Pseudopoda virgata ( Fox, 1936 )

Jäger, Peter, Li, Shuqiang & Krehenwinkel, Henrik, 2015, Morphological and molecular taxonomic analysis of Pseudopoda Jäger, 2000 (Araneae: Sparassidae: Heteropodinae) in Sichuan Province, China, Zootaxa 3999 (3), pp. 363-392 : 366-370

Pseudopoda virgata ( Fox, 1936)

Figs 1–23 , 130

Heteropoda virgata Fox, 1936: 127 , fig. 6 (Description of male; holotype male from between Suifu [=Yibin] and Yachou [=Ya’an], Sichuan, China; deposited in USNM, examined).

Pseudopoda virgata (Fox) . Jäger 2001: 62, figs 37a–e (Transfer, redescription and illustration of male).

Additional material examined (2 males, 5 females). China: Sichuan: 1 male (PJ 3488, SD 59), Baoxing County, gorge south of Fengtong village, 30°34'22.50"N, 102°52'57.00"E, 1623 m, found dead, S. Li leg., by hand, 2 June 2004 ( IZCAS); 1 male (PJ 3519, SD 62), Baoxing County, Fengtong Zhai, Yaoji (2), 30°40.239'N, 102°45.019'E, 2015 m, sparse secondary forest, stones and leaf litter, P. Jäger leg., by hand, 5 July 2004 ( SMF); 2 females (PJ 3520, 3522; SD 48, 25), Baoxing County, Fengtong Zhai, between Yaoji (2) and (3), 30°40.239'– 30°38.718'N, 102°45.019'– 102°46.733'E, 2002-2015 m, sparse secondary forest, stones and leaf litter, P. Jäger leg., by hand, 5 June 2004 as immature, adult: November 2004 ( SMF); 1 female (PJ 3521, SD 27), Baoxing County, Fengtong Zhai, S of Yaoji (3), 30°38.718'N, 102°46.733'E, 2002 m, F. Lin leg., by hand, by day, 5 June 2004 as immature, adult: 19. October 2004 ( IZCAS); 1 female (PJ 3534), Tienqiang County, Erlangshan, Labahe Nature Reserve, 30°05.720'N, 102°24,869'E, 1900 m, at rock in web of Achaearanea sp., P. Jäger leg. 10 July 2004, SD 79 ( SMF).

1 female, Erlangshan, Labahe Nature Reserve, 30°03.500'N, 102°25.571'E, 1350 m, X. Xu leg. as juvenile, adult in lab, 10.07.2004 ( SMF).

Note. The village Yaoji (=Qiaogi) is now covered by water in front of a dam. The collection sites Yaoji 2 and Yaoji 3 are situated along the river downstream and are still reachable. One male specimen (PJ 3488) seemed to be damaged by a predator (a spider) and only few measurements could be taken. Left tarsus and right (mirrored) tibia of the male palp are illustrated, since left RTA was broken off.

Diagnosis. Small to medium sized Pseudopoda species with body length of males 9.8–10.7, of females 11.1– 14.0. Males [modified from Jäger 2001: 62] with embolus as in other members of the martensi -group with flat and sickle-shaped embolus and sub-distal embolic apophysis. This latter apophysis short, i.e. as long as wide at its base, with slightly serrated margin and pointing in direction of the embolus tip. The latter with opening situated slightly sub-apically. RTA running at a 40° angle to tibia when seen in ventral view, dRTA finger-like, vRTA subquadrangular to sub-trapezoid in retrolateral to orthogonal view ( Figs 4, 6 ), its tip laterad in ventral view ( Fig. 1 ). Females similar to those of P. coenobium spec. nov. and P. emei in having similar shapes of lateral lobes and distinct ventral windings of internal duct system, but distinguished by ventral windings laterad to antero-laterad, wide and simple (double windings in P. coenobium spec. nov., meandering in P. emei ). Anterior margins of lateral lobes forming medially 70°–85° angle (100°–110° in P. coenobium spec. nov. and P. emei ).

