Lapsias lorax, Maddison, Wayne P., 2012

Maddison, Wayne P., 2012, Five new species of lapsiine jumping spiders from Ecuador (Araneae: Salticidae), Zootaxa 3424, pp. 51-65 : 53

Lapsias lorax , sp. nov.

( Figs 2–9 )

Type material. Holotype male in QCAZ, temporarily held at the UBC-SEM, with data: " ECUADOR: Pichincha: Bellavista Cloud Forest Reserve, Discovery Trail. S 0.01462 W 78.68326. 2240 m elev. 9 November 2010. W Maddison. WPM#10-067", "Male W624 Photo'd 9 Nov # ECU 2010-3221", "UBC-SEM AR00194"

Etymology. Named after Theodor Geisel's fictional character The Lorax , a small creature with yellow mustache who advocated for the preservation of trees. This name was suggested by Tristan Long to refer to the bars of yellow setae on the chelicerae (appearing as a mustache) and to reflect on the importance of preserving forests such as those where this spider was found.

Diagnosis. The placement of the embolus, conductor and median apophysis toward the distal tip of the palp is more extreme than in other Lapsias . Accordingly, the straight portion of the sperm duct along the prolateral margin of the tegulum stands out as being particularly long, before the duct turns retrolaterally to meet the median apophysis. The yellow bars of setae across the chelicerae appear to be unique among Lapsias , although Simon's specimens of the other species are old and there is the possibility that the setae may have been lost (type series of L. estebanensis , L. tovarensis , L. ciliatus , and L. cyrboides , in MNHN Paris examined).

Notes. Two possible synapomorphies with the type species, Lapsias estebanensis , could be proposed as justification for placing this new species in the genus. The first is the very short embolus (shared also with L. tovarensis , but also with the genus Soesiladeepakius ); the second is the migration of the retrolateral tibial apophysis dorsally to approach a second dorsal apophysis ( Figs. 9–10 ). In L. estebanensis , L. tovarensis , and L. lorax , a dorsal view of the palp tibia shows a V-shaped cleft framed by two ridges, the lateral representing the retrolateral tibial apophysis, and the medial representing a dorsal apophysis. This cleft is not apparent in L. ciliatus or L. cyrboides . In body form and markings, L. lorax is quite similar to L. tovarensis .

Description. Male (holotype). Carapace length 2.0; abdomen length 2.1. PME small. Chelicerae not particularly enlarged, with 4 promarginal and 2 retromarginal teeth, closely placed (more or less fissident). Palpus ( Figs 7–9 ) with short terminal embolus and small, thin median apophysis which is hooked at the tip. Accompanying the median apophysis is a membranous fold that probably is the conductor. Tibial apophysis short, shifted dorsally. Tibia of first leg with 3 pairs of ventral macrosetae; first metatarsus with 4 prolateral and three retrolateral macrosetae. Colour ( Figs 2–6 ): honey-coloured (in alcohol, honey-cream) with dark brown markings. Thoracic area dark except two pale side bars and a central pale stripe; ocular quadrangle brown. Clypeus pale, with white setae. Chelicerae black in front, with a distinct oblique yellow band of setae just below the clypeus ( Fig. 2 ). Femur of palp mostly pale; patella, tibia and cymbium dark. Femora of legs pale except dark spots dorsally. Patellae and tibiae orange-brown. Metatarsi and tarsi with dark termini, especially on legs 3 and 4. Abdomen medium brown, with chevrons.

Natural history. The single male was found by shaking lianas climbing within moss covering a tree trunk in cloud forest. Extensive subsequent searching for one day in this microhabitat yielded many Thrandina bellavista (4 adults and 23 juveniles), but no more specimens of Lapsias lorax . This may indicate the species is uncommon, or that the location where it was found was not its core habitat—it may, for instance, live primarily in the canopy or at higher elevation. When walking, the second pair of legs is waved periodically, as seen in Thrandina and many other basal salticids (Maddison, 2006, 2009). A video of the living holotype is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tgf2JCdr_88.

Figures

FIGURES 2 – 8. Lapsias lorax, sp. n. 2 – 6 holotype male 7 left male palp, ventral view 8 left male palp, retrolateral view. Scale bar = 0.1 mm. Figures 2 – 8 are copyright © 2012 W. P. Maddison, released under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 3.0 license.

FIGURES 9 – 10. Male palp tibia of Lapsias species, dorsal view. 9 Lapsias lorax, sp. n. holotype 10 Lapsias estebanensis Simon, type. Scale bar = 0.1 mm. Figures 9 – 10 are copyright © 2012 W. P. Maddison, released under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 3.0 license.