Micropoda daviesae, Grall & Jäger, 2022

Grall, Elena & Jäger, Peter, 2022, Four new genera of Heteropodinae Thorell, 1873 from Malaysia, Brunei and Papua New Guinea (Araneae: Sparassidae), Zootaxa 5169 (1), pp. 1-25 : 12-16

Micropoda daviesae spec. nov.

Figs 47–65 , 90–93 , 98

Type material. PAPUA NEW GUINEA: East New Britain: Holotype male ( PJ 936 ) : S.E. Bay, Dörpen Peak, South Seas expedition, 14 September 1909, Dr. G. Duncker ( ZMH) . Paratype: 1 female ( PJ 937 ) with same data as for holotype ( ZMH) .

Additional material examined (4 females and 1 subadult male): PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Morobe: 3 females ( PJ 927–929 , SD 1598 ) and 1 subadult male ( SD 1361 ) , Siassi archipelago, Malabaya, South Seas expedition, 22 October 1909, Dr. G. Duncker ( ZMH; 1 female: SMF) . West New Britain: 1 female ( PJ 926 , SD 1597 ; epigyne not fully sclerotised), S.W. Coast, Lieblich Islands, South Seas expedition, 1909, Dr. G. Duncker ( ZMH) .

Etymology. The species is dedicated to the late Valerie Todd Davies, a pioneering Australian arachnologist; name in genitive case.

Diagnosis. Micropoda daviesae spec. nov. may be recognised by the following combination of characters: Males ( Figs 47–52 ): 1. RTA proximally arising from tibia, with 2 lateral apices, a large medial tooth and a small additional tooth ( Fig. 51 ), 2. Embolus arising from tegulum at 5-o’clock-position, filiform and apically coiled and 3. Embolic apophysis arising from embolus in 10-o’clock-position, running parallel to and with similar width of embolus up to their tip. Females ( Figs 53–57 ): 1. Lateral lobes extending postero-laterally and running latero-anteriorly in anterior half, 2. Glandular appendages situated at the end of the first winding of the internal duct system and 3. Internal duct system with 1 big loop posteriorly and 4 subsequent turns.

Description. Male (holotype): TL 6.6; PL 3.3, PW 3.1, AW 1.7; OL 3.3, OW 2.1. Eye measurements ( Fig. 58 ): AME 0.19; ALE 0.26; PME 0.18; PLE 0.27; AME–AME 0.18; AME–ALE 0.06; PME–PME 0.18; PME–PLE 0.31; AME–PME 0.18; ALE–PLE 0.21; clypeus AME 0.18; clypeus ALE 0.16. Leg formula: 2431. Measurements of palp and legs: palp: 4.80 (1.60, 0.70, 0.80, 1.70); I: 12.20 (3.30, 1.50, 3.30, 3.00, 1.10); II: 14.30 (3.90, 1.70, 4.00, 3.50, 1.20); III: 12.40 (3.40, 1.40, 3.40, 3.10, 1.10); IV: 12.60 (3.40, 1.20, 3.40, 3.40, 1.20). Spination: palp: 131, 101, 2101; legs: Fe I–III 323, Fe IV 321; Pa I–IV 001; Ti I–III 2026, Ti IV 2126; Mt I 0014, Mt II 1004, Mt III 2016, Mt IV 3036. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal, 4 retromarginal teeth, 15–20 denticles near promarginal teeth and 1 escort seta ( Fig. 63 ). Retrolateral claw of right leg I with 12 teeth ( Fig. 60 ). Trilobate membrane of right leg II with triangular median hook, with about same length as lateral projections ( Fig. 65 ).

Palp as in diagnosis ( Figs 47–52 ). Tibia half as long as cymbium. RTA reaching the margin of the alveolus, with 2 lateral apices, a medial tooth and an additional small tooth, dorso-lateral apex only visible in retrolateral or ventro-distal view ( Fig. 51 ). Apices generally rounded in ventral view, pointed in retrolateral view. Alveolus pocket extending from retrolateral margin to postero-prolateral margin. Tegulum at least as wide as cymbium, retrolaterally extending slightly beyond cymbial margin in ventral view, widest in distal half; spermophor double-curved distinctly in ventral view, with one large and one small U-shaped curve. Embolic apophysis filiform with narrow tip. Embolus tip ventrad, with subapical opening of spermophor. Conductor homologue situated in a 2-o’clock-position at distal part of tegulum.

Colouration in ethanol ( Figs 90–91 ): Prosoma yellowish, anterior part with two wide brown stripes running medially to ALE, medially reddish-brown with brown stripes, posterior part medially with semi-circular yellow pattern, lateral and latero-posterior margin brown. Fovea with longitudinal reddish-brown stripe. Sternum pale yellow. Opisthosoma whitish-grey with brown spots, posteriorly darker, laterally with brown stripes, ventral part without pattern. Chelicerae reddish-brown with two dark longitudinal brown stripes, retrolaterally with brown spot. Palps yellowish-brown. Legs yellowish-brown; Fe distally, medially and proximally with brown band; Ti proximally with brown band.

