to Nops MacLeay, 1839 and Nopsides Chamberlin, 1924, since some characteristics, such as the elongated unpaired claws and the presence of an arolium, are exclusive to these three genera
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