Trichopelma cheguevarai, Ríos-Tamayo, 2024

Trichopelma cheguevarai View in CoL sp. nov. ( Figs 5A–G, 6A–I, 26)

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Type material. Holotype ♂, Cuba, Ciego de Ávila Province, Cayo Coco, Vereda de los Márquez [ 22°30'N 78°24'W], VI.1996, coll. R. Teruel, ( ZMB 50614 View Materials ). GoogleMaps

Etymology. The specific epithet is a patronym in honour of Ernesto “Che” Guevara, an Argentinian revolutionary (later a nationalized Cuban), who fought for the liberation of Cuba and Latin America.

Diagnosis. Males of T. cheguevarai sp. nov. can be differentiated from all other known congeners (except T. juventud ) by the bulb with a thick and rounded tegulum and embolus short, curved, with slightly curved apical portion and developed keels through embolus edges giving a spoon-like appearance ( Fig. 6F–H). The new species differs from T. juventud by the tibial apophysis with two contiguous spines on the prolateral branch (both spines 1/2 longer than the prolateral branch, the external spine larger than the internal, Fig. 6A, B) and by the STC bare.

Description. Male ( holotype, ZMB 50614; Figs 5, 6): Total length: 15.35. Carapace ( Fig. 5A): 6.92 long, 5.37 wide. Cephalic region 4.44 long, thoracic striae shallow, hirsute; caput almost flat. Fovea slightly recurved and deep, 0.80 wide. Ocular region ( Fig. 5C) slightly raised, 0.59 long, 1.06 wide. Anterior ocular row procurved with 10 anterior setae; posterior straight with 10 posterior setae.

Ocular measurements: AME 0.17, ALE 0.25, PME 0.14, PLE 0.22; AME–ALE 0.13, PME–PLE 0.05, AME– PME 0.11, ALE–PLE 0.27, AME–AME 0.15, PME–PME 0.49. Chelicerae ( Fig. 5E): elongate and slender, hirsute, 3.51 long; 1.89 wide. Furrow promargin with 10 teeth, retromargin with five tiny teeth on outer edge and eight denticles near the apex. Intercheliceral tumescence basal, pallid with small bristles. Rastellum composed of thick long setae. Labium ( Fig. 5D): 0.63 long; 2.64 wide; with 15 rounded cuspules and abundant apical bristles. Labio-sternal suture narrow with two lateral sigilla well separated. Maxillae ( Fig. 5D): promargin 1.79 long, retromargin 2.38 long, 0.93 wide, with ~53/50 cuspules in inner angle, developed angular heel. Sternum ( Fig. 5B): 3.29 long, 2.64 wide; sigilla small and marginal, oval. Abdomen, dorsal ( Fig. 5F): 5.85 long, anterior edge of the booklung opening with combs present. Spinnerets ( Fig. 5G): posterior median: 0.42 long; posterior lateral with basal: medial: apical lengths 0.66:0.31:0.18.

Lengths of legs and pedipalp (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 5.23, 2.79, 3.67, 3.56, 2.30, 17.54. II: 5.08, 2.77, 3.58, 3.84, 2.31, 17.57. III: 4.63, 2.20, 2.87, 4.49, 2.16, 16.34. IV: 5.97, 2.66, 4.60, 6.45, 2.35, 22.02. pedipalp: 3.22, 1.79, 2.51, —, 1.49, 9.01. Chaetotaxy: Leg I: fe d0-0-2ap, pa p0-0-1ap, ti p0-1-2- 1ap, v3-2-1-1ap, me p1-0-0, v0-1-0-0, when folded do not touches the ventral branch, does it on the ventral axis, ta 0. Leg II: fe d0-1-0-2, pa p0-1-1, ti p0-1-1-0 v3-2-3ap, me v0-1-0-0, ta 0. Leg III: fe d2-2-2, pa p0-1-0 r0-2-1, ti p1-2-0 v2-1-3ap r2-1-0, me d2-2-3ap v2-2-2ap, ta 0. Leg IV: fe d0-0-2-2, pa r0-1-0, ti p0-1-1-0 v3-2-3ap r1-5-1, me d1-2-1-2-1-2-1ap v2-1-2-3ap, ta 0. Pedipalp: fe d0-0-1, pa 0, ti p2-2-1-1ap v0- 0-1 (with rigid setae, on the sides of the groove, where the bulb rests) r0-0-1ap, ta 0. Metatarsi and tarsi I ventrally discoloured; tarsi IV cracked. Tibia I with twin apophysis ( Fig. 6A–D): positioned proventrally, ventral branch curved, long, with an apical megaspine half the length of the ventral branch; prolateral branch small with two contiguous spines ( Fig. 6B; both spines 1:2 longer than the branch, the external spine larger than the internal), prolateral and ventral branches well separated. Pedipalp ( Fig. 6E, I): Cymbium triangular, elongate, with deep incision. Bulb ( Fig. 6F–H): 1.69 long, bulb rounded and thick with duct tapering. Embolus short 0.92 long, curved, with slightly curved apical portion, developed keels through embolus edges giving a spoon-like shape.

Scopulae : apical on cymbium. Legs: I–II: Me-Ta complete throughout the segment. II: Me 3:4 A, divided by a band of setae, Ta complete throughout the segment. IV: Me 1:2 A, divided by strong setae, Ta complete throughout the segment, divided by two central rows of setae and a line of bristles on each side. Trichobothria: (Filiform): Pedipalp: Me 5/5, 6/6 on tarsus (separated by a wide band of small rigid setae). Legs: I Ti 7/6, Me 8, Ta 7/6; II, Ti 6/4, Me 9, Ta cannot be distinguished; III Ti 5/5, Me 10, Ta 8/8; IV Ti 7/5, Me 11, Ta 9/9. Clavate trichobothria in two rows on distal half (separated by a wide band of small rigid setae): 11/11 on pedipalp; 8/7 on tarsus I; cannot be distinguished on tarsus II; 9/8 on tarsus III; 9/9 on tarsus IV. STC: I–VI 0. Colour in alcohol: chelicerae and dorsal legs covered by whitish setae. Chelicerae brown, carapace and legs orange-brown. Abdomen dorsal pattern faint, symmetrical, with 4 spots in the middle, and on the side of each spot a lateral line.

Female. Unknown.

Distribution. Cuba, Ciego de Ávila province, municipality of Morón ( Fig. 26).