Arthur M. Chickering.
The Genus Scaphiella (Araneae, Oonopidae) in Central America and the West Indies.
Psyche 75:135-156, 1968.

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THE GENUS SCAPHIELLA (ARANEAE, OONOPIDAE) IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THE WEST INDIES*
BY ARTHUR M. CHICKERING
Museum of Comparative Zoology
This is the third paper in the series planned for publication on the various genera in the family Oonopidae from Central America and the West Indies.
As I have frequently stated in my published papers, I am deeply indebted to members of the staff of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, for aid and encouragement for many years in the pursuit of my studies. Grants GB-1801 and GB-5013 from the National Science Foundation have made it possible for me to carry on extensive collecting activities in Panama, Costa Rica and the West Indies during the past four years, and to continue my work in the Museum of Comparative Zoology. My thanks are extended to the following for the loan of types and other specimens to aid me in more completely understanding the genus under con- sideration: Dr. J. G. Sheals and Mr. D. J. Clark of the Department of Zoology, British Museum (Natural History) ; Dr. Willis J. Gerstsch, American Museum of Natural History, New York City; Dr. E. Kritscher, Naturhistorisches Museum, Wien. The types of all new species described in this paper together with my entire collection of this genus will be deposited in the Museum of Comparative Zoology,
Genus ScaphieZZa Simon, 1891
The type species is Scaphiella cymbalaria Simon, based upon a male and a female from St. Vincent, B. W. I. Since the recognition of the genus in 1891 a number of species have been described from South America, Central America, Mexico and the southwestern part of the United States. ScaphieZZa ula Suman has recently been de- scribed from Oahu Hawaii but I think this species belongs in a different genus. More than thirty years ago I first became interested in this genus and since that time I have accumulated a rther large number of specimens from Central America and the West Indies now apparently separable into twelve distinct species. I failed to
collect S. cymbalaria Simon during my brief visit to St. Vincent, B. W. I. in October, 1966 but I have had this species for study from the British Museum (Natural History). Males of the genus 'Manuscript received by the editor January 15, 1968 I35




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Psyche
Figures 1-2. Scaphiella agocena sp. nov. Fig. 1. Eyes from above. Fig. 2. Epigynal area from below. Figures 3-4. Scaphiella curlena sp. nov. Fig. 3. Eyes from above. Fig. 4. Epigynal area from below. Figs. 5-9. Scaphiella
cymbalaria Simon. Fig. 5. Eyes and bases of chelicerae from above. Fig. 6.
Sternum of male from below. Fig. 7. Left male palpal tarsus; prolateral view. Fig. 8. Female abdomen; left side. Fig. 9. Epigynal area from below. are difficult to separate into species with certainty; they seem to be very consistent in following the generic ~alpal tarsal pattern but specific differences within this pattern are frustratingly difficult to recognize. Females, on the other hand, appear to be much more easily separable into species, especially, if we emphasize the features of the epigynal area which has usually received little attention in the past. It should also be noted that the matching of males and females is also somewhat problematical and errors are to be expected. I feel, however, fairly safe in the way this has been done in the present paper.
The most important features of the genus observed during my study of the group may be stated as follows: The whole
body is strongly chitinized, especially in males. The carapace is of



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19681 Chickering - Genus Scaphiella 137
moderate height, about half as tall as wide; the median thoracic groove or pit is lacking or very obscure. There are six eyes in two rows and in a compact group. ALE are close together; the posterior row is nearly straight but usually slightly procurved or, occasionally, slightly recurved. Chelicerae of moderate size and without special features except the curious black spines first seen in S. barroam Gertsch and 5. williamsi Gertsch; the type species male also has a curious cone-shaped projection in front near the base of each chelicera (Fig. 5) but this has not been seen in any other species; there may also be an occasional minute tooth along the fang groove. Maxillae usually somewhat modified, especially in males. Lip without special features as far as observed. The sternum is somewhat scutiform; convex; commonly with a series of marginal lobes separated by shal- low grooves but these may be greatly reduced or absent; usually extended only to bases of fourth coxae which are usually well sep- arated; coxae tend toward being globose or subglobose. Legs: usually 4123 in order of length; strongly chitinized; probably with two tarsal claws throughout; true spines appear to be lacking but stiff hairs or bristles sometimes regarded as spiniform occur on certain segments; trichobothria have been observed on certain segments of legs and palps but they are easily overlooked. Male palp: in S. gertschi Chickering and 8. scutata sp. nov. only the left palpal tarsus is fully developed but in all other males studied both palps are fully developed; the tarsal structural pattern is consistently followed and with great similarity among all species studied; all segments except the tarsus little if at all modified. When the unitarsal condition was first noted it was regarded as an anomaly but now it is clearly shown to be the normal condition in the two species just named. In females the palpal tarsus appears to lack a terminal claw but is somewhat enlarged ( Fig. 46) . Abdomen : considerably compressed laterally but the degree of compression is variable; in males there is an extensive dorsal acutum (Fig. 19) covering nearly the whole dorsum and extending laterally to approach the dorsolateral exten- sion of the conspicuous ventral scutum; the group of closely associ- ated spinnerets are usually surrounded ventrally and laterally by a narrow sclerite in both sexes. In females the dorsal scutum is lacking and, hence, there is always a middorsal unchitinized, whitish strips of varying width; the epigynal area is usually quite distinctive but obscurely so and is of considerable help in determining species; con- siderable variation has been noted in the appearance of this region in certain species.