Redescription. Male (PJ 3519): DS length 5.5, width 4.6, AW 2.6, OS length 5.2, width 2.8. Eyes: AME 0.24, ALE 0.37, PME 0.25, PLE 0.32, AME–AME 0.16, AME–ALE 0.07, PME–PME 0.27, PME–PLE 0.44, AME– PME 0.24, ALE–PLE 0.32, clypeus height at AME 0.47, at ALE 0.38. Spination: palp: 131, 101, 2101; legs: femur I–II 323, III 322, IV 331; patella I–IV 101; tibia I– I 2226, III–IV 2126; metatarsus I–II 2024, III 3035, IV 3037. Metatarsus IV ventrally with double row of bristles along entire length and sparse scopula distally, metatarsus III with some bristles in proximal half and dense scopula in distal half. Leg formula: 2143. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 8.0 (2.9, 1.1, 1.4, -, 2.6), leg I 24.6 (6.3, 2.6, 7.1, 6.9, 2.1), leg II 26.7 (7.1, 2.6, 7.6, 7.0, 2.4), leg III 21.0 (5.7, 2.1, 5.7, 5.6, 1.9), leg IV 24.0 (6.4, 2.1, 6.2, 7.0, 2.3). Cheliceral furrow with ca. 35 denticles in small patch at distal anterior tooth. Promargin of chelicerae with 3 teeth, retromargin with 4 teeth.

Palp as in diagnosis ( Figs 1–6 ). RTA arising proximally to medially from tibia. Cymbium with strong retrolateral bulge and proximal pit, the latter acting as counterpart for the ventral tibial apophysis, both parts representing a functional unit of the tibia-tarsus-joint. Tegulum with proximal prolatero-proximad bulge. E arising in 9-o’clock-position from tegulum, E tip prolaterad. C arising in 11- to 11.30-o’clock-position from tegulum.

Colouration ( Figs 14–16 ): Yellowish brown. DS with fovea and radial striae marked and with irregular patches of dark hairs. Sternum, coxae and chelicerae pale yellowish, without pattern. Legs yellowish brown with femora dotted indistinctly on their ventral side. OS dorsally dark brown with heart patch reddish-brown, followed by pairs of dark patches. OS ventrally irregularly spotted. Spinnerets ventrally light.

Description. Female (PJ 3520): DS length 5.8, width 5.2, AW 3.4, OS length 8.2, width 5.7. Eyes: AME 0.30, ALE 0.41, PME 0.27, PLE 0.38, AME–AME 0.27, AME–ALE 0.14, PME–PME 0.45, PME–PLE 0.59, AME– PME 0.43, ALE–PLE 0.46, clypeus height at AME 0.47, at ALE 0.37. Spination: palp: 131, 101, 2121, 1014; legs: femur I 323, II 324, III 323, IV 331; patella 001; tibia I 2026, II–III 2126, IV 2125; metatarsus I–II 2024, III 3035, IV 3037. Metatarsus IV and III as in male. Leg formula: 2143. Measurements of palp and legs: palp 8.0 (2.4, 1.3, 1.8, -, 2.5), leg I 18.8 (5.1, 2.6, 5.0, 4.4, 1.7), leg II 20.1 (5.5, 2.7, 5.4, 4.7, 1.8), leg III 16.0 (4.9, 2.2, 4.0, 3.6, 1.3), leg IV 18.1 (5.3, 2.0, 4.2, 4.8, 1.8). Cheliceral furrow with 30–35 denticles in small patch at median anterior tooth. Promargin of chelicerae with 3 teeth, retromargin with 4 teeth. Palpal claw with 8 teeth.

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis ( Figs 8–13 ). Epigynal field wider than long, with short anterior bands. LL with muscle sigilla in their lateral parts and distinct wrinkles dorsally. First winding of internal duct system wide, converging anteriorly. Fertilisation ducts laterad in ventral view.

