A NEW SPECIES OF THE GENUS
Macrinus
SIMON, 1887 (ARACHNIDA: ARANEAE: SPARASSIDAE) FROM
NORTHERN BRAZIL
Cristina A. Rheims
Laboratório de Coleções Zoológicas, Instituto Butantan, Av. Vital Brasil, 1500, 05503-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Corresponding author: carheims@gmail.com
Fecha de recepción: 08 de octubre de 2024
Fecha de aceptación: 05 de diciembre de 2024
Boletín de la Sociedad Zoológica del Uruguay, 2025
Vol. 34 (1): e34.1.4
ISSN 2393-6940
https://journal.szu.org.uy
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26462/34.1.4
ABSTRACT
The genus
Macrinus
Simon currently includes six species
occurring mostly in South America, with records from the
island of Tobago, Venezuela, Guyana, Ecuador, Bolivia
and Brazil. A single species is found in the Mohave desert
in California, USA. In this paper, I describe a new species
of
Macrinus
based on a single female from the state of
Pará, northern Brazil. The new species can be easily
distinguished from its congeners by the shape of the
median septum in the epigyne resembling a chess pawn.
In addition, I provide new records for
M. succineus
Simon,
M. pollexensis
(Schenkel) and
M. jaegeri
Rheims and an
updated distribution map for all South American species.
Key words:
Macrinus aisenbergae
spec. nov.,
Neotropical region, new records. taxonomy.
RESUMEN
Una nueva especie de género
Macrinus
Simon, 1887
(Arachnida: Araneae: Sparassidae) del norte de
Brasil.
El género
Macrinus
Simon incluye actualmente
seis especies que se encuentran principalmente en
Sudamérica, con registros en la isla de Tobago,
Venezuela, Guyana, Ecuador, Bolivia y Brasil. Una sola
especie se encuentra en el desierto de Mojave en
California, EE.UU. En este trabajo, describo una nueva
especie de
Macrinus
basada en una hembra única del
estado de Pará, en el norte de Brasil. La nueva especie se
distingue fácilmente de sus congéneres por la forma del
septo medio en el epigino, que se asemeja a un peón de
ajedrez. Además, proporciono nuevos registros para
M.
succineus
Simon,
M. pollexensis
(Schenkel) y
M. jaegeri
Rheims, así como un mapa de distribución actualizado
para todas las especies sudamericanas.
Palabras clave:
Macrinus aisenbergae
spec. nov.,
región Neotropical, nuevos registros, Taxonomía.
INTRODUCTION
The genus
Macrinus
Simon, 1887, was originally
proposed to include the type species,
M. succineus
Simon, 1887, and two additional Brazilian species. It
was later included in
Sparassus
Walckenaer, 1805 by
Simon (1897), synonymized with
Olios
Walckenaer,
1837 by Petrunkevitch (1911) and implicitly revalidated
by Caporiacco (1955). After this relatively confusing
taxonomic history,
Macrinus
was revised by Rheims
(2007) and redefined to include
M. succineus
,
M.
pollexensis
(Schenkel, 1953), transferred from
Olios
,
and the newly described
M. jaegeri
Rheims, 2007. A
few years later, Rheims (2010) transferred
M.
mohavensis
(Fox, 1937) from
Olios
and added
M.
bambuco
Rheims, 2010,
M. calypso
Rheims, 2010,
defining the genus to comprise the six currently valid
species (World Spider Catalog, 2024).
While examining material deposited in the Museu
Paraense Emílio Goeldi, I detected a single female,
belonging to the genus
Macrinus
, that could not be
attributed to any of the known species. Further
examination of the female genitalia, using the protocol
of enzymatic tissue digestion proposed by Alvarez-
Padilla and Hormiga (2007) revealed additional
characters that were not observed in the previous
descriptions. Thus, in this paper, I provide the
description of the new species and an emended
diagnosis of the female genitalia for the genus.
Additionally, I provide new records for
M. succineus
,
M.
pollexensis
and
M. jaegeri
and an updated distribution
map for all South American representatives.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
Material examined is deposited in the following
institutions (curator in parenthesis): CHNUFPI—
Coleção de História Natural da Universidade Federal
Bol. Soc. Zool. Uruguay (2ª época). 2025. ISSN 2393-6940
Vol. 34 (1): e34.1.4
2
RHEIMS
do Piauí, Floriano (L.S. Carvalho); IBSP—Instituto
Butantan, São Paulo (A.D. Brescovit); MPEG—Museu
Paraense Emilio Goeldi, Belém (A.B. Bonaldo);
UFMG—Centro de Coleções Taxonômicas da
Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte
(A.J. Santos). Format of descriptions and terminology
follow Rheims (2007). Leg spination pattern follows
Petrunkevitch (1925). Morphological observations
were made using a Leica M165C stereomicroscope. All
measurements are in millimeters (mm). Leg measure-
ments are listed as: total length (femur, patella, tibia,
metatarsus, tarsus); eye diameters as AME, ALE,
PME, PLE and interdistances as AME-AME, AME-
ALE, PME-PME, PME-PLE, AME-PME, ALE-PLE.
