The Neotropical Goblin Spiders of the New GeneraPonsoonopsandBipoonops(Araneae, Oonopidae)

Abstract

Two new genera, Ponsoonops and Bipoonops, are established for groups of species characterized by sexually dimorphic dorsal abdominal scutum expression (with a scutum present in males but not females), male palps with a separate cymbium and bulb, and a patterned abdomen. Both genera belong therefore to the Varioonops complex, represented now by three described Neotropical genera. Members of Ponsoonops are united by three putative synapomorphies in males: a "pierlike" dorsal scutum completely fused to the epigastric scutum, a patch of short setae ventrodistally on metatarsi I and II, and a short anteromedian protrusion on the endites. Female Ponsoonops specimens differ from other members of the Varioonops complex in having small lateral sclerites at the epigynal area and a smooth sternum. Members of Bipoonops share a large, irregularly shaped, rather indistinct dark spot posteriorly on the carapace, a putative synapomorphy, and a moderately rugose sternum surface; males are characterized by a distinct, bipartite conductor. A total of 22 Ponsoonops species, 21 new to science, are described: P. duenas, P. hamus, and P. tacana from Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, P. bilzi, P. lucha, P. samadam, P. sanvito, and P. viejo from Costa Rica, P. bollo, P. boquete, P. coiba, P. fanselix, P. frio, P. lerida, P. mirante, P. panto, P. salimsa, and P. vuena from Panama, P. pansedro from Colombia, P. micans (Simon, transferred from Dysderoides) from Venezuela, P. yumuri from Cuba, and P. lavega from the Dominican Republic. Bipoonops is described for three new species found on the western slope of the Andes in Ecuador: B. baobab, B. pucuna, and B. tsachila.

The goblin spiders (Araneae, Oonopidae) of the OTONGA Nature Reserve in Ecuador, with the description of seven new species

“…22); from B. baobab Bolzern, 2014 by the large and rounded retrolateral process of the conductor (Fig. 22) which is absent in the latter (Bolzern 2014, fig. 511).…”

“…Bipoonops pucuna Bolzern, 2014. Diagnosis. Carapace with an indistinct, dark spot on the posterior half.…”

“…Males are distinguished from all species by the short, strongly curved embolus and the small waved prolateral extension of the conductor (Fig. 22); from B. baobab Bolzern, 2014 by the large and rounded retrolateral process of the conductor (Fig. 22) which is absent in the latter (Bolzern 2014, fig.…”

“…Photos were taken with a BK Plus Lab System by Dun, Inc. with a Canon 5DS Macro camera and a Canon 65mm lens. Morphological nomenclature follows: Dupérré (2010b, 2011a); Bolzern (2014); Platnick and Berniker (2014).…”

The Neotropical Goblin Spiders of the New GenusReductoonops(Araneae, Oonopidae)

“…The Indian species has since been studied in detail by Grismado et al (2014), who also described several related species from caves in northern India and Thailand; all those species seem to be completely blind, although one of the Indian species shows what appear to be remnants of the eyes, beneath the cuticle. The normal-eyed venezuelan species transferred to Dysderoides by Fage is not at all closely related to these taxa, and belongs to a new Neotropical genus studied by Bolzern (2014).…”