Calapnita mae, Bernhard A. Huber, 2017

Bernhard A. Huber, 2017, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Southeast Asian leaf-dwelling spider genus Calapnita Simon (Araneae, Pholcidae), Zootaxa 4219 (1), pp. 1-63 : 51-55

Calapnita mae sp. nov. Figs 245–253

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of vermiformis group by distinctive prolateral process on procursus ( Fig 246 ), by shape of sclerotized ventral flap (S-shaped ridge in prolateral view; complex shape in dorsal view; Figs 245–246 ), and by oval pore plates converging anteriorly ( Fig. 253 ). From C. bario and C. bariengi also by distal cheliceral apophyses clearly bipartite ( Fig. 249 ); from C. saluang and C. bugis also by wide proximal part of bipartite cheliceral apophyses ( Fig. 249 ); from several species also by dark male sternum and by continuous wide connection between epigynal plate and ‘knob’ ( Fig. 252 ).

Etymology. Named for Mae A. Responte who collected all available specimens of this species; the name is treated as a noun in apposition (to avoid the awkward ‘maeae’).

Material examined. Holotype. PHILIPPINES: ♂, ZFMK (Ar 16054), Mindanao , Davao Oriental, Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (access San Isidro ), ‘site 2’ (6.724°N, 126.175°E), 790 m a.s.l., 10.ii.2015 (M.A. Responte).

Other material. PHILIPPINES: 4♀, ZFMK (Ar 16055), and 1♀ 12 juvs, MSU-IIT, same data as holotype ; 1♂ 7♀ 8 juvs, ZFMK ( Ar 16059), same locality but ‘site 1’ (6.720°N, 126.172°E), 490 m a.s.l., 9.ii.2015 (M.A. Responte) . 4♂ 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 16056), and 1♂ 4 juvs, MSU-IIT, Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary (access Governor Generoso ), ‘site 1’ (6.690°N, 126.153°E), 250 m a.s.l., 12.ii.2015 (M.A. Responte) ; 3♂ 5♀ 22 juvs, ZFMK ( Ar 16057), same locality but ‘site 2’ (6.685°N, 126.158°E), 360 m a.s.l., 13.ii.2015 (M.A. Responte) ; 2♂ 4 juvs, ZFMK ( Ar 16058), same locality but ‘site 3’ (6.681°N, 126.159°E), 580 m a.s.l., 13.ii.2015 (M.A. Responte) . 1♂ 1♀ 2 juvs, ZFMK (Ar 16060), Davao Oriental, Tarragona Distr., Mount Mayo , ‘site 1’ (7.068°N, 126.290°E), 700 m a.s.l., 14.xii.2014 (M.A. Responte) ; 1♂ 7♀ 6 juvs, ZFMK (Ar 16061), Mount Mayo , ‘site 2’ (7.069°N, 126.290°E), 800 m a.s.l., 15.xii.2014 (M.A. Responte) ; 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 16062), Mount Mayo , ‘site 3’ (7.071°N, 126.290°E), 900 m a.s.l., 16.xii.2014 (M.A. Responte).

Description. Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 6.3, carapace width 0.85. Leg 1 missing, tibia 2: 6.0, tibia 3: 3.1, tibia 4: 6.4. Distance PME-PME 230 µm, diameter PME 80 µm, distance PME-ALE ~30 µm; no trace of AME.

COLOR. Entire animal mostly pale gray to whitish, sternum darker, legs slightly yellowish with brown patellae and tibia-metatarsus joints.

BODY. Habitus as in C. nunezae (cf. Fig. 133 ); ocular area barely elevated, each triad on very low hump; carapace without median furrow; clypeus unmodified; sternum as wide as long (0.50), unmodified.

CHELICERAE. As in Figs 249–250 , with pair of bipartite apophyses near lamellae and pair of lateral humps; without modified hairs; without stridulatory ridges.

PALPS. In general similar to C. vermiformis (cf. figs 139 and 140 in Huber 2011); trochanter apophysis as in Fig. 251 , with small tubercles on subdistal hump; femur as in Fig. 248 , distal process at 26% of femur length; tibia length/diameter 0.53/0.31; procursus as in Figs 245–247 , with prolateral process, ventro-distal flat sclerite with distinctive prolateral oblique ridge (arrow in Fig. 245 ); bulb length 0.37; embolus length 0.50.

LEGS. Without spines and curved hairs; few vertical hairs.

Male (variation). Tibia 1 in 5 other males: 7.1–7.7 (mean 7.4).

