Update in the Peruvian Caponiidae: New records and new species of Nyetnops Platnick & Lise, 2007 (Araneae: Caponiidae)

. An update on the diversity and distribution of Caponiidae from Peru is presented. New distributional records for Caponina cajabamba Platnick, 1994 are given and the male is described for the ﬁ rst time. Additionally, three new species of the genus Nyetnops Platnick & Lise, 2007 are described: Nyetnops alexanderi Villarreal & Martínez sp. nov. ( ♂♀ ), Nyetnops madre Villarreal & Martínez sp. nov. ( ♂♀ ) and Nyetnops josei Villarreal & Martínez sp. nov. ( ♂ ). The taxonomic key proposed by Sánchez-Ruiz et al. (2020) for Nyetnops is updated to include all the described species as well as the new ones proposed herein. Maps showing the distribution of the records of Caponiidae species in Peru, mainly focused on the genus Nyetnops is included.


Introduction
Caponiidae Simon, 1890 is a family of haplogynae spiders' with the bulk of its diversity distributed in tropical regions, particularly in the Neotropic where is represented by 15 of the 20 described genera (World Spider Catalog 2024).The largest species richness in the Americas is grouped in Nops MacLeay, 1839, currently with 38 proposed species, followed by Caponina Simon, 1892 with 13 (World Spider Catalog 2024;Sánchez-Ruiz & Bonaldo 2023).
A great part of this diversity has been recently discovered (e.g., Platnick & Lise 2007;Jiménez et al. 2011;Sánchez-Ruiz et al. 2015, 2022;Duperre 2014;Galán-Sánchez & Álvarez-Padilla 2022).However, in some countries, the knowledge about the diversity and distribution of the family remains largely neglected.Specifi cally, this is the case for Peru, a country boasting both a multitude of diverse ecosystems and a vast range of altitudes, extending from sea level to a staggering 6757 meters atop Huascarán in the Andes Mountain Range (Polk et al. 2019).
With regard to the fauna of Caponiidae, only four species have been recorded in the country, based on a few specimens, including Caponina cajabamba Platnick, 1994, with only one female individual from its type locality in Cajamarca; Nops bellulus Chamberlin, 1916, which was considered as a 'species inquerenda' by Sanchez-Ruiz & Brescovit (2018) because it was based on an single immature from Ollantaytambo, Cusco; Nyetnops naylienae Sánchez-Ruiz, Brescovit & Bonaldo, 2020, and Nopsma enriquei Sánchez-Ruiz, Brescovit & Bonaldo, 2020 from Huanuco.Furthermore, Jiménez et al. (2011) reported an inmature specimen with the same somatic characters as Nopsides Chamberlin, 1924 indicating that this genus could also be represented in the country, but because of its juvenile nature, its identity could not be established (Jiménez et al. 2011).
Nyetnops Platnick & Lise, 2007 was described by Platnick & Lise (2007) with specimens from Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina in Brazil.The genus was placed in the subfamily Nopinae Petrunkevitch, 1939 by the subsegmented tarsi; the authors suggested it as one of the basal members of the subfamily due to the lack of modifi cations on the anterior legs (i.e., crista, gladius, and arolium) (Platnick & Lise 2007: 2).However, considering new information, such as the discovery of the new genera Nopsma Sánchez-Ruiz, Brescovit & Bonaldo, 2020, Roddemberryus Sánchez-Ruiz-Bonaldo, 2023, and Aamaunops Galán-Sánchez & Álvarez-Padilla, 2022, this hypothesis has been tested with a new phylogenetic assessment for the subfamily Nopinae, in which Nyetnops is not among the basal members of this subfamily (Sánchez-Ruiz et al. in press).
Currently, the genus is supported by several characters, such as the general shape of the bulb, which together with the embolus is very elongate.Recently, Sánchez-Ruiz et al. (2020) made a modern revision of the genus, where Nyetnops juchuy Dupérré, 2014 was transferred to their new genus Nopsma and three species of Nyetnops were described: N. naylienae Sánchez-Ruiz, Brescovit & Bonaldo, 2020, N. lachonta Sánchez-Ruiz, Brescovit & Bonaldo, 2020and N. buruti Sánchez-Ruiz, Brescovit & Bonaldo, 2020, expanding the knowledge of the morphology and distribution of the genus.Thus, to date the genus is composed of four species distributed in Brazil, Peru and Bolivia (Sánchez-Ruiz et al. 2020;World Spider Catalog 2024).
Herein, we present the description of three new species of Nyetnops from Peru: Nyetnops madre Villarreal & Martínez sp.nov., N. alexanderi Villarreal & Martínez sp.nov., both based in male and female, and Nyetnops josei Villarreal & Martínez sp.nov., based on one male; also, we update the key and the distribution map proposed by Sánchez-Ruiz et al. (2020).Additionally, we describe for the fi rst time the male of Caponina cajabamba and we include new distributional records for this species.

