Pochyta equatorialis, Wesołowska & Szűts, 2021

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 : 6-8

Pochyta equatorialis sp. n.

Figs 13–22

Type material. Holotype, male: GABON: Woleu– Ntem , Monts de Cristal, Tchimbélé, 0°38’N 10°23’E, stream valley, 8–11.VI.2007, leg. W. Maddison, D. de Bakker, M. Bodner ( BBM) . Paratypes: GABON: together with holotype, 2♀, 8–11.VI.2007 ; same locality, 0°37’N 10°24’E, forest, 600 m a.s.l., 1♂, 10.VI.2007, leg. W. Maddison, D. de Bakker, M. Bodner ( BBM) .

Diagnosis. The male of this species differs from congeners by the shape of the bulb, which has a separated posterior part, and by the clear presence of pars pendula ( Fig. 18 ). The female has a slightly similar epigyne to that in P. maddisoni sp. n., but lacks a wide deep posterior pocket (compare Fig. 21 with Fig. 72 ).

Etymology. The specific name refers to occurrence of this species in the equatorial zone.

Description. Male. Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 2.2–2.3, width 1.7–1.8, height 1.1–1.2. Eye field: length 1.0–1.1, anterior width 1.6–1.8, posterior width 1.5–1.6. Abdomen: length 1.9–2.0, width 1.1–1.3. General appearance as in Fig. 13 . Small spider. Carapace high, dark brown, eye field black. Eyes of first row large, distance between anterior lateral eyes larger than between posteriors. Short colourless hairs on carapace, red hairs between eyes of anterior row, some longer brown bristles near eyes. Fovea marked. Chelicerae large, single tooth on promargin, two teeth apart on retromargin, fang long with small apophysis ( Fig. 17 ). Mouthparts and sternum brown. Abdomen narrower than carapace, elongated, blackish, with narrow transverse streak at posterior edge, or larger whitish area occupying its posterior third. Venter and spinnerets black. Legs yellow, only first tarsi and distal half of tibiae brown. First femora with proximal, ventral brown patch ( Fig. 13 ). Long spines on ventral surfaces of distal segments of first leg; four pairs on tibia and three pairs on metatarsus ( Fig. 15 ). Two shorter spines on tibia I retrolaterally, and pair of apical ones on metatarsus dorsally. Single spine on patella I prolaterally. Pedipalps brown, hairy, femora yellow, apical part brown. Broad short apophysis on palpal tibia, bent downwards ( Figs 19, 20 ). Embolus with accompanying pars pendula ( Figs 16 , 18 ), few long bristles on prolateral surface of tibia apically ( Figs 16 , 19 ).

Female. Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 1.9–2.0, width 1.4–1.5, height 0.9–1.0. Eye field: length 1.0–1.1, anterior width 1.5–1.6, posterior width 1.4–1.5. Abdomen: length 2.2–2.4, width 1.5–1.6. General appearance as in Fig. 14 . Carapace light, yellowish white, eye field dark brown, with two lighter patches, black rings surrounding eyes. Orange bristles between eyes of first row. Dorsum of abdomen whitish, with large dark rectangular area on anterior half and black transverse sash posteriorly. Venter light, spinnerets yellowish. Legs creamy-white. Single spine on retrolateral surface of palpal tarsus. Epigyne with notch on posterior edge, curled flanges bordering copulatory openings ( Fig. 21 ). Internal structure as in Fig. 22 , seminal ducts looping laterally, spermathecae large, thick-walled.

Distribution. Known from Gabon only.

Figures

FIGURES 13–16. Pochyta equatorialis sp. n. 13 P. equatorialis male holotype, dorsal view; 14 female paratype, dorsal view; 15 first leg of male; 16 palpal organ, ventral view.

FIGURES 17–22. Pochyta equatorialis sp. n. paratypes. 17 male chelicera; 18 palpal organ, ventral view; 19 palpal organ, retrolateral view; 20 palpal organ, dorsal view; 21 epigyne; 22 internal structure of epigyne.

FIGURES 72–75. Pochyta maddisoni sp. n. female paratypes. 72, 73 epigyne; 74, 75 internal structure of epigyne.