Spatulaphorus venezuelaensis, Khaustov & Frolov & Akhmetova, 2024

Spatulaphorus venezuelaensis sp. nov.

( Figs 13–16 View FIGURE 13 View FIGURE 14 View FIGURE 15 View FIGURE 16 )

Description. FEMALE. Body well sclerotized. Length of idiosoma 205 (175–255), width 130 (105–150).

Gnathosoma. Gnathosomal capsule, excluding palps, subrectangular, length 24 (22–27), width 25 (23–27).

Dorsum with one pair of needle-like cheliceral setae ( cha) 5 (4–5). Dorsal median apodeme present, poorly developed. Postpalpal setae ( pp) 4 (3–4) needle-like, situated laterad setae cha. Ventral gnathosoma with one pair of smooth, pointed subcapitular setae m 7 (6–7) and round pits n situated posteriad m. Palps with smooth and weakly blunt-tipped setae dFe 4 (3–4) and dGe 7 (7–8) dorsolaterally. Palps ventrally each with mushroom-like accessory setigenous structure ( ass) and tiny solenidion ω. Palps terminated with small blunt-tipped tibial claw and tiny eupathid-like seta. Pharyngeal pumps poorly visible.

Idiosomal dorsum ( Figs 13A View FIGURE 13 , 16A View FIGURE 16 ). All dorsal shields with big puncta. Prodorsal shield with three pairs of setae ( v1, v2, sc2), one pair of weakly barbed capitate trichobothria ( sc1) and one pair of round stigmata. Stigmata associated with well-developed tracheal trunks. All dorsal idiosomal setae blunt-tipped and barbed. Alveoli of setae e and f distinctly separated; setae e located slightly anteriad f. Cupules ia on tergite D, im on tergite EF and ih on tergite H large, round, subequal. Lengths of dorsal setae: v1 34 (28–40), v2 17 (16–19), sc2 61 (44–76), c1 53 (40–59), c2 50 (39–62), d 57 (41–70), e 31 (22–33), f 70 (51–87), h1 60 (46–75), h2 21 (12–21). Distances between setae: v1–v1 25 (22–29), v2–v2 44 (36–49), sc2–sc2 44 (36–49), c1–c1 44 (36–49), c1–c2 24 (19–26), d–d 70 (54–76), e–f 8 (6–11), f–f 56 (41–60), h1–h1 51 (37–53), h1–h2 10 (9–10).

Idiosomal venter ( Figs 13B View FIGURE 13 , 16B View FIGURE 16 ). Coxisternal fields I–II and aggenital plate laterally with sparsely distributed big puncta. Setae 1b pointed; other ventral setae blunt-tipped; setae 1b and ps3 barbed, other ventral setae smooth. Bases of setae ps3 situated distinctly anteriad bases of setae ps1-2. Ap1 and ap2 well-developed and joined with thick appr; apsej developed only laterally; ap3 weak, not reaching appo; ap4 well developed, exceeding beyond bases of setae 3b. Ap5 short, joined with appo and reaching bases of setae 4a. Ags small, cup-like; pgs small, oval. Posterior margin of posterior sternal plate straight in middle part. Posterior margin of aggenital plate rounded. Lengths of ventral setae: 1a 10 (9–12), 1b 20 (17–23), 1с 14 (10–15), 2a 13 (12–14), 2с 11 (9–11), 3a 15 (10–15), 3b 13 (11–13), 3c 16 (12–17), 4a 13 (10–14), 4b 19 (15–24), 4c 14 (11–16), ps1 11 (7–12), ps2 10 (8–13), ps3 21 (16–23).

Legs ( Figs 14 View FIGURE 14 , 15 View FIGURE 15 ). Setation of legs as in S. brevisetosus . Leg I ( Fig. 14A View FIGURE 14 ). Tibiotarsus enlarged, with large claw; tibiotarsus internally with oval strongly sclerotized structure near solenidion φ2. Setae ( u) consolidated into a horn-like structure opposing claw. Tarsal claw thick and blunt-tipped. Seta d of femur spatulate, with short subterminal projection. Setae l’ of femur and k of tibiotarsus smooth, other leg setae (except eupathidia p’, p”, tc’, tc”, ft’, ft”) sparsely barbed. Setae l’, l” of femur, ( l) of genu and k of tibiotarsus blunt-tipped; other leg setae (except eupathidia) pointed. Lengths of solenidia ω1 9 (7–10), ω2 5 (3–5), φ1 7 (7–8), φ2 4 (4–5); solenidion ω1 digitiform; solenidion φ1 thick, clavate; other solenidia weakly clavate. Leg II ( Fig. 14B View FIGURE 14 ). Tarsus with thickened basally claws and pad-like empodium. Solenidion ω 5 (4–6) weakly clavate, solenidion φ absent. All setae barbed; seta tc’ of tarsus spiniform, blunt-tipped and curved; setae d, l’, and v” of femur and l’ of genu blunt-tipped; other leg setae pointed. Leg III ( Fig. 15A View FIGURE 15 ). Femur divided into basi- and telofemur. Claws and empodium of same shape as on tarsus II. Seta u’ of tarsus smooth, other setae barbed; setae v’ of trochanter, d, v’ of femur, and l’ of genu blunt-tipped, other leg setae pointed; solenidion φ absent. Leg IV ( Fig 15B View FIGURE 15 ). Femur divided into basi- and telofemur. Claws simple, empodium as on tarsi II and III. All setae barbed; setae v’ of trochanter, d, v’ of femur, v” of tibia and pl” of tarsus blunt-tipped, other leg setae pointed; solenidion φ absent.

MALE unknown.

Type material. Female holotype, slide ZISP T-Pygm-013, Venezuela, Zulia, Santa Bárbara del Zulia, IV.2001 ( CEMT), on Phanaeus prasinus Harold ; paratypes: 7 females, same data; 3 females, Venezuela, Boliar, Anacoco Edo, 06.VIII.2006 ( CEMT), on Phanaeus prasinus .

Type deposition. The holotype and three paratypes are deposited in the collection of Zoological Institute of RAS, Saint Petersburg, Russia ; other paratypes are deposited in the collection of the Tyumen State University Museum of Zoology , Tyumen, Russia .

Differential diagnosis. The new species is very similar to S. porosus Khaustov and Frolov, 2021 , described from French Guiana ( Khaustov & Frolov 2021) in having spiniform seta tc’ on tarsus II, presence of big puncta on dorsal and ventral idiosomal sclerites, enlarged tibiotarsus I and thickened basally claws on tarsi II and III. The new species differs from S. porosus in having setae e situated slightly anteriad bases of setae f (vs. setae e situated distinctly posteriad bases of setae f in S. porosus ).

Etymology. The name of the new species refers to its geographical distribution in Venezuela.