pholcid, C.L. Koch, 1851

Bernhard A. Huber, Philippe Le Gall & Jacques Francois Mavoungou, 2014, Pholcid spiders from the Lower Guinean region of Central Africa: an overview, with descriptions of seven new species (Araneae, Pholcidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 81 (81), pp. 1-46 : 18-20

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.5852/ejt.2014.81

publication LSID

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:AC69F89F-C11B-49B1-8EEE-183286EDA755

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.14422082

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038C87B3-FF84-FF90-869D-102BFAD7FDA1

treatment provided by

Jeremy (2017-07-17 12:01:28, last updated 2024-12-12 18:14:55)

scientific name

pholcid
status

 

Identification key to Central African pholcid View in CoL genera

References to figures in upper case (“Fig.”) refer to illustrations herein; figures in lower case (“fig.”) have been published previously and are freely accessible online (at http://www. pholcidae .de/). Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837 is included as it probably occurs in Central Africa, even though we know of no records.

1 Abdomen worm-shaped (>10 x longer than wide; Figs 1 View Figs 1 - 9 , 44 View Figs 44 - 48 ); male chelicerae with one pair of small projections in latero-distal position ( Fig. 51 View Figs 49 - 52 ) ……………… Leptopholcus Simon, 1893

- Abdomen not worm-shaped (<10 x as long as wide); male chelicerae different ………………2

2 Six eyes (AME absent) ………………………………………………………………………………3

- Eight eyes ……………………………………………………………………………………………7

3 Sternum with characteristic pattern of radiating lines ( Fig. 36 View Figs 35 - 39 ); abdomen dorsally with dark heartmark ( Fig. 35 View Figs 35 - 39 ) ………………………………………………………………… Anansus Huber, 2007

- Sternum without or with different pattern; abdomen dorsal pattern different ……………………4

4 Carapace with 2-3 pairs of dark lateral spots; ocular area (especially in males) strongly elevated, in male with frontal hairy pocket; male chelicerae without proximal lateral projections (figs 2-4 in Huber 1996) …………………………………………… Modisimus culicinus ( Simon, 1893)

- Carapace without lateral spots; ocular area not elevated; male chelicerae with proximal lateral projections ……………………………………………………………………………………………5

5 Male palpal bulb with three processes: embolus, uncus, appendix ( Fig. 69 View Figs 69 - 74 ). Epigynum sclerotized (at least posterior rim), with knob-shaped structure ( Fig. 64 View Figs 63 - 68 ) … Pholcus Walckenaer, 1805 (part)

- Male palpal bulb with only one or two processes (embolus, bulbal apophysis); epigynum unsclerotized, without knob-shaped structure ………………………………………………………6

6 Procursus with highly complex system of transparent lamellae (fig. 14 in Huber 2007); male chelicerae narrowing distally, with pair of simple frontal apophyses close to median line (fig. 15 in Huber 2007) ………………………………………………… Nyikoa limbe Huber, 2007

- Procursus and male chelicerae different ………………………………… Spermophora Hentz, 1841

7 Carapace with median indentation (furrow or pit) …………………………………………………8

- Carapace evenly domed, without median indentation ……………………………………………12

8 Abdomen globular, oval, or higher than long ………………………………………………………9

- Abdomen elongated ………………………………………………………………………………10

9 Procursus with prominent distal spine; female carapace with posterior median cone acting against frontal plate on abdomen; epigynum with median anterior process ………………………………………………………… Physocyclus globosus (Taczanowski, 1874)

- Procursus short, without distal spine; female carapace without posterior cone; epigynum without median anterior process ………………………………………… Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837

10 Legs with many small black marks; abdomen angular in lateral view (posteriorly high) ……………………………………………………………… Crossopriza lyoni (Blackwall, 1867)

- Legs without small black marks, abdomen not angular in lateral view (posteriorly tapering) …11

11 Male chelicerae with proximal lateral projections, either without or with several modified hairs on each side ………………………………………………………… Smeringopina Kraus, 1957

- Male chelicerae without proximal lateral projections, with single modified hair on each distal apophysis (fig. 47 in Huber 2009) ……………………………………… Smeringopus Simon, 1890

12 Abdomen globular or oval ………………………………………………………………………13

- Abdomen elongated ………………………………………………………………………………15

13 Procursus very short and simple ( Fig. 58 View Figs 58 - 62 ), male chelicerae without proximal lateral apophyses ( Fig. 60 View Figs 58 - 62 ); epigynum sclerotized ……………………………………………… Ninetis Simon, 1890

- Procursus long and/or complex, male chelicerae with proximal lateral apophyses; epigynum barely sclerotized …………………………………………………………………………………14

14 Procursus with long dorsal hinged process, female genitalia with internal U-shaped structure visible through cuticle anteriorly (figs 83-89 in Huber 2011b) … Micropholcus fauroti (Simon, 1887)

- Procursus widely curved, without long dorsal process (figs 200, 205 in Huber 2003c); epigynum weakly sclerotized, no internal structure visible through cuticle ……… Quamtana Huber, 2003

15 Abdomen drawn into cone dorso-posteriorly (fig. 29 in Huber 2011b); male chelicerae with pair of lateral unsclerotized projections in distal position (fig. 130 in Huber 2009); epigynum weakly sclerotized ……… Pehrforsskalia conopyga Deeleman-Reinhold & van Harten, 2001

- Abdomen rounded posteriorly; male chelicerae with pair of lateral unsclerotized projections in proximal position ( Fig. 82 View Figs 80-83 ); epigynum strongly sclerotized at least at rim, with knob-shaped structure ( Figs 76 View Figs 75 - 79 , 83 View Figs 80-83 ) ………………………………………… Pholcus Walckenaer, 1805 (part)

