Titiotus gertschi, Platnick & Ubick, 2008

Platnick, Norman I. & Ubick, Darrell, 2008, A Revision of the Endemic Californian Spider Genus Titiotus Simon (Araneae, Tengellidae), American Museum Novitates 3608 (1), pp. 1-36 : 17-19

Titiotus gertschi , new species

Figures 37–41 ; map 1

TYPES: Male holotype and female allotype from Riverton , El Dorado Co., California (July 11, 1952; W. Gertsch), deposited in AMNH.

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is a patronym in honor of the collector of the types.

DIAGNOSIS: Males resemble those of T. madera in having the dorsal prong of the median apophysis long and excavated, but differ in having only two projections on the middle prong of the tibial apophysis (fig. 39); females also resemble those of T. madera in having a gradually narrowed posterior projection on the epigynal septum, but have the septum much wider than in that species (fig. 40).

MALE: Total length 16. Coloration as in T. flavescens . Leg spination: femora: I r1-2-1; II r1-1-2; IV p2-1-1; tibiae: I, II d1-0-1, r1-1-0; III p1-0-1, r1-0-1; IV p1-0-1; metatarsi: I, II p1-1-0, r1-1-0; III p1-2-2. Embolus expanded prolaterally just beyond base; median apophysis with large, subdistal projection; middle prong of tibial apophysis bifid, dorsal prong long, ventrally excavated (figs. 37–39).

FEMALE: Total length 18. Coloration as in T. flavescens . Leg spination: femora: II p1-1-1, r1-1-1; III, IV p1-2-1; tibiae: I r1-1-0; II d1-0- 1, r1-1-0; III p1-0-1, r1-0-1; metatarsi: I p1-0- 0; II r0-1-0; III p1-2-2. Epigynal septum very wide, occupying most of epigynal width, with gradually narrowing posteromedian ledge; posterior ducts curved (figs. 40, 41).

