Paraverrucosa, MELLO-LEITAO, 1939 REVALIDATED

PARAVERRUCOSA MELLO-LEITÃO, 1939 REVALIDATED View in CoL

Paraverrucosa Mello-Leitão, 1939a: 64 View in CoL (type species Paraverrucosa neglecta Mello-Leitão, 1939a View in CoL , by monotypy).

N.B. Paraverrucosa View in CoL was synonymized with Wagneriana View in CoL by Levi, 1991: 370 (contra Archer, 1951: 20, who instead regarded that name as a junior synonym of Verrucosa McCook, 1888 View in CoL ).

Diagnosis: Males of Paraverrucosa are distinguished from all other araneids with a paramedian apophysis by the sharp sclerotized projection on the apical portion of the conductor ( Fig. 86B, D, F), the subapical constriction of the embolus ( Figs 85D, E, 86B, D, F) and the sclerotized projection dividing the membrane between the paramedian apophysis and the conductor ( Figs 100D, 103D, E). The females are distinguished by the following combination of characters: cephalic region covered by white setae type I ( Figs 18B, 19D, 23C), absence of macrosetae anterior to the fovea ( Figs 19D, 22B), scape short ( Figs 120, 121) and wide copulatory ducts (i.e. maximal width> 0.5 times the spermathecae minimal width) not surpassing the outer margin of spermathecae, curved ectally and slightly separate at the base ( Figs 120D, 121B, D, F).

The monophyly of Paraverrucosa (Goodman–Bremer support = 14) is supported by four unambiguous phenotypic synapomorphies, two of which are unique and non-homoplastic ( Fig. 17): distal projection on the conductor (character 89) and embolus with subapical constriction (character 134).

Description: Total body length 5.0 mm– 10.7 mm in males and 6.0 mm–16.0 mm in females. Carapace longer than wide. Female carapace brown to black, with a pale transversal band posterior to the eyes ( Figs 19D, 22B), not well-defined in P. neglecta . The female carapaces of P. eupalaestra and P. heteracantha also have a medial pale longitudinal band ( Fig. 22B). Male carapace with dusky sides and a medial pale yellow to brown longitudinal region. Female carapace densely covered by type I white setae in the cephalic region ( Figs 18B, 19D, 23C; see character 1) and some scattered ones in the thoracic region. Male carapace more hirsute than that of females. Sternum brown to black, approximately as long as wide and with imbricate cuticle texture. Labium brown to black and wider than long. Eyes subequal in size. Clypeus low, subequal to the diameter of the AME and with imbricate cuticle texture. Chelicerae pale yellow to dark brown. Female paturon with a pale area in the frontal surface ( Fig. 23C). Legs yellowish with dusky rings. Leg formula I>II>IV>III. Male coxae I with ventral hook, femora II with prolateral groove and tibia II with enlarged macrosetae in the prolateral surface. Male trochanter IV with macrosetae.

central CY. Two to three AC are located between the CY and the posterior mAP, which is accompanied by a posterior nubbin ( Fig. 52C, D). Posterior lateral spinnerets with numerous AC ( Fig. 56B, C). Females AG–FL triplet anterior to the AC and almost parallel with the anterior CY spigot. AG conical, with shallow grooves and embracing the flagelliform spigot ( Fig. 56B, C). Posterior CY surrounded by AC. Epiandrous fusules arranged in a transverse line. Male palpal coxae with a tooth-like projection facing a ventrobasal femoral projection. Palpal patella with one macroseta. Paracymbium hook-like, with a smooth cuticle texture ( Fig. 85F). Median apophysis basal portion with a smooth cuticle on the upper ridge. Conductor with a distal sharp sclerotized projection ( Figs 85D, E, 86B, D, F). Outer margin of the paramedian apophysis stalk oriented towards the tegulum ( Fig. 103D, E) and apical fold narrowed gradually towards the tip ( Figs 85A, 86A, C, E, 103D, E). Paramedian apophysis connected to the conductor throughout a short membrane, divided by a sclerotized projection of the conductor ( Figs 100D, 103D, E). Terminal apophysis with median slit ( Figs 85A, 86C), distal ( Figs 85A, 86A, C, E) and basal projections ( Figs 85D, E, 86B, D, F). Embolus with a subapical constriction and fused with the terminal apophysis ( Figs 85D, E, 86). Epigynum with a small scape ( Figs 120A–C, 121A, C, E). Copulatory ducts wide (i.e. maximal width> 0.5 times the spermathecae minimal width) and longer than fertilization ducts ( Figs 120D, 121B, D, F). Spermathecae oval ( Figs 120D, 121B, D, F).

Abdomen longer than wide. Dorsal and lateral surfaces with white, brown and black irregular marks forming highly variable patterns among individuals. Ventral surface homogeneously brown to black or with a dusky median band from the epigynum to the spinnerets, flanked by two thin white longitudinal bands. Booklungs cuticle smooth. Abdomen dorsal and lateral surfaces covered by white to pale brown short setae type I (see characters 41 and 42). Abdominal tubercles disposed in a single anteromedian tubercle, absent in P. heteracantha , four lateral pairs, the first bifid in P. uzaga and two to three posteromedian ( Fig. 44C, D). ALS with a large PI field and one MAP accompanied by a nubbin ( Fig. 49B, C). Posterior median spinneret with numerous AC anterior to a

Composition: The genus consists of four species: Paraverrucosa eupalaestra Mello-Leitão, 1943 comb. rest., P. heteracantha ( Mello-Leitão, 1943) comb. nov., P. neglecta Mello-Leitão, 1939 comb. rest. and P. uzaga ( Levi, 1991) comb. nov. Complementary descriptions of Paraverrucosa species will be published in a forthcoming paper.

Distribution: Known from Trinidad and Tobago to Argentina. It occupies a broad elevational range from sea level to 1960 m.

Natural history: Natural history data of Paraverrucosa species are scarce and limited to information gathered from collecting labels. Male and female specimens have been collected by sweeping net, beating tray and nocturnal hand search. Males of P. neglecta were collected by fogging in the Ecuadorian Amazon region. Paraverrucosa eupalaestra and P. neglecta have been reported as prey of several hunting-wasp species of the genus Trypoxylon ( Hymenoptera : Crabronidae ) ( Gonzaga & Vasconcellos-Neto, 2005; Buschini & Wolff, 2006; Buschini et al., 2006, 2008, 2010a).