Ceriochernes spelaeofoliaceus, Guimarães & Prado & Ferreira, 2025

Ceriochernes spelaeofoliaceus sp. nov.

Material Examined. Holotype female (ISLA 125649), preserved in ethanol: Brazil, Serra do Ramalho , Bahia, Lapa dos Peixes I ( 13° 49' 22.1" S 43° 57' 25.2" W), September 7, 2023, collected by R. L. Ferreira GoogleMaps . Paratypes, same data as the holotype, collected on June 3, 2024: ISLA 125652 (female), ISLA 125655 (female), ISLA 125650 (female). Additional paratypes GoogleMaps , same data: ISLA 125657 (female), ISLA 125658 (female) GoogleMaps .

Etymology: The epithet spelaeofoliaceus derives from the Latin 'spelaeo-' (cave), referring to its natural habitat, and 'foliaceus' (leaf-like), highlighting its leaf-like setae.

Diagnosis. The Ceriochernes spelaeofoliaceus 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, and leaf-shaped vestitural setae. It differs from C. foliaceosetosus in the number of teeth on the chela is 43–45 on the fixed finger and 48–51 on the movable finger ( C. foliaceosetosus has 35–40 teeth on both fingers.), Finally, the proportion between the chelal fingers and the hand varies, with C. foliaceosetosus exhibiting shorter fingers relative to the hand (ratio of chelal finger length to hand length equals 1.36 in C. foliaceosetosus sp. nov., compared to 0.9 in C. spelaeofoliaceus sp. nov.).

Description. Body and legs, orange-brown; pedipalps darker orange-brown; chelicerae almost translucent orange-brown ( Figs 4A–B View FIGURE 4 ). Entire body covered by a reticulated epicuticle with a hexagonal shape, resembling a beehive ( Fig. 5A View FIGURE 5 ).

Carapace: ( Fig. 5A View FIGURE 5 ) 1.12 (0.95) longer than wide; showing a difference between ocular width and posterior width of 0.197 (0.302); without ocular apparatus; two transverse grooves, in the medial and posterior position; chaetotaxy: 48 foliate setae, (of these, 9 on lateral margins, 11 between the first and second groove and 4 between the last groove and the posterior margin.)

Coxae: Intercoxal tubercle absent, the palpal coxae with reticulate epicuticle, with 17 setae, 7 foliate setae closer to the margin, 10 filamentous in the internal portion, has reticulate epicuticle; coxae of the legs, without reticulated epicuticle, with only filamentous setae; chaetotaxy I–IV: 13(14):16(17):20:28(29).

Tergites: ( Fig. 5A View FIGURE 5 ) Divided except XI; all foliate setae; chaetotaxy I–XI: 4:4:4:5:4:4:6:6:6:6:7.

Sternite: Covered with reticulate epicuticle of hexagonal shape. Granular integument resembles scales; chaetotaxy II–XII: 44:21:8:13:14:13:12:11:8:3:4 (anal); foliate setae smaller than those on tergites; segments II and III, and the two central setae of segment V, are filamentous.

Female genital operculum: With 31 (44) setae in the anterior region and 20 (22) along the posterior margin; spermatheca: Composed of a slender central tube that tapers distally, connected at its distal end to two equally slender, parallel, semi-sinuous tubes. Each of these lateral tubes exhibits a medial dilation and a slight dilation at the distal extremity. ( Figs 5B–C View FIGURE 5 , 8C View FIGURE 8 ).

Chelicera: ( Figs 6A–B View FIGURE 6 ) Hand with seven setae and movable finger with one, sbs, bs, bs1 and bs2 branched; ls long, es short. Fixed finger with 8 teeth, pointed and facing backwards (the first three distal ones smaller and spaced apart); movable finger without teeth; galea with bifid tip and 1 distal and 2 subdistal branches; external serrula with 19 blades, internal serrula with four distal blades (the first elongated and three rounded), bearing small spine-like projections, followed by a continuous, uniform structure resembling a veil; rallum with 3 blades, the third most distal blade is larger and serrated, the others smooth.

Pedipalp: ( Figs 6C–D View FIGURE 6 , 7D View FIGURE 7 ) Trochanter 1.77 (1.50) times longer than wide, with a rounded (ventral) protuberance; femur 0.43 times longer than wide, with internal margin convex, like an arch; patella 0.31 (0.38) times longer than wide, most proximal part thin, and the distal part in oval shape; hand with pedicel similar size to the fingers, with foliate setae; fingers with filamentous setae, without reticulated epicuticle; chela with some bifid and branched setae; movable chelal finger slightly curved inwards like a arch, with 51 (48) teeth, facing backwards, with pointed apex, 2 smaller accessory teeth, located distally in the external lateral region; fixed chelal finger straight with 43 (45) homogeneous teeth in the shape of a trapezoid, with pointed apex, and 5 accessory teeth located distally in the external lateral region. Trichobothria: st closer to t than to sb and b, ist proximal to it, ist adjacent to est, esb slightly distal to eb, et and it are adjacent and opposite. Well-developed venom apparatus on the movable finger ( Fig. 8A View FIGURE 8 ).

Leg I: ( Figs 7A, C View FIGURE 7 ) Arolium shorter than claws; tarsus with predominant of foliate setae, filamentous setae on the internal part and around the most distal tip; tibia with a single seta on the distal part; femur and patella (not fused), with foliated setae; trochanter with foliate seta only on the outer part and completely granulated (thorn-like granules).

Leg IV: ( Fig. 7B View FIGURE 7 ) 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 filamentous and foliate seta distributed around the limb; trochanter with filamentous setae on the internal part and two foliate setae on the outer part.

Measurements (mm): Female holotype ( paratypes in parenthesis): body length 2.23 (2.50); carapace 0.70/0.62 ( 0.764 / 0.805). Chelicera 0.23/0.10 (0.29/0.14). Pedipalp: trochanter 0.39/0.22 (0.45/0.30); femur 0.63/0.20 (0.68/0.24); patella 0.55/0.23 (0.65/0.27); hand (with pedicel) 0.54/0.36 (0.62/0.42); chela (with pedicel) 1.13/0.36 (1.25/0.42); chela (without pedicel) 1.085/0.36 (1.20/0.42); movable finger length 0.60 (0.66). Leg I: Trochanter 0.16/0.12 (0.17/0.13); femur 0.21/0.14 (0.20/0.14); patella 0.20/0.12 (0.30/0.13); tibia 0.32/0.10 (0.34/0.10); tarsus 0.35/0.07 (0.40/0.07). Leg IV:Trochanter 0.25/0.13 (0.21/0.13); femur + patella 0.53/0.12 (0.60/0.13); tibia 0.50/0.11 (0.51/0.11); tarsus 0.36/0.08 (0.40/0.07).