Wendilgarda clara Keyserling, 1886

Wendilgarda clara Keyserling, 1886 View in CoL

Figs 1 View Fig , 7 View Fig , 61–62 View Fig View Fig

Wendilgarda clara Keyserling, 1886: 132 View in CoL , pl. 15 figs 210, 210a–d [ ♀]

[ holotype ♀ from Brazil, Amazonas Prov. (Department of Entomology, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford), not examined].

Wendilgarda theridionina Simon, 1895: 919 View in CoL , fig. 986 [ ♂]

[a series of 21 syntype ♂♂ and 18 ♀♀ from Venezuela, Carabobo Prov., San Esteban (Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris), not examined] [synonymized by Coddington 1986].

Wendilgarda panamica Archer, 1953: 15 View in CoL , fig. 23

[ holotype ♀ from Panama, Panama, Barro Colorado Island , Lake Gatun (American Museum of Natural History, New York), not examined] [synonymized by Coddington 1986].

Wendilgarda hassleri Archer, 1953: 16 View in CoL , figs 24, 28

[ holotype ♂ from Guyana, upper Shudikar River (American Museum of Natural History, New York), not examined] [synonymized by Coddington 1986].

Diagnosis

Males of Wendilgarda clara can be distinguished from those of Wendilgarda galapagensis Archer, 1953 , Wendilgarda mexicana Keyserling, 1886 , and Wendilgarda mustelina Simon, 1898 by the mesal branch elongated lying along the prolateral side of the conductor ( Fig. 61D–F View Fig ; Coddington 1986: figs 196– 198, 217), whereas W. galapagensis , W. mexicana , and W. mustelina lack such branches ( Coddington 1986: figs 199, 210; Lopez & Emerit 1986: fig. 13; Viquez 2020: fig. 7a). Females of W. clara can be distinguished from those of W. galapagensis , W. mexicana , and W. mustelina by the thin epigynal dorsal scape ( Figs 7A–C View Fig , 62C–D View Fig ; Coddington 1986: figs 206–207), whereas W. galapagensis , W. mexicana , and W. mustelina have the dorsal scape wider ( Coddington 1986: figs 213–215; Lopez & Emerit 1986: fig. 12; Víquez 2020: fig. 7b).

Material examined

PANAMA – Chiriquí Province • 1 ♂; Reserva Forestal Fortuna , Quebrada Honda , one-hectare PANCODING inventory; 8.750083° N, 82.239083° W; 1135 m a.s.l.; 7–12 Jun. 2007; M. Arnedo, D. Dimitrov, G. Hormiga, F. Labarque and M. Ramírez leg.; voucher code SFD2NBL020; preparation codes FML-00717, LNP-00274; DNA code wens1057; GenBank code PX0970 ; MACN-Ar 29222 GoogleMaps • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; voucher code SFD1NBL018; preparation codes FML-00734, FML-01145, LNP-00264; DNA code wens1068; GenBank code PX097005 ; MACN-Ar 29223 GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; voucher code SFD1NBL030; DNA code wenclf11; GenBank code PX097007 ; MCZ GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; voucher code SFU1N7H040; DNA code wencle11; GenBank code PX097006 ; MIUP GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; voucher code SFD1NBL036; DNA code wenclg11; GenBank code PX097008 ; CRBA GoogleMaps • 1 ♂; same locality as for preceding; 1135 m a.s.l.; 21–24 Jun. 2008; L. Piacentini and F. Labarque leg.; non-quantitative sample; MACN-Ar. GoogleMaps

Redescription

Male (MACN-Ar 29222)

Total length 1.61. Prosoma: length 0.80, width 0.82, height 0.73. Sternum: length 0.43, width 0.45. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.09, PME 0.07, AME–PME 0.09. Opisthosoma: length 1.01, width 0.97, height 1.04. Leg formula: 1243. Dorsal shield of prosoma orangish-yellow ( Fig. 61A–B View Fig ). Dorsum of ocular area orangish-yellow ( Fig. 61A–B View Fig ). Sternum orangish-yellow ( Fig. 61C View Fig ). Opisthosoma color overall orangish-yellow ( Fig. 61A View Fig ). Epiandrium, booklung cover, tracheal spiracle, spinneret field and behind anal tubercle orangish-yellow ( Fig. 61C View Fig ). Femora and patella orangish-yellow, tibiae, metatarsi, and tarsi orange ( Fig. 61A–C View Fig ). Palp: paracymbium hooked, paracymbial process with setae row, median apophysis sub-rectangular with median groove, conductor retrolateral surface finger-printed covering embolic apophysis, embolus as thin lamina, tripartite embolic apophysis, mesal branch elongated lying along prolateral side of conductor ( Fig. 61D–F View Fig ; Coddington 1986: figs 196–198, 217).

Female (MACN-Ar 29223)

Total length 1.60. Prosoma: length 0.78, width 0.82, height 0.78. Sternum: length 0.41, width 0.47. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.09, PME 0.07, AME–PME 0.09. Opisthosoma: length 1.11, width 1.09, height 1.11. Leg formula: 1243. Coloration as in male ( Fig. 62A–C View Fig ). Epigynal plate orangish-yellow ( Fig. 62C View Fig ), flat, with dorsal scape ( Fig. 62C–D View Fig ; Coddington 1986: figs 213–215). Vulva: proximal copulatory ducts irregular and membranous, distal copulatory ducts convoluted, inserting ventromedially posteriorly into spermathecae, spermathecae oval, sclerotized, and connated (i.e., fused along midline), fertilization ducts sclerotized, emerging laterally posteriorly from spermathecae, curving dorsally anteriorly to meet uterus externus ( Fig. 62D View Fig ; Coddington 1986: fig. 215). For further species description details, see Coddington (1986).

Records and biology

Wendilgarda clara is distributed from Guatemala to Brazil, including the West Indies ( World Spider Catalog 2025). Records in this study are limited to collections made at 1135 m a.s.l. in premontane rainforest from Reserva Forestal Fortuna ( Fig. 1 View Fig ). Males and females have been collected mostly at night by looking down.