Female (paratype): TL 6.5; PL 3.1 , PW 2.9 , AW 1.8 ; OL 3.4 , OW 2.3 . Eye measurements ( Fig. 59 ): AME 0.18; ALE 0.25; PME 0.17; PLE 0.24; AME–AME 0.18; AME–ALE 0.07; PME–PME 0.20; PME–PLE 0.36; AME–PME 0.18; ALE–PLE 0.26; clypeus AME 0.17; clypeus ALE 0.18. Leg formula: 2431. Measurements of palp and legs: palp: 4.40 (1.30, 0.70, 1.00, 1.40); I: 10.30 (2.90, 1.40, 2.70, 2.40, 0.90); II: 12.10 (3.40, 1.60, 3.30, 2.80, 1.00); III: 10.70 (3.00, 1.40, 2.90, 2.50, 0.90); IV: 10.90 (3.00, 1.30, 2.80, 2.80, 1.00). Spination: palp: 131, 101, 2121, 1014; legs: Fe I –III 323, Fe IV 321; Pa I –IV 001; Ti I–III 2026, Ti IV 2126; Mt I & II 0004, Mt III 2006, Mt IV 3036. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal, 4 retromarginal teeth, 15–20 denticles near promarginal teeth and 1 escort seta ( Fig. 64 ).

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis ( Figs 53–57 ). Epigynal field wider than long with fusion bubbles situated antero-medially. Lateral lobes kidney-shaped and distinct. Copulatory orifices situated medio-anteriorly. Internal duct system longer than wide. Glandular appendages short and straight, extending only in anterior half of internal duct system. Fertilization ducts situated medio-posteriorly, short.

Colouration in ethanol ( Figs 92–93 ): Prosoma yellowish, anterior part with two wide, brown stripes running medially to ALE, medially brown with brown stripes, posterior part medially with semi-circular yellow pattern, lateral and latero-posterior margin brown. Fovea with longitudinal reddish-brown stripe. Sternum pale yellow. Opisthosoma yellowish-grey with brown spots, medially with four brown dots, in front of spinnerets white spot, ventral part yellowish-grey, medially grey, laterally brown. Chelicerae reddish-brown with two dark longitudinal brown stripes, retrolaterally with brown spot. Palps yellowish-brown. Legs yellowish-brown; Fe medially and proximally with brown band; Ti proximally with brown band.

Variation. Females (n=4). TL 5.5–6.7; PL 2.6–3.3, PW 2.4–3.2, AW 1.4–1.9; OL 2.9–3.4, OW 2.0–2.3. Measurements leg I: total length 8.20–10.80, Fe 2.20–3.00, Pa 1.10–1.50, Ti 2.20–2.90, Mt 1.90–2.50, Ta 0.80–1.00. Spination: legs: Ti I–III 1016.

Distribution. Known only from New Britain and Siassi Islands in Papua New Guinea ( Fig. 98 : orange squares).

Figures

FIGURE 98. Distribution of the new genera and species in Malaysia, Brunei and Papua New Guinea.

FIGURES 47–52. Micropoda daviesae gen. & spec. nov. holotype male from New Britain. 47–49 Right palp, mirrored (47 prolateral, 48 ventral, 49 retrolateral); 50 Proximal part of cymbium and tegulum showing embolus base and alveolus pocket; 51 RTA, ventro-distal; 52 Tip of embolus and embolic apophysis, retrolateral. AP—alveolus pocket, bT—big tooth at RTA, C—conductor, dlA—dorso-lateral apex of RTA, E—embolus, EA—embolic apophysis, RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis, S—spermophor, sT—small tooth at RTA, ST—subtegulum, TR—tegular ridge, vlA—ventro-lateral apex of RTA.

FIGURES 53–57. Micropoda daviesae gen. & spec. nov. female paratype from New Britain, copulatory organ. 53 Epigyne, ventral; 54, 56 Vulva (54 dorsal, 56 lateral); 55, 57 Schematic course of internal duct system (55 dorsal, 57 lateral). EF—epigynal field, EP—epigynal pocket, FD—fertilization ducts, FW—first winding of internal duct system, GA—glandular appendages, LL—lateral lobes, SP—spermatheca, Wi—window of first winding.

FIGURES 58–65. Micropoda daviesae gen. & spec. nov. holotype male (58, 60, 63, 65) and female paratype (59, 61–62, 64) from New Britain. 58–59 Eyes, dorsal; 60–62 Claws (60 right leg I, retrolateral claw, retrolateral; 61 left palp, prolateral; 62 left leg II, retrolateral claw, retrolateral); 63–64 Left chelicera, ventral; 65 Trilobate membrane, distal metatarsus of right leg II, dorsal.

FIGURES 82–97. Heteropodinae gen. & spp. nov., habitus (dorsal and ventral, respectively). 82–85 Borniella parva gen. & spec. nov.; 86–89 Menarik kecil gen. & spec. nov.; 90–93 Micropoda davisae gen. & spec. nov.; 94–97 Tiomaniella ladam gen. & spec. nov. (82–83, 86–87, 90–91, 94–95 holotype male, 84–85, 88–89, 92–93, 96–97 female paratype).