Pacifantistea, Marusik, Yuri M., 2011

Marusik, Yuri M., 2011, A new genus of hahniid spiders from Far East Asia (Araneae: Hahniidae), Zootaxa 2788, pp. 57-68 : 59

Pacifantistea gen. n.

Type species: Pacifantistea ovtchinnikovi sp. n.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from two words: Pacific (referring to the area of distribution) and Antistea (referring to a Hahniidae genus with large sized representatives resembling the new genus). The gender is feminine.

Diagnosis. The new genus belongs to the subfamily Hahniinae. From Hahnia and Asiohahnia it can be easily distinguished by its larger size (more than 3 mm) and the position of the tracheal spiracle. From large-sized genera such as Antistea and Neoantistea it can be distinguished by the habitus (longer carapace, sternum and abdomen), absence of stridulatory files (Sf) on the abdomen (present in Antistea and Neoantistea even in juveniles, cf. Fig. 10 ) and by the unmodified endites in males ( Fig. 6 a) and presence of tarsal spines in both sexes ( Fig. 6 b). In addition, it can be easily separated from Antistea by the lack of a femoral outgrowth and the presence of a strong patellar spur; from Neoantistea it can be separated by the strong patellar spur, which is as large as the tibial apophysis (in Neoantistea it is much smaller or absent).

Description. As for the species.

Comments. Spinnerets arranged in one row and displaced spiracle indicate that the new genus belongs to the subfamily Hahniinae. Position of tracheal spiracle, almost straight tibial apophysis perpendicular to the axis of the tibia indicate belonging of the new genus to the tribe Antisteini. Detailed comparison of P. ovtchinnikovi sp. n. with Nearctic Neoantistea magna ( Figs 7, 10 , 19–20, 24 , 26–32 ) and Far Eastern N. quelpartensis ( Figs 8–9 , 21–22, 25 , 33–39 ) revealed that the new genus and its type species have very little in common with Neoantistea . Only large size (in comparison to Hahnia and Asiohahnia ) and the general shape of the male palp are common features of these two genera. Pacifantistea gen. n. has an elongated body ( Figs 1–2 ) with the sternum longer than wide (wider than long in Neoantistea ( Fig. 8 ), the carapace and abdomen have the same colouration (carapace darker than abdomen in Neoantistea ); closely spaced spinnerets; a stridulatory organ is absent (well developed in Neoantistea and Antistea ); dorsum of abdomen lacks muscle dots or other sclerotization. In addition, males of the new genus have unmodified endites (cf. Figs 6–8 ) and unmodified legs (numerous spines are present in both sexes, Figs 1–2 , recurved ventral hairs are absent in male leg I). In Neoantistea the endites are wider than long and the legs have almost no spines ( Figs 29–30 , 36 ), but very characteristic recurved ventral hairs (Rh), sometimes with modified bases ( N. magna ) ( Fig. 29 ). In addition, the male palp of the new genus has no strong (deep) loop of the seminal duct (Sl), which is characteristic for all species of Neoantistea . The epigyne of the new genus has very short insemination ducts, almost as long as the spermathecal width (insemination ducts very or rather long in Holarctic genera of Hahniinae: Hahnia sensu lato, Antistea , Neoantistea , Asiohahnia ). Here I am not discussing the differences between the new genus and the recently established Hahniharmia Wunderlich, 2004 and Spinihahnia Wunderlich, 2004, because these two genera belong to the Hahnia complex (Hahniini).

Composition. Only the type species.

Distribution. Same as for the type species.

Figures

FIGURES 6 – 11. Somatic characters of Pacifantistea ovtchinnikovi sp. n. (6, 11), Neoantistea magna (7, 10) and N. quelpartensis (8 – 9). 6 a, 7 Male mouth parts, ventral; 6 b Male tarsus I, prolateral; 8 Male prosoma, ventral; 9 Male habitus, showing long legs; 10 Female, fronto-lateral, showing stridulatory files (detail in inset); 11 Female prosoma, frontal. Arrows in Fig. 6 b indicating tarsal spines, in Figs 7 – 8 enlarged base of endite. Abbreviations: Sc — scutum; St — strong tooth; Sf — stridulatory file.

FIGURES 17 – 25. Epigynes of Pacifantistea ovtchinnikovi sp. n. (17 – 18, 23), Neoantistea magna (19 – 20, 24) and N. quelpartensis (21 – 22, 25) (17, 19, 21, 23 – 25 ventral; 18, 20, 22 dorsal; 17 – 22 after maceration in KOH). Abbreviations: Co — copulatory opening; Id — insemination duct; Sp — spermatheca.

FIGURES 26 – 32. Neoantistea magna from Nova Scotia. 26 – 27 Habitus (26 male; 27 female); 28 Female abdomen, ventral; 29 Male, part of right leg I, prolateral; 30 Male, right leg I, prolateral; 31 – 32 Male palp (31 ventral; 32 dorso-retrolateral). Abbreviations: Eb — embolic base; Et — tip of embolus; Pa — patellar spur; Rh — recurved hairs; Sd — muscle dot; Sl — seminal loop; Sn — spines; Ta — tibial apophysis.

FIGURES 33 – 39. Neoantistea quelpartensis from Maritime Province. 33 – 34 Habitus (33 female; 34 male); 35 Female abdomen, ventral; 36 Male, right leg I, prolateral; 37 Male, lateral; 38 – 39 Male palp (38 ventral; 39 dorso-retrolateral). Abbreviations: Eb — embolic base; Et — tip of embolus; Pa — patellar spur; Rh — recurved hairs; Sc — scutum; Sd — muscle dot; Sl — seminal loop; Ta — tibial apophysis.

FIGURES 1 – 5. Habitus and copulatory organs of Pacifantistea ovtchinnikovi sp. n. 1 – 2 Habitus (1 male; 2 female); 3 Female abdomen, ventral; 4 – 5 Male palp (4 ventral; 5 retrolateral). Abbreviations: Eb — embolic base; Et — tip of embolus; Pa — patellar spur; Sl — seminal loop; Ta — tibial apophysis.