Colouration ( Figs 17–19 ): As in male, but reddish-brown. Sternum reddish-brown marginally and yellowish brown in the centre. Coxae ventrally with light stripes and indistinct dots. Chelicerae reddish-brown with indistinct longitudinal bands. Leg femora more distinctly dotted. OS dorsally with dark transversal line in posterior half, ventrally very light with four longitudinal lines. Colouration of live spiders differs in the following features ( Figs 20–23 ): legs with small light spine patches and vivid spots all over, leg IV with distinct narrow light lines dorsally from patella to metatarsus. OS dorsally with light transversal line, ventrally with broadly V-shaped pattern consisting of spots. Parts of this colouration disappearing in ethanol most likely due to its different refraction index.

Variation. Male (n=1) DS length 5.5. Finger-like part of dorsal RTA shorter in one male (PJ 3519) and as long as in the holotype in the other male (PJ 3488) (cf. Jäger 2001: figs 37a–c). Females (n=3) DS length 5.3–6.1, OS length 5.8–8.2. Spination. Femur II 3 (2)23, III 32 (3)3(2); patella II 101, III 101, IV 2126; metatarsus II 3036[median ventral spines double]/2014, III 303(2)5. Left chelicerae with posterior second proximal tooth with double apex. Palpal claw with 7 teeth. Anterior bands of epigynal field may be indistinct or absent ( Figs 12–13 ). Colouration in ethanol may be yellowish brown and generally lighter than the female described.

Distribution. China: Sichuan: Between Yibin and Ya’an (type locality); Baoxing County, Fengtong village, former Yaoji village; Tienqiang County, Erlangshan, Labahe Nature Reserve (the known range of the geographical distribution is considerably extended to the East, the vertical distribution ranges now from 300 m to slightly more than 2000 m) ( Fig. 130 ).

Figures

FIGURE 130. Map of Sichuan with records of Pseudopoda spp. (Pseudopoda sp. cf. yunnanensis not mapped). Pseudopoda grahami (Fox, 1936) and P. exigua (Fox, 1938) are included as described from Sichuan although no new records are known and therefore not mentioned in the text.

FIGURES 1 – 7. Pseudopoda virgata from Baoxing County, copulatory organs of males (1 – 4 PJ 3519, 5 – 7 PJ 3488). 1 – 2, 5 Left male palp (1, 5 ventral, 2 retrolateral); 3, 6 tibia of left male palp (3 dorsal, 6 retrolateral); 4, 7 Embolus tip, ventral. dRTA—dorsal retrolateral tibial apophysis, EA—embolic apophysis, P—cymbial pit, vRTA—ventral retrolateral tibial apophysis, VTA—ventral tibial apophysis.

FIGURES 8 – 13. Pseudopoda virgata from Baoxing (8 – 11) and Tienqiang County (12 – 13), copulatory organs of females (8 – 11 PJ 3520, 12 – 13 PJ 3534). 8, 12 Epigyne, ventral; 9, 11, 13 Vulva (9, 13 dorsal, 11 frontal); 10 Schematic course of internal duct system, dorsal. AB—anterior bands of epigynal field, AM—anterior margins of lateral lobes, DW—dorsal windings of internal duct system, FD—fertilisation duct, FW—first winding windings of internal duct system, VW—ventral windings of internal duct system.

FIGURES 14 – 19. Pseudopoda virgata from Baoxing County. Habitus of preserved males (14 – 16 PJ 3519) and females (17 – 19 PJ 3520) (14, 17 dorsal, 15, 18 frontal, 16, 19 ventral).

FIGURES 20 – 23. Pseudopoda virgata from Baoxing County. Habitus of live females (20 PJ 3520, 21 PJ 3522, 22 – 23 PJ 3521) (20 – 21 dorsal, 22 obliquely frontal, 23 ventral.