Monday, March 17, 2025

[Arachnida • 2024] Harmonicon candango • A New Species of Harmonicon F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae: Dipluridae), from central-west Brazil and Redescription of H. rufescens

  

Harmonicon candango 
Wermelinger-Moreira, Castanheira & Baptista, 2024


Abstract
A new species of Harmonicon F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896, is described from the Cerrado biome in Central-West Brazil, representing the first non-Amazonian and the southernmost record for the genus. Furthermore, we present a new diagnosis of the genus, expanding its original diagnosis, and redescribe its type species, Harmonicon rufescens F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896, based on an adult female specimen from the same biogeographical area of its type locality.

Key Words: Amazon region, biodiversity, Brasília, Cerrado biome, Diplurinae, Lyra, Pará

Harmonicon candango sp. nov., male holotype (MNRJ 7625).
A. Dorsal habitus; B–F. Male left pedipalp: B. Tibia, retrolateral view; C–F. Palpal bulb; C. Prolateral view; D. Retrolateral view; E. Dorsal view; F. Ventral view; G. Sternum; H. Lyra of left maxilla, ventral view; I–J. Tibia I: I. Retrolateral view; J. Ventral view. Scale bars: 5 mm (A); 2 mm (B, I–J); 1 mm (C–H).

Harmonicon candango sp. nov., female paratype (MNRJ 7626).
A. Dorsal habitus; B. Sternum; C. Lyra of left maxilla, ventral view; D–F. Spermathecae: D. Ventral view; E. Dorsal view; F. Ventral view, partially cleared; G. Alive female specimen in captivity. Scale bars: 5 mm (A); 2 mm (B); 1 mm (C); 0.5 mm (D–E). Living specimen photo by Denis Pedroso.

Harmonicon candango sp. nov.
 
Diagnosis: Harmonicon candango sp. nov. can be separated from all other Harmonicon by its lyra composed of setae curved from its base and bearing spatulate tips (Figs 2H, 3C) (vs. setae with strongly curved, thin, and acute tips) (e.g., Fig. 1C; Maréchal and Marty 1998, fig. 2A, B; Drolshagen and Bäckstam 2011, fig. 6). Males of H. candango sp. nov. resemble H. oiapoqueae by the dark colour and the similar pedipalp bulb profile, with a low hump at the bulb near the basis of embolus, which is not crooked and almost straight (Fig. 2B, D). They may be recognised from those of H. oiapoqueae by the presence of the ventral setae near the retrolateral tubercle at metatarsus I (Fig. 2J), tibia I with retrolateral spur bearing ...

Etymology: The specific epithet “candango” is a masculine noun in apposition used to designate the inhabitants of the city of Brasília, especially to the immigrants from Northeast Brazil who built the city.


Gabriel Wermelinger-Moreira, Pedro de Souza Castanheira and Renner Luiz Cerqueira Baptista. 2024. A New Species of Harmonicon F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896, from central-west Brazil and Redescription of H. rufescens F. O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1896 (Araneae, Mygalomorphae, Dipluridae). Evolutionary Systematics. 8(2): 261-271. DOI: doi.org/10.3897/evolsyst.8.141847