Chrysometa chuchaqui, Peñaherrera-R, 2025

Peñaherrera-R, Pedro, 2025, On some Chrysometa Simon, 1894 species collected from Ecuador: redescription of C. bolivia, description of a new species, and comments on the type locality of C. otavalo (Araneae, Tetragnathidae), Zootaxa 5636 (3), pp. 511-522 : 515-519

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5636.3.6
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:A5439280-0602-47EB-A6FF-EF2F1A1F5C05
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15561767
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03BE8798-A147-206F-FF62-7C07FA79536E
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Chrysometa chuchaqui
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Chrysometa chuchaqui sp. nov.

Figs 4B View FIGURE 4 , 5–9 View FIGURE 5 View FIGURE 6 View FIGURE 7 View FIGURE 8 View FIGURE 9 , 11 View FIGURE 11

Type material. Holotype ♂, near Bellavista Lodge and Tandayapa Cloud Forest Station , parroquia de Nanegalito, provincia de Pichincha, República del Ecuador (0°00'43.5"S 78°41'04.2"W), 26 January 2024, Peñaherrera-R., P. leg. (ZSFQ-i20623) GoogleMaps . Paratypes 2♀ (ZSFQ-i20624; ZSFQ-i20625), same data as holotype GoogleMaps .

Other material examined. None.

Etymology. The specific epithet is an apposition taken from the quechuism generally used by Ecuadorians in reference to the hangover. The name is inspired, in part, by the Ecuadorian band Guardarraya, whose music the author has cherished since his teenage years. One of their notable songs bears the same name, and this tribute reflects both a personal and cultural connection.

Diagnosis. Males of C. chuchaqui sp. nov. resemble those of C. bolivia by the palpus having the coil of conductor and embolus much wider than the tegulum and by the presence of a bifid conductor ( Figs 2C View FIGURE 2 , 6B, C View FIGURE 6 ). However, C chuchaqui sp. nov. is identified by the embolus with a distal tooth and not wrapped by the conductor at distal section; conductor long and bifid; cymbial ectomedian process more apically projected and more lanceolate; cymbial ectomedian and ectobasal processes not fused; paracymbium with wide bifid prong, prolateral lower prong having two protruding processes, and upper prong without indentation ( Figs 2A–C View FIGURE 2 , 4A, B View FIGURE 4 , 6A–C View FIGURE 6 ). Females of C. chuchaqui sp. nov. resemble those of C. serachui Levi, 1986 by the genitalia with a square and extremely protruding median plate visible in posterior view; distal constriction and median dilatation at posterior section of the median plate present; and triangular superior border of lateral plates ( Fig. 7A, B View FIGURE 7 ; Levi 1986, figs 166–168). They differ as C. chuchaqui sp. nov. has wide copulatory openings extending over the anterior section on median plate downwards to almost posterior border section; median plate with median dilatation over its ventral surface; two weakly sclerotised marks above epigynum; and coiled fertilisation ducts (copulatory openings small and restricted to median section of median plate, median dilatation on ventral surface of median plate and marks above epigynum absent, and fertilisation duct with a slight curvature in C. serachui ) ( Fig. 7A–C View FIGURE 7 , Levi 1986, figs 165–168). Additionally, females of C. chuchaqui sp. nov. differ from C. serachui by the absence of an abdominal pattern, present in the latter ( Fig. 5C View FIGURE 5 ; Levi 1986, fig. 169).

