Eldar Oliveira and Brescovit, 2025

Villanueva-Bonilla, German Antonio, de Oliveira, Luiz Fernando Moura, Brescovit, Antonio Domingos, Riccardi, Paula Raile, de Andrade Santiago, Lílian & Vasconcellos-Neto, João, 2025, Many problems for a solo mother: maternal care efficiency of the ghost spider of new genus Eldar (Araneae: Anyphaenidae, Anyphaeninae) against new species Pseudogaurax Malloch (Diptera: Chloropidae), The Science of Nature 112 (3), pp. 1-19 : 9-11

publication ID	https://doi.org/10.1007/s00114-025-01982-4
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.15485960
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/7771AF52-FFE9-FFD8-FCA2-F9D138A0F8F1
treatment provided by	Jonas
scientific name	Eldar Oliveira and Brescovit
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Eldar Oliveira and Brescovit new genus

( Figs. 7A–L View ◂ , 8A–H View Fig , 9A–G View Fig , 10A–H View Fig , and 11 View Fig ).

Type species. Eldar galadrielae Oliveira and Brescovit sp. nov.

Etymology. The generic epithet is a noun in apposition to honor John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, who created the fictional character Eldar in literature, called the “Star People.” The name “ Eldar ” is a term from the Elven language, given to all Elves.

Diagnosis. Males of Eldar resemble those of Aljassa Brescovit 1997 , Hibana Brescovit 1997 , Hatitia Brescovit 1997 , Pipphuana Brescovit 1997 and Tafana Simon 1903 by having a conical embolic process and an embolic process apophysis in the copulatory bulb (long and transversal in Aljassa Brescovit 1997 : Fig. 286; in Pipphuana, a wide conical inserted in the base of the embolic process Brescovit 1997: Fig. 301; in Tafana , conical and laminar, Oliveira and Brescovit 2021: Fig. 9A–F View Fig ; species of Hibana and Hatitia lack an embolic process apophysis, Brescovit 1997: Figs. 219, 221, 311, and 312). They differ by the embolic process apophysis with short base and conical, transversal ( Figs. 8G View Fig , 9C View Fig , and 10A–B View Fig ). Additionaly, Eldar males present the retrolateral tibial apophysis in two branches. The anterior branch presents a furrow in the middle, and the posterior branch is pointed and curved. There is also an apical, basal retrolateral tibial apophysis finger-shaped, located below the anterior branch of the retrolateral tibial apophysis ( Figs. 9C–E View Fig and 10A, E, F View Fig ). Females of Eldar resemble those of Aljassa Brescovit 1997 ; Hatitia Brescovit 1997 ; Ilocomba Brescovit 1997 ; Macrophyes O. Pickard-Cambridge 1893 ; Tafana Simon 1903 ; and Wulfilopsis Soares and Camargo 1955 by having globose primary spermathecae in the posterior region of the vulva. The epigynal plate has a triangular hood in the anterior region in Aljassa , and Hatitia (see Brescovit 1997: Figs. 287, 313); triangular and semicircular in Ilocomba and Tafana (see Brescovit 1997 Fig. 208; Oliveira and Brescovit 2021, Figs. 4F View Fig and 11F View Fig ); primary spermathecae are slender and elongated in Macrophyes (see Brescovit 1997: Fig. 145); and secondary spermathecae are oval with long copulatory ducts in Wulfilopsis (see Brescovit 1997: Fig. 40). Females of Eldar differ from others by presenting an epigynum without a hood in the anterior region, short lateral lobes, a large epigynal plate covering the entire posterior region, and irregular secondary spermathecae in the anterior third of the vulva ( Figs. 9F–G View Fig and 10G–H View Fig ).