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Although some uncertainties still ~lague the author of this paper it seems at this time that a total of twelve species of the genus Scaphiella Simon must be recognized from the region under con- sideration. This list may be given as follows: Scaphiella agocena sp. nov. ; Scaphiella barroana Gertsch ; Scaphiella curlena sp. nov. ; Scaphiella cymbalaria Simon; Scaphiella gertschi Chickering; Sca- phiella kalunda sp. nov. ; Scaphiella schmidti Reimoser ; Scaphiella scutata sp. nov.; Scaphiella septella sp. nov.; Scaphiella simla sp. nov.; Scaphiella weberi sp. nov.; Scaphiella williamsi Gertsch. Key to male Scaphiellae from Central America and the West Indies
Species with only the left ~alpal tarsus fully developed (gertschi, ....................................................................................... scutata) 2
Species with both palpal tarsi fully developed (barroana, cym- .... balaria, kalunda, schmidti, septella, simla, weberi, williamsi) 3
Embolus arising from a relatively broad and angular base as in Figure 29; palpal femur somewhat inflated .... S. scutata, p. Embolus arising from a narrower and more rounded base as in Figure 10; palpal femur not inflated .................... S. gertschi, p. Embolus arising distal to the middle of the palpal tarsus (cym- balaria, kalunda, schmidti, septella) ....................................... 4 Embolus arising at about the middle or proximal to the middle of the palpal tarsus (barroana, simla, weberi, williamsi) ........ 7 Sternum with conspicuous grooves and marginal lobes ............ ............................................................................ S. cymbalaria, p. Sternum without conspicuous grooves or lobes (kalunda, schmidti, septella) ...................................................................................... 5 ALE separated from one another by about two fifths of their diameter ................................................................ S. kalunda, p. ALE nearly or quite contiguous to one another (schmidti, sep- tella) ........................................................................................... 6 Embolus arising from the side of a rounded tubercular base . .
(Fig. 23) ............................................................ S. schmdtz, p. Embolusarising directly from the surface of the palpal tarsus without a tubercular base .................................... S. septella, p. Embol~~s arising directly from a broad, bulbous base (Fig. 21, .................................................... Gertsch, 1941 ) S. barroana, p.
Embolus not arising as given above (simla, wcberi, williamsi) . . 8 Embolus arising directly from the surface of the tarsus but with a minute tubercle contiguous to its base (Fig. 19, Gertsch, I 94 r ) ................................................................ S. wilZimzsi, p.



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19681 Chichering - Genus Scaphiella 139
................
8b. Embolus not arising as given above (simla, weberi) 9 ga. ALE fairly well separated from one another (Fig. 42) ; palpal femur only moderately inflated ................................ 8. simla, p. gb.
ALE slightly separated from one another (Fig. 48) ; palpal femur considerably inflated .................................... S. weberi, p. No satisfactory key for the separation of the females in this genus has been devised.
Sca~hiella agocena sp. nov.
Figures I -2
Holotype.
The female holot~pe is from Curacao, Nederlands An- tilles, 3 km north of Savonet, December 28, 1962. Collected by Dr. H. W. Levi. The male is unknown and there are no paratypes. The name of the species is an arbitrary combination of letters. Description.
Total length 1.58 mm, exclusive of the somewhat porrect chelicerae; including the bases of the chelicerae total length is 1.66 mm. Carapace .57 mm long; .41 mm wide opposite second coxae where it is widest; .14 mm tall; nearly level along median re- gion to beginning of posterior declivity the first half of which is very steep and with lower half only moderately so; with several stiff bristles along median region the most prominent of which are at top of declivity; with a fine granulation on the surface of the lower part of the declivity; remainder of surface generally smooth and shining.
Eyes: six in a compact group; posterior row gently pro- curved and occupying about two thirds of width of carapace at that level; ratio of eyes ALE : PME : PLE = 5 : 4.5 : 4; ALE separated by slightly less than 1/5 of their long axis; separated from PME by nearly half their long axis; narrowly separated from PLE; PME contiguous to one another by fully one fourth of their circurn- ference and contiguous to PLE at one point (Fig. I). Height of clypeus nearly equal to half the long axis of ALE. Chelicerae: slightly porrect ; nearly parallel ; without special modifications. Max- illae and lip apparently typical of the genus. Sternum: moderately raised; longer than wide in ratio of about 18 : 13 ; with three pairs of lateral grooves but with the corresponding lobes poorly indicated ; procurved sternal suture barely indicated ; posterior end squarely truncated between bases of fourth coxae which are separated by nearly 1.5 times their width; third coxae globose, others somewhat elongated. Legs : 4123 in order of length ; tibia1 index of first leg 9, of fourth leg 8; no true spines seen on legs or palps; palpal tarsus with a tuft of broadened hairs, so often seen in species in this family, on prolateral side of cymbium; trichobothria observed on tibiae and



