Stedocys leopoldi ( Giltay, 1935 )

Labarque, Facundo M., Grismado, Cristian J., Ramírez, Martín J., Yan, Hengmei & Griswold, Charles E., 2009, The Southeast Asian genus Stedocys Ono, 1995 (Araneae: Scytodidae): first descriptions of female genitalia and a new species from China, Zootaxa 2297, pp. 1-14 : 3-5

Stedocys leopoldi ( Giltay, 1935)

( Figs. 1–2, 5–6, 9–10, 12—13 , 15–29 , 31–42, 44, 46 )

Scytodes leopoldi Giltay 1935: 6 , fig. 3 (description ɞ; holotype ɞ, Malaysia, Fraser´s Hill). Platnick 2009.

Material examined. THAILAND: Chiang Mai: Doi Chiang Dao WS, Amphen Chiangdao, Mae Ta Man forest, field station, N 19°19’13.2”, E 98°49’47.0”, 1500 m, 1.X.2003, ATOL Expedition 2003, Martín Ramírez leg., 1Ƥ (MACN-Ar 23714; MR0486; ARAMR 000637; preparations FML 191–195, 217–218, 224–225, 240), 1Ƥ and 1 immature (MR0513; ZMUC), 1Ƥ and 6 immature (MR0515; SI USNM); same data, Gustavo Hormiga leg., 1Ƥ (GH0469; GWU); same locality, below guest house along road, 2.X.2003, Gustavo Hormiga leg, 7 immatures (GWU); Doi Inthanon National Park, nr. intersect. rd. to Mae Chaem and checkpoint, wet primary forest, N 18°31’33.2”, E 98°29’57.7”, ca. 1800 m, 3.X.2003, ATOL Expedition 2003, Martín Ramírez col., 13 (MACN- Ar 23713; MR0484; ARAMR 000199, preparations FML 226, 241–242), 2 immatures (MR0485), 1Ƥ and 1 immature (MACN-Ar 23712; MR0487); same locality, 1 hectare inventory, ca. 500 m from checkpoint at intersection of roads to summit and to Mae Chaem, wet primary forest, N 18°31'47.9", E 98°30'9.0", ca. 1800 m, 6–7.X.2003, Thai-Plot team 2003, 1Ƥ (MACN-Ar 23718; TP0979). Immatures were tentatively identified to species when collected at the same locality as adults and show similar color pattern.

Diagnosis. Males are distinguished from the congeneric species by having a palpal tibia and femur relatively large; tegulum longer than tarsus; spermatic duct retrolaterally coiled one and a half times; embolus implanted prolaterally, extending ventrally, apically acute ( Figs. 10 , 29 ). Females are distinguished by the slight separation between inner and outer spermathecae ( Fig. 13 ) and by carapace chestnut brown with brown markings, and sternum reddish, chestnut brown next to coxae ( Figs. 2, 6 ).

Redescription of male (MACN-Ar 23713; MR0484). Carapace pale yellow, color patterns brown. Eye area entirely dark. Thoracic area pattern forming a procurved “U”, united posteriorly with a procurved “V”; each arm of the “U” with three looping markings extending toward the margins and three longitudinal lines anteriorly prolonged ( Fig. 1 ). Anterior margins darker than posterior. Chelicerae pale yellow, slightly darker anteriorly. Endites and labium brown, margins lighter. Sternum brown, pale yellow between coxae ( Fig. 5 ). Legs pale yellow with longitudinal brown bands, except on tarsi. Abdomen dorsally yellowish, the first half with pale brown patterns and five chevrons at base. Total length 12.12. Cephalothorax 6.06 long, 4.77 wide, posteriorly bulging. Eye diameters: PME 0.24, ALE 0.26, PLE 0.28. Lateral eyes on a tubercle. Chelicerae follows generic pattern, with three large stridulatory ridges. Endites elongated, converging anteriorly, with membranous apical edge. Labium 1.26 long, 1.14 wide, fused to sternum. Sternum 3.32 long, 2.00 wide, with marked borders. Leg and palp measurements: total length (femur/patella/tibia/metatarsus/tarsus): I 62.17 (17.77/1.60/18.09/21.19/3.52), II 51.71 (15.16/1.68/14.51/17.28/3.08), III 37.7 (13.37/1.60/9.29/10.92/2.52), IV 43.97 (13.37/1.68/12.71/13.37/2.84), palp 8.50 (3.84/1.08/2.96/---/0.62). Legs and claws follow generic pattern. Palp with tegulum longer than tarsus; spermatic duct retrolaterally coiled one and a half times; embolus implanted prolaterally, extending ventrally, apically acute; embolus outlet towards retromargin ( Figs. 10 , 24 ). Opisthosoma oval, 6.06 long, 3.72 wide. Spinnerets follow generic pattern.

Description of female (MACN-Ar 23718; TP0979). Carapace chestnut brown, color patterns similar to male but procurved “U” arms fully coloured, separated from each other by a reddish middle line; margins dark ( Fig. 2 ). Chelicerae as in male. Endites and labium chestnut brown, margins lighter. Sternum reddish, chestnut brown next to coxae ( Fig. 6 ). Legs reddish with longitudinal brown bands, except on tarsi. Abdomen gray. Total length 13.74. Cephalothorax 6.14 long, 4.85 wide, posteriorly bulging. Eye diameters: PME 0.24, ALE 0.26, PLE 0.26. Lateral eyes on a tubercle. Chelicerae follow generic pattern, with four large stridulatory ridges. Endites and labium as in male. Labium 1.34 long, 1.20 wide, fused to sternum. Sternum 3.08 long, 1.96 wide with marked borders. Legs and palp measurements: total length (femur/patella/tibia/metatarsus/ tarsus): I 44.71 (12.39/1.52/12.39/15.45/2.96), II 36.42 (10.43/1.58/10.11/11.90/2.40), III 25.99 (7.68/1.46/ 6.71/8.16/1.98), IV 33.16 (9.78/1.54/9.45/10.11/2.28), palp 4.86 (1.78/0.66/1.12/---/1.30). Legs and claws follow generic pattern. Opisthosoma oval, 7.60 long, 4.56 wide. Tracheal system and spinnerets follow generic pattern. External genitalia with a epigynal pouch anterior to the epigastric furrow, without foveae and positioning ridges ( Fig. 9 , 39 ). Vulva with two pairs of rounded, thick spermathecae arising from the epigastric fold ( Fig. 13 , 37–41 ). Inner spermathecae twice as large as outer. Spermathecae with gland ductules well spaced or in patches of two to many glands ( Fig. 41 ).

