Pochytoides Berland & Millot, 1941

Wesołowska, Wanda, 2018, A revision of the genus Pochytoides Berland & Millot, 1941 (Araneae: Salticidae), with descriptions of six new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 418, pp. 1-26 : 3

Genus Pochytoides Berland & Millot, 1941 stat. nov.

Gender

Feminine

Type species

Pochyta poissoni Berland & Millot, 1941

Diagnosis

The genus is characterized by the structure of the genitalia. The male palps have a retrolateral tibial apophysis which is broad and straight, with a blunt tip and a dorsal apophysis which is long, thin and perpendicular to the palpal axis. The cymbium is narrow and the bulb is short, more or less triangular, with a well separated basal part and a large embolic division. The presence of a small, spike-like tegular apophysis on the prolateral side of the bulb is a distinctive feature. The epigynes have copulatory openings hidden in a deep and extremely sclerotized cup-shaped atria. The internal structure is simple with seminal ducts more or less short and straight and the spermathecae ovoid or spherical. The genitalic pattern is consistent throughout the whole genus.

Description

Small to medium spiders, ranging from about 3 to 5 mm in length. Carapace brown, oval, high and broad, with steep posterior slope beginning just behind the eye field. Eyes on small tubercles, with black rings around each (except as noted), eye field trapezoid, anterior row of eyes slightly wider than the posterior row.Anterior median eyes large. Fovea visible, sulciform, lying on small concave area. Clypeus vertical, low. Chelicerae large and long, fang relatively short, two teeth on promargin and a single large tooth on retromargin ( Figs 9C , 11C ). Endites slightly convergent. Labium trapezoid. Sternum shield-shaped. Pedicel short, not visible in dorsal view. Abdomen ovoid, slightly narrower than carapace. Legs more or less subequal, anterior pair slightly longer than others, especially in males. Spination of leg I in male: femur dorsally 0–1–1 and 0–0–1 prolaterally, patella 1 prolaterally, tibia ventrally 2–2–2–2 and prolaterally 1–1–0 or 1–0, metatarsus ventrally 2–2 and 2 apically on dorsal surface. Ventral spines on tibia and metatarsus extremely long ( Fig. 9D ). Spination of leg I in female similar, but spines on patella and prolateral surface of tibia absent. Female palp with single retrolateral spine on tarsus ( Fig. 10A ). Structure of genitalia: see Diagnosis.

Remarks

A large part of the bulb is enveloped by the cymbium, so that the study of this structure, and understanding its functional morphology, requires separation of the bulb from the cymbium. Unfortunately, insufficient numbers of male specimens prevented such study and the detailed bulb structure of only one species, P. spiniger sp. nov., is shown ( Fig. 13E–G ).

Affinities

The morphological characters mentioned in the introduction clearly show that Pochytoides is related to other genera included in the subtribe Thiratoscirtina Bodner & Maddison, 2012 (sensu Maddison 2015) in the subfamily Salticinae Blackwall, 1841 . At the moment, closer relationships of the genus remain unresolved and demand further molecular studies.

Figures

Fig. 9. Pochytoides poissoni (Berland & Millot, 1941) comb. nov., Ƌ. A. General appearance, lateral view. B. Carapace, dorsolateral view. C. Cheliceral dentition. D. First leg. E–K. Palpal organ. E. Ventroprolateral view. F, I. Ventral view. G, J. Retrolateral view. H. Dorsal view. Scale bars:A–B, D = 1.0 mm, C, E–K = 0.3 mm.

Fig. 10. Pochytoides poissoni (Berland & Millot, 1941) comb. nov., holotype, ♀ (B, D, G), specimen from Ziéla (A, C, E, H) and specimen from Fouenyi (F). A. Tip of female’s palp. B–F. Epigyne. G–H. Internal structureof epigyne. Scale bars:A= 0.3 mm, B–H= 0.2 mm.

Fig.11.Pochytoides securissp. nov.,paratypes,Ƌ.A.Generalappearance, dorsalview.B.Frontalview. C.Cheliceraldentition.D–H.Palpalorgan.D–E.Ventralview.F.Ventroretrolateralview.G.Retrolateral view. H. Dorsal view. Scalebars:A–B = 1.0 mm, C–H = 0.3 mm.

Fig.13.Pochytoidesspinigersp.nov.,paratypes,Ƌ.A–C.Palpalorgan.A.Ventralview.B.Anteroventral view. C. Retrolateral view. D. Palpal apophyses, dorsal view. E–G. Separated bulb. E. Ventral view. F. Retrolateral view. G. Prolateral view. Scale bar = 0.3 mm.