Ambohima antsinanana, Griswold & Wood & Carmichael, 2012

Griswold, Charles E., Wood, Hannah Marie & Carmichael, Anthea D., 2012, The lace web spiders (Araneae, Phyxelididae) of Madagascar: phylogeny, biogeography and taxonomy, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 164 (4), pp. 728-810 : 775-776

AMBOHIMA ANTSINANANA SP. NOV.

( FIGS 7A, B , 33G–I , 36B , 37B , 58)

Types: Holotype female ( CASENT9029888 ) collected by sifting leaf litter at 1580 m elevation at Parc National Andringitra , Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar, on 7 January 2009 by H. Wood, deposited in CASC.

Etymology: The specific name is from the Malagasy word for east; a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis: Female vulva as in Figures 33H and 37B , spermathecal base with longitudinal, bilobed chamber, spermathecal coils close together, two or fewer.

Male: Unknown.

Female (Holotype): Total length 8.10. Markings similar to Figure 7A, B . Carapace 3.30 long, 2.50 wide; thoracic fovea length 0.18 that of carapace; clypeus 0.24 high; ocular area 0.45 long, 1.08 wide; ratio of eyes AM/AL/PM/PL, 1.43: 3.00:1.14:1.00, diameter of PM 0.16. Chelicerae 1.40 long, robust, smooth, promargin of fang furrow with six teeth, retromargin with seven teeth. Sternum 1.74 long, 1.40 wide; labium 0.62 long, 0.56 wide; palpal coxa 1.10 long, 0.46 wide. Femur I length 2.00 times carapace length. Palpal femur with three anterobasal thorns. Calamistrum origin at 0.50 from metatarsus base, length 0.35 that of segment. Leg measurements (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = [total]) I: 6.60 + 1.35 + 6.20 + 6.00 + 2.70 = [22.85]; II: 5.15 + 1.20 + 4.35 + 4.20 + 2.05 = [16.95]; III: 4.15 + 1.05 + 3.30 + 3.40 + 1.80 = [13.70]; IV: 5.90 + 1.15 + 4.65 + 4.65 + 4.50 = [20.85]; palp: 1.55 + 0.55 + 0.80 + (absent) + 1.70 = [4.60]. Epigynum as in Figure 36B ; vulva as in Figure 37B , spermathecal base with longitudinal, bilobed chamber, two spermathecal coils close together.

Variation (N = 2): Total length 8.10–9.20; carapace length 1.32–1.38 times width, height 0.36–0.40 times width; PER width 2.40–2.98 times OAL; OQP 1.20– 1.21 times OQA; clypeal height 1.50–1.60 times AM diameter; cheliceral length 5.53–5.83 times clypeal height; promargin of fang furrow with 5–6 teeth, retromargin of fang furrow with 6–7 teeth; sternum length 1.24–1.31 times width; femur I length 2.00– 2.13 times carapace length; metatarsus I 1.82–1.95 times carapace length; epigynum as in Figures 33G and 36B , vulva as in Figures 33H, I and 37B .

Natural history: Occurs in primary rainforest, on or near the ground.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality in southern Madagascar ( Fig. 58).

Material examined: MADAGASCAR: Fianarantsoa Prov. Parc National Andringitra , 34 km S Ambalavao, 22°08′48.9″S, 46°57′03.4″E, elev. 1580 m, sifting litter in day in primary rainforest, 7 January 2009, H. Wood, holotype ♀, CASC ( CASENT9029888 ), 1 ♀, CASC ( CASENT9029887 ) .

Figures

Figure 7. Habitus of Ambohima females. A, B, A. antsinanana from Andringitra, CASENT9029887. A, dorsal. B, lateral. C, A. vato from Itremo, CASENT9020002, dorsal. D, A. ranohira from Analalava, CASENT9019989, dorsal. E, A. avaratra from Montagne d’Ambre, CASENT9017012, dorsal. F, A. zandry, Montagne d’Ambre, CASENT9017021, dorsal. G, A. zoky, Montagne d’Ambre, CASENT9020320, dorsal. H, A. pauliani, holotype, dorsal.

Figure 33. Ambohima female genitalia. A, D, G, epigyna, ventral. B, C, E, F, H, I, vulvae, dorsal. A–C, A. vato, Itremo, CASENT9005552. D–F, A. zoky, Montagne d’Ambre, CASENT9017016. G–I, A. antsinanana, Andringitra, CASENT9029887. CD: copulatory duct, FD: fertilization duct, SP: spermathecal poreplate.

Figure 36. Epigyna of Ambohima, ventral view. A, A. zoky, Montagne d’Ambre, CASENT9020320. B, A. antsinanana, Andringitra, CASENT9029888. C, A. pauliani, holotype. D, A. vato, Itremo, CASENT9020002. E, A. zoky, Montagne d’Ambre, CASENT9017014. F, A. vato, Itremo, CASENT9005552. Scale bar applies to all images.

Figure 37. Vulvae of Ambohima, dorsal view. A, A. zoky, Montagne d’Ambre, CASENT9020320. B, A. antsinanana, Andringitra, CASENT9029888. C, A. pauliani, holotype. D, A. vato, Itremo, CASENT9020002. E, A. zoky, Montagne d’Ambre, CASENT9017015. F, A. vato, Itremo, CASENT9005552. Scale bar applies to all images.