Variation. Six females. Total length 9.09–13.74. Carapace 4.69–6.14 long, 3.72–4.85 wide. Femur I: 9.78– 12.39.

Natural history. A male specimen was found under a log, hanging on its web (M. Ramírez, personal observation).

Distribution. Known from Thailand and Malaysia.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 9. Preserved specimens. Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay). Male (1, 5 MACN-Ar 23713, MR 0484). Female (2, 6 MACN-Ar, TP 0979; 9 MACN-Ar 23714, MR 0486). Stedocys pagodas n. sp. Male (3, 7 type, CASENT 9021385). Female (4, 8 paratype, CASENT 9021385). 1 – 8 Prosoma (1 – 4 dorsal view, 5 – 8 ventral view). 9. External genitalia (EP, epyginal pouch; EF, epigastric furrow). Scale bars: 1 – 7, 2 mm; 8, 1 mm; 9, 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 10 – 14. Genitalia and tracheal system. Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay) (10 MACN-Ar 23713, MR 0484; 12 – 13 MACN-Ar 23718, TP 0979). Stedocys pagodas n. sp. (11 holotype, CASENT 9021385; 14 paratype, CASENT 9021385). 10 — 11 Male palp, retrolateral view (10 right - image inverted-, 11 left). 12 Female tracheae dorsal view. 13 — 14 Female vulva dorsal view. (E, embolus; SC, spermatic canal; B, bulb; T, tibia; Ta, tarsus; BA, blunt apically; EF, epigastric furrow; IS, inner spermathecae; OS, outer spermathecae). Scale bars: 10 – 14, 500 µm.

FIGURES 15 – 20. Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay) (15 – 19 MACN-Ar 23714, MR 0486; 20 MACN-Ar 23713, MR 0484). 15 – 19 Female left chelicerae (15 anterior, 16 promargin, 17 posterior, 18 retromargin, 19 ectal view). 20. Male epiandrum, ventral view (ML, membranous lobe; CG, cheliceral gland; CL, cheliceral lamina; SF, stridulatory field). Scale bars: 15, 17, 19 200 µm; 16, 20 100 µm; 18 50 µm.

FIGURES 21 – 24. Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay) (MACN-Ar 23714, MR 0486), female right legs. 21 – 22. Claws I (21 retrolateral-apical, 22 retrolateral view). 23 – 24 Claws IV (23 retrolateral-apical, 24 apical view) (BPC, bipectinated proclaw; Ony, onychium; PC, proclaw; RC, retroclaw). Scale bars: 21 – 24 100 µm.

FIGURES 25 – 30. 25 – 29. Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay) (25 – 28 Female MACN-Ar 23714, MR 0486, 29 MACN-Ar, MR 0484). 30. Scytodes globula Nicolet (MACN-Ar, ARAMR 000558). 25. Left tarsal organ IV. 26. Right metatarsal I trichobothria. 27 – 28. Left palp (27 tarsus apical, 28 femur prolateral). 29 – 30. Male left palp (29 retrolateral, 30 apical) (Th, thorn; BM, blunt macrosetae; E, embolus; B, bulb). Scale bars: 29 – 30, 500 µm; 28, 100 µm; 25, 50 µm; 25 – 26, 20 µm.

FIGURES 31 – 36. Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay) (31 – 34 Male MACN-Ar 23713, MR 0484, 35 – 36 Female MACN-Ar 23714, MR 0486). 31 Spinnerets field, posterior-ventral view. 32, 33, 35. ALS (32 left, MAP detail, 33, 35 right field) 34, 36. PMS-PLS (34 right, mesal view, 36 Left field) (MAP, major ampullate gland spigot; PI, piriform gland spigot; AC, aciniform gland spigot; numbers, ALS articles; arrows, PMS spicules). Scale bars: 31 200 µm; 33 – 36, 50 µm; 32 20 µm.

FIGURES 37 – 41. Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay) (MACN-Ar 23714, MR 0486). 37, 39. Vulva. (37 dorsal, 39 ventral view). 38, 40 – 41. Right spermathecae close. (38 dorsal, 40 ventral, 41 pore detail, lateral view) (EP, epyginal pouch, GD, gland ductules; IS, inner spermathecae; OS, outer spermathecae). Scale bars: 37, 39 200 µm; 38, 40 – 41 100 µm.

FIGURES 42 – 47. Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay) (42, 44 Female MACN-Ar 23714, MR 0486; 46 Male MACN-Ar 23713, MR 0484). Scytodes globula Nicolet (43, 45 Female MACN-Ar 10789, 47 male MACN-Ar, ARAMR 000558). 42 – 43 Left chelicerae, apical view. 44 – 47 Colulus (44 right lateral, 45 ventral-posterior, 46, 47 ventral) (VO, venom outlet; CP, cololus projection). Scale bars: 44 – 46 200 µm; 42 – 43 100 µm; 47 50 µm.