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: United States: CALIFORNIA: Amador Co.: Moss Cave, near Volcano , Oct. 17, 1987 (D. Cowan, F. Howarth, D. Ubick, CDU), 23, 1♀ , Apr. 24, 1999 ( R. Aalbu, CAS), 13, 1♀ , Jan. 13, 2002 ( R. Aalbu, CAS), 43 ; Pearl Cave, 0.2 mi NE Volcano , Sept. 13, 1980, on wall ( T. Briggs, D. Ubick, CDU), 13 ; Pearl Cave , 1 mi N Volcano, Feb. 20, 1979 (D. Rudolph, S. Winterath, CAS), 1♀ . Calaveras Co.: 7 mi W Angels Camp , Nov. 2, 1979 ( R. Laughlin, CDU), 1♀ ; Brown Deer Cave, Grapevine Gulch, N Columbia , Nov. 27, 1958 (P. Anderson, AMNH), 13 ; Cave of Skulls , 3 mi N Columbia, Mar. 29, 1979 (D. Rudolph, B. Martin, S. Winterath, W. Elliott, J. Reddell, AMNH), 1♀ ; Crystal- Stanislaus Cave , 38 ° 06 9 15 0 N, 120 ° 24 9 45 0 W, Nov. 25, 1950 (E. Dansky, AMNH), 13 ; Dublen Cave , Aug. 17, 1963 ( R. Graham, AMNH), 2♀ ; Grapevine Gulch Cave , Oct. 18, 1987 (F. Howarth, D. Cowan, CAS), 13 ; Pseudoscorpion Cave , Aug. 17, 1963 ( R. Graham, AMNH), 2♀ ; Speleogen Cave, 6 mi NW Columbia, 38 ° 02.85 9 N, 120 ° 28.4 9 W, Feb. 1, 1953, 100 ft in cave ( R. de Saussure , AMNH), 13, Dec. 18, 1972 (W. Rauscher, CDU), 13, Mar. 24, 2000 ( T. Briggs, J. Ledford, W. Rauscher, D., S. Ubick, CDU), 13 ; 2.5 mi S West Point, May 2, 1981 (S. Williams, CAS), 1♀ ; Wood Hollow Cave , Aug. 11, 1962 ( R. Graham, AMNH), 1♀ . El Dorado Co.: Fallen Leaf Lake , Apr. 9, 1959 (W. Gertsch, V. Roth, AMNH), 13, 1♀ , Sept. 9, 1959 (W. Gertsch, V. Roth, AMNH, CAS), 103, 8♀ ; Riverton , July 11, 1952 (W. Gertsch, AMNH), 63, 17♀ . Mariposa Co.: Water Pit Cave, 10 mi E Coulterville, Apr. 7, 1979 (D. Rudolph, B. Martin, S. Winterath, Cowan, Lahner, AMNH), 13. Tuolumne Co. : Bend Cave , 3 mi N Columbia, Feb. 27, 1979 (D. Rudolph, B. Martin, S. Winterath, AMNH), 1♀ ; mine, 2.5 mi N Columbia , Feb. 22, 1979 (D. Rudolph, S. Winterath, B. Martin, AMNH), 13 ; Crystal Palace Cave , 3 mi N Columbia, Feb. 4, 1979 (D. Rudolph, S. Winterath, AMNH), 13, Feb. 28, 1979 (D. Rudolph, S. Winterath, B. Martin, AMNH), 13, 1♀ ; Draper Mine Road , 6 mi E Sonora, Oct. 12, 1973 (matured Feb. 15, 1974), in ravine bank on turned soil, elev. 2,700 ft (W. Icenogle, WRI), 13 ; Fox Gulch, Transplant Mine , ca 2 mi N Columbia, Dec. 6, 1986, elev. 1,630 ft (D. Ubick, V. Lee, CDU), 13 ; McLean’s Cave, Marble Quarry Road at South Fork , Stanislaus River , Mar. 5, 1981, on rock face (D. Ubick, CDU), 13, 1♀ ; McLean’s Cave , 3 mi N Columbia, Mar. 25, 1979 (D. Rudolph, B. Martin, S. Winterath, W. Elliott, J. Reddell, AMNH), 13 ; Pine Log Cave , 2 mi W Columbia (D. Rudolph, B. Martin, S. Winterath, AMNH), 13, 1♀ ; Pinnacle Point Cave , 6 mi N Columbia, Feb. 8, 1979 (D. Rudolph, S. Winterath, AMNH), 23, 1♀ , Oct. 4, 2004 ( R. Aalbu, CAS), 1♀ ; Porcupine Skull Cave , 2 mi N Columbia, Feb. 11, 1979 (D. Rudolph, S. Winterath, AMNH), 1♀ ; 5 mi N Priest , July 8, 1959 (W. Gertsch, V. Roth, AMNH, JCC), 13, 23♀ ; Razorback Grotto Cave , 3 mi N Columbia, Mar. 28, 1979 (D. Rudolph, B. Martin, S. Winterath, AMNH), 13 ; Scorpion Cave, 12.6 km NNW Sonora , Feb. 1, 1978 (A. Grubbs, AMNH), 13 ; Sonora , June 2003 (J. Wenz, UCR), 1♀ ; Strawberry , Sept. 10, 1959 (W. Gertsch, V. Roth, AMNH), 143, 25♀ ; Tuolumne , Apr. 15, 1934 ( CAS), 1♀ , June 2005, in or around house (W. Rauscher, CDU), 2♀ , June 2006, in house (W. Rauscher, CDU), 1♀ ; Tuolumne River at N entrance to Yosemite National Park , Aug. 7, 1953 (W., J. Gertsch, AMNH), 2♀ ; Windeler Cave, 11.3 km NNE Sonora , Jan. 12, 1978 (W. Elliott, A. Grubbs, S. Winterath, AMNH), 1♀ .

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from the Sierras, generally to the south of T. tahoe (map 1).

Figures

Figs. 37–41. Titiotus gertschi, new species. 37. Left male palp, prolateral view. 38. Same, ventral view. 39. Same, retrolateral view. 40. Epigynum, ventral view. 41. Same, dorsal view.