Charinus caatingae Vasconcelos & Ferreira, 2016

Fig. 43; Table 4

Charinus caatingae Vasconcelos & Ferreira, 2016: 187–190, figs 1–11.

Charinus caatingae – Armas et al. 2016: 48. — Miranda et al. 2016c: 29.

Diagnosis

This species may be separated from other Charinus in eastern South America by means of the following combination of characters: anterior margin of carapace slightly extended with eight prominent setae; lateral eyes reduced to an eyespot; female gonopods sucker-like, length similar to width, opening rounded, margins with small folds and pronounced bottleneck below them; cheliceral claw with 8–10 teeth; pedipalp femur with four or five dorsal spines and four or five ventral spines; pedipalp patella with five or six dorsal spines and three or four ventral spines; pedipalp tarsus with three dorsal spines; tibia of leg I with 23 articles, tarsus I with 41 articles; leg IV basitibia with four pseudo-articles; sc and sf series each with six trichobothria.

Etymology

Noun referring to the Caatinga biome in which the type locality is located (Vasconcelos & Ferreira 2016).

Type material

Holotype BRAZIL • ♀; Bahia, Várzea Nova, Fazenda Jurema Cave; 11°03′23.51″ S, 41°05′34.47″ W; 21 Jan. 2012; R.L. Ferreira leg.; ISLA 3918 [not examined].

Paratypes BRAZIL • 4 ♀♀; same locality as for holotype; 2 Jan. 2008, R.L. Ferreira leg.; ISLA 3919 to ISLA 3921, ISLA 4104 [not examined] • 2 ♀♀; same locality as for holotype; 7 Jan. 2014; R.L. Ferreira leg.; ISLA 4996 to ISLA 4997 [not examined] .

Measurements

See Table 4.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 43).

Natural history

Fazenda Jurema Cave is relatively small (ca 100 m long) and belongs to the Una limestone group, located in the Caatinga biome, the only semi-arid biome in Brazil. Specimens were collected mainly in the terminal part of the cave, where the phreatic level is visible. Vasconcelos & Ferreira (2016) noted that despite surveying other caves in the area, specimens of C. caatingae were only collected in the Fazenda Jurema Cave, suggesting that the species may be endemic to this cave. Potential prey includes crickets ( Endecous sp.) and moths ( Tineidae Latreille, 1810). The vegetation outside the cave was partially removed for corn and manioc crops; additionally, an electric pump was installed inside the cave to pump water for crop irrigation. Due to alterations of the natural environment inside and outside the cave, the species is considered to be severely threatened (Vasconcelos & Ferreira 2016).