Sinopoda scurion, Jäger, Peter, 2012

Jäger, Peter, 2012, Revision of the genus Sinopoda Jäger, 1999 in Laos with discovery of the first eyeless huntsman spider species (Sparassidae: Heteropodinae), Zootaxa 3415, pp. 37-57 : 53-54

Sinopoda scurion spec. nov.

Figs 61-65, 76-81

Type material: Holotype: female, LAOS: Khammuan Province: 9.5 km NE Thakek , N17°26.936', E104°52.499', 159 m altitude, foot cave in limestone, aphotic zone, c. 25°C, at day, by hand, 6 November 2009, P. Jäger & S. Bayer leg. ( SMF, PJ 3366 ) .

Paratypes: 2 females with same data as for holotype ( SMF, PJ 3367-3368 ) ; 1 female with same data as for holotype, except: 28 February 2003, P. Jäger leg. ( SMF, PJ 3369 ) .

Additional material examined. 1 female (without opisthosoma), 1 subadult male, 7 subadult females, 15 juveniles, all same data as holotype ,but: 1 female (without opisthosoma), 2 subadult females, 3 juveniles, 1 March 2007, P. Jäger & F. Steinmetz leg. ; 3 subadult females, 1 juvenile ( SMF, together with PJ 3367-3368 ) ; 1 subadult female, 1 juvenile, 29 October 2004, P. Jäger & V. Vedel leg. ( SD 109 ) ; 1 subadult male, 1 juvenile, 8 December 2005, V. Vedel leg. ; 1 subadult female, 8 juveniles, 28-31 October 2004, P. Jäger & V. Vedel leg. ; 1 juvenile (in moult), 25 April 2012, P. Jäger leg .

Diagnosis. Medium sized Heteropodinae , body length of females: 10.9-13.6. Females (Figs 61-65) may be distinguished from other Sinopoda species by having no eyes or remnants of lenses (Figs 76-79). Glandular appendages situated ventrally, only visible in lateral view. Epigynal pockets forming a triangle. Spermathecae simple, each approximately two times longer than wide, parallel and touching each other along median line, without lateral bulging, kidney-shaped in lateral view.

Etymology. In honour of the Swiss company SCURION® for supporting the systematic research, description of biodiversity and nature conservation in Laos, especially in caves due to their perfectly developed head-lights; noun in genitive case.

Description. Female (holotype): Prosoma length 5.1, prosoma width 4.2, anterior width of prosoma 2.5, opisthosoma length 6.3, opisthosoma width 3.0. Eyes including lenses and pigments absent. Spination: Palp: 131, 101, 2121, 1014; legs: femur I-III 323, IV 321; patella I-IV 000; tibia I-II 2126, III 2226, IV 22(1)26; metatarsus I-II 0004, III 2014, IV 2024. Ventral leg metatarsi with 5-7 short bristles distally, metatarsus IV additionally with double row of bristles along entire length. Leg formula: 2(14)3. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 10.1 (2.9, 1.4, 2.5, -, 3.3), leg I 30.2 (8.2, 3.1, 9.3, 7.8, 2.1), leg II 32.8 (9.2, 3.3, 10.0, 8.2, 2.1), leg III 28.2 (8.0, 2.9, 8.2, 7.3, 1.8), leg IV 30.2 (8.5, 2.7, 8.5, 8.4, 2.1). Cheliceral furrow with 3 anterior and 4 posterior teeth (Fig. 80), and with restricted patch of 15-20 denticles close to anterior teeth. Margin of chelicerae close to fang base with one bristle. Palpal claw with 9 teeth. Sternum, ventral coxae and femora, distal legs as well as frontal chelicerae with long setae, otherwise with short setae.

Copulatory organ as in diagnosis (Figs 61-65). Epigynal field slightly wider than long, with two short anterior bands and one slit sensillum on each side close to the field. Lateral lobes fused, posteriorly bilobal. Epigynal pockets running from posterior-lateral to medio-anterior, where copulatory openings are situated. Glandular appendages short and narrow. Spermathecae bulging to the dorsal side, fertilisation ducts arising posterio-laterally, long and narrowly laminar. Sclerotised spheres present at posterior junction of lateral lobes.

Colouration in ethanol (Figs 78-80): Pale yellowish-brown without pattern. Dorsal prosoma with cephalic part slightly darker than thoracic part, fovea marked reddish-brown. Chelicerae, labium and gnathocoxae brown. Opisthosoma ventrally slightly darker. For colouration of live specimens see Figs. 76-77.

Male. Unknown.

Variation. Measurements female paratypes (n=3): PL 5.1-5.7, PW 4.2-4.8, AW 2.5-2.9, OL 5.8-8.0, OW 3.0-4.0. One juvenile with 1 proximal spine on dorsal metatarsus of palp (as in holotype of S. guap spec. nov.).

Distribution. Only known from the type locality (Fig. 81).

Biology. Spiders have been found only in one large crevice in a limestone massive so far and there exclusively in the aphotic zone. Usually ambushing or moving slowly, they escape quickly when disturbed. However, they are not as fast as species of the genus Heteropoda or other Sinopoda species from China for instance. At the cave entrance Heteropoda maxima and H. tetrica Thorell, 1897 occured.