Coloration patterns are described based on specimen
preserved in 75% ethanol. The female epigynal plate
was dissected and the soft tissues were digested for 48
hours in a solution of pancreatin, following Álvarez-
Padilla and Hormiga (2007). The digested structure
was immersed in clove oil, following Levi (1965), for
better visualization of internal structures. In schematic
courses of female internal duct system, copulatory
openings are marked with a circle, glandular append-
ages with a “T”, and the end of the fertilization duct in
direction of the uterus externus with an arrow. Illustra-
tions were made using a Leica M165C
stereomicroscope, with camera lucida. Photographs of
genital structures and specimen were taken with a
Leica DFC 500 digital camera, attached to a Leica MZ
205A stereomicroscope. Extended focal range images
were composed with the program Leica Application
Suite version 2.5.0. Geographic coordinates of collec-
tion locality were obtained from the label. Distribution
maps were created using SimpleMappr (Shorthouse,
2010).
Abbreviations used throughout the text:
ALE—anterior lateral eye; AME—anterior median eye;
d—dorsal; Dh—hyaline part of IDS; Ds—sclerotized
part of IDS; EF—epigynal field; FD—fertilization duct;
GP—glandular projection; IDS—internal duct system;
LL—lateral lobe; MAB—muscle attachment bands;
MS—median septum; PLE—posterior lateral eye;
PME—posterior median eye; p—prolateral;
r—retrolateral; v—ventral.
RESULTS
Taxonomy
Macrinus
Simon, 1887
Macrinus
Simon, 1887: 470 (type species by
original designation:
M. succineus
Simon, 1887).
Sparassus
Walckenaer, 1805: 39; Simon, 1897: 37
(in part).
Olios
Walckenaer, 1837: 202; Petrunkevitch, 1911:
503 (in part).
Diagnosis and description.
See Rheims (2007,
2010).
Emended diagnosis
. Female vulva with IDS
comprised of a proximal, medially fused, expanded
hyaline part (Dh) connected to CO and to distal
sclerotized part (Ds) with first winding posteriad,
opening into a wider, irregular part that connects to the
FD; GP arising from Ds, close to Dh (Figs. 5-6).
Distribution
. Mostly South America, with records
from the island of Tobago, Venezuela, Guyana,
Ecuador, Colombia, Bolivia and Brazil (Fig. 7). A single
species is found in California, USA.
Composition
.
Macrinus aisenbergae
spec. nov.,
M. bambuco
Rheims,
M. calypso
Rheims,
M. jaegeri
Rheims,
M. mohavensis
(Fox),
M. pollexensis
(Schenkel) and
M. succineus
Simon.
Macrinus aisenbergae
spec. nov.
Type material.
Female holotype from BRAZIL.
Pará
: Novo Progresso, Campo de Provas Brigadeiro
Velloso, Serra do Cachimbo, 09º21'46” S, 55º00'52” W,
September 2003, A.B. Bonaldo, D.R. Santos-Souza
and D.D. Guimarães leg., deposited in MPEG 15606.
Etymology.
The species name honours Dr. Anita
Aisenberg from the Instituto de Investigaciones
Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay, in
recognition of her significant contributions to
Uruguayan arachnology. It also acknowledges her
dedication to advancing female representation in
science and her active involvement in outreach efforts
that promote greater accessibility and engagement
with science in the community.
Diagnosis
.
Macrinus aisenbergae
spec. nov.
resembles
M. mohavensis
(Rheims, 2010: figs. 1-2) by
the anterior margins of the epigyne with a strong
median constriction. It can be distinguished from the
latter species by the MS more than three times longer
than wide, with anterior part roughly round, slightly
wider than long, and posterior part strongly narrowed
(Figs. 2, 4) and by the vulva with GP with a wide base,
narrowed and curved distally, resembling a flexed
biceps (Figs. 3, 5) (MS slightly over two times longer
than wide, with the same width throughout and GP
reduced to a small elevated area in
M. mohavensis
).
Description
.
Female (holotype):
Coloration
pattern as in Fig. 1, with prosoma brown, slightly
darker at eye area and down lateral margins of
cephalic region; fovea dark brown; eye borders
reddish brown; clypeus white; chelicerae dark reddish
brown; legs and pedipalps brown; labium and endites
dark brown, distally brownish yellow; sternum brown
with slightly lighter, more sclerotized margins;
opisthosoma yellowish brown; dorsally with brown
cardiac mark; ventrally yellowish brown; spinnerets
yellowish brown. Total length 26.5. Prosoma length
10.0, width 9.6. Opisthosoma length 16.3, width 11.6.
Eyes: diameters: 0.75, 0.66, 0.50, 0.64;
interdistances: 0.35, 0.30, 1.0, 0.9, 0.5, 0.48. Legs
(2143): I: - (12.6, 5.2, 10.8, 11.8, tarsus absent); II 45.9
(13.4, 4.9, 12.0, 12.4, 3.2); III: 35.0 (11.4, 4.3, 9.2, 7.7,
2.4); IV: 38.4 (11.7, 4.2, 9.7, 10, 2.8). Spination pattern:
Bol. Soc. Zool. Uruguay (2ª época). 2025. ISSN 2393-6940
Vol. 34 (1): e34.1.4
3
New species of
Macrinus
spiders from Brazil
Figs. 1-3.
