Pastaza aureliae, Dupérré & Tapia, 2025

Dupérré, Nadine & Tapia, Elicio, 2025, Revision of the Ecuadorian Microstigmatidae (Araneae: Mygalomorphae), with the description of six new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 1007, pp. 87-132 : 108-111

Pastaza aureliae gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:2D1619F8-6B8C-4801-AFCE-B493D26103E7

Figs 13–14 , 29B–D , 30

Diagnosis

Females are distinguished from those of P. roberti gen. et sp. nov. by their internal genitalia with spermathecae being closer together and separated by their diameter, on short stalks ( Fig. 14C–E ) compared to spermathecae separated by 2× their diameter in the latter and on elongated stalks ( Fig. 20C– E ).

Etymology

The specific epithet is a matronym in honor of Anabelle Aurelia Tapia, one of the collectors of the type specimen.

Type material

Holotype

ECUADOR • ♀; Pastaza Province, Via Puyo – Macas, Communidad Chuwitayo 7 km via communidad Chapintza , Propriedad del Sr. Luis Caniras , Cueva de los tallos; 642 m a.s.l.; 5 Oct. 2021; E. Tapia and A. Tapia leg.; hand collected inside cave, in burrow with lid; ECFN 7948; QCAZ.

Paratypes

ECUADOR • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; ECFN 8288; ZMH-A0030711; ZMH • 1 ♀; same data as for holotype; ECFN 8287; QCAZ • 1 ♀, same data as for holotype; ECFN 8289; ZMH-A0030712; ZMH • 1 ♀, same data as for holotype; ECFN 7949; DTC .

Other material examined

ECUADOR • 1 ♀ juv., same data as for holotype; ECFN 8246; QCAZ • 1 ♀ (juv.), same data as for holotype; ECFN 8299; ZMH-A0030713; ZMH .

Description

Female (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 12.70; carapace length: 6.24; carapace width: 4.95; abdomen length: 6.55. CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace elongated-oval, dark orange-brown slightly darker along radiating lines and margin; pars cephalica slightly arched, pars thoracica sloping; fovea straight ( Fig. 14A ). Labium dark orange-brown margin V-shaped with 15 cuspules ( Fig. 14B ). Maxillae orange, anterior lobe small; with 19 cuspules; serrula present ( Fig. 14B ). Sternum wider than long (2.53 length, 2.46 width); with three marginal, oval sigilla ( Fig. 14B ). Eight eyes in two rows: AME 0.30, ALE 0.34, PME 0.12, PLE 0.32, PME–PME 0.55; ocular quadrangle rectangular (1.24 anterior, 1.22 posterior, 0.56 high).

CHELICERAE. Dark reddish-brown; rastellum absent; with 12 promarginal teeth, 22 intermarginal denticles.

LEGS. Uniformly dark orange-brown ( Fig. 13A ); without scopula; filiform trichobothria present on all tarsi ( Fig. 29B ); tarsi with STC with teeth 5–8 per row, ITC present on all legs; tarsal organ highly elevated, smooth ( Fig. 29C–D ). Leg measurements: I 16.26 (4.72/2.69/3.94/2.85/2.06); II 15.11 (4.41/1.92/3.47/3.26/2.05); III 13.21 (3.19/1.65/3.01/3.42/1.94); IV 20.60 (5.32/2.26/4.82/5.85/2.36); 4123. Leg spination (spines present on all segments except tarsi): I fe d1-1-1-2-1, pa 0, ti v2-2-3(apical), mt v2-2-2; II fe d1-1-1-2-1, pa 0, ti v2-2-3(apical), mt p1, v2-2-2; III fe d1-1-1-1, pa d1, ti d1-1, r1-1-1, p1-1, v2-2-3(apical), mt d1-1-2-1, p1-1, r 1-1-1, v1-1-3(apical); IV fe d1-1-1-1, pa d1, r1, ti d1-1-1, p1-1, r1-1-1, v1-1-3(apical), mt d1-1-2-1, p1-1, r 1-1-1, v1-1-3(apical).

ABDOMEN. Oval, dark grayish-brown with yellowish markings, with thick setae anteriorly on sclerotized socket ( Fig. 13A–B ); spinnerets short (PMS 0.62\PLS 0.88).

GENITALIA. Spermathecal bases wide; with large, oval spermathecal heads, on short stalks separated by their diameter ( Fig. 14C–E ).

Male

Unknown.

Natural history

Females were collected inside a cave in a burrow with lid at the base of a rocky wall. Specimens were collected in a karstic cave at 642 m a.s.l., situated in an evergreen foothill forest of the Eastern Cordillera (BsPn03) ( Guevara et al. 2013a).

Distribution

Known only from the type locality in Pastaza Province.

Figures

Fig. 13. Pastaza aureliae gen. et sp. nov., ♀, holotype (ECFN 7948; QCAZ). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, ventral view. Scale bars: 5.0 mm.

Fig. 14. Pastaza aureliae gen. et sp. nov. A–C. ♀, holotype (ECFN 7948; QCAZ). A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Internal genitalia, dorsal view. D. ♀, paratype (ECFN 7949; DTC), internal genitalia, dorsal view. E. ♀, paratype (ECFN 8287; QCAZ), internal genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–B = 1.0 mm; C = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 29. SEM. A. Spelocteniza pampenita sp. nov., ♂, paratype (ZMH-A0030710; ZMH), tarsus II, dorsal view (arrow points to tarsal organ). B–D. Pastaza aureliae gen. et sp. nov., ECFN 7948 (QCAZ) B. Tarsus III, dorsal view. C. Tarsus III, dorsal view (arrow points to tarsal organ). D. Tarsal organ II, dorsal view. E. Pastaza roberti gen. et sp. nov. (ZMH-A0030714), tarsus I, dorsal view. F. Pastaza vegai gen. et sp. nov., (QCAZ), tarsus I, dorsal view (arrow points to tarsal organ).

Fig. 30. Distribution map of members of the family Microstigmatidae Roewer, 1942 in Ecuador. Spelocteniza ashmolei Gertsch, 1982 (yellow star), Spelocteniza pampenita sp. nov. (orange triangle), Spelocteniza zuninoi sp. nov. (turquoise circle), Pseudonemesia scutata gen. et sp. nov. (red triangle), Pastaza aureliae gen. et sp. nov. (yellow circle), Pastaza roberti gen. et sp. nov. (pink circles), Pastaza vegai gen. et sp. nov. (green circle).

Fig. 20. Pastaza roberti gen. et sp. nov. A–C. ♀, paratype (ECFN 9369; QCAZ). A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Sternum, ventral view. C. Internal genitalia, dorsal view. D–E. ♀, paratype (ECFN 11664; QCAZ), internal genitalia, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–B = 1.0 mm; C–D = 0.5 mm.