Panjange seowi Huber

Bernhard A. Huber & Charles Leh Moi Ung, 2016, The Panjange nigrifrons group in Borneo (Araneae: Pholcidae): high diversity in Sarawak, apparent absence in Sabah, European Journal of Taxonomy 184 (184), pp. 1-32 : 25-29

Panjange seowi Huber , sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:96424104-A78F-41D3-AA64-65DA79138D21

Figs 7 , 65–68 , 82–85 , 92–94

Panjange Bor 100: Huber & Nuñeza 2015: 5, 43–44.

Diagnosis

Easily distinguished from most congeners by distinctive transversal sclerite on procursus ( Fig. 83 ); from the very similar Pa. kubah sp. nov. by other details of procursus (prolateral ridges on procursus, Fig. 82 ; small transparent process close to transversal sclerite, Fig. 82 ; absence of long membranous prolateral process; distal element shorter). Females are easily distinguished from Pa. nigrifrons by short scape but difficult to distinguish externally from other congeners in Sarawak (distinctive shape of pore plates and pair of median sclerites; similar only in Pa. kubah sp. nov.).

Etymology

Named for Francis Seow-Choen from Singapore, surgeon and expert on stick insects.

Type material

MALAYSIA-BORNEO: holotype, Ƌ, Sarawak, Mt. Penrissen near Borneo Highland Resort, Ma Gaseng Trail (1.124– 1.127° N, 110.217° E), 870–930 m a.s.l., 14 Jul. 2014 (B.A. Huber, S.B. Huber), ZFMK ( Ar 14589 ) .

Other material examined

MALAYSIA-BORNEO, Sarawak: 1 Ƌ, 4 ♀♀, 1 juv., same data as holotype, ZFMK ( Ar 14590-91 ) ; 3 ♀♀, 1 juv., same data, in absolute ethanol, ZFMK ( Bor 217 ) .

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 4.3, carapace width 1.1. Leg 1: 46.3 (10.4 + 0.5 + 10.5 + 22.1 + 2.8), tibia 2: 6.5, tibia 3: 3.7, tibia 4: 5.7; tibia 1 L/d: 114. Distance PME–PME 375 µm, diameter PME 105 µm, distance PME–ALE ~45 µm; AME absent.

COLOR. Carapace pale ochre yellow to whitish, posterior mark ( Fig. 65 ) lost in ethanol, ocular area and clypeus dark brown (black in life), with pair of black marks in AME area; sternum whitish; legs ochreorange with dark brown patellae and tibia-metatarsus joints; abdomen ochre-gray, with black marks dorsally, monochromous ventrally.

BODY. Habitus as in Figs 65–66 ; ocular area raised, each triad on medium long stalk, without pointed process ( Fig. 7 ); carapace without median furrow; clypeus unmodified; sternum wider than long (0.70/0.60), unmodified.

CHELICERAE. Similar to close relatives, with proximal pair of processes and distinctively bipartite distal apophyses (cf. Fig. 71 ); without modified hairs; without stridulatory ridges.

PALPS. In general very similar to Pa. kubah sp. nov. (cf. Figs 69–70 ), but trochanter apophysis slightly shorter and distally thinner/more pointed; procursus with distinctive prolateral ridges ( Fig. 82 ), with small transparent process close to transversal sclerite ( Fig. 82 ), without long membranous prolateral process, entire distal element shorter ( Fig. 83 ); bulbal processes apparently not distinguishable from those in Pa. kubah sp. nov.

LEGS. Without spines and curved hairs; few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1, present on other tibiae; tarsus 1> 40 pseudosegments, proximally very indistinct.

Variation

Tibia 1 in other male: 10.3; other male paler and transversal sclerite of procursus without proximal process.

Female

In general similar to male but eye triads on low humps, much closer together (distance PME–PME 230 µm). Tibia 1 in 3 females: 7.8, 8.4, 8.8. Epigynum weakly sclerotized plate with large weakly sclerotized posterior ‘knob’ ( Figs 84 , 92 ), internal arch and transversal folds visible through cuticle; internal genitalia as in Figs 85 , 93–94 .

Natural history

The domed webs were found under green leaves among vegetation, usually about 0.5 m above the ground.

Distribution

Known from type locality in Sarawak only ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Known distribution of the Panjange nigrifrons group.

Figs 2 – 7. Male prosomata, oblique frontal views. 2. Panjange pueh Huber, sp. nov. (ZFMK Ar 14576). 3. Pa. niah Huber, sp. nov. (ZFMK Ar 14579). 4. Pa. kapit Huber, sp. nov. (ZFMK Ar 14583). 5. Pa. nigrifrons Deeleman-Reinhold & Deeleman, 1983 (RMNH, Sepaku). 6. Pa. kubah Huber, sp. nov. (ZFMK Ar 14587). 7. Pa. seowi Huber, sp. nov. (ZFMK Ar 14590).

Figs 61 – 68. Live specimens. 61 – 62. Pa. iban Huber, 2011, Ƌ and ♀ with egg-sac from Semengoh. 63 – 64. Pa. kubah Huber, sp. nov., Ƌ from Kubah. 65 – 68. Pa. seowi Huber, sp. nov., Ƌ, ♀, and ♀ with egg-sac from Penrissen.

Figs 82 – 85. Panjange seowi Huber, sp. nov. (ZFMK Ar 14590 – 91). 82 – 83. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views (arrows point at distinctive processes). 84 – 85. Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. Scale lines: 0.5 mm.

Figs 86 – 94. Female genitalia, untreated in ventral view, cleared in ventral and dorsal views. 86 – 88. Panjange nigrifrons Deeleman-Reinhold & Deeleman, 1983 (RMNH, Sepaku). 89 – 91. Pa. kubah Huber, sp. nov. (ZFMK Ar 14588). 92 – 94. Pa. seowi Huber, sp. nov. (ZFMK Ar 14591).

Fig. 7

Figs 69 – 73. Panjange kubah Huber, sp. nov. (ZFMK Ar 14587 – 88). 69 – 70. Left male palp, prolateral and retrolateral views (arrows point at distinctive processes). 71. Male ocular area, clypeus, and chelicerae, oblique frontal view. 72 – 73. Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. Scale lines: 0.5 mm.