Encyocratella olivacea Strand, 1907

Gallon, Richard C., 2005, Encyocratella olivacea Strand, 1907, a senior synonym of Xenodendrophila gabrieli Gallon, 2003 (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Stromatopelminae) with a description of the male, Zootaxa 1003 (1), pp. 45-56 : 47-53

Encyocratella olivacea Strand, 1907

Figs. 1–11 , 14–15

Encyocratella olivacea Strand 1907a: 556 (D ♀); Strand 1907b: 257 (♀).

Chaetopelma olivacea: Smith 1990: 113 (♀).

Chaetopelma strandi Schmidt 1991: 13 (nom. nov.). Syn. n.

Xenodendrophila gabrieli Gallon 2003: 405 , pl. 1–2, figs. 1–9 (D ♀). Syn. n.

Type material: Holotype ♀ ( ZMB 10484) of Encyocratella olivacea Strand, 1907 from Tanzania, Amani , 05º09'S, 38º36'E, Vosseler leg., November 1903 . Holotype ♀ ( NHM) of Xenodendrophila gabrieli Gallon, 2003 from northern Tanzania, mountains near Arusha, 03°23'S, 36°40'E, Joe Beraducci leg., circa April 1999 . Paratypes 2♀ ( NHM) of X. gabrieli with the same collection data. All types examined .

Remarks. Encyocratella and Chaetopelma are no longer considered synonymous here, so the application of Article 59.4 ( ICZN 1999) makes Chaetopelma strandi a junior synonym of Encyocratella olivacea .

Diagnosis. Monotypic—refer to genus diagnosis and Gallon (2003).

Female holotype ZMB 10484 ( Figs. 1–4 , 14 ): Total length 29.7 including chelicerae, but excluding spinnerets. Carapace profile low, not raised at caput, length 13.9, width 11.8. Opisthosoma length 12.0, width 7.8. Fovea deep and circular. Ocular tubercle length 2.10 width 2.68 ( Fig. 14 ). Clypeus 0.30. Eye sizes: AME 0.71, ALE 0.64, PME 0.51, PLE 0.60. Sternum with three pairs of sub­marginal sigilla. Labium trapezoid with 13 cuspules ( Fig. 1 ). Paired glabrous labiosternal areas present on labiosternal suture. Maxilla with approximately 100 cuspules. DS of posterior spinneret digitiform. Chelicerae with 13 R, 11L teeth on promargin. Ventral retrolateral surface of chelicerae glabrous. Weak scopula of acutely angled setae present on prolateral surface of palp femur. Similar, but stronger, scopulae on entire retrolateral surfaces of trochanter and palp femur ( Figs. 2–3 ). Opposing scopulae present on prolateral surfaces of trochanter and femur of leg I. Weak scopula also present on prolateral surface of femur II, but not on trochanter II. Other leg segments without such lateral scopulae. Leg and palp segment lengths in Table 1. All tarsi with integral scopulae. Metatarsal scopulae: legs I–II 100%; leg III 75%; leg IV 50% (I–III integral, IV bisected longitudinally by band of stiffened setae). Paired claws smooth, third claw absent. Clavate trichobothria on legs I–IV in a U­shaped region on the apical half of tarsi (number of clavate trichobothria on tarsus I, 35 R; 34L).

Spination: Palp tibia 1DPV, 1 MPV; leg I tibia 1DPV; leg II tibia 1DPV; leg III tibia 1DRV (0 R), 1DPV, metatarsus 1MRV (0L), 1 MPV, 1DRV, 1DMV, 1DPV, 1 MPL, 1DPD, 1DRD; leg IV tibia 1DRV (0L), 1DPV (0 R), metatarsus 1MRV (0 R), 1 MPV (0 R), 1DRV, 1DMV, 1DPV, 1DPD, 1DRD. Remaining leg segments aspinose. Setation: Carapace setae very short, not obscuring fovea. Leg setae short with a few longer emergent setae. Opisthosomal setae short.

Coloration: Legs, carapace and chelicerae yellow/brown, femurs and opisthosoma darker. Metatarsi with a single longitudinal, dorsal row of small dark flecks. Leg tibiae with a double row of these flecks. Opisthosoma wizened obscuring any dorsal markings. Ventral opisthosomal surface dark brown with orange/brown booklung covers and genital sclerite. Strand (1907) originally noted that the carapace was yellowish/red, the femurs dark and the opisthosoma yellow/brown dorsally, dark below. He also mentioned that on being dried the upper surface of the spider was yellow/brown and olive coloured.

Spermathecae ( Fig. 4 ): absent.

