Dendrolycosa rossi, Cruz Da Silva, Estevam L. & Griswold, Charles E., 2013

Cruz Da Silva, Estevam L. & Griswold, Charles E., 2013, The first record and the description of a new species of Dendrolycosa Doleschall, 1859 (Araneae: Pisauridae: Pisaurinae) from Madagascar, Zootaxa 3682 (4), pp. 572-578 : 574-578

Dendrolycosa rossi new species

Figs 1–21

Types. Male holotype from Madagascar, Chutes de la Mort, 23°35'S, 45°08'E, 10 November 1959, E. S. Ross, CASENT9013977, deposited in the California Academy of Sciences (CAS). Paratype: one male and one female from Madagascar, Toliara, Réserve Spéciale de Cap Sainte Marie [25°35'S, 45°08'E], elevation 160m, 1 Ƥ, 13–19 February 2002, B. L. Fisher et al., CASENT9012867, also deposited in CAS.

Etymology. The specific name is a patronym in honor of the collector of the type material, Edward S. Ross.

Diagnosis. The males of Dendrolycosa rossi resemble those of D. robusta and D. putiana ( Jäger 2011: 17, 28, figs 58, 59, 130) by the long and slender shape of the conductor (C; Figs 9 , 18 ), but can be distinguished by the elongated median apophysis (MA; Figs 9 , 18 ) and by the longer and rounded apex of the retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA; Figs 11 , 19 ). The females resemble those of D. duckitti ( Jäger 2011: 23, figs 100, 101) by the deep rounded excavation on the middle field (MF) of the epigynum ( Figs 12 , 20 ), but can be distinguished by the presence of two prominent lateral grooves ( Fig. 12 ), by the enlarged copulatory ducts (CD; Fig. 13 ) and by the short head of spermathecae (HS; Figs 15 , 21 ).

Description. Male (Holotype, Madagascar, CASENT9013977): Total length 4.64. Carapace 2.07 long, 1.82 wide, dark brown with sparsely distributed patches of short white bristles ( Figs. 2–4 ); fovea marked ( Fig. 3 ). Clypeus dark brown ( Fig. 5 ), 0.16 high. Anterior eye row straight, 0.64 wide (frontal view; Fig. 5 ); posterior recurved, 0.92 wide. Eye diameters, interdistances, and median ocular quadrangle: AME 0.14, ALE 0.10, PME 0.10, PLE 0.12; AME-AME 0.11, AME-ALE 0.06, PME-PME 0.22, PME-PLE 0.18, OQA 0.34, OQP 0.44, OQH 0.32. Chelicerae dark brown, bristly ( Fig. 5 ). Sternum dark brown with a median light brown patch, bristly laterally ( Fig. 6 ); 0.93 long, 0.99 wide. Labium dark brown, yellow distally ( Fig. 6 ), 0.16 long, 0.30 wide. Legs dark brown from coxae to mid tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi yellowish, leg formula: I-IV-II-III, leg lengths: I – femur 2.90/ tibia-patella 3.23/ metatarsus 2.32/ tarsus 1.16/ total 9.61; II – 3.15/ 2.98/ 1.90/ 1.24/ 9.27; III – 2.40/ 1.90/ 1.74/ 0.99/ 7.03; IV – 2.82/ 2.90/ 2.40/ 1.16/ 9.28. Superior tarsal claws with 13 teeth ( Fig. 16 ) and inferior with two teeth ( Fig. 17 ). Ventral pairs of macrosetae on tibiae: I-3, II-3, II-3, IV-3. Abdomen 2.49 long, yellow (background) with a dark brown patch anteriorly and small dark brown patches distally ( Fig. 2 ). Venter light brown with two paramedian dark brown bands, bristles scattered ( Fig. 6 ). Male palpus with a long and slender median apophysis (MA; Figs 8, 9 ) and the distal tegular apophysis (DTA) with an enlarged base and acute apex ( Fig. 9 ). Distal tegular projection (DTP) short and rounded ( Figs 8, 9 ). Retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) with one branch ( Figs 10, 11 ).

