Palindroma morogorom, Rudy Jocqué & Arnaud Henrard, 2015

Rudy Jocqué & Arnaud Henrard, 2015, The new spider genus Palindroma, featuring a novel synapomorphy for the Zodariidae (Araneae), European Journal of Taxonomy 152, pp. 1-33 : 5-11

Palindroma morogorom gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:20ACA48F-42F0-403C-A81A-21425B87484C

Figs 1 A–F, 2 A–D, 3 A–G, 4 A–D, 5 A–C, 16 , 17 A–E

Diagnosis

The male of P. morogorom gen. et sp. nov. can be recognized by the long, strongly tapered RTA. The female has a characteristic epigyne with central depression showing two dark areas, flanked by a kidneyshaped area on either side and the inverted funnel-shaped pattern in front.

Etymology

The species name is an arbitrary combination of letters forming a noun in apposition and containing ‘morogoro’, the region where the types were found.

Material examined

Holotype

TANZANIA: ♂, Uzungwa Mts , Morogoro Region, Mwanihana Forest , 7°44’29.2” S, 36°53’17.7” E, 1800–1850 m, 25–29 Sep.1984, montane rain forest , pitfall trap, N. Scharff ( ZMUC) .

Paratypes

TANZANIA: 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀, together with holotype ; 4 ♂♂, as previous ; 1 ♂, as previous ; 1 ♂, as previous ; 4 ♂♂, as previous ; 5 ♂♂, as previous (2 ♂♂ in MRAC 244094 ) ; 1 ♀, 28–29 Sep. 1984, further as previous ; 1 ♂, 7°44’41.5” S, 36°53’12.9” E, 1650 m, further as previous ; 1 ♂, as previous ; 4 ♂♂, as previous ; 1 ♂, 1650 m, 25–29 Sep. 1984, further as previous .

Other material

TANZANIA: 3 ♂♂, Uzungwa Mts , Iringa Region, Mufundi-Kigogo Forest Reserve , 8°40’00.5” S, 35°12’35.2” E, 1900 m, 7–15 Oct. 1984, montane rain forest , pitfall trap, N. Scharff ( ZMUC) ; 2 ♂♂, as previous ; 3 ♂♂, as previous ; 1 ♀, 1700 m, 5–10 Oct. 1984, further as previous ; 1 ♂, as previous ; 1 ♂, 8°40’53.5” S, 35°14’59.1” E, 1700 m, 8–10 Oct. 1984, further as previous ; 1 ♀, Uzungwa Mts , Iringa Region, Uzungwa Scarp Forest above Chita village , 8°40’53.5” S, 35°12’35.2” E, 750 m, 23 Oct.–14 Nov. 1984, lowland rain forest , N. Scharff ( ZMUC) ; 1 ♂, 1600–1650 m, 8–13 Nov. 1984, montane rain forest , further as previous ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Iringa district, Uzungwa scarp Forest Reserve, 11 km E of Masisiwe village, Kihanga stream , 1800 m, 8°22’05.7” S, 35°58’41.6” E, 17–27 May 1997, ZMUC ; 1 ♀, Uluguru Mts, Bunduki, Moy Mgeta , 7°20’ S, 37°38’ E, 30 Apr.–2 May 1957, P. Basilewsky & N. Leleup ( MRAC 111892 ) .

Note

Georeferences of the collections made in 1984 are approximations.

Description

Male (holotype)

Total length 8.02; carapace 4.05 long, 2.77 wide, narrowed to 1.35 in eye region.

Colour: carapace and chelicerae medium brown without silvery setae ( Fig. 3 A, C–D); legs and sternum brownish orange ( Fig. 3 B); abdomen dorsum grey with pair of adjacent pale spots in front, a pair of pale spots in the middle followed by white bar and spot in front of spinnerets; four reddish apodemes in frontal half clearly delimited and two above the pedicel ( Fig. 3 A); sides grey with well delimited frontal apodemes; venter grey with lateral rows of apodemes and two rows of small apodemes behind well developed brownish epiandrum. Tracheal spiracle with small rectangular scutum followed by white membranous area in front of yellowish brown spinnerets.

Carapace granulated, cervical grooves slightly smoother ( Fig. 3 A). Clypeus with dispersed setae.

Eyes: AME: 0.12; ALE: 0.12; ALE-ALE: 0.21; AME-ALE: 0.16; PME: 0.12; PLE: 0.15; PME-PME: 0.13; PME-PLE: 0.31. Clypeus 0.54 or 4.5 times width of ALE.

