Cercetius perezi Simon, 1902

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 : 70-73

Cercetius perezi Simon, 1902

Figs 42–43 , 57 , 66a–b, e

Cercetius perezi Simon, 1902: 253 (description of juvenile, holotype examined); Simon 1903: 1020, 1023, 1026 (juveniles, new geographic records from Somalia); Jäger and Kunz 2005: 170, figs. 201–204 (illustration of holotype).

Type material. Holotype (designated by Simon 1902): juvenile, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Dibba , Persian Gulf shore, [label: Golfe persique: Dibba, St. XLV, Mission Bonnier–Perez, Cotes-Arabie, March–April 1901, MM. J. Bonnier & Ch. Perez leg. ( MNHN 1658-21936 )].

Other material examined (9♂, 6♀♀). UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Abu Dhabi: 1♂, Dibba , Sweihan, N 24˚28', E 55˚22', 160 m altitude, collected by NARC ( National Avian Research Centre ), 14 September 1993 ( ICEAD, MM1 ) ; 1♂, 2 immatures, Persian Gulf shore, Suwayhan (= Sweihan ), April 1970, C. Williams leg. ( MNHN, MM158 ) . OMAN: 2♂, 1♀ ( MM 30 ), Mudhaybi , N 22˚12', E 58˚06', 530 m altitude, camp.p., Oman Eastern Sand Project , 12 March 1986, W. Büttiker leg. ( NMB) ; 1♀, Al-Araqi , September 2000, S. Huber leg. ( SMF) ; 1♂, 2 immatures, Wadi Matam, Wahiba , N 21˚53', E 58˚17', 170 m altitude, 31 January 1986, Oman Eastern Sand Project ( NMB) ; Ad Dakhiliyah: 1♀, outside of Fallah cave , September 2000, S. Huber leg. ( SMF) ; Mintaqat Masqat : 1♀, near Rusayl , N 25˚33', E 58˚15', March 1984, W. Cookson leg. ( NMB) ; Mintaqat al Sharghiah : 1♂, Msirah , February 1979, K. M. Guichard leg.( NHM) ; 1♂, Central Oman, N 22˚25', E 56˚45' [south of Jebel Karwr Mountain, Al-Dakhiliah ], sand desert, A. J. Wart leg. ( NHM 26.7.63) ; Mintaqat Zufar: 2 immatures, near Thamarit , Dhofar , N 17˚42', E 54˚02', 450 m, under tyre on soft sand, 24 March 1980, J. N. Barnes leg. ( NHM) . YEMEN: Muhafazat Shabwah: 1♂, 1♀, 1 immature, Sayhut , between Al-Mukalla and border of Oman , 5–8 March 1995, B. Schätti leg. ( MHNG) ; Tihama Region: 1♀, Tihama , Northern Yemen , 1985, F. Schüffe leg. ( SMF) . SOMALIA: Somaliland: 1♂, near Berbera, N 10˚14'25'', E 45˚04'55.4'', 407 m, 9 July 2011, T. Mazuch & F. Kovarik leg. ( SMF, SD 840 ) . DJIBOUTI: Region d’ Obock: 1♀, Obock, 22 February 1893, M. Maindron leg. ( MNHN) .

Diagnosis. Large-sized and robust hairy species (total length: male 24 mm, female 28 mm, leg span up to 13.5 cm) with diagnostic uniform large black marking covering ventral opisthosoma posteriorly and partially around epigastric furrow ( Fig. 57b ) in both sexes; males with short and slender embolus tip pointing distad in ventral view, embolus membrane composed of folded hyaline layers ( Figs 42a–c ); vulva composed of several bulbous parts at turning loop, glandular pores present on a small process ( Figs 43b–d ).

Description. Male (ranges: n=9, single measurement: MM 1):

Measurements. Medium to large sized; total length 16.8–23.8, prosoma length 8.5–12.3, prosoma width 7.4– 10.4, anterior width of prosoma 4.2–6.2, opisthosoma length 8.3–11.5, opisthosoma width 5.5–8.5. Eye diameters: AME 0.70, ALE 0.75, PME 0.57, PLE 0.80; eye inter-distances: AME-AME 0.23, AME-ALE 0.04, PME-PME 0.54, PME-PLE 0.55, AME-PME 0.60, ALE-PLE 0.38, clypeus height at AME 0.45, clypeus height at ALE 0.58. PLE largest, posterior eye row recurved ( Fig. 42d ).

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 to 5 posterior teeth, cheliceral furrow usually with 1 or 2 intermarginal denticles close to anterior teeth; basal segment of chelicerae at distal end retro-marginally with 1 bristle ( Fig. 42e ).

Legs. Leg formula: II I IV III. Measurements of palp and legs (largest male): Palp 16.3 [5.5, 2.3, 2.8, 5.7], I 54.2 [14.6, 6.8, 14.5, 14.3, 4.0], II 57.2 [16.5, 7.5, 16.1, 15.5, 3.6], III 52.7 [15.7, 6.1, 14.3, 13.1, 3.5], IV 53.2 [15.9, 6.0, 14.5, 13.3, 3.5].

Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111; Legs: Femur I– III 323 , IV 321 ; Patella I–IV 000(1)/101; Tibia I–IV 2224; Metatarsus I– III 2 (1)024, IV 3034/30(1)36.

