Seven new species of Latonigena ( Araneae , Gnaphosidae ) from South America

In this paper seven new species of Latonigena Simon, 1893 are described, including the first descriptions of males of this genus. Latonigena beni sp. nov. is described from Bolivia and Brazil and six species are described exclusively from Brazil: L. colombo sp. nov. from Paraná; L. lami sp. nov. from Paraná and Rio Grande do Sul; L. santana sp. nov., L. sapiranga sp. nov. and L. taim sp. nov. from Rio Grande do Sul; L. turvo sp. nov. from Tocantins, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. Latonigena africana Tucker, 1923 is transferred to Trichothyse Tucker, 1923 with basis on the morphological characters.

The genus Latonigena was proposed by Simon (1893a) based on the type species Latonigena auricomis Simon, 1893.The genus remained monotypic until the beginning of last century, when a second species, L. africana Tucker, 1923 was added (Platnick, 2012).The general appearance of species included in this genus remained in the obscurity until recently, when murPhy (2007) presented drawings and general characteristics of the type species.
In its general appearance the species of Latonigena are quite easy of recognizing and very similar to the species of Sergiolus Simon, 1891 (without Neotropical representatives) due the monochromatic transverse dorsal bands of the abdomen.In some Neotropical species of Cesonia Simon, 1893 the pattern of abdominal coloration is also formed by transverse monochromatic bands, as in the case of C. lacertosa Chickering, 1949 andC. pudica Chickering, 1949, both from Panama.According to Platnick & Shadab (1980a) the species of Cesonia are also quite similar to those of Herphyllus Hentz, 1832 (both with worldwide distributed species) due their resemblance in somatic and also in genital characters.murPhy (2007) proposes the inclusion of all the above mentioned genera, among others, in a group of species denominated "Herpyllus group" characterized mainly by the presence of color patterned abdomens with the presence of dorsal scuta at males.
Based on the illustrations presented by murPhy (2007) it was possible the determination and inclusion in the genus Latonigena of several specimens deposited in collections in the south of Brazil.In this work seven new species of Latonigena are presented and for the first time males of Latonigena are described.Based on the constant morphological patterns found at Latonigena species, African species of this genus should be transferred from this genus as already suggested by murPhy (2007).The type species of Latonigena is being target of a specific redescription and ecological paper to be published shortly by Uruguayan taxonomists (Miguel Simó and Carolina Jorge, pers. comm.).

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The material examined are deposited in the arachnological collections (curators in parentheses) of the Museu de Ciências Naturais, Fundação Zoobotânica do Rio Grande do Sul (MCN, E. H. Buckup and R. Ott) and Museu de Ciências e Tecnologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (MCTP, A. A. Lise), both in Porto Alegre, Brazil.Description format follows buckuP & breScovit (1993).The female epigynum was dissected and immersed in clove oil to be cleared in order to facilitate the study, picturing and drawing of the structures.
Incident light images were taken on a stereomicroscope with attached camera and processed with Helicon Focus multi-range program.Drawings were made on a stereomicroscope with attached camera lucida.
Seven new species of Latonigena (Araneae, Gnaphosidae)... Transmitted light images of cleared female epigynum where taken with compound microscope using digital camera and also processed with Helicon Focus.Leg spination of all femora and patellae and metatarsi I-II are constant for all herein described species and are indicated only at first described species; ventral surface spines, if not paired, are interpreted as in prolateral position; all femora spines are considered erected and bristle like; all remaining article spines are considered stout and surface bearing.All measurements are in millimeters.
Note.The generic name Latonigena was considered as feminine by bonnet (1957).We agree with this assumption.bonnet (1957) accepted the original name spelling of Simon, "L.auricomis"; there is no justification for the spelling "L.auricomus" as a masculine adjective in apposition; the same conclusion is considered to be valid for "L.africana".However both Simon's papers are dated 1893, the original description of the species (Simon, 1893a) does not include a formal generic description or any indication of a new generic name like "gen.n.".A formal generic description and type-species designation was only accomplished later on the same year in the "Histoire Naturelle des Araignées" (Simon, 1893b).Based on iczn (2012), chapter 15, article 68.3 and on the inclusion of only one species in the genus, we consider the type-species designation as by monotypy rather than by original or subsequent designation.
Diagnosis.Species of Latonigena resemble those of Sergiolus and Neotropical species of Cesonia (specifically C. lacertosa and C. pudica) in the transverse monochromatic bands in the dorsum of the abdomen (see Platnick & Shadab, 1981:10;fig. 12 and Platnick & Shadab, 1980a:370;figs 96, 100).They can be separated from Sergiolus by the presence of teeth rather than a carina on the promargin of the chelicerae.Males of Latonigena can be also separated from Sergiolus by the absence of a median apophysis at male palp bulbs and from Neotropical Cesonia species by the wider cymbium and bulbs and by the narrower sternum.Females of Latonigena are close to females of Herphyllus, Hitobia Kamura, 1992, Phaeocedus Simon, 1893 and Sergiolus by the shape of internal genitalia and spermathecae; they can be separated from the first three genera by the abdominal pattern with three monochromatic transversal bands and from the last genera by the absence of a broad, very posteriorly placed and characteristic atrium (see Platnick & Shadab, 1981:10;figs 16-17).Species of Latonigena are also very similar to Nodocion Chamberlin, 1922, Poecilochroa Westring, 1874and Trichothyse Tucker, 1923 (all placed by murPhy, 2007 at the "Echemus group") by the shape of female external genitalia and spermathecae.However, as in Sergiolus and differently from Latonigena, females of Nodocion have a broad and posteriorly placed atrium and males present a median apophysis at palp bulbs (see Platnick & Shadab, 1980b:6;figs 1-4).Nodocion, Poecilochroa and Trichothyse also differ from Latonigena species by the males with more robust embolus and retrolateral apophysis and by lacking any dorsal colored pattern at abdomen of both males and females (see murPhy, 2007).
Latonigena beni sp.nov.Etymology.The noun in apposition is taken from type locality.
Diagnosis.Latonigena beni sp.nov. is close to L. auricomis by the shape of the epigynum and abdominal pattern (see murPhy, 2007), but differs from the last one in the wider and shorter spermathecae (Figs 5-8) and in the PB with advanced lateral areas on anterior border (Figs 1, 3).
Etymology.The noun in apposition is taken from the type locality.
Diagnosis.The male of Latonigena santana sp.nov.differs from all other known males of Latonigena by the darkened coxae and by the the male palp with retrolaterally curved, distally rounded and slightly sclerotized retrolateral tibial apophysis (Figs 35,36,38,39).
Seven new species of Latonigena (Araneae, Gnaphosidae)... Etymology.The noun in apposition is taken from the type locality.
Etymology.The noun in apposition is taken from the type locality.