Ammonius pupulus Thorell, 1899

Gonzalez-Filho, Hector M. O., Guadanucci, José Paulo L. & Brescovit, Antonio D., 2023, On the genus Ammonius Thorell, 1899 (Mygalomorphae, Barychelidae): description of the female of A. pupulus, a new species and new distribution records, European Journal of Taxonomy 861 (1), pp. 113-131 : 116-124

Ammonius pupulus Thorell, 1899

Figs 1–7 , 10

Ammonius pupulus Thorell, 1899: 10 .

Ammonius pupulus – Benoit 1965: 76, figs 1–2.

Amended diagnosis

Ammonius pupulus differs from A. benoiti sp. nov. by having eight eyes ( Figs 1D–E , 4B , 5D ); by the male palpal bulb with a thin and sinuous embolus ( Fig. 2A–D ), and by the presence of a tibial concavity in the ventro-prolateral side of the palp ( Figs 2E , 3A–B ).

Type material

Holotype CAMEROON • ♂; no locality specified; 1891; Y. Sjöstedt leg.; collection Thorell, number 17, now NHRS-GULI37848 .

Other material examined

IVORY COAST • 6 ♂♂, 1 ♀; Gagnoa ; 6° 8′59.73″ N, 5°57′8.07″ W; 19 Mar. 1993; A. Russell-Smith leg.; pitfall trap, upland rice; RMCA 227221 • 1 ♀ juv.; Kossou ; 7°2′12.07″ N, 5°28′56.47″ W; 14 Oct.–11 Nov. 1974; R. Jocqué leg.; RMCA 151844 • 1 ♂; Bouaflé , Koudougou; 6°55′56.20″ N, 5°40′24.15″ W; 26 Feb. 1981; J. Everts leg.; RMCA 169417 • 1 ♀; same collection data as for preceding; 30 Dec. 1980; RMCA 169416 .

Description

Male (holotype NHRS-GULI37848)

Total length: 7.43. Carapace: 3.3 long, 2.66 wide. Thoracic fovea: 0.38 wide, straight. Clypeus 0.08 long. Eye tubercle flat 0.29 long, 0.69 wide. Anterior and posterior eyes row straight ( Fig. 1D ). Eyes diameters and interdistances:AME 0.10, ALE 0.14, PME 0.04, PLE 0.09; ALE–ALE 0.37, ALE–AME 0.06, AME– PME 0.06, PME–PME 0.29, PLE–PME 0.03, AME–AME 0.07, ALE–PLE 0.04. Labium: rectangular, 0.28 long, 0.51 wide, having two cuspules rounded ( Fig. 1C ). Chelicerae: 9 prolateral teeth and 4 tiny on inner edge. Labiosternal groove shallow, flat, with a pair of sigilla. Maxillae: 1.08 long, 0.66 wide, with 3 cuspules. Heel reduced. Anterior lobe short, not projected ( Fig. 1C ). Sternum 1.75 long, 1.41 wide. Abdomen: partially damaged, 3.93 long, with book lungs semi-circular, with elliptical aperture, and book lungs combs absent. Measurements: palp (femur, patella, tibia, cymbium, total): 1.9, 1.1, 1.3, 1, 5.3. Legs (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 2.7, 1.7, 1.7, 1.8, 1.2, 9; II: 2.2, 1.2, 1.6, 1.4, 1, 7.4; III: 2.2, 1, 1.2, 1.8, 1, 7.2; IV: 2.6, 1.1, 1.9, 2.4, 1.5, 9.5. Spination: palp: tibia d0-1-0-2. Leg I: femur d0-0-1, tibia v0-2-0-1-, d0-2-0-2, metatarsus v0-2-0-2ap; II: femur d-0-1-0-1, tibia v0-1p-0-1-0-2ap, metatarsus v0-0-2-0-2ap; III: femur d-0-1-0-1, patella p0-1-1, tibia v0-3-0-2-1r-1p-0-1p-3ap, metatarsus v0-2-0-1-1-