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Figures 10-14. Scaphiella gertschi Chickering. Figs. 10-11. Left palp of male; prolateral and nearly dorsal views, respectively. Fig. 12. Right palpal tarsus; nearly ventral view, Figs. 13-14. Epigynal areas; two vari- ations in appearance of this region. Figures 15-21. h'ca~l~iella kalunda sp. nov. Fig. 15.
Eyes of male from above. Figs, 16-17. Left male palp; pro- lateral and retrolateral views, respectively. Fig* 18. Left male palpal tarsus; nearly ventral view. Fig. 19. Male abdomen; lateral view; left side. Fig. 20. Genital area of male from below. Fig. 21. Epigynal area from below.




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metatarsi. Abdomen: 1.05 mm long; 46 mm wide about one fifth of its length from posterior end where it is widest; considerably compressed laterally; ventral scutum reaches posteriorly for about two thirds of length of venter and extends dorsally to cover lateral surfaces but leaves nearly the whole dorsum uncovered; a very nar- row sclerite surrounds the spinnerets ventrally and laterally but not dorsally; spinnerets appear typical of the genus; openings of book- lungs and tracheal spiracles quite distinct. Epigynal area, quite dis- tinctive (Fig. 2). Color in alcohol: all parts) except those abdominal areas not covered by scutum) are orange yellow with minor varia- tions; the unshielded areas are nearly white. ScaphieZZa barroam Gertsch
Scaphiella barroana Gertsch, 1941: 10, figs. 20-22. Male holotype and paratypes of both sexes from Barro Colorado Island, Panama Canal Zone are in the American Museum of Natural History, N. Y. City. Chickering, 1951: 234.
One male taken January 28, 1958 ; one male taken May 15) 1964 ; twelve specimens a11 taken between
1941 and 1946 in a Berlese
funnel by Dr. James Zetek constitute my entire collection of this species. Dr. Gertsch has loaned me two males; one taken in July, 1938 and the other taken Nov. 1952-March, 1953 in a Berlese fun- nel by Dt. Zetek. All of these have been taken on Barro Colorado Island) Panama Canal Zone. The palpal features of the male seem to be fairly clear and quite stable. The epigynal area is less clearly defined and appears to be somewhat variable. Scaphiella curlena sp. nov.
Figures 3-4
HoZoty$e. The female holotype is from Jamaica, VV. I., St. Catherine Parish) Guanaboa Vale) December 4) 1957. The name of the species is an arbitrary combination of letters. Description. Total length, including bases of chelicerae, I -5 I mm. Carapace 0.57 mm long; 0.44 nlm wide opposite second coxae where it is widest; 0.2 mm tall; neasly level along middorsal region from PME to beginning of posterior declivity opposite anterior bor- der of third coxae; posterior declivity with a concavity a little below the middle and with two long, stiff bristles at top; not notably granu- late. Eyes: six as usual in a compact group; viewed from above, posterior row gently procurved. Ratio of eyes ALE : PME : PLE = 6.5 : 5.5 : 4.5. ALE separated from one another bv a little less than half their radius (Fig. 3) ; ALE barely separated from PLE; PAIE contiguous to one another and to PLE. Height of



