Pholcophora, Banks, 1896

Huber, Bernhard A., Meng, Guanliang, Valdez-Mondragón, Alejandro, Král, Jiří, Ávila Herrera, Ivalú M. & Carvalho, Leonardo S., 2023, Short-legged daddy-long-leg spiders in North America: the genera Pholcophora and Tolteca (Araneae, Pholcidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 880 (1), pp. 1-89 : 45

Pholcophora ? “Cu12-325”

Figs 32 , 33N

S323 Gen. Cu12-325 Cu12-325 – Eberle et al. 2018 (molecular data). — Huber et al. 2018: 55.

Remarks

The two adult females available of this species resemble other large representatives of the genus ( Fig. 32A–B ); body length 2.4; tibia 1 length 1.28, 1.36. Epigynum ( Fig. 32C–D ) consisting of trapezoidal anterior plate and short but wide posterior plate; internal genitalia ( Fig. 32E–F ) with distinctive median tube, curled up and ~600 µm long (reminding of the putatively distantly related Gertschiola neuquena Huber, 2000 ; see Huber 2000: fig. 354).

Our molecular data suggest that the present species is more closely related with other Caribbean taxa ( Pholcophora bahama , the undescribed Pholcophora ? “ Car 544”, and the genus Papiamenta ) than with true Pholcophora .

Material examined

CUBA – Santiago de Cuba • 2 ♀♀, in pure ethanol; Siboney, Cueva de los Majases ; 19.9623° N, 75.7171° W; ~ 90 m a.s.l.; Apr. 2012; F. Cala Riquelme leg.; ZFMK Cu 12-325 .

Figures

Fig. 32. Pholcophora? “Cu12-325”, female from Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, Siboney (ZFMK Cu12-325). A–B. Habitus, dorsal and lateral views. C–D. Abdomen, ventral and lateral views. E. Cleared female genitalia, ventral view. F. Detail of median internal structures, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–B = 1 mm; C–D = 0.3 mm; E–F = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 33. Pholcophora internal female genitalia, median sections of main transversal internal sclerite. A–B. P. americana Banks, 1896, females from USA, California, Inyo Nat. Forest (ZFMK G089) and Colorado, near Golden (ZFMK USA16). C–D. P. mazatlan Huber sp. nov., females from Mexico, Guerrero, N of Mazatlán (ZFMK Ar 23943). E–F. P. papanoa Huber sp. nov., females from Mexico, Guerrero, S of Papanoa (ZFMK Ar 23945). G–H. P. “Mex354”, females from Mexico, Puebla, SE of Tehuacan (ZFMK Mex354). I–J. P. texana Gertsch, 1935, females from Mexico, Hidalgo, SW of Jacala (ZFMK Ar 23952). K–L. P. tehuacan Huber sp. nov., females from Mexico, Puebla, SE of Tehuacan (ZFMK Ar 23949). M. Pholcophora? “Car544”, female from Puerto Rico, Isla Mono (USNM ENT 783464). N. Pholcophora? “Cu12-325”, female from Cuba, Santiago de Cuba, Siboney (ZFMK Cu12- 325). Scale bar = 0.1 mm.