Material and methods
The specimens herein examined are deposited in the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos (MUSM-ENT, D. Silva), Lima, Peru.
Descriptions were made following the general taxonomic method and description format proposed in Sanchez-Ruiz & Brescovit (2018) and Sánchez-Ruiz et al. (2020).Coloration patterns were described based on specimens preserved in 70-80% ethanol.For the description, all the measurements are expressed in millimeters and were taken with a Leica S8AP0 stereo microscope.Among the sexual characters commonly used to diagnose the species of Nyetnops (see Sánchez-Ruiz et al. 2020) the length of the copulatory bulb (tegulum + embolus) has proved to be useful.This measure is taken from a straight line from the base of the bulb to the embolar tip.Interocular measurements were included based on Petrunkevitch (1925).
Female genitalia were dissected with fi ne forceps and scalpel, and their soft tissues were digested for 24 hours by immersion in a solution of pancreatin based on Álvarez-Padilla & Hormiga (2007) for better visualization of internal structures.
The multifocal images of the copulatory structures were taken with a Leica MC-190 HD, digital camera attached to a Leica S8AP0, and DM500 Leica stereo microscope and microscope, respectively, with extended focal range.All multifocal images were assembled with Helicon Focus Pro ver.6.6.All images of male genitalia are from left palps, except when mentioned.SEM images were generated using a Zeiss Gemini SEM 360 Electron Microscope at the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales Bernandino Rivadavia.The structures mounted on SEM stubs were preserved and labeled with the same collection code and number as the voucher specimen.
The fi gures and plates were edited and prepared in Adobe Photoshop® CS ver.12.0.Maps were obtained in QGIS (QGIS Development Team 2021).Locality coordinates are presented in brackets and were obtained from specimen labels, or when not available estimated via online through GeoNames or Google Earth (GeoLocator© Development Team 2021).
GENITALIA.External genital area with weakly sclerotized anterior plate and pair of sclerotized bars visible (Fig. 2D).Internal genitalia with very long pair of sclerotized bars and anterior extensions, reaching virtually to pedicel, anterior extensions club-shaped and fused to the sclerotized bars on its entire length (Fig. 2E).

Etymology
The specifi c epithet is a patronym in honor to Alexander Sanchez Ruiz for his contributions to the understanding of the spiders from Caponiidae family worldwide.
GENITALIA.Elongated copulatory bulb, tegulum basal section not swollen and almost as width as apical section (Fig. 4A-B), tegulum surface smooth, embolus surface with longitudinal grooves, embolus tapering to tip, with one long dorsal projection and three ventral projections, one of them with several small dentitions (Fig. 5A-H).

Diagnosis
Males of Nyetnops madre Villarreal & Martínez sp.nov.resemble those of N. lachonta and N. buruti by having a copulatory bulb (tegulum + embolus), more than 2.2 × as long as palpal tibia but differ from those of N. buruti and N. lachonta by having the tegulum basal section of almost the same width as the distal section across the entire length of the bulb (Fig. 7A-B), instead of a distinctly narrower basal section as in N. buruti and the narrowing in the anterior section of the tegulum apical section in N. lachonta; additionally, the males of this species have an embolar subapical dorsal and ventral serrated keel unique in the genus.Females are similar to those of N. guarani by having the posterior plate wide and a triangular distal margin of the receptaculum but can be distinguished by the less sharp dorsal margin of the receptaculum (Fig. 7C-D).

Distribution
Widespread distribution is known from one locality in Madre de Dios and Cusco departments each .

Etymology
The specifi c epithet is a patronym in honor of Jose Ochoa for his contributions to the knowledge of the arachnids, mainly scorpions in the new world.GENITALIA.Elongated copulatory bulb 2 × as long as palpal tibia; tegulum basal section only slightly swollen and almost as width as apical section, embolus tip weakly sclerotized (Fig. 10A-B).

Female
Unknown.

Distribution
Only known from the type locality in Cusco department .
Nyetnops josei Villarreal & Martínez sp.nov.resembles those of N. guarani, N. naylienae and Nyetnops alexanderi Villarreal & Martínez sp.nov.by having a copulatory bulb (tegulum + embolus), less than 2.2 × as long as palpal tibia but differ from them by having a remarkable dorsal abdominal pattern with chevron stripes.