Pholcus phalangioides ( Fuesslin, 1775 )

Zhang, Feng & Zhu, Ming-Sheng, 2009, A review of the genus Pholcus (Araneae: Pholcidae) from China, Zootaxa 2037 (1), pp. 1-114 : 67-69

Pholcus phalangioides ( Fuesslin, 1775)

( Fig. 36)

Aranea phalangioides Fuesslin 1775: 9 . Aranea meticulosa Fourcroy 1785: 537 . Pholcus phalangioides Walckenaer 1805: 80 , pl. 8, f. 79. Paik 1978: 227, f. 97.1–9. Yaginuma 1986: 29, f. 17.1. Chen &

Zhang 1991: 75, f. 65.1–4. Huber 1998: 595, f. 8Q. Huber 2000: 77, f. 100. Senglet 2001: 55, f. 27, 38. Namkung

2003: 45, f. 5.2a–b. Lee & Kim 2003: 113, f. 70–78.

Diagnosis. This species resembles P. manueli in the shape of the epigynum, both with a short knob-shaped epigynal apophysis ( Figs. 26A and 36A). It can be distinguished from P.maueli by the shape of the procursus tip ( Figs. 36G–I), by the shorter ventral apophysis of the trochanter ( Fig. 36D), and by the shorter and thinner tip of the appendix ( Fig. 36H).

Redescription. Male ( Shanghai), total length 6.2: cephalothorax 1.7 long, 1.8 wide; abdomen 4.5 long, 1.7 wide. Leg I: 43.0 (10.6+0.8+10.9+17.5+3.2), tibia II: 7.7, tibia III: 5.7, tibia IV: 7.2; tibia I L/D: 64. Prosoma shape as in Fig. 36C. Carapace short, broad and almost circular, ochre, with pair of brown butterflyshaped patterns broadly connecting to ocular area. Cephalic region raised, with two brown slender lines centrally, ocular area dark yellow. Clypeus 0.55, slightly ochre, without yellow marks. Distance AME–AME 0.05. Diameter AME 0.08, ALE 0.16, PME 0.13, PLE 0.14. Chelicerae as in Fig. 36E, with pair of black serrated apophyses distally, pair of unsclerotized thumb-shaped apophyses proximolaterally and pair of small unsclerotized rounded apophyses proximocentrally. Labium and endites light yellow. Sternum with four pairs of light brown marks along the margin as in Fig. 36F. Femora, patellae and tibiae fawn, with dark rings, metatarsi and tarsi brown. Abdomen cylindrical, pale ochre, dorsum without brown patterns as in Fig. 36C. Venter pale brown. Palps as in Figs. 36H and 36I, bulb with triangular uncus and hook-shaped appendix. Procursus as in Fig. 36G.

Variation. Tibia I in two other males: 9.2, 10.5. Body length in two other males: 5.8, 6.1.

Female: in general very similar to male. A specimen measured (Daju Island), total length 6.1: cephalothorax 1.6 long, 1.8 wide; abdomen 4.5 long, 2.0 wide. Tibia I: 8.8. Distance AME–AME 0.05. Diameter AME 0.09, ALE 0.18, PME 0.16, PLE 0.17. Epigynum roughly flattened-triangular-shaped as in Fig. 36A, with a small knob-shaped apophysis on the top. Dorsal view as in Fig. 36B, with a wavy sclerotized arch anteriorly and a pair of large, oval pore plates posteriorly.

Distribution. Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Shanghai, Sichuan; Cosmopolitan.

Material. Types unknown.

Material examined. CHINA: Zhejiang: Daju Island , Daishan County , July 18, 1980, 1♀, 2♂ ( MHBU) . Shanghai: October 1, 2005, leg. D. X. Song, 1♂ ( MHBU) ; 1♀, 1♂ (only right palp), no data ( MHBU) .

Remark. P. phalangioides is a cosmopolitan and synanthropic species distributed throughout the world. Wang & Zhu (1963) first listed it in “A list of Chinese spiders”. Hu (1984) also listed it according to Wang & Zhu’s recording. Chen & Zhang (1991) redescribed it from Zhejiang Province.