Ceriochernes foliaceospeluncarum, Guimarães & Prado & Ferreira, 2025

Ceriochernes foliaceospeluncarum sp. nov.

Material Examined. Holotype female (ISLA 125945), preserved in ethanol: Brazil, Minas Gerais, Prudente de Morais , 01L ( 19°26'32,72"S 44°6'24,238"W), August 24, 2024, Collected by Candiani D. F. et al GoogleMaps . Paratypes, same data as the holotype: ISLA 125947 (female), ISLA 125948 (female), ISLA 125949 (female); ISLA 129096 (female), collected on 10 July 2025 by Daniele Pedrosa de Oliveira GoogleMaps .

Etymology: The specific epithet foliaceospeluncarum is a compound derived from the Latin foliaceus (meaning "leaf-like"), referring to the distinctive leaf-shaped setae, and speluncarum, the genitive plural of spelunca (meaning "cave"), alluding to the species' cave-dwelling habitat.

Diagnosis. Ceriochernes foliaceospeluncarum sp. nov. most closely resembles C. foliaceosetosus based on the following combination of characteristics: absence of ocular apparatus, reticulated epicuticle, two transverse furrows on the carapace, tergites divided except for the last, leaf-shaped vestitural setae, and chelal fingers slightly shorter than hand. It differs from C. foliaceosetosus in the proportion of the carapace, being 1.01× longer than wide ( C. foliaceosetosus 0.05–0.06× longer than wide); in chelal dentition: 41–43 teeth on the movable chelal finger and 38–43 on the fixed finger ( C. foliaceosetosus has 35–40 teeth on both fingers); in the length of femur and patella of leg IV: 0.85/ 0.14 mm (0.49/ 0.15 mm in C. foliaceosetosus ); and in the female genital operculum, which bears 80 setae on sternite II and 52 on sternite III (12 and 10, respectively, in C. foliaceosetosus ).

Description. Body and legs, beige; pedipalps orange-brown; chelicerae translucent beige. Entire body covered by a reticulated epicuticle with a hexagonal shape, resembling a beehive ( Fig. 4C–D View FIGURE 4 ).

Carapace: ( Fig. 11A View FIGURE 11 ) 1.01 longer than wide, showing a difference between ocular width and posterior width of 0.415 (0.454); without ocular apparatus; two transverse grooves, in the medial and posterior position (posterior margin granulated, thorn-like granules); chaetotaxy: 52 foliate setae, leaf-like, (of these, 16 on lateral margins, 12 between the first and second groove and 6 between the last groove and the posterior margin).

Coxae: Intercoxal tubercle absent, the palpal coxae with reticulate epicuticle, with 59 setae, filamentous in the posterointernal portion; pedal coxae without reticulate epicuticle, with only filamentous setae; chaetotaxy I–IV: 36:41:41:66(67).

Tergites: ( Fig. 11A View FIGURE 11 ) Divided except XI ( Fig. 11C View FIGURE 11 ); all foliate setae; chaetotaxy I–XI: 7:5:6:8:8:9:8:10:10:7:1 8.

Sternite: Covered with reticulate epicuticle of hexagonal shape. Granular integument resembles scales; chaetotaxy IV–XII: 13:19:19:15(16):14:13:12:11+2 (anal); foliate setae smaller than those on tergites; segments II, III with filamentous setae; as of the fourth segment to the last, setae gradually increasing in size.

Female genital operculum: With 80 setae on sternite II and 42 along sternite III; spermatheca: Comprising a slender central tube that tapers distally, connected at its distal end to two equally slender, parallel, semi-sinuous tubes. ( Figs 12B, D–E View FIGURE 12 )

Chelicera: ( Figs 10C–D View FIGURE 10 , 12C View FIGURE 12 ) Hand with seven setae and movable finger with one, sbs, bs, bs1 and bs2 branched; ls long, es short. Fixed finger with 7 teeth, pointed and facing backwards (the first two distal ones smaller, spaced, pointed and facing upward); movable finger without teeth; galea bifurcated into four branches; external serrula with 19 blades, internal serrula with 4 distal blades (the first very elongated and three rounded), bearing small spine-like projections, followed by a continuous and uniform structure similar to a veil; rallum with 3 blades, the third most distal blade is larger and serrated, the others smooth.

Pedipalp: ( Figs 8A View FIGURE 8 , 9A View FIGURE 9 , 10A–B View FIGURE 10 ) Trochanter 0.14 (0.34) times wider than long, with a rounded (ventral) protuberance; femur 3.21 (3.38) times longer than wide, with internal margin convex, like an arch; patella 0.55 (0.52) times longer than wide, most proximal part thin; hand bigger than fingers, with foliate setae; fingers with filamentous setae, without reticulated epicuticle; chela with some bifid and branched setae ( Fig. 10B View FIGURE 10 ); movable finger slightly curved inwards like an arch, with 43 (41) teeth, trapezoidal shape with a pointed apex, 7 smaller accessory teeth, located distally in the external lateral region; fixed finger with 43 (38) homogeneous teeth in the trapezoidal shape, with pointed apex, and 7 (9) accessory teeth located distally in the external lateral region. Trichobothria: st closer to t than to sb and b, ist proximal to it, ist distal to est, esb slightly distal to eb, et distal to it. Well-developed venom apparatus on the movable finger ( Fig. 12A View FIGURE 12 ).

Leg I: ( Fig. 9C–D View FIGURE 9 ) Arolium shorter than claws; tarsus with predominant of foliate setae, filamentous setae on the internal part and around the most distal tip; tibia with four setae on the internal part; femur with a single seta on the internal distal part; patella with only foliate setae, femur and patella (not fused); trochanter with modified halfmoon-shaped setae at the most distal base, followed by filamentous setae and a single foliate seta.

Leg IV: ( Fig. 9B View FIGURE 9 ) Arolium shorter than claws; tarsus with predominant of foliate setae, filamentous setae on the internal part and around the most distal tip; tibia with 3 filamentous setae on the internal part, femur and patella (fused) with foliate setae; trochanter with filamentous setae on the internal part and foliate setae on the external part.

Measurements (mm): Female holotype ( Paratypes in parenthesis): body length 2.64 (2.66); carapace 0.87/0.86 (0.90/0.89). Chelicera 0.32/0.15 (0.32/0.14). Pedipalp: trochanter 0.45/0.31 (0.60/0.26); femur 0.90/0.28 (0.88/0.26); patella 0.86/0.31 (0.84/0.32); hand (with pedicel) 0.83/0.49 (0.79/0.44); chela (with pedicel) 1.49/0.48 (1.40/0.45); chela (without pedicel) 1.38/0.48 (1.27/0.45); movable finger length 0.70 (0.60). Leg I: Trochanter 0.21/0.14 (0.22/0.13); femur 0.30/0.16 (0.22/0.13); patella 0.43/0.13 (0.42/0.12); tibia 0.50/0.10 (0.45/0.09); tarsus 0.50/0.08 (0.50/0.07). Leg IV: Trochanter 0.25/0.13 (0.34/0.15); femur + patella 0.85/0.14 (0.86/0.15); tibia 0.75/0.12 (0.73/0.11); tarsus 0.50/0.10 (0.57/0.09).