Two new species of Bonnetina tarantulas (Theraphosidae: Theraphosinae) from Mexico: contributions to morphological nomenclature and molecular characterization of types

Abstract

Two new species of tarantulas from Mexico are described and illustrated: Bonnetina tenuiverpis and Bonnetina juxtantricola, from the states of Mexico and Guerrero, respectively. Male palpal bulbs, tibial apophyses and spermatheca are among the most taxonomically informative characters. Male bulb microstructure is revealed from scanning electron microscopy; both new and homologous structures to other Theraphosinae genera are identified and described. Nomenclatural changes for male tibial apophyses are also proposed. The holotype male and allotype female of one of the species are molecularly characterized and matched from CO1 partial sequence.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:BBDBBEDE-6983-4F5C-B34C-4622DF494C84

Keywords:

• Mygalomorphae
• tibial apophyses
• ciliate hairs
• bulbal keels
• sperm pore

Acknowledgements

We are indebted to Fernando Chiang (UNAM) for advice on Latin names. We thank Carlos E. Santibáñez (UNAM) for providing habitat images of B. tenuiverpis and him, Rodrigo Monjaraz and Diego Barrales (all from UNAM) for joining author DO in the field trip in which this species was collected. The Institute of Biology (UNAM) and Berenit Mendoza are acknowledged for granting access to the electron microscope facility and its manipulation, respectively. We are grateful to Laura Márquez (UNAM) and Christopher Hamilton (Auburn University, Alabama, USA) for very enriching discussions on the molecular protocol and Laura Márquez for developing its last steps. Santiago Zaragoza (UNAM) and three anonymous reviewers are warmly thanked for their suggestions that helped to improve the original version of the manuscript. Finally, author DO wants to acknowledge the graduate program in Biological Sciences of UNAM and CONACYT (Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, México) for providing financial support.