Female. In general similar to male but sternum whitish; eye triads barely closer together (distance PME-PME 220 µm). Tibia 1 in 16 females: 5.2–6.5 (mean 5.9). Epigynum as in Fig. 252 , weakly sclerotized, wide anterior ‘knob’; internal genitalia as in Fig. 253 , with oval pore plates converging anteriorly.

Distribution. Known from two localities in southeastern Mindanao ( Fig. 284 ).

Calapnita nunezae sp. nov.

Figs 132–133 , 254–262 , 272–280

“ Calapnita vermiformis ” (misidentification; only specimens from Mindanao): Deeleman-Reinhold 1986: 212. Huber 2011: 48.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from other species of vermiformis group by distinctive prolateral process on procursus ( Fig. 255 ) and by massive rather than flat ventral flap (similar but much larger in C. maragusan ; compare Figs 255 and 264 ). From C. bario and C. bariengi also by distal cheliceral apophyses clearly bipartite ( Fig. 259 ); from several species also by dark male sternum, by continuous wide connection between epigynal plate and ‘knob’ ( Fig. 261 ), and by round pore plates ( Fig. 262 ).

Etymology. The species is named for Dr. Olga M. Nuñeza from Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, in recognition of her help before and during the Philippines expedition 2014.

Material examined. Holotype. PHILIPPINES, Camiguin Island: ♂, ZFMK (Ar 16063), Katibawasan Falls (9.215°N, 124.720°E), 300 m a.s.l., on leaf, 19.ii.2014 (B.A. Huber, P.N. Banaag).

Other material. PHILIPPINES, Camiguin Island: 11♂ 10♀ 1 juv., ZFMK (Ar 16064–65), and 1♂ 1♀, MSU- IIT, same data as holotype ; 2♀ 1 juv. in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Phi 238), same data . 2♂ 4♀ 3 juvs, ZFMK ( Ar 16066), same locality but 9.2132°N, 124.7181°E, 5.v.2014 (E.P. Mondejar) . 2♂ 1♀, ZFMK ( Ar 16067), Camiguin Island, Mount Hibok Hibok (9.196°N, 124.692°E), 600 m a.s.l., on leaves, 18.ii.2014 (B.A. Huber, P.N. Banaag) ; 1♀ 4 juvs, in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Phi 242), same data .

PHILIPPINES, Mindanao: 3♂ 4♀, ZFMK (Ar 16068), Bukidnon, CEDAR ( Center for Ecological Development and Recreation ) (8.251°N, 125.034°E), 760 m a.s.l., forest along river, on leaves, 16.ii.2014 (B.A. Huber, E.P. Mondejar) ; 2♂ 1 juv. in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Phi 248), same data . 18♂ 42♀ 27 juvs (4 vials), ZFMK ( Ar 16069–72), and 1♂ 1♀, MSU-IIT, same locality at 8.249– 8.252°N, 125.026 –125.041°E, 15.xi.2014 – 7.ii.2015 (E.P. Mondejar). 5♀ 2 juvs (2 vials), ZFMK (Ar 16073–74), Bukidnon, Imbayao (8.134°N, 125.030°E), 9–10.ii.2015 (E.P. Mondejar) . 2♂ 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 16075), Davao del Sur, Malagos Watershed (7.184°N, 125.415°E), 390 m a.s.l., forest along river, on leaves, 14.ii.2014 (B.A. Huber, E.P. Mondejar) . 3♂ 5♀, ZFMK (Ar 16076), Mount Matutum, Kawit Forest , ‘site 1’ (6.338°N, 125.104°E), 950 m a.s.l., along brook, on leaves, 13.ii.2014 (B.A. Huber, E.P. Mondejar) ; 1♀ 1 juv. in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Phi 270), same data . 5♂ 6♀, ZFMK (Ar 16077), Bukidnon, Santo Domingo (7.782°N, 125.397°E), 560 m a.s.l., forest remnant along brook, on leaves, 8–9.ii.2014 (B.A. Huber, E.P. Mondejar) ; 1♀ in absolute ethanol, ZFMK (Phi 283), same data . 2♂, ZFMK (Ar 16078), Bukidnon, near Santo Domingo , Malangob (7.789°N, 125.384°E), 570 m a.s.l., forest along brook, on leaves, 9.ii.2014 (B.A. Huber, E.P. Mondejar) . 2♂ 2♀, ZFMK (Ar 16079), Bukidnon, near Santo Domingo , Penolohan (7.769°N, 125.420°E), 640 m a.s.l., forest above Salug River , on leaves, 8.ii.2014 (B.A. Huber, E.P. Mondejar).