1, d0-2-1-2-1-2-1-4ap; IV: femur d0-2-0-1, patella p0-1-1, tibia v0-2-0-1p-0-1r-2-2p-0-1-3ap, metatarsus v2-2p-1-0-1-2-1r-, d0-2-0-2-0-1-3ap. Plumose clavate trichobothria in two rows on distal half on all tarsi. Claws: ITC absent. STC on tarsi with teeth on both lateral edges. Scopulae: on metatarsi I ¼ scopulate, metatarsi II–IV absent; on tarsi I fully scopulate, tarsi II ⅓ and III–IV 1/5 scopulate. Spinnerets: PMS: 0.47 long. PLS: basal 0.6 long, median 0.5 long, apical 0.36 long, with pumpkiniform spigots on apical half ( Fig. 4A ). Apical segment digitiform ( Fig. 1F ). Tibial apophysis absent.

Palp: tibia with concavity on the ventro-prolateral side of the palp ( Figs 2E , 3A–B ). Cymbium with retrolateral lobe triangular, strongly projected, and with slight prolateral curve ( Figs 2 , 3C–D ). Bulb globose with a thin embolus, embolar base sinuous ( Fig. 2F ).

Habitus as in Fig. 1A–B . Color in alcohol: Carapace and legs dorsally yellowish light brown. Eye tubercle black. Abdomen pale with some brown light setae on dorsal side, abdomen pattern absent ( Fig. 1F ). Spinnerets pale.

Female (RMCA 227221)

Total length: 7.3. Carapace 3.1 long, 2.45 wide. Thoracic fovea: 0.38 wide, straight. Clypeus 0.06 long. Eye tubercle flat 0.17 long, 0.54 wide ( Fig. 5D ). Anterior and posterior eyes row straight. Eyes diameters and interdistances: AME 0.1, ALE 0.14, PME 0.06, PLE 0.08; ALE–ALE 0.02, ALE–AME 0.02, AME– PME 0.04, PME–PME 0.2, PLE–PME 0.01, AME–AME 0.04, ALE–PLE 0.02. Labium: ellipsoid, 0.23 long, 0.58 wide, having 5 cuspules rounded, two of then lost ( Fig. 5C ). Chelicerae: 8 prolateral teeth and 11 tiny on inner edge. Labiosternal groove shallow, flat, with pair of sigilla. Maxillae: 0.95 long, 0.65 wide, with 13–20 cuspules in the inner corner. Heel reduced.Anterior lobe short, not projected ( Fig. 5C ). Sternum 1.86 long, 1.44 wide ( Fig. 5F ). Abdomen: 4.2 long, with book lungs semi-circular, elliptical aperture, and book lungs combs absent. Measurements: palp (femur, patella, tibia, cymbium, total): 1,7,1.1, 1.3, 1.3, 5.4. Legs (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 2.4, 1.6, 1.8, 1.5, 1.3, 8.7; II: 2.5, 1.3, 1.5 1.5, 1.3, 8.1; III: 1.7, 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.2, 6.7; IV: 2.4, 1.3, 1.9, 2.2, 1.6, 9.4. Spination: palp: femur d-0-1, tibia v1-0-1-1-0-2ap. Leg I: femur d0-0-1, tibia v1-0-1-0-2ap, metatarsus v0-1-0; II: tibia v1-0-1-0-2ap, metatarsus v0-1-0-1ap; III: tibia v1-1p-0-1-1p-0-4ap, d-0-1-0-1, metatarsus v0- 1-0-2-1p-1p-0-1-3ap, d0-0-1-2; IV: tibia v1-1p-0-1-2-0-3ap, d-0-2-0-1r, metatarsus v0-0-2-0-1r-1-0- 3ap,d0-2-0-2. Plumose clavate trichobothria in two rows on distal half on all tarsi. Claws: ITC absent. Teeth absent on STC of all legs. Scopulae: on metatarsi I ¼ scopulate, metatarsi II–IV absent; on tarsi I fully scopulate, tarsi II–III ⅓ and IV ¼ scopulate. Spinnerets: PMS: 0.4. PLS: basal 0.55, median 0.5, apical 0.55. Apical segment digitiform ( Fig. 5A–B ).