Macrinus aisenbergae
spec. nov., female 1 Habitus, dorsal view; 2 Epigyne, ventral view; 3 Vulva, dorsal view. Scale
lines: 1: 5 mm; 2-3: 1 mm.
Figs. 4-6.
Macrinus aisenbergae
spec. nov., female 4 Epigyne, ventral view; 5. Vulva, dorsal view; 6 Schematic course of IDS.
Scale lines: 1 mm. Dh = hyaline part of IDS; Ds = sclerotized part of IDS; FD = fertilization duct; GP = glandular projection; LL =
lateral lobe; MAB = muscle attachment bands; MS = median septum.
Bol. Soc. Zool. Uruguay (2ª época). 2025. ISSN 2393-6940
Vol. 34 (1): e34.1.4
RHEIMS
femora I-III: p1-1-1, d0-1-1, r1-1-1; femur IV: p1-1-1;
d0-1-1; r0-0-1; patellae I-IV: p0, d0; tibiae I-IV: p1-0-1;
r1-0-1; v2-2-0; metatarsi I-III: p1-1-0; r1-1-0; v2-2-0;
metatarsus IV: p1-1-0; r1-1-1; v2-2-0. Epigyne: EF ill
defined, mostly visible on posterior half; one long MAB
present on each side; LL rounded posteriorly, partially
covering the MS; MS shaped as a chess pawn (Figs. 2,
4). Vulva: IDS with hyaline part long and slender, fused
in the middle, each side three times longer than wide,
lying parallel to the anterior margin of the MS;
sclerotized part running parallel to lateral margins with
a large loop close to FD; GP with wide base and narrow
tip, arising from sclerotized part of IDS close to hyaline
part; FD hook-shaped, laterad (Figs. 3, 5-6).
Male.
Unknown.
Distribution.
Only known from the type locality
(Fig. 7).
New Records
Macrinus pollexensis
(Schenkel, 1953)
Material examined: BRAZIL.
Sergipe
: 1
♀
,
Itabaiana, Parque dos Falcões (10º41'06” S, 37º25'31”
W), December 2005, S.C. Dias leg. (MPEG 22572);
Bahia
: 1
♂
, Salvador, Jardim Botânico de Salvador
[12º55'S, 38º26'W], 22 February 2007, I. Daniel leg.
(IBSP 132521);
Espírito Santo
: 1
♂
, Conceição da
Barra, Parque Estadual de Itaúnas (18º25' S, 39º42' W)
15 December 2002 - 6 March 2003, Equipe Biota leg.
(IBSP 54325); 1
♂
, 1
♀
, Aracruz, REMFU Morro do
Ariacanga (19º49'07” S, 40º19'48” W), 14-16 October
2005, T. Souza et al. leg. (IBSP 133436);
Minas Gerais
:
1
♂
, Santana do Riacho [19º10' S, 43º42' W], 2002-
2003, Equipe Biota leg. (IBSP 98957); 1
♀
, Marliéria,
Parque Estadual do Rio Doce (19º39'31”S,
42º34'28”W), 24 September 2006, U. Oliveira leg.
(UFMG 6286); 1
♂
, Piedade dos Gerais (20º28'17”S,
44º13'38”W), 13 July 2005, L. Veiga leg. (UFMG 1835).
Macrinus jaegeri
Rheims, 2007
Material examined: BRAZIL.
Rondônia
: 1
♂
, Porto
Velho, Universidade Federal de Rondônia [08º50'S,
63º56'W], 2006-2007, L. Salvatierra leg. (IBSP
144708);
Tocantins
: 1
♂
, Araguaina [07º12'S, 48º13'W],
September 2011, S. Barros & S. Santos leg. (IBSP
237284).
4
Fig. 7.
Updated distribution map for all South American species of
Macrinus
.
Bol. Soc. Zool. Uruguay (2ª época). 2025. ISSN 2393-6940
Vol. 34 (1): e34.1.4
5
New species of
Macrinus
spiders from Brazil
Macrinus succineus
Simon 1887
Material examined: BRAZIL.
Paraíba
: 1
♂
, Areia,
Mata Estadual Mata do Pau Ferro (06º58'38.6” S,
35º42'25” W), 28 September 2011, F.S. Silva & A.M.
Araújo leg. (CHNUFPI 452).
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I wish to thank Anita Aisenberg for the invitation to
contribute to the special edition of the Boletín de la
Sociedad Zoología del Uruguay dedicated to Latin
American women zoologists. This study was supported
by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa de São Paulo
FAPESP (grants # 2011/18694-3, 2022/12588-1).
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Bol. Soc. Zool. Uruguay (2ª época). 2025. ISSN 2393-6940
Vol. 34 (1): e34.1.4