Pochyta aurantiaca, Wesołowska & Szűts, 2021

Wesołowska, Wanda & Szűts, Tamás, 2021, A revision of the genus Pochyta Simon, with descriptions of new species (Araneae: Salticidae: Thiratoscirtina), Zootaxa 5052 (1), pp. 1-41 : 4-5

Pochyta aurantiaca sp. n.

Figs 1–12

Type material. Holotype, male: GABON: Ngouniené, Waka Natural Park , Oghoubi Camp , 1°07’S 11°05’E, forest, 400 m a.s.l., 15-22.VI.2007, leg. W. Maddison, D. de Bakker, M. Bodner ( BBM) . Paratypes: GABON: Ngouniené, Waka Natural Park , 1°08’S 11°09’E, botanical garden, 1♂ 1♀, 17-20.VI.2007 ( BBM) ; same locality, near Oghoubi Camp , 1°07’S 11°05’E, 3♀, 18.VI.2007 ( BBM) ; Woleu-Ntem, Monts de Cristal, Tchimbélé , 0°37’N 10°21’E, roadside, 4♂, 2♀, 11.VI.2007 ( BBM) ; same data, 1♂ 1♀ ( MRAC) . All specimens collected by W. Maddison, D. de Bakker, M. Bodner.

Diagnosis. The species is distinctive in having a unique form of the copulatory organs. The male can be recognized by the short palpal tibial apophysis, overlain by a characteristic tuft of very long and dense bristles ( Fig. 7 ) and by the characteristic functional ‘conductor’ accompanying the embolus ( Fig. 9 ). The epigyne has a strongly sclerotized posterior rim and semi-circular hoods above the copulatory openings ( Fig. 11 ).

Etymology. The specific name is Latin, meaning orange, and refers to the abdominal colouration of the female of this species.

Description. Male. Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 2.0–2.8, width 1.6–2.1, height 1.0–1.4. Eye field: length 1.0–1.4, anterior width 1.5–1.9, posterior width 1.4–1.8. Abdomen: 1.9–2.4, width 1.0–1.3. General appearance as in Fig. 1 . Carapace high, dark yellow to light brown, lateral slopes darker (clothed in brown hairs). Eyes surrounded by black rings, anterior eyes encircled by bright orange scales from above and white from below. White hairs form median light streak on thoracic part. Mouthparts light brown, sternum yellowish, chelicerae unidentate, fang short. Abdomen narrow, yellowish, with pattern composed by small dark marks placed on sides, marks larger and denser posteriorly. Long bristles at anterior edge of abdomen. Venter and spinnerets light yellow. Legs long, yellow, only femora brown. First pair longest, patella I with one spine on both lateral sides, tibia with four and metatarsus with three pairs of long ventral spines, additionally 1-1 shorter spines on both lateral surfaces of these segments ( Fig. 3 ). Spines and leg hairs brown. Palps clothed in dark hairs. Palpal organ as in Figs 4–10 , bulb oval, embolus short, with accompanying membranous outgrowth, a functional conductor, which is terminal process of prolateral bulb edge. Tibial apophysis short and wide ( Figs 6, 10 ), enveloped by very dense and long bristles, completely obscuring it from retrolateral side ( Figs 5 , 7 ).

Female. Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 1.8–2.0, width 1.4–1.6, height 1.0–1.1. Eye field: length 0.8– 1.0, anterior width 1.2–1.3, posterior width 1.1–1.2. Abdomen: length 1.8–2.2, width 1.1–1.6. General appearance as in Fig. 2 . Slightly smaller than male. Carapace colouration as in male, with some white hairs on slopes. Anterior eyes encircled by white scales from below. Abdominal dorsum covered with black and orange reddish patches (bright patches placed laterally, Fig. 2 ). In some specimens, abdomen dark brownish with irregular lighter median band, yellow in anterior part and reddish posteriorly. Venter dark grey with four lines composed of light dots. Black patches at base of spinnerets. Legs yellow, with brown femora, other segments with dark marks. Palp with single retrolateral spine on tarsus. Epigyne strongly sclerotized (especially posterior edge, with heart-shaped central depression ( Fig. 11 ). Internal structure as in Fig. 12 , copulatory openings hidden by sclerotized hoods, seminal ducts short and diverging, spermathecae spherical, thick-walled.

Distribution. Known from Gabon only.

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. Pochyta aurantiaca sp. n. paratypes. 1 male, dorsal view; 2 female, dorsal view; 3 first leg of male; 4 palpal organ, ventral view; 5 palpal organ, lateral view.

FIGURES 6–12. Pochyta aurantiaca sp. n. paratypes. 6 palpal organ, ventral view; 7 palpal organ, lateral view; 8 palpal organ, dorsal view; 9 embolic division, ventrolateral view; 10 tibial apophysis, lateral view; 11 epigyne; 12 internal structure of epigyne.