Ammonius benoiti, Guadanucci & Brescovit, 2023

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 : 124-127

Ammonius benoiti sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:6F93B423-FFD3-411C-89BB-DBF8A2C620A0

Figs 8–10

Diagnosis

Ammonius benoiti sp. nov. is differentiated most readily by having six eyes, AME is absent ( Fig. 9A–B ). Males of A. benoiti can be additionally distinguished from A. pupulus by the thickened embolus with a slight curve at the tip ( Fig. 8F–I ), the presence of the tibial thorns on the retrolateral side of the palp ( Figs 8D–E , 9D ), and an apical megaspine on the tibia I ( Figs 8J , 9C ). Female unknown.

Etymology

The specific name is a patronym in honor of the Belgian arachnologist Pierre L.G. Benoit, for his great contributions to the knowledge of African Barychelidae .

Type material

Holotype IVORY COAST – Appouesso • ♂; 06°35′ N, 003°28′ W; 29 Sep. 1993, R. Jocqué & N. Séabé leg.; RMCA 202482 .

Paratype IVORY COAST – Appouesso • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; 1 Dec.1994; RMCA 202354 .

Only type material known.

Description

Male (holotype RMCA 202482) Total length: 3.92. Carapace: 1.66 long, 1.32 wide. Thoracic fovea: 0.08 wide, straight. Clypeus 0.03 long. Eye tubercle flat 0.14 long, 0.21 wide. Anterior and posterior eyes row straight ( Fig. 9B ). Eyes diameters and interdistances: AME absent, ALE 0.08, PME 0.04, PLE 0.05; ALE–PME 0.01, PME– PME 0.01, PLE–PME 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.01. Labium: rectangular, 0.09 long, 0.311 wide, having two

cupules rounded ( Fig. 8B ). Chelicerae: 9 prolateral teeth and 7 tiny on inner edge. Labiosternal groove shallow, flat, with pair of sigilla. Maxillae: 0.52 long, 0.27 wide, with 20 cuspules. Heel reduced. Anterior lobe short, not projected ( Fig. 8B ). Sternum 0.97 long, 0.82 wide. Abdomen: 2.26 long, with book lungs semi-circular, elliptical aperture, and book lungs combs absent. Measurements: palp (femur, patella, tibia, cymbium, total): 0.8, 0.4, 0.6, 0.7, 2.5. Legs (femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus, total): I: 1.3, 0.6, 1, 0.9, 0.7, 4.5; II: 1.1, 0.6, 0.9, 0.9, 0.6, 4.1; III: 1, 0.6, 0.7, 0.8, 0.6, 3.7; IV: 1.5, 0.7, 1.1, 1.1, 0.8, 5.2. Spination: Leg I: femur d1-1-1-0, patella v0-1-0, tibiav0-1-1-1p-1p-1ap, metatarsus v0-1-1ap; II: femur d0-1-0, patella v0-0-1, tibia v0-1-1-0, d0-1p-1, metatarsus v0-1-0-1-1ap; III: femur d0-1-0-1-1p-1ap, patella v0-1p, tibia v0-1-1-1r, p0-1-1-2ap, metatarsus v0-2-1-1p-2-1r-4ap; IV: femur d0-1-1-1p, patella d0-1, tibia v0-1-1-1p-1r-0-1ap, d0-1-0-0-1, metatarsus v0-1-1p-1-2-1-0-0-3ap, d0-1r-0-1p-1ap. Claws: ITC absent. STC on tarsus with teeth on both lateral edges. Scopulae: on metatarsi I–II ⅓ scopulate, metatarsi III–IV absent; on tarsi I fully scopulate, tarsi II ⅓ scopulate and tarsi III–IV 1/5 scopulate. Spinnerets: PMS: 0.28 long. PLS: basal 0.33 long, median 0.31 long, apical 0.23 long. Apical segment digitiform. Tibia I with megaspine curved at apical end on the prolateral side ( Figs 8J , 9C ).

Palp without tibial concavity. Tibial thorns forming a group of 15 conical spines on the retrolateral side of the tibia ( Figs 8D–E , 9D ). Cymbium with retrolateral lobe triangular, strongly projected, slightly curved ( Fig. 8C–E ). Bulb with long embolus slightly curved at the tip, embolar base narrow ( Fig. 8F–I ).

Habitus as in Fig. 8A–B . Color in alcohol: Carapace and legs dorsally yellowish brown. Eye tubercle black.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution

Ivory Coast ( Fig. 10 ).

Figures

Fig. 8. Ammonius benoiti sp. nov. A–E. Holotype, ♂ (RMCA 202482). A. Habitus dorsal. B. Habitus ventral. C–E. Male palp. C. Prolateral view. D. Ventral view. E. Retrolateral view. F–J. Paratype, ♂ (RMCA 202354), male palpal bulb. F. Ventral view. G. Dorsal view. H. Prolateral view. I. Retrolateral view. J. Tibia I, prolateral view. Abbreviations: Ms = Megaspine; Tt = Tibial thorns. Scale bars: A–E, J = 0.5 mm; F–I = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 9. SEM micrographs of Ammonius benoiti sp. nov. (RMCA 202354). A. Carapace, dorsal view. B. Eye tubercle, dorsal view. C. Tibia I, prolateral view. D. Detail of tibial thorns, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: ALE = anterior lateral eyes; PLE = posterior lateral eyes; PME = posterior median eyes. Scale bars: A = 0.5 mm; B–C = 0.3 mm; D = 0.1 mm.

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