Male NHM ( Figs. 5–11 , 15 ): Total length 36.8 including chelicerae, but excluding spinnerets. Carapace profile low, not raised at caput, ( Fig. 5 ) length 14.0, width 12.7. Opisthosoma length 18.0, width 12.0. Fovea deep and circular. Ocular tubercle length 1.97 width 2.61 ( Fig. 15 ). Clypeus 0.22. Eye sizes: AME 0.73, ALE 0.64, PME 0.52, PLE 0.64. Sternum with three pairs of sub­marginal sigilla. Labium trapezoid with 21 cuspules. Paired glabrous labiosternal areas present on labiosternal suture. Maxilla with approximately 85 cuspules. DS of posterior spinneret digitiform. Chelicerae with 12 R, 12L teeth on promargin. Ventral retrolateral surface of chelicerae glabrous. Scopulae of acutely angled setae present on proximal prolateral surface of palp femur. Similar scopulae on entire retrolateral surfaces of trochanter and palp femur. Opposing scopulae present on prolateral surfaces of trochanter and femur of leg I. Other leg segments without such lateral scopulae. Leg and palp segment lengths in Table 2. Femur III not dilated. Metatarsus I straight. Palp tibia slightly bulged proximo­ventrally ( Fig. 6 ). All tarsi with integral scopulae. Metatarsal scopulae: leg I 100%; leg II 83%; leg III 66%; leg IV 50% (I–III integral, IV bisected longitudinally by band of stiffened setae). Paired claws smooth, third claw absent. Clavate trichobothria on legs I–IV in a U­shaped region on the apical third of tarsi (number of clavate trichobothria on tarsus I, 28 R; 29L).

Spination: leg I tibia 1DPV; leg II tibia 1DRV, 1DPV; leg III tibia 1DRV, 1DPV, metatarsus 1MRV (0 R), 1 MPV, 1DRV, 1DMV, 1DPV, 1 MPL, 1DPD, 1DRD; leg IV tibia 1DRV, 1DPV, metatarsus 1MRV, 1 MPV, 1DRV, 1DMV, 1DPV, 1MRD, 1DPD, 1DRD. Remaining leg segments aspinose. Tibial spur: Absent, no apophyses. Setation: as in female, but palp tibia with a distinct retrolateral fringe of long setae ( Fig. 11 ).

Coloration ( Fig. 10 ): Dorsum of legs and palps orange/olive­brown, paling distally, except for charcoal­grey femurs. Metatarsi and tibiae with small dark flecks arranged as in the female. Ventral surface of palps and legs uniformly charcoal­grey. Carapace and chelicerae orange/brown, with an obscure dark mask around the ocular tubercle. Dorsum of opisthosoma dark orange/brown with a dark pattern of bars and spots. Ventral surface of opisthosoma dark brown with slightly paler genital sclerite and orange/brown booklungcovers.

Palpal bulb ( Figs. 6–9 ): Highly modified; cymbium excavated ventrally to accommodate tegulum. Tegulum small and pyriform with extensive dorso­retrolateral secondary haematodocha between tegulum and subtegulum. Embolus long, broad, leaf­like and prominently keeled. Dorsal keel emerging abruptly from mid prolateral embolic base, spiralling dorsally and terminating at the embolic tip. Ventral keel emerging smoothly from ventral embolic base, spiralling parallel with dorsal keel and terminating prolaterally, before the embolic tip. Less distinct retrolateral keel runs the length of the embolus, terminating at the embolic tip. Embolic tip prominent, but truncated.

Notes on specimen: Reared to maturity by Ray Gabriel from a wild­caught sub­adult from northern Tanzania, mountains near Arusha, 03°23'S, 36°40'E, Joe Beraducci leg. , 2004.

Distribution: Known from Amani and mountains near Arusha, northern Tanzania (possibly montane forest habitat). Smith (1990) incorrectly gave the type locality as southern Sudan.

Ecology: Arboreal, constructing a dense silken retreat behind loose bark. Females construct single fixed egg­sacs within their retreat and are capable of retaining sperm following ecdysis ( Kumar, 2004). Males are mature in December (based on the presence of a mature male in a shipment of wild­caught, pet­trade specimens imported on the 18 December 2004) (pers. obs.).

Figures

FIGURE 10: Encyocratella olivacea, male (NHM). Body length 37 mm. Photo: R. Gallon.

FIGURE 11: Encyocratella olivacea, male showing retrolateral palp fringes (NHM). Photo: R. Gallon.

FIGURES 1–9: Encyocratella olivacea Strand, 1907. 1–4: Holotype female (ZMB 10484): 1 Labium, ventral view; 2 Palp showing scopulae on trochanter and femur, retrolateral view; 3 Palp trochanter showing scopula, retrolateral view; 4 Ventral section of uterus externus (dorsal section removed), dorsal view. 5–9: Male (NHM): 5 Carapace profile, lateral view; 6 Palp tibia, cymbium and bulb, retrolateral view; 7 Palpal bulb, retrolateral view, 8 ditto, prolateral view, 9 ditto, dorsal view. Scale lines = 1 mm.

FIGURES 14–17: Stromatopelminae ocular tubercles: 14 holotype female Encyocratella olivacea (ZMB 10484); 15 male E. olivacea (NHM); 16 male Stromatopelma calceatum (ZMB 24730 syntype of S. alicapillatum); 17 male Heteroscodra maculata (RGPC). Scale lines = 1 mm. Photos: R. Gallon.