Scoloderus neilli, Díaz-Guevara & Dupérré, 2025

Díaz-Guevara, David R. & Dupérré, Nadine, 2025, A web of canopy discoveries part I (Araneae: Araneidae). New astonishing species of orb-weaving spiders from Ecuador and the first country record of Pozonia Schenkel, 1953, Zootaxa 5660 (4), pp. 587-595 : 591-592

Scoloderus neilli new species

( Figure 3 )

Type material ♀ holotype from ECUADOR, Orellana: Reserva Étnica Waorani, Onkone Gare Biological Station , 247 m, 0.65714°S, 76.4555°W, 25 January 2006, Col. T. Erwin, M. Pimienta, A. Troya & M. Santacruz ( MECN-AR 560 ) .

Etymology. The specific epithet honors David Alan Neill, who passed away in this year (2025). A great researcher and teacher of the lead author during his time as a student at the Amazon State University of Ecuador (UEA). In recognition of his dedication to Ecuadorian flora’s conservation, taxonomy, and systematics.

Diagnosis. The female of S. neilli sp. nov. differs from all the other species of the genus by the presence of a unique dorsal hump in the opisthosoma ( Fig. 3A, C ) (vs opisthosoma often with three dorsal humps in S. nigriceps , always with three humps in S. tuberculifer and the opisthosoma without dorsal humps in S. cordatus , S. gibber , and S. ackerlyi ). The narrow scape of epigynum with parallel sides resembles S. tuberculifer ; however, it can be easily differentiated from it by the presence of two bigger spermathecae, much further apart from each other and highly curved, longer, and thicker copulatory ducts, almost touching ( Figs 3E, F ).

Description. Female (Holotype): Total length: 5.35; carapace: 1.43 long. Diameter of AME 0.11, PME 0.11, ALE 0.08, PLE 0.08. Eye inter-distances AME-AME 0.11; AME-ALE 0.42; ALE-PLE 0.01; PME-PLE 0.58; PME-PME 0.20.

Leg measurements: Total (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus): I: 3.01 (1.07, 0.34, 0.70, 0.59, 0.31); II: 2.80 (0.93, 0.43, 0.59, 0.53, 0.32); III: 1.72 (0.53, 0.27, 0.37, 0.33, 0.22); IV: (0.92, missing patella to tarsus).

Carapace, reddish without a notch. Chelicerae reddish. Sternum, pale reddish to orange. ( Fig. 2B ). Legs with setae and reddish, similar to the carapace ( Fig. 3 A-D). Dorsum of the abdomen, with a unique dorsal hump in a shiny area ( Fig. 3A, C ). Opisthosoma hairy and pale reddish to orange with six pairs of black spots, with its diameter decreasing to the most distal part of the abdomen, being the first pair of spots notably bigger than the others ( Fig. 3A, C ). The sides of the abdomen are creamy ( Fig. 3D ). Venter of the abdomen brown ( Fig. 3B ).

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality in Orellana province ( Fig. 5A )

Natural history. The only known specimen was collected by fogging the canopy in the Ecuadorian Amazonian region.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Spinepeira erwini sp. nov. A, Female holotype habitus, dorsal view. B, same ventral view. C, same lateral view. D, epigynum ventral view. E, same posterior view cleared. Scale bar A–C = 1.0 mm; D–E = 0.1mm. Abbreviations: S, Spermathecae; FD, Fertilization duct.

FIGURE 3. Scoloderus neilli sp. nov. A, Female holotype habitus (arrow indicates the unique dorsal hump in the ophistosoma), dorsal view. B, same ventral view. C, Abdomen, dorsal view. D, lateral view. E, epigynum ventral view cleared. F, same posterior view cleared. Scale bar A–C = 1.0 mm; D–E = 0.1mm. Abbreviations: S, Spermathecae; CD, Copulatory duct; Sc, Scape.

FIGURE 5. A, Geographical records of the newly described species and records of Araneidae from the Ecuadorian Amazon canopy.