Description. Male (based on holotype ZSFQ-i20623). Carapace overall brown with a butterfly-shaped pale yellow mark at the centre ( Fig. 5A View FIGURE 5 ). Legs overall are pale yellow; distal section of tibia I and metatarsus I dark yellow as well as basal section of femur I and all the coxa I and trochanter I ( Fig. 5A, B View FIGURE 5 ). Laterals of the abdomen with big silver patches, absent at venter and dorsum surfaces ( Fig. 5A, B View FIGURE 5 ); dorsum with a black mark from anterior to median section, yellowish shade present over the dorsum ( Fig. 5A, B View FIGURE 5 ); anterior small abdominal projection present ( Fig. 5B View FIGURE 5 ). Total length 4.13. Carapace 1.72 long, 1.42 wide. Abdomen 2.43 long, 1.16 wide. Left chelicera 0.88 long, 0.22 wide. Leg formula I–II–IV–III. Leg I: 5.67 / 0.84 / 6.23 / 7.60 / 1.90 / 16.24. Leg II: 3.32 / 0.77 / 2.91 / 3.88 / 1.07 / 11.95. Leg III: 1.48 / 0.39 / 0.94 / 1.44 / 0.54 / 4.79. Leg IV: 2.98 / 0.46 / 1.95 / 2.39 / 0.79 / 8.57. Palpus ( Figs 4B View FIGURE 4 , 6A–C View FIGURE 6 ): Palpal femur not swollen. Palpal tibia longer than wide. Lanceolate cymbial ectomedian process present ( Fig. 6B, C View FIGURE 6 ); small and conical cymbial ectobasal process spur present with numerous small macrosetae arranged in a line ( Fig. 6B, C View FIGURE 6 ). Paracymbium with widely bifurcated lower prong and a elongated upper prong with distal dilatation; lower prong with three processes, two prolateral and one retrolateral ( Fig. 6B View FIGURE 6 ). Coil of conductor and embolus much wider and longer than tegulum ( Fig. 6B View FIGURE 6 ). Conductor bifid with same length as embolus; upper conductor follows the embolus angle while lower conductor goes downwards ( Fig. 6A, B View FIGURE 6 ). Embolus with a distal tooth ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ). Small and conical embolic basal apophysis present ( Fig. 4B View FIGURE 4 ).

Female (based on paratype ZSFQ-i20624). Carapace and legs overall pale yellow; carapace with a posterior orange mark ( Fig. 5C View FIGURE 5 ). Legs overall pale yellow, and only the distal section of all leg segments is dark yellow ( Fig. 5C, D View FIGURE 5 ). Dorsum, venter, and laterals of the abdomen with big silver patches ( Fig. 5C, D View FIGURE 5 ); yellowish shade present over dorsum ( Fig. 5C, D View FIGURE 5 ); anterior protruding abdominal projection present ( Fig. 5D View FIGURE 5 ). Total length 4.57. Carapace 1.64 long, 1.10 wide. Abdomen 3.44 long, 2.04 wide. Left chelicera 0.72 long, 0.32 wide. Leg formula I–II–IV–III. Leg I: 3.34 / 0.71 / 1.95 / 3.96 / 0.85/ 14.6. Leg II: 2.53 / 0.71 / 2.13 / 2.33 /1.05 / 8.75. Leg III 1.45 / 0.39 / 1.05 / 1.04 / 0.64 / 4.57. Leg IV 2.28 / 0.43 / 2.07 / 1.99 / 0.83 / 7.6. Genitalia ( Fig. 7A–C View FIGURE 7 ): two weakly sclerotised marks present above the epigynum ( Fig. 7A View FIGURE 7 ). Square median plate with a ventral dilatation at median section ( Fig. 7A, B View FIGURE 7 ); posterior section being protruding with distal constriction and median dilatation ( Fig. 7A, B View FIGURE 7 ). Wide copulatory openings extending almost the entire length of median plate ( Fig. 7A View FIGURE 7 ). Triangular lateral plates, in posterior view ( Fig. 7B View FIGURE 7 ). Fertilisation ducts originating anteriorly and intersecting over lung-shaped spermathecae, coiling one time, extending towards the centre and expanding into a lanceolate shape ( Fig. 7D View FIGURE 7 ).

In vivo colouration. Males and females of C. chuchaqui sp. nov. shows same colouration as in preserved material, perhaps with much brighter tones ( Figs 8–9 View FIGURE 8 View FIGURE 9 ). Males can exhibit carapace colour intensity variation ( Fig. 8 View FIGURE 8 ).

Distribution and natural history. Known only from the type locality in the Tandayapa valley ( Fig. 11 View FIGURE 11 ): near Bellavista Lodge and Tandayapa Cloud Forest Station, 3000 m, province of Pichincha. This species inhabits a montane evergreen forest of the Cordillera Occidental of the Andes of Ecuador, in the Northern Andes biogeographic province ( Fig. 10 View FIGURE 10 ) ( Morrone 2014; Cisneros-Heredia & Yánez-Muñoz 2007; Cisneros-Heredia 2006, 2007, 2019).