Eusparassus vestigator (Simon, 1897) Moradmand, 2013

Moradmand, Majid, 2013, The stone huntsman spider genus Eusparassus (Araneae: Sparassidae): systematics and zoogeography with revision of the African and Arabian species, Zootaxa 3675 (1), pp. 1-108 : 44-47

Eusparassus vestigator (Simon, 1897) comb. nov.

Figs 25–26 , 52a–b , 63a–b

Sparassus vestigator Simon, 1897c: 388 (description of male and immature female syntypes). [syntypes, male and subadult female, NHM, examined]

Eusparassus rufobrunneus Caporiacco, 1941: 109 , fig. 40 (description and illustration of male, two male syntypes), [syntypes, two males, MZUF, examined]. New synonymy.

Olios vestigator (Simon) . Roewer 1955b: 695 (unjustified transfer).

Type material. Syntypes of Sparassus vestigator (designated by Simon 1897c): 1♂, 1 subadult ♀, ETHIOPIA: between Oromia and Somali Regions: male, West of Shebelle River, (label: Sparassus vestigator Simon, W of Shebeli River, 15.12.94) ( NHM 97.11.10.56), subadult female, Shebelle River (label: Sparassus vestigator Simon , Type , 5.6.95) ( NHM) ; Syntypes of Eusparassus rufobrunneus (designated by Caporiacco 1941): 2♂, ETHIOPIA: Southern Nations Region: 1♂, El Dire, “Missione Biologica Sagan=Omo, 1939, Prof. Edoardo Zavattari”, 18 May 1939 ( MZUF), 1♂, Elolo, “Missione Biologica Sagan=Omo, 1939, Prof. Edoardo Zavattari”, 16 July 1939 ( MZUF) .

Other material examined. 6♂, 5♀♀, ETHIOPIA: 1♂, Valley of the Omo River , field number 6, 14 May 1969, D. Houin leg. ( MNHN) ; 1♀, Valley of the Omo River , field number 27, 7 August 1972, O.F. Rodhain leg. ( MNHN) ; SOMALIA: 1♀, Somaliland, Bohalgarshan , 28 October 1895 ( NHM 97.11.10.54) ; KENYA: Rift Valley Province : 4♂, 1♀ ( MM 170 ) , Northern Turkana, Kenya colony, “Lake Rudolf Rift Valley Expedition 1934”, February–June 1934, V.E. Fuchs leg. ( NHM) ; 1♀, Lake Baringo area, dry bed of Kapinga River , 16 May 1975, A. J. Penniman leg. ( AMNH) ; Central Province : 1♀, Mangu, Lome , Prof. Kobert leg. ( ZMB) ; 1♀, Mangu , 3 March 1935, Dr. B. Beuzon leg. ( ZMUC) ; TANZANIA: Zanzibar Region: 1♂, Zanzibar, Hildebrandt leg. ( ZMB) .

Diagnosis. Male palpal morphology similar to that of E. reverentia spec. nov. but differing in having more slender ET lacking pointed triangular process and more slender dRTA ( Figs 25a–c ); female differentiated by elongated GP parallel to copulatory duct (CD) ( Figs 26b, c ) [see also diagnosis for vestigator species group above].

Description. Male (ranges: n=9, single measurement: syntype):

Measurements. Medium to large sized; total length 18.2–20.2, prosoma length 8.2–10.0, prosoma width 6.8– 8.3, anterior width of prosoma 3.7–4.6, opisthosoma length 10–10.2, opisthosoma width 5.5–7.3. Eye diameters: AME 0.46, ALE 0.35, PME 0.34, PLE 0.35; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.22, AME-ALE 0.10, PME-PME 0.43, PME-PLE 0.42, AME-PME 0.31, ALE-PLE 0.20, clypeus height at AME 0.25, clypeus height at ALE 0.35. AME largest, other eyes subequal ( Fig. 25d ).

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 4 or 5 posterior teeth; cheliceral furrow without intermarginal denticles ( Fig. 25e ).

Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 8.5 [2.8, 1.3, 1.4, 3.0], I 30.1 [8.4, 3.2, 7.5, 8.5, 2.5], II 33.4 [9.5, 3.5, 8.4, 9.3, 2.7], III 27.3 [8.1, 3.0, 7.0, 7.2, 2.0], IV 31.6 [9.1, 2.7, 7.8, 9.7, 2.3].

Spination. Palp 131, 101, 1111; Legs: Femur I– III 424 , IV 323 / 422/423; Patella I – IV 101 ; Tibia I–IV 2224; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.

