Halodromus gershomi, Muster, 2009

Muster, Christoph, 2009, The Ebo-like running crab spiders in the Old World (Araneae, Philodromidae), ZooKeys 16 (16), pp. 47-73 : 62-64

Halodromus gershomi sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7AA44C33-C217-4106-AC3A-B5206AC19FF5

Figs 16 , 25-28

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Dr Gershom Levy, who described the first species of the genus from Israel and unfortunately passed away during preparation of this manuscript. Noun in genitive case.

Material examined. Holotype. Male. ERITREA: Semienawi Kayih Bahri [Northern Red Sea]: Massawa , 15° 36’N, 39° 27’E, 1889, leg. F. Jousseaumme, specimen in ethanol with four legs missing, with hand-written labels as follows “11889 Massaua Philodromus ” “ Halodromus gershomi Muster Holotype ” ( MNHN ES 11889 ) . Paratypes. 1♁, 12♀, 6 juv., same data as holotype ( MNHN ES 11889).

Diagnosis. Males are distinguishable from similar species by the shape of patellar apophysis and PTA ( Figs 25-26 ). The epigynum is wider than long with exceptionally wide posterior guide pockets ( Fig. 27 ).

Description. Measurements. Male (Holotype): total length 3.3, CL 1.58, CW 1.65, ClyH 0.3, OL 2.15, OW 1.55. Leg I 7.55 [2.2, 0.9, 2.0, 1.5, 0.95], FemII 3.1. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.1, PME 0.08, AME–AME 0.16, AME–ALE 0.088, PME–PME 0.29, PME–PLE 0.16, ALE–PME 0.15. Pedipalp: PFem 0.68, PPat 0.3, PatApo 0.2 PTib 0.3, CyL 0.6, CyW 0.3. AME size index: 0.063. PME interdistance index: 1.81. Clypeus height index: 0.18. LegII length index: 1.41.

Female (n = 5): total length 3.0 (2.8-3.5), CL 1.28 (1.1-1.4), CW 1.46 (1.4-1.55), ClyH 0.23 (0.22-0.24), OL 1.97 (1.85-2.1), OW 1.6 (1.45-1.85). Leg I 5.09 (4.78- 5.85) [1.54, 0.56, 1.28, 0.98, 0.73], FemII 2.18 (1.95-2.4). Eye sizes and interdistances: AME 0.1, PME 0.07, AME–AME 0.11, AME–ALE 0.06, PME–PME 0.24, PME–PML 0.14, ALE–PME 0.12. AME size index: 0.068 (0.061 -0.076). PME interdistance index: 1.80 (1.66-2.0). Clypeus height index: 0.16 (0.15-0.18). Leg II length index: 1.42 (1.3-1.5).

Colour. Dorsal shield of prosoma ( Fig. 16 ) brown with wide orange-brown median band that extends to posterior margin, median band wider than the dark sides which show blackish venation, posterior edges with whitish pubescence, allatal stripes discontinuous, metadiscus a central whitish V-sign, mesodiscus with inconspicuous pattern. Clypeus brown with bi-humped beige area, chelicerae brown with black spots, distally more light. Sternum whitish with dots and brown patches at the margin. Legs yellowish-brown, mottled and with double annulations at femora, single annulations at patellae, threefold annulations at tibiae and weak annulations at metatarsi. Opisthosoma

densely covered with whitish pubescence, interspersed with dark setulae. Dorsum grey with conspicuous black cardiac mark, followed by a separated black dot and grey chevrons posteriorly, flanks darkish. Venter whitish with a conspicuous, grey median stripe.

Pedipalp ( Figs 25-26 ). Patellar apophysis less than two thirds the length of the tibia, with inconspicuous groove at ventral border, tip rounded, pointing to dorsal margin of tibia. Tibia with rectangular processing RTA with rounded tip which merges with a second, more dorsally situated bulge. Cymbial tip relatively long and narrow, approximately one third of CyL. Cymbium length (CyL) 0.6, width (CyW) 0.3, ratio CyL/cephalothorax width 0.36. Subtegulum visible in ventral view. PTA in central position, hooked, tip pointing in ventral-proximal direction, not reaching lateral margin of cymbium. Sperm duct symmetric, opening in 7 o’clock position. Conductor largely hidden behind embolus, in ventral view protruding at both sides of embolus. Embolus at transition from basal to distal part with distinctive prolateral bulge that projects above prolateral margin of bulb, embolus tip a thin, almost straight spur.

Epigyne-vulva ( Figs 27-28 ). Epigyne distinctly wider than long. Median septum triangular, narrowed posteriorly, epigynal sutures straight. Epigynal grooves large. Posterior guide pockets exceptionally wide and well developed, anterior guide pockets externally moderately sclerotized, in dorsal view visible as voluminous pockets. Receptacula bagpipe-shaped, somewhat separated from epigastric furrow, not touching each other. Glandular heads in inner-distal position, pointing in lateral-distal direction.

Distribution and habitat. Only known from the type locality ( Fig. 37 ), no information on habitat available.

Figures

Figure 37. Distribution of Halodromus species.

Figures 7-16. 7, 11 Ebo pepinensis from Utah Lake 8, 12 Titanebo parabolis from Utah 9, 15 Halodromus patellaris, from Monastir 10 Philodromus lepidus from Kebili, Tunisia 13 Halodromus patellidens from Kuwait 14 Halodromus barbarae sp. n. from Cartagena 16 Halodromus gershomi sp. n. from Massawa 7-10 Female clypeus and chelicerae, frontal view 11-16 Female cephalothorax, dorsal view. Scale lines = 0.5 mm.

Figures 25-28. Halodromus gershomi sp. n. from Aden. 25-26 Left male palp (25 ventral, 26 retrolateral) 27 Epigyne, ventral 28 Vulva, dorsal. Scale line = 0.1 mm.