Description. Midsize with total length (males and females) 3.7–5.3. Carapace sub-oval, straight in the anterior region and enlarged near coxae II–III, cephalic region moderately high ( Figs. 8B–C View Fig and 9A–B View Fig ). Eyes, in frontal view anterior row recurved and posterior row procurve ( Fig. 8C–D View Fig ), and in dorsal view, with anterior row slightly recurved and posterior row straight ( Fig. 9A–B View Fig ). Chelicerae long and projected, with length approximately half the length of the carapace in males, and about a third of the carapace length in females. The basal condyle is conspicuous ( Figs. 7A View ◂ , 8C–D View Fig , and 9A–B), with four promarginal teeth and four to six retromarginal denticles ( Fig. 7A–B View ◂ ). Endites concave with wide base, short labium up to half endites, slightly excavated in the apex ( Fig. 8E View Fig ). Sternum oval, with a rounded anterior border and a slightly elongated, rounded posterior border, not projecting between the coxae IV ( Fig. 8A–B–E View Fig ). Long legs slightly hairy with robust spines, flat claw tuft setae with ridged sides directed outward ( Fig. 7G–H View ◂ ). Leg spination (formula in the e species description): Paired tarsal claws with 5–6 teeth ( Fig. 7G–H View ◂ ). Two rows of trichobothria with striated base on dorsum of the metatarsi and tarsi I–IV ( Fig. 7K View ◂ ). Tarsal organ teardropshaped, on the distal region of tarsus ( Fig. 7J View ◂ ), slit sensilla elongated on the tarsus ( Fig. 7I View ◂ ). Male palp: The tibiae have a complex of apophyses, with a bifid retrolateral tibial apophysis. The anterior branch of the apophysis is triangular, furrowed medially, and the posterior branch is pointed and curved. Basally, the anterior branch has a finger-shaped retrolateral tibial apophysis ( Figs. 9C–E View Fig and 10A–E–F View Fig ). Cymbium oval without projections, petiole basally subtriangular ( Fig. 7D–E View ◂ ); subtegulum basally massive with three rings, not prominent, transversely positioned behind of tegulum in the unexpanded palp ( Figs. 8F–H View Fig and 9C View Fig ); tegulum oval without ventral tegular projection ( Figs. 9A View Fig and 10A View Fig ); median apophysis sclerotized, long, and with a curved apex ( Figs. 9C–D View Fig and 10A–C View Fig ); sperm duct presenting three or four loops in expanded palp, internally traversing the embolic process reaching the embolus ( Fig. 8F–G View Fig ); unexpanded palp two loops in ventral view, in U-shaped ( Fig. 9C View Fig ); embolic process conical, with tranversal conical short apophysis apically ( Figs. 8G View Fig and 10A–B View Fig ); short embolus, filiform and curved pro-apically ( Fig. 10A–D View Fig ). Abdomen: oval, with dorsal setae and two pairs of dorsal median muscle impressions ( Fig. 9A–B View Fig ); epiandrous spigots absent in males ( Fig. 7L View ◂ ); tracheal spiracle closer to epigastric furrow ( Fig. 8A–B View Fig ). Spinnerets (only male of Eldar galadrielae sp. nov. surveyed): anterior spinnerets bisegmented, with basal article large and distal article conical, with several piriform gland spigots ( Fig. 7C–D View ◂ ) and one ampullate glands spigot (not visible in Fig. 7D View ◂ , observed by SEM images); median spinnerets unsegmented, with several aciniform and one minor ampullate gland spigots ( Fig. 7C–E View ◂ ); posterior spinnerets bisegmented with basal and distal articles cylindrical, with several aciniform gland spigots ( Fig. 7C–F View ◂ ); colulus (not visible in Fig. 7C View ◂ , observed by SEM images). Epigynum without anterior hood ( Figs. 9F View Fig and 10G View Fig ), with short and straight lateral lobes ( Figs. 9F View Fig and 10G View Fig ), atrium short ( Fig. 10G View Fig ), wide, triangular epigynal plate, copulatory openings conspicuous ( Figs. 9F View Fig and 10G View Fig ). Internally with shortand sinuous copulatory ducts ( Figs. 9G View Fig and 10H View Fig ), irregular secondary spermathecae in the anterior third region ( Figs. 9G View Fig and 10H View Fig ), globous primary spermathecae projected posteriorly in the vulva ( Fig. 10H View Fig ), fertilization ducts long ( Figs. 9G View Fig and 10H View Fig ).