Description. Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 5.9, carapace width 0.80. Leg 1: 30.0 (8.5 + 0.4 + 7.6 + 13.8 + 2.7), tibia 2: 6.0, tibia 3: 3.7, tibia 4: 6.5; tibia 1 L/d: 109. Distance PME-PME 210 µm, diameter PME 90 µm, distance PME- ALE ~30 µm; no trace of AME.

COLOR. Entire animal mostly pale gray to whitish, sternum darker, legs slightly yellowish with brown patellae and tibia-metatarsus joints.

BODY. Habitus as in Fig. 133 ; ocular area barely elevated, each triad on very low hump; carapace without median furrow; clypeus unmodified; sternum as wide as long (0.50), unmodified.

CHELICERAE. As in Figs 259–260 , with pair of bipartite apophyses near lamellae, pair of lateral processes; without modified hairs; without stridulatory ridges.

PALPS. In general similar to C. vermiformis (cf. figs 139 and 140 in Huber 2011) but smaller; trochanter apophysis as in Fig. 257 , with tiny tubercles; femur as in Fig. 258 , distal process at 28% of femur length; tibia length/diameter 0.53/0.31; procursus as in Figs 254–256 , with semitransparent prolateral process, with globular ventro-distal sclerite; bulb length 0.34; embolus length 0.55.

LEGS. Without spines and curved hairs; few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2.5%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1, present on other tibiae; tarsus 1 pseudosegments not visible in dissecting microscope.

Male (variation). Tibia 1 in 23 other males: 6.9–8.0 (mean 7.6). In males from Mount Matutum and Santo Domingo the globular ventro-distal sclerite on the procursus is slightly larger.

Female. In general similar to male but sternum whitish; eye triads slightly closer together (distance PME-PME 200 µm). Tibia 1 in 29 females: 5.6–6.7 (mean 6.2). Epigynum as in Figs 261 and 280 , weakly sclerotized with wide anterior ‘knob’; internal genitalia as in Fig. 262 , with almost round pore plates.

Natural history. At the type locality, this species was found mostly on Araceae leaves. At Malangob, it shared plants (and sometimes individual leaves) with Pholcus domingo . When disturbed, specimens did not vibrate but pressed their bodies against the leaf surface. If disturbance persisted, they run away and/or reluctantly dropped on a silk line. Two egg-sacs contained 9 and 13 eggs respectively; proximally, a few eggs were side by side, but the distal 4– 6 eggs were in a single row ( Fig. 132 ).

Distribution. Widely distributed in Mindanao (incl. Camiguin Island), but apparently not reaching eastern Mindanao ( Fig. 284 ).

Figures

FIGURE 284. Known distribution of the Calapnita vermiformis group, part 2 (cf. Fig. 283).

FIGURES 236 – 253. Calapnita dinagat sp. nov. (236 – 244; ZFMK, Ar 16053) and C. mae sp. nov. (245 – 253; ZFMK, Ar 16056). 236 – 238, 245 – 247. Left procursi, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views (arrow points at distinctive ridge on ventrodistal sclerite). 239, 251. Left palpal trochanters, retrolateral views. 240, 248. Left palpal femora, prolateral views (arrow points at additional ventral process). 241 – 242, 249 – 250. Right male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 243, 252. Epigyna, ventral views. 244, 253. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 128 – 133. Live specimens, Calapnita vermiformis group. 128. C. loksado sp. nov., ♂ from Loksado. 129 – 130. C. bohol sp. nov., ♂ and ♀ with egg-sac from near Loboc. 131. C. dinagat sp. nov., ♂ (with mite; arrow) from near Libjo. 132 – 133. C. nunezae sp. nov., ♀ with egg-sac, and ♂ and ♀ at night from Katibawasan.

FIGURES 254 – 271. Calapnita nunezae sp. nov. (254 – 262; ZFMK, Ar 16064 – 65) and C. maragusan sp. nov. (263 – 271; ZFMK, Ar 16098). 254 – 256, 263 – 265. Left procursi, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 257, 269. Left palpal trochanters, retrolateral views. 258, 266. Left palpal femora, prolateral views. 259 – 260, 267 – 268. Right male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 261, 270. Epigyna, ventral views. 262, 271. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 272 – 280. Calapnita nunezae sp. nov., SEM micrographs (ZFMK, Ar 16064 – 65). 272 – 273. Male cheliceral apophyses. 274. Right genital bulb, prolateral view. 275 – 276. Tip of left procursus, retrolateral and retrolatero-ventral views. 277. Comb-hairs on tarsus 4. 278 – 279. Male and female ALS. 280. Epigynum, ventral view. a, appendix; b, genital bulb; e, embolus. Scale lines: 10 µm (272, 273, 277 – 279), 100 µm (274 – 276, 280).