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clypeus about equal to diameter of ALE. Chelicerae, maxillae and lip apparently typical of females of the genus in the region under study. Sternum: with only moderately developed marginal grooves and lobes; anterior coxae somewhat elongated; a11 other coxae nearly globose; not extended between fourth coxae which are sep- arated by about 1.5 times their width. Legs: 4123 in order of length; tibia1 index of first leg 12, of fourth leg 10. No true spines
observed on legs or palp but many stiff bristles are present. The palpal tarsus is enlarged and provided with the cluster of widened hairs about as shown in Figure 53 for S. wiZZiamsi Gertsch. Abdomen : considerably compressed laterally; general features of ventral scutum and sclerite associated with spinnesets appear to be typical of females of the genus; the epigynal area
(Fig. 4) appears to be obscurely
distinctive with some vasiations among the few specimens assigned to the species.
Color in alcohol : the dorsal abdominal region, lacking the scutum, is nearly white with a faint darker reticulation; all other parts brownish ye1Iow with some variation. Records. Four paratype females from Jamaica, W. I. are assigned to this species as follows: St. Catherine Parish, Portland Ridge, Dec. 2, 1949 (R. P. Bengry and C. B. Lewis) ; St. Catherine Parish, Port Henderson, May 4, 1956 (C. C. Hoff) ; St. Thomas Parish, hloi-ant Point, &lay 6, 1956 (C. C. Hoff). Figures 22-26. Sca$hiclla schmidti Reimoser. Fig. 22. Eyes of male from above.
Fig. 23. Male palpal tarsus, tibia and patella; nearly retro- lateral view. Fig. 24. Male palpal tarsus; dorsal view. Fig. 25. Male palpal tarsus; viewed from distal end. Fig. 26. Epigynal area from below.



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19683 Chickering - Genus ScaphieZZa I43
Sca$hieZZa cymbalaria Simon
Figures 5-9
Sca$hiclla cymbalaria Simon, 1891: 561, no figs. Male and female syntypes from St, Vincent, B. W. I. are in the British Museum (Natural History). Simon, 1893 : 288, 300, figs. 257-258 ; Petrunkevitch, 1911 : 129 ; 1928 : 88 ; Roewer, 1942 : 289 ; Bonnet, 1958: 3940. Figures 27-35.
Slaphiella scutata sp, nov, Fig. 27,
Eyes of male from
above. Fig, 28. Left maxilla of male from below. Fig. 29. Left male palp; prolateral view. Fig. 30, Left male palpal tarsus; retrolateral view. Fig. 31. Distal end of left palpal tarsus; ventral view. Fig. 32. Right male palpal tarsus; prolateral view. Fig. 33. Anterior portion of venter of male from below. Fig. 34. Left maxilla of female paratype from below. Fig. 35.
Epigynal area from below.




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From a male and a female on loan from the British Museum (Natural Histoi-y) the following facts have been derived. llfde.
Total length 1.56 mm. Carapace 0.64 mm long; 0.53 mm wide opposite second coxae where it is widest; 0.23 mm tall; some- what raised just behind PME and then level along middorsal region to beginning of posterior decl>ivity. Eyes: six in a compact group as ~sual (Fig. 5) ; ALE well separated; with little pigment in ocular area; viewed from above, posterior 1-ow slightly procurved; bound- aries of clypeus obscure but height is probably nearly equal to diameter of ALE. Chelicerae: each with a curious cone-shaped projection in front near base (Fig. 5).
Maxillae and lip appear
essentially as described for other species. Sternum: scutiform; con- vex; moderately lobed opposite coxae along margin but not deeply grooved as in Dysderina (Fig. 6) ; fourth coxae separated by a little more than their width; terminated opposite bases of fourth coxae; third coxae globose and all others somewhat more elongated. Legs: 4123 in order of length with first and fourth only slightly different. Palp: both tarsi fully developed; essential features shown in Figure 7 ; other segments without special modifications. Abdomen: dorsal scutum covers entire dorsum and extends laterally nearly to ventral scutum so that very little of the unshielded surface shows; no sclerite has been observed in association with the spinnerets. Color in alcohol:
as it now appears after long preservation the color is a light yellowish. Female.
Total length I -73 mm. Carapace 0.64 mm long; 0.49 mm wide opposite second coxae where it is widest; about 0.21 mm tall. Eyes: essentially as in male but posterior row slightly more procurved than in that sex and the ALE are somewhat closer to- gether; apparently a slight asymmetry in the PME. Sternum es- sentially as in male with grooves about the same. Abdomen: with a well defined ventral scutum (Fig. 8) somewhat restricted in lateral dorsal extensions so that a large part of both dorsum and dorsolateral pasts are left bare and white in coloration; the sclerite associated with the spinnerets is present but hardly visible; epigynal area as shown in Figure 9. Other features essentially as in male, ScafihieZZa gertschi Chickering
Figures 10-14
Scaphiella gertschi Chickering, 1951: 235, figs. 24-27. The male holotype
from Barro Colorado Island, Panama Canal Zone is in the Museum of Comparative Zoology.
In 1951 the only male available for study was the holotype. Since
that time I have collected a large number of both sexes. For example, over 100 were taken on one day at Summit, Canal Zone and nu-