Chilum double, each sclerite 0.10 high, 0.33 wide; no setae. Sternum shield-shaped, 1.42 long, 1.35 wide.

Legs: anterior tarsi longer than metatarsi.

Spination

Leg measurements

Male palp ( Figs 2A–B , 4 A–B, 5 A–B): RTA with broad base strongly tapered to sharp extremity turned upward and outward; cymbium with several spines in distal half; subtegulum strongly sclerotized; tegulum with retrolateral knob; embolus originating on prolateral distal part of tegulum, broad at base, strongly tapered to sinuous sharp tip.

Female (paratype collected with holotype)

Total length 9.30; carapace 4.12 long, 2.41 wide, narrowed to 1.70 in eye region.

Colour: carapace chestnut brown with few silvery setae ( Fig. 3 E–G); chelicerae medium brown, sternum and legs orange brown; abdomen as in male but apodemes less well marked.

Carapace smooth. Clypeus with dispersed setae.

Eyes: AME: 0.13; ALE: 0.13; ALE-ALE: 0.31; AME-ALE: 0.23; PME: 0.15; PLE: 0.18; PME-PME: 0.14; PME-PLE: 0.38. Clypeus 0.59 or 4.5 times width of ALE.

Chilum double, each sclerite 0.10 high, 0.33 wide; no setae. Sternum shield-shaped, 1.42 long, 1.42 wide.

Legs: Anterior tarsi not modified, shorter than metatarsi.

Spination

Leg measurements

Palp with pectinated claw turned inward over 45°. Tarsus provided with eight retrolateral spines.

Epigyne ( Figs 2C–D , 4 C–D, 5 C): central depression with two dark areas; large kidney-shaped area on either side; inverted funnel-shaped pattern in front.

Distribution

Known from the Uzungwa and Uluguru Mts. in Tanzania ( Fig. 16 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Palindroma morogorom gen. et sp. nov. Scanning electron miocrographs. A – D. ♂ from Kigogo Reserve. E – F. Paratype ♀. A. Right chelicera, ventral view, arrow shows membranous lamina. B. As previous, detail. C. Leg I, tarsal claws, lateral view. D. Tibia I, hinged hair (black arrow), trichobothrium (white arrow). E. ♀ right palp, lateral view. F. Detail of previous. Scale bars: A, E – F = 100 mm, B – D = 50 mm.

Fig. 3. Palindroma morogorom gen. et s p. nov. A – D. Paratype, ♂. E – G. Paratype, ♀. A. ♂, habitus, dorsal view. B. Idem, ventral view. C. Idem, lateral view. D. Idem, frontal view. E. ♀, habitus, dorsal view. F. Idem, ventral view. G. Idem, lateral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Fig. 4. Palindroma morogorom gen. et s p. nov. A – B. Paratype, ♂. C – D. Paratype, ♀. A. ♂, palp, retrolateral view. B. Idem, ventral view. C. ♀, epigyne, ventral view. D. Idem, cleared in methylsalicylate, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 16. Distribution map of P. avonova gen. et sp. nov. (●), P. aleykyela gen. et sp. nov. (●), P. morogorom gen. et sp. nov. (●), P. obmoimiombo gen. et sp. nov. (■) and P. sinis gen. et sp. nov. (▲).

Fig. 17. Palindroma morogorom gen. et sp. nov. A. Left legs I and II, frontal view; arrows indicate tibial process. B. Left leg III, tibia and metatarsus, dorsal view. C. Detail of previous. D. Left leg II, tibia and metatarsus, dorsal view. E. Detail of previous. Scale bars: A – B = 0.5 mm, C – D = 100 mm, E = 50 mm.

Fig. 2. — A – D. Palindroma morogorom gen. et s p. nov. Scanning electron miocrographs. A – B. ♂ from Kigogo Reserve. C-D. ♀ from Uzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve, paratype. A. ♂ palp, expanded, retrolateral view. B. Idem, anterolateral view. Arrow shows tegular retrolateral boss. C. Epigyne, digested, dorsal view. D. Idem, detail. — E – F. Palindroma avonova gen. et sp. nov., paratype, ♀. E. Epigyne, digested, dorsal view F. Idem, detail. Scale bars: A – C, E = 200 mm, D, F = 100 mm.