Female (Paratype, Toliara Province, CASENT9012867): Total length 6.64. Carapace 2.40 long, 1.99 wide, coloration as in male ( Fig. 7 ). Clypeus dark brown, 0.24 high. Anterior eye row straight, 0.72 wide (frontal view); posterior recurved, 1.00 wide. Eye diameters, interdistances, and median ocular quadrangle: AME 0.12, ALE 0.10, PME 0.11, PLE 0.10; AME-AME 0.14, AME-ALE 0.08, PME-PME 0.26, PME-PLE 0.22, OQA 0.25, OQP 0.50, OQH 0.25. Chelicerae as in male. Sternum as in male; 1.07 long, 0.99 wide. Labium as in male, 0.24 long, 0.41 wide. Legs I and II dark brown, legs III and IV with yellow annuli, leg formula: I-IV-II-III, leg lengths: I – femur 2.90/ tibia-patella 3.23/ metatarsus 2.32/ tarsus 1.16/ total 9.61; II – 3.15/ 2.98/ 1.90/ 1.24/ 9.27; III – 2.40/ 1.90/ 1.74/ 0.99/ 7.03; IV – 2.82/ 2.90/ 2.40/ 1.16/ 9.28. Ventral pairs of macrosetae on tibiae: I-3; II-3; III-3; IV-3. Abdomen 3.81 long, with dark brown patch anteriorly and small dark brown patches distally ( Fig. 7 ). Venter light brown, bristles scattered. Female epigynum with prominent lateral lobes (LL; Fig. 12 ). Middle field (MF) of the epigynum with a median deep excavation ( Fig. 12 ).

Copulatory ducts (CD) elongated and ventrally curved to the base ( Fig. 13 ). Base of spermathecae (BS) short ( Figs 14 , 21 ) and with conspicuous and head with large pores (HS; Fig. 15 ).

Other material examined. MADAGASCAR, Toliara: Forêt de Tsijoriaky, 22°48'S, 43°25'E, elevation 70m, 1 Ƥ, 06–10 March 2002, B. L. Fisher et al. ( CAS), Réserve de Bealoka, Mandraré river, 24°57'S, 46°16'E, elevation 35m, 2 3, 2 Ƥ, 03–08.II.2002, B. L. Fisher et al. ( CAS), Parc National Tsimanampetsotsa, Fóret de Bemanateza, 23°59'S, 43°52'E, elevation 90m, 1 Ƥ, 22–26 March 2002, B. L. Fisher et al. ( CAS), Réserve Spéciale de Cap Sainte Marie, 25°35'S, 45°08'E, elevation 160m, 1 Ƥ, 13–19 February 2002, B. L. Fisher et al. ( CAS), Parc National d´Andohahela, Fóret de Manantalinjo, 24°49'S, 46°36'E, elevation 150m, 3 Ƥ, 12–16 January 2002, B. L. Fisher et al. ( CAS), Fóret d´Ambohibory, 24°55'S, 46°38'E, elevation 300m, 2 3, 2 Ƥ, 16–20 January 2002, B. L. Fisher et al. ( CAS), Forêt de Mahahelo, Isantoria river, 24°45'S, 46°09'E, elevation 110m, 1 Ƥ, 28 January–1 February 2002, B. L. Fisher et al. ( CAS); Antsiranana Province: Nosy Be, Lokobe forest, 13°24'S, 48°18'E, 1 3, 2 Ƥ, 11–14 August 1992, V. Roth & B. Roth, CASENT9013978 ( CAS); Toamasia Province: Andasibe, 18°56'S, 48°24'E, elevation 1000m, 4 3, 4 Ƥ, 04–05 November 1993, J. Coddington, N. Scharff. S. Larcher, R. Andriamasimanana & C. Griswold, CASENT 9013976 ( CAS).

Distribution. Widespread in Madagascar, including dry to wet habitats ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Distribution of Dendrolycosa rossi sp. nov. in Madagascar.

FIGURES 2 – 7. Dendrolycosa rossi sp. nov. 2 – 6 male habitus (2 dorsal, 3 detail of carapace, 4 lateral, 5 frontal, 6 ventral). 7 female habitus, dorsal.

FIGURES 8 – 11. Dendrolycosa rossi sp. nov. 8 – 11 left male palpus (8 ventral, 9 detail of bulbus). 10, 11 right male palpus (10 retrolateral, 11 detail of retrolateral tibial apophysis). (C = conductor, DTA = distal tegular apophysis, DTP = distal tegular projection, E = embolus, MA = median apophysis, RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis, ST = subtegulum, T = tegulum).

FIGURES 12 – 17. Dendrolycosa rossi sp. nov. 12 – 15 female epigynum (12 ventral, 13 dorsal, 14 detail of the base of spermathecae, 15 detail of head of the spermathecae). 16 detail of superior tarsal claw of right leg II, prolateral, 17 detail of inferior tarsal claw. (BS = base of spermathecae, CD = copulatory duct, FD = fertilization duct, HS = head of spermathecae, LL = lateral lobes, MF = middle field of the epigynum).

FIGURES 18 – 21. Dendrolycosa rossi sp. nov. 12 – 15 male palpus (18 ventral, 19 retrolateral). 20, 21 female epigynum (20 ventral, 21 dorsal). (BS = base of spermathecae, C = conductor, DTA = distal tegular apophysis, DTP = distal tegular projection, E = embolus, HS = head of spermathecae, MA = median apophysis, RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis, ST = subtegulum).