Pochyta major Simon, 1902

Wesołowska, Wanda & Szűts, Tamás, 2021, A revision of the genus Pochyta Simon, with descriptions of new species (Araneae: Salticidae: Thiratoscirtina), Zootaxa 5052 (1), pp. 1-41 : 20-24

Pochyta major Simon, 1902

Figs 76–92

Pochyta major Simon 1902: 414 (D ♂); 1903b: 716, figs 863–864.

Type material. Holotype, male (without abdomen): GABON: without precise locality ( MNHN 21088 ) [ MNHN-AR-AR 15861].

Other material examined. ANGOLA: Dundo, 7°22’S 20°49’E, Luachimo river , gallery forest, 1♀, 30.IX.1946, leg. A. Barros de Machado ( NHM, Ang. 56.77) ; same locality, 1♂, IX.1970, leg. A. Barros de Machado ( NHM, Ang. 214922.16) ; environs of Dundo , Cambuacla river, 1♂, VIII.1960, leg. A. Barros de Machado ( NHM, Ang. 1517.7) ; environs of Dundo, 5 km S from Dundo , Mussungue river, gallery forest, 2♂, IX.1947 leg. A. de Barros Machado ( NHM, Ang. 399.6) ; same locality, 1♂, VIII.1971, leg. A. Barros de Machado ( NHM, Ang. 224343.8) ; CAMEROON: without precise locality, 2♀ ( MNHN 22068 A) ; GABON: Woleu-Ntem, Monts de Cristal, Tchimbélé , 0°37’N 10°21’E, roadside, 1♂ 1♀, 11.VI.2007, leg. W. Maddison, D. de Bakker, M. Bodner ( BBM) ; same locality, forest, 600 m a.s.l., 3♂ 14♀, 8–19.VI.2007 ( BBM) ; Ngouniené, Waka Natural Park, La Gran Crête , 1°12’S 11°06’E, forest, 700 m a.s.l., 1♂ 1♀, 21.VI.2007 ( BBM) ; Waka Nat. Park , botanical garden, 1°08’S 11°09’E, 6♂ 4♀, 17–20.VI.2007 ( BBM) ; same data, 1♂ 1♀ ( MRAC) ; Waka Nat. Park , Oumba river, 1°03’S 11°08’E, riverside forest, 1♂, 19.VI.2007 ( BBM) ; Waka Nat. Park, near Oghoubi Camp , 1°07’S 11°05’E, forest, clearings, 4♂ 2♀, 21.VI.2007 ( BBM) ; Estuaire, Mondah forest , 0°35’N 9°20’E, forest, 2♀, 13.VI.2007 ( BBM) ; Estuaire, Kinguelé , 0°27’N 10°17’E, riverine forest, 2♂ 3♀, 12.VI.2007 ( BBM) . All specimens from Gabon collected by W. Maddison, D. de Bakker, M. Bodner.

Diagnosis. This species is easy to distinguish by the structure of copulatory organs.The male palp has a characteristic large bump on the retrolateral surface of the tibia, below the apophysis ( Figs 81, 83 ). The copulatory openings are placed anteriorly in the epigyne, with copulatory ducts that are shaped like a question mark ( Figs 90–92 ).

Redescription. Male. Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 2.4–3.5, width 1.7–2.6, height 1.2–1.8. Eye field: length 1.2–1.6, anterior width 1.7–2.3, posterior width 1.5–2.1. Abdomen: length 2.6–3.3, width 1.1–2.0. General appearance as in Figs 76, 77 .Carapace high,convex,posterior surface sloping.Eyes large(especially anterior medians). Rings surrounding eyes black, carapace yellowish-orange to light brown, with lighter foveal area. Few bristles near eyes, some delicate brownish and whitish hairs on carapace slopes. Fovea poorly visible. Clypeus low, brown, naked. Sternum and mouthparts light yellow to brown. Chelicerae robust, with two small promarginal teeth, single large retromarginal tooth and short fang ( Fig. 80 ). Abdomen small, narrower than carapace, oval, yellowish-beige, with ill-defined darker patches; in fresh specimens dark, greyish-brown or black, venter light yellow to dark brown. Some long brown bristles at anterior edge of abdomen. Spinnerets yellowish-grey. Legs cream or yellow, only tarsus and distal part of metatarsus of first leg brownish. First pair of legs longer than others. Patella I with single prolateral spine, tibia with four pairs of long ventral spines and 1-1 on retrolateral side, metatarsus with three pairs on ventral surface, 0-1 on pro- and retrolateral and two dorso-apical spines. Ventral spines very long. Leg hairs light. Pedipalp dark brown, its structure as in Figs 81–86 . Tibial apophysis short, with a lobate enlargement below its base ( Figs 81, 83, 84 ), bulb oval, tuft of long bristles on tibia prolaterally ( Fig. 81 ). Length of legs and size of chelicerae varying in different specimens.

Female. Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 2.0–2.2, width 1.4–1.7, height 1.0–1.1. Eye field: length 1.0– 1.1, anterior width 1.3–1.4, posterior width 1.1–1.3. Abdomen: length 2.0–2.2, width 1.3–1.6. General appearance as in Fig. 78 . Carapace high, eyes large. Carapace dark yellow, eye field light brown, eyes surrounded by dark rings. Some colourless bristles near eyes. Mouthparts yellowish, chelicerae with dark spots at their bases dorsally. Abdomen yellowish, with brown or black pattern composed of some patches situated laterally (in some specimens bleached), venter light with grey patches. Spinnerets light. Legs whitish or yellow. Spination of distal segments of leg I as in male. Pedipalp with single long retrolateral spine on terminal segment. Epigyne weakly sclerotized, with large posterior pocket ( Figs 87–89 ). Internal structure as in Figs 90–92 , seminal ducts membranous, question markshaped, forming broad loop in initial part.

Distribution. Known from Cameroon, Gabon and northern Angola ( Fig. 159 ).

Remarks. The female is described here for the first time.

Figures

FIGURE 159. Collecting localities of Pochyta pulchra (circle) and Pochyta major (square).

FIGURES 76–79. Pochyta major Simon. 76 male, dorsal view; 77 male, lateral view; 78 female, dorsal view; 79 palpal organ, ventral view.

FIGURES 80–86. Pochyta major Simon male. 80 chelicera; 81, 84 palpal organ, ventral view; 82, 85 palpal organ, lateral view; 83 palpal organ, dorsal view; 86 tibial apophysis, dorsal view.

FIGURES 87–92. Pochyta major Simon female. 87–89 epigyne, 90–92 internal structure of epigyne.