Huber B. A. 1996. On the distinction between Modisimus and Hedypsilus (Pholcidae; Araneae), with notes on behavior and natural history. Zoologica Scripta 25: 233 - 240. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1463 - 6409.1996. tb 00164. x

Huber B. A. 2003 c. Southern African pholcid spiders: revision and cladistic analysis of Quamtana n. gen. and Spermophora Hentz (Araneae: Pholcidae), with notes on male-female covariation. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 139: 477 - 527. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1046 / j. 0024 - 4082.2003.00082. x

Huber B. A. 2003 a. Cladistic analysis of Malagasy pholcid spiders reveals generic level endemism: revision of Zatavua n. gen. and Paramicromerys Millot (Pholcidae, Araneae). Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 137: 261 - 318. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1046 / j. 1096 - 3642.2003.00046. x

Huber B. A. 2007. Two new genera of small, six-eyed pholcid spiders from West Africa, and first record of Spermophorides for mainland Africa (Araneae: Pholcidae). Zootaxa 1635: 23 - 43.

Huber B. A. 2009. Life on leaves: leaf-dwelling pholcids of Guinea, with emphasis on Crossopriza cylindrogaster Simon, a spider with inverted resting position, pseudo-eyes, lampshade web, and tetrahedral egg-sac (Araneae: Pholcidae). Journal of Natural History 43: 2491 - 2523. http: // dx. doi. org / 10.1080 / 00222930903207876

Huber B. A. 2011 b. Revision and Cladistic Analysis of Pholcus and Closely Related Taxa (Araneae, Pholcidae). Bonner zoologische Monographien 58, Zoologisches Forschungsmuseum Alexander Koenig, Bonn.

Kraus O. 1957. Araneenstudien 1. Pholcidae (Smeringopodinae, Ninetinae). Senckenbergiana biologica 38 (3 / 4): 217 - 243.

Simon E. 1893. Histoire Naturelle des Araignees. 2 nd edition., 1 (2): 256 - 488. Paris.

Gallery Image

Figs 1 - 9. Leaf-dwelling Central African pholcids. 1. Leptoholcus gabonicus sp. nov., ♂ from Mayebout, Gabon. 2 - 3. Pholcus baka Huber, 2011, ♂ from Sahoué (2) and ♀ with juveniles from Mayebout (3), Gabon. 4. Smeringopus cylindrogaster (Simon, 1907), ♀ with eggsac from Loum, Cameroon. 5 - 6. Spermophora awalai sp. nov., pair from Nyasoso (5) and a ♀ with eggsac from Attuleh (6), Cameroon. 7. Spermophora akwamu Huber & Kwapong, 2013, ♀ from NE Makokou, Gabon. 8 - 9. Quamtana oku Huber, 2003, ♀♀ with eggsacs from Mt. Oku, Cameroon. Photos BAH.

Gallery Image

Figs 44 - 48. Leptopholcus gabonicus sp. nov. 44. ♂, dorsal view. 45. ♂ prosoma and palps, dorsal view. 46 - 47. Left ♂ palp, prolateral and retrolateral views. 48. ♀ epigynum, ventral view.

Gallery Image

Figs 49 - 52. Leptopholcus gabonicus sp. nov. 49 - 50. Left ♂ palp, prolateral and retrolateral views. 51. ♂ chelicerae, frontal view (arrow points at lateral apophysis). 52. Cleared ♀ genitalia, dorsal view. a = appendix; b = bulb; e = embolus; pr = procursus; u = uncus. Scale lines: 49 - 50, 52 = 0.3 mm; 51 = 0.2 mm.

Gallery Image

Figs 35 - 39. Anansus kamwai sp. nov. 35. ♂, dorsal view. 36. ♂ sternum, ventral view. 37 - 38. Left ♂ palp, prolateral and retrolateral views. 39. ♀ epigynum, ventral view.

Gallery Image

Figs 69 - 74. Pholcus punu sp. nov. 69 - 70. Left ♂ palp, prolateral and retrolateral views. 71. Extended palp with rotated bulb. 72. ♂ chelicerae, frontal view. 73 - 74. Cleared ♀ genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. a = appendix; b = bulb; e = embolus; pr = procursus; u = uncus. Scale lines: 69 - 71, 73 - 74 = 0.5 mm; 72 = 0.3 mm.

Gallery Image

Figs 63 - 68. Pholcus punu sp. nov. 63. ♂, dorsal view. 64. Epigynum, ventral view. 65. Cleared ♀ genitalia, dorsal view. 66 - 68. Left ♂ palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views.

Gallery Image

Figs 58 - 62. Ninetis faro sp. nov. 58 - 59. Left ♂ palp, prolateral and retrolateral views. 60 - 61. ♂ chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 62. Cleared ♀ genitalia, dorsal view. ba = bulbal apophysis; e = embolus; pr = procursus. Scale lines: 0.2 mm.

Gallery Image

Figs 80-83. Pholcus rawiriae sp. nov. 80-81. Left ♂ palp, prolateral and retrolateral views. 82. ♂ chelicerae, frontal view. 83. Cleared ♀ genitalia, dorsal view. a = appendix; b = bulb; e = embolus; pr = procursus; ps =proximal sclerite of bulb. Scale lines: 0.5 mm.

Gallery Image

Figs 75 - 79. Pholcus rawiriae sp. nov. 75. ♂, dorsal view. 76. ♀ epigynum, ventral view. 77 - 79. Left ♂ palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views.

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Pholcidae

Genus

Spermophora