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1 March 2022 Ctenus igatu sp. nov. (Araneae: Ctenidae): a new subterranean spider from Brazil with an analysis of troglomorphic traits
Igor Cizauskas, Daniele Polotow, Jonas E. Gallão, Maria E. Bichuette, Antonio D. Brescovit
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Abstract

In this work we describe Ctenus igatu sp. nov., the first ctenid spider from South America with conspicuous troglomorphic traits, including elongated appendages, reduction of eyes, and body depigmentation. The new species is only known to occur in a unique sandstone cave from the state of Bahia, north-eastern Brazil. The morphology of the genitalia suggests that Ctenus igatu sp. nov. is closely related to Ctenus fasciatus Mello-Leitão, 1943, a facultative subterranean species from caves in the state of São Paulo, south-eastern Brazil. In addition, we compared morphological traits possibly related to the isolation in subterranean habitats, such as ratios between carapace length vs. leg IV length and eye diameters vs. carapace length, of 19 species of Ctenus (17 epigean species, C. fasciatus and the new troglobitic species described herein). Our analysis showed that both C. fasciatus as C. igatu sp. nov. have morphological troglomorphisms, with C. igatu sp. nov. showing marked specializations to subterranean life.

Igor Cizauskas, Daniele Polotow, Jonas E. Gallão, Maria E. Bichuette, and Antonio D. Brescovit "Ctenus igatu sp. nov. (Araneae: Ctenidae): a new subterranean spider from Brazil with an analysis of troglomorphic traits," The Journal of Arachnology 50(1), 1-12, (1 March 2022). https://doi.org/10.1636/JoA-S-20-068
Received: 9 September 2020; Accepted: 22 April 2021; Published: 1 March 2022
KEYWORDS
Chapada Diamantina
Cteninae
subterranean biology
troglobitic
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