Palp. As in diagnosis with cymbium more than twice as long as tibia ( Fig. 25b ); E and T expanded and covering ST ( Fig. 25a ); ET directed proximad and retrolaterad at its distal end ( Fig. 25c ).

Female (ranges: n=5, single measurement: MM 170):

Measurements. Medium to large sized; total length 18.5–21.7, prosoma length 8.5–9.7, prosoma width 7.7–8.5, anterior width of prosoma 4.8–5.2, opisthosoma length 10.0–12.0, opisthosoma width 6.5–7.5. Eye diameters: AME 0.61, ALE 0.46, PME 0.45, PLE 0.45; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.38, AME-ALE 0.20, PME-PME 0.63, PME-PLE 0.77, AME-PME 0.47, ALE-PLE 0.32, clypeus AME 0.45, clypeus ALE 0.62, eye arrangement as in males.

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 to 5 posterior teeth, cheliceral furrow without intermarginal denticles; one to four retromarginal bristles at distal end of cheliceral basal segment.

Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 7.4 [2.2, 1.1, 1.6, 2.5], I 22.8 [6.5, 2.8, 6.0, 5.8, 1.7], II 25.6 [7.7, 3.2, 6.7, 6.2, 1.8], III 21.6 [6.6, 2.7, 5.6, 5.2, 1.5], IV 25.5 [7.8, 2.7, 6.6, 6.7, 1.7].

Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I– III 424 , IV 422 /423; Patella I–IV 000/101; Tibia I–IV 2024 /2224; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.

Epigyne/vulva. As in diagnosis with EF longer than wide; sclerotized MS as long as wide ( Fig. 26a ) or slightly wider than long ( Fig. 26d ); large, robust CD and GP, GP long; a median longitudinal sclerotized band on MS dorsally ( Figs 26b, c ).

Colouration [in ethanol]. Reddish brown to yellowish cream with dark bands on legs, dorsal opisthosoma with a longitudinal dark band composed of fused chevron patterns, ventral opisthosoma with V-shaped dark marking with inner lines bold ( Figs 52a–b ); live colouration is brownish gray with black patches on body and bands on legs ( Fig. 52d ).

Remarks. Like other Eusparassus species described before 1903, this species was originally placed in Sparassus by Simon (1897c) (along with E. laevatus comb. nov.). Roewer (1955b) made an unjustified combination and transferred the species to Olios . Eusparassus rufobrunneus Caporiacco, 1941 syn. nov. is proposed here as a junior synonym. The two syntype males from southern Ethiopia exhibit congruent diagnostic characters similar to the syntype male of E. vestigator . The syntype female is an immature specimen, thus the female is here described for the first time. Unlike most of Eusparassus spp. , E. vestigator and the other two known species in the vestigator group bear more than two thick retromarginal bristles at the distal base of chelicerae.

Known geographical distribution and habitat. East Africa in southern Ethiopia (type locality), Somalia (new country record), Kenya (new country record) and Tanzania (new country record) ( Fig. 71a ). Found under stones near dry river beds.

Figures

FIGURE 25. Eusparassus vestigator (Simon, 1897) comb. nov., syntype male from Ethiopia: west of Shebelle River (NHM). (a) left palp, ventral; (b) left palp, retrolateral; (c) embolus tip and conductor, ventral; (d) eye arrangement, dorsal; (e) left chelicera, ventral.

FIGURE 26. Eusparassus vestigator (Simon, 1897) comb. nov., female from Kenya: Northern Turkana (NHM). (a) epigyne, ventral; (b) vulva, dorsal; (c) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (d) variation in epigyne, ventral.

FIGURE 52. Habitus and habitat of species of the vestigator group. (a–d) Eusparassus vestigator (Simon, 1897) comb. nov., (a–b syntype subadult female, c retreat under stone, d opened retreat with female and spiderlings inside); (e–f) Eusparassus pearsoni (Pocock, 1901) lectotype female. (a, e) dorsal, (b, f) ventral. Photos (c, d) by V. Trailin taken in Sof Omar, Ethiopia.

FIGURE 63. Eusparassus vestigator group. (a–b) Eusparassus vestigator (Simon, 1897) comb. nov.; (c–d) Eusparassus reverentia spec. nov.; (e–f) Eusparassus pearsoni (Pocock, 1901). (a, c) left male palps, ventral; (b, d, f) epigynes, dorsal; (e) ventral opisthosoma.

FIGURE 71. Distribution range of (a) Eusparassus vestigator group; (b) Eusparassus tuckeri and jaegeri groups.