Spermathecae: two long receptacles with wide base; each with a globose lobe on the outer side ( Fig. 5E ).

Habitus as in Fig. 5A–B . Color in alcohol: same as male.

Distribution

Cameroon and Ivory Coast ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Ammonius pupulus Thorell, 1899, holotype, ♂ (NHRS-GULI37848). A. Habitus dorsal. B. Habitus ventral. C. Maxillae and labium, ventral view. D–E. Eye group. D. Dorsal view. E. Detail of the eye arrangement. F. Abdomen, lateral view. Scale bars: A–B, F = 1 mm; C–E = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 2. Male palp of Ammonius pupulus Thorell, 1899. A–D. Holotype, ♂ (NHRS-GULI37848). A. Dorsal view. B. Ventral view. C. Prolateral view. D. Retrolateral view. E–F. SEM micrographs of the male palp of Ammonius pupulus (RMCA 227221). E. Prolateral view. F. Retrolateral view. G. Drawing from Benoit (1965: fig. 1), ventral view. Abbreviation: Tc = Tibial concavity. Scale bars: A–D = 1 mm; E–F = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 3. SEM micrographs of the male palp of Ammonius pupulus Thorell, 1899 (RMCA 227221). A–B. Tibial concavity. A. Prolateral view. B. Retrolateral view. C–D. Cymbium. C. Prolateral view. D. Retrolateral view. Abbreviations: Em = embolus; PL = prolateral lobe; So = slit organ; Tc = tibial concavity. Scale bars: A = 400 µm; B = 200 µm; C–D = 400 µm.

Fig. 4. SEM micrographs of Ammonius pupulus Thorell, 1899, ♂ (RMCA 227221). A. Apical segment of PLS. B. Eye group, lateral view. C. Maxillae and labium, ventral view. D. Clavate trichobothria. E. Apical of the tarsus I, lateral view. F. Detail of frictional setae, lateral view. Abbreviations: Ch = chemosensory setae; CT = claw tufts; FS = frictional setae; STC = superior tarsal claws. Scale bars: A, F = 50 µm; B = 300 µm; C = 500 µm; D = 5 µm; E = 100 µm.

Fig. 5. Ammonius pupulus Thorell, 1899, ♀ (RMCA 227221). A. Habitus dorsal. B. Habitus ventral. C. Maxillae and labium, ventral view. D. Eye group, dorsal view. E. Spermathecae. F. Sternum, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B = 1 mm; C–D, F = 0.5 mm; E = 0,02 mm.

Fig. 6. SEM micrographs of Ammonius pupulus Thorell, 1899, ♂ (RMCA 169417), tarsus I. A. Lateral view. B. Detail of frictional setae, lateral view. C–D. Detail of the chemosensory setae. Abbreviations: Ch = chemosensory setae; ChM = chemosensory setae male; CT = claw tufts; FS = frictional setae; STC = superior tarsal claws. Scale bars: A = 100 µm; B–C = 50 µm; D = 30 µm.

Fig. 7. SEM micrographs of Ammonius pupulus Thorell, 1899, ♀ (RMCA 169416), tarsus IV. A. Lateral view. B. Detail of macrosetae, lateral view.C. Chemosensory setae.D. Apical detail of the chemosensory setae. E. Scale setae. F. Chemosensory setae. Abbreviations: Ch = chemosensory setae; CT = claw tufts; FS = frictional setae; STC = superior tarsal claws. Scale bars: A = 100 µm; B–C = 50 µm; D = 20 µm; E = 50 µm; F = 30 µm.

Fig. 10. Distribution map of the presently known species of the genus Ammonius Thorell, 1899.