Palp. As in diagnosis with cymbium longer than tibia; tegulum shorter than embolus; dRTA long and slender with slight median bent, vRTA weakly developed ( Figs 42a, b ); tip of embolus hyaline and worm-like, embolic membrane consisting of folded layers distally; conductor elongated ( Fig. 42c ).

Female (ranges: n=7, single measurement: MM 30):

Measurements. Medium to large sized; total length 21.5–28.0, prosoma length 9.5–12.5, prosoma width 8.6– 11.1, anterior width of prosoma 5.7–7.5, opisthosoma length 12.0–15.5, opisthosoma width 7.8–11.0. Eye diameters: AME 0.81, ALE 0.84, PME 0.70, PLE 0.88; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.33, AME-ALE 0.20, PME-PME 0.85, PME-PLE 0.95, AME-PME 0.90, ALE-PLE 0.75, clypeus height at AME 0.65, clypeus height at ALE 0.70.

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 or 4 posterior teeth, Cheliceral furrow with 1 or 2 intermarginal denticles close to anterior teeth or without denticles. Basal segment of chelicerae at distal end retro-marginally with a single bristle.

Legs. Leg formula: II I IV III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 16.3 [5.0, 2.5, 3.1, 5.7], I 46.4 [13.5, 6.5, 11.4, 11.8, 3.2], II 51.9 [14.9, 6.6, 14.0, 13.2, 3.2], III 44.4 [13.7, 6.0, 11.1, 10.8, 2.8], IV 45.6 [14.3, 5.8, 10.9, 11.4, 3.2].

Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I–III 323, IV 321; Patella I–IV 101; Tibia I–IV 22(1)24; Metatarsus I–III 2(1)024, IV 3034/3036.

Epigyne/vulva. As in diagnosis with epigyne composed of two large triangular lateral lobes, epigynal field slightly longer than wide, anterior margin of lateral lobes fused together and encircling MS entirely, epigynal field bridge (EFB) present and not separated from anterior margin of lateral lobes ( Figs 43a, b ).

Colouration. A freshly collected single male was obtained from Somalia whose prosoma and dorsal opisthosoma is creamy-white with shiny white hairs dorsally on legs ( Fig. 57a ); preserved specimens are reddishbrown spiders with darker scopula hairs on metatarsus and tarsus; prosoma margins, anterior part of prosoma around eyes, chelicerae and dorsal side of femora covered with dense white hairs ( Figs 57a, c ), in contrast, sternum, coxae of legs and basal segment of chelicerae covered with dense black hairs, ventral opisthosoma with large black marking posterior to and around epigastric furrow ( Fig. 57b ).

Systematic position. The somatic features and the copulatory organs of Cercetius perezi correspond well with the Eusparassus delimitation as given by Moradmand and Jäger (2012a) and in this paper. The presence of intermarginal denticles of chelicerae, eyes arrangement, leg formula, spination pattern and the presence of dark marking at ventral opisthosoma are all somatic characters which are present in the immature holotype and the newly discovered adult specimens from the type locality. However, C. perezi cannot be affiliated with any of the known species groups. This species embodies some synapomorphies of the dufouri group (e.g. dark marking of ventral opisthosoma, epigyne with AMLL encircling MS entirely) and also some of the jaegeri and walckenaeri groups (presence of intermarginal denticles in some specimens). Cercetius perezi is likely to belong to an intermediate lineage among the noted Eusparassus species groups. The geographical distribution between the three groups mentioned above supports this hypothesis.

Currently known distribution and habitats. Eastern and southern Arabian Peninsula in the United Arab Emirates (type locality), Oman (new country record) and Yemen (new country record), horn of Africa in Somalia and Djibouti (new country record) ( Fig. 72b ). Specimens were collected in wadis, sandy substrates, gravel plains and from under stones in deserts.

Misplaced species

Figures

FIGURE 42. Cercetius perezi Simon, 1902, males from Suwayhan (=Sweihan), Dibba, Persian Gulf shore, United Arab Emirates. (a) left palp, ventral; (b) left palp, retrolateral; (c) embolus tip and conductor, ventral; (d) eye arrangement, dorsal; (e) right chelicera, ventral.

FIGURE 43. Cercetius perezi Simon, 1902: (a–c) female from Oman: Mudhaybi; (d) female from Oman: Fallah. (a) epigyne, ventral; (b) vulva, dorsal; (c–d) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral.

FIGURE 57. Cercetius perezi Simon, 1902, habitus and colouration. (a) alive male from Somaliland, near Berbera, Somalia; (b–c) preserved male from Wadi Matam, Wahiba, Oman (b ventral opisthosoma colour pattern, c frontal view). Photo (a) by F. Kovařík.

FIGURE 66. (a–b, e) Cercetius perezi Simon, 1902; (c–d) Eusparassus xerxes (Pocock, 1901); (f) Eusparassus maynardi (Pocock, 1901); (g) Eusparassus pontii Caporiacco, 1935. (a, c) left male palps, (e) bulbus, ventral; (b, d, f, g) epigynes, dorsal.

FIGURE 72. Distribution range of (a) Eusparassus doriae group; (b) Eusparassus incertae sedis and Cercetius perezi. (a, b) with the same scale.