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19681 Chtckering - Genus Scap hiella I45 merous specimens are also in the collection from Jamaica, W. I. A. few additions should be made to my original description of the species as follows: When the holotype was described it was noted that the right palp was poorly developed.
At that time the condition was
regarded as an anomaly and should have been mentioned but this was inadvertently omitted. Figures 10-12, drawn from a male col- lected in Jamaica, will show the essential features of both left and right palpal tarsi. Very fine striations on the prolateral surface of the left palpal tarsus were first seen in a male from the Panama Canal Zone but these have now been observed in numerous males from Panama and Jamaica, W. I. ( Fig. 10). These striations have also been found on the left palpal tarsi of Scaphiella scutata sp. nov. from Jamaica, W. I. Variations in the appearance of the epigynal area have been noted during the examination of numerous females; Figures 13-14 are provided to illustrate two of these variations. Records. One male was collected at El Volcan, Panama in August, 1950. All others in the collection, now numbering several hundred, have been collected in numerous localities in the Canal Zone from 1950 to 1964. I also now have numerous specimens of both sexes from Jamaica, W. I.
These have been taken in the fol-
lowing named parishes during my three visits to this island since 1950: Clarendon, Kingston and, especially, St. Andrew. Scaphiella kalunda sp. nov.
Figures I 5-2 I
Holotype. The male holotype is from St. John, U. S. Virgin Islands, July 23, 1966. The name of the species is an arbitrary com- bination of letters.
Description. Total length about 1.48 mm (cephalothorax and abdomen detached but in good condition). Carapace 0.6 mm long; 0.44 mm wide opposite interval between first and second coxae where it is widest; surface smooth and shiny; without a median thoracic groove or pit; posterior border recurved; gently arched from PME along middorsal region to beginning of posterior declivity. Eyes: six in two rows and in a compact group as usual; posterior row slightly procurved viewed from above; ratio of eyes ALE : PME : PLE
5 : 4 : 3.5 ; some irregularity and asymmetry noted ; ALE separated by about two fifths of their diameter (Fig. 15 ) ; ALE separated from PLE only by a line and from PME by about one fifth of their diameter; PME contiguous at one point and barely separated from PLE. Height of clypeus equal to nearly 1.5 times the diameter of ALE. Chelicerae, maxillae and lip apparently quite



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146 Psyche [June
typical of males of the genus but fragility of the holotype and scarcity of parataypes prevents close examination. Sternum: quite convex; longer than wide in ratio of about 7 : 6; bluntly terminated between bases of fourth coxae which are separated by nearly 1.5 times their width; continued laterally between coxae; surface smooth with faint lobulations along margin; sternal suture conspicuous and slightly recurved; with a moderate supply of black bristles near margin and with a group of five or six of these at posterior end; first coxae somewhat elongate but all others quite globose. Legs: 4123 in order
of length; tibia1 index of first leg 12, of fourth leg II ; true spines are lacking but spiniform bristles are present. Palp : essential features shown in Figures 16-18 ; both right and left palps fully developed; palpal tarsus short and broad; palpal femur somewhat inflated. Abdomen: slender; dorsal and ventral scuta cover nearly entire surface (Fig. 19) ; the usual sclerite partially surrounds the spinnerets; obscure genital area as shown in Figure 20; minute cusps present at base of pedicel. Color in alcohol: essentially as described for S, barroana and 8. williamsi by Dr. Gertsch (1941) with minor vari- ations.
Female paratype. Total length 1.55 mm. Carapace 0.55 mm long; about 0.42 mm wide opposite second coxae where it is widest; 0.18 mm tall; only slightly arched along middorsal region from
PME to beginning of posterior declivity. Eyes essentially as in male.
Chelicerae, maxillae and lip all essentially typical of females of the genus so far as observed. Sternum: convex; marginal lobulation hardly discernible; otherwise essentially as in male. Legs essentially as in male. Palp : tarsus somewhat inflated ; a group of flattened hairs on ~rolateral side near base as in male. Abdomen: dorsal scutum lacking in typical fashion; ventral scutum somewhat less extensive than in male ; epigynal area somewhat distinctive (Fig. 2 I ) . Color in alcohol: parts not covered by abdominal scutum are white; else-