Palliduphantes bolivari ( Fage, 1931 )

Bosmans, Robert, Cardoso, Pedro & Crespo, Luis Carlos, 2010, A review of the linyphiid spiders of Portugal, with the description of six new species (Araneae: Linyphiidae) 2473, Zootaxa 2473 (1), pp. 1-67 : 37-39

Palliduphantes bolivari ( Fage, 1931)

( Figs 69–73)

Type material: Holotype male of Lepthyphantes bolivari Fage from Spain, Málaga , cueva de los Organos (MNHNP 9849; not examined).

Diagnosis: Males of Palliduphantes bolivari are easily distinguished by the shape of the wide lamella. The female is closely related to P. gypsi Ribera & De Mas, 2003 (male unknown) described from Almería in Spain ( Ribera et al. 2003). In P. gypsi , the distal part of the scape has a clearly developed stretcher, reduced to a knob in P. bolivari .

Description: Male: Measurements: Total length 2.1–2.2; prosoma 0.91–0.93 long, 0.77–0.79 wide. Colour: Prosoma yellowish brown, eye region, fovea, radiating striae and margin tinged with grey; legs pale yellowish; abdomen grey to dark grey, in dark specimens in posterior half with 5 paler chevrons. Chelicerae with about 20 stridulating ridges. Legs: Fe I pl, II–IV spineless; Ti I–II 2d pl rl, III 2d rl, IV 2d pl (rl); Mt d; Tb Mt I = 0.20.

Palp ( Figs 69–70): Patella with dorsal spine 1.5 times as long as its diameter; tibia with concave dorsal and ventral margins, dorsal spine twice as long as its diameter; proximal part of paracymbium relatively narrow, with 10 hairs and a distinct, black basal tooth, base protruding in anterior direction, posterior margin incised, distal part shorter, with deep incision; lamella relatively wide, elongated, slightly curved, with strong subterminal and terminal teeth; terminal apophysis with two divergent, pointed branches.

Female: Measurements: Total length 2.3–2.5; prosoma 0.93–1.0 long, 0.74–0.78 wide. Colour and disposition of spines as in the male. Epigynum ( Figs 71–73): Lateral plates strongly developed, dorsally touching; scape describing a semi-circle, stretcher reduced to a small knob as visible in dorsal view.

Previous records: Faro: Algarve, without precise locality (‘plusieures grottes’; Machado 1941). Santarém: Alcanena, Quinta do Rabaçal, Lapa da Galinha , cave ( Machado 1941) . Setúbal: Serra da Arrábida (‘plusieures grottes’; Machado 1941) .

New records: Faro: Albufeira, Algarão da Ribeira de Alte, cave (CBM); Barragem do Arade , 1 female, stones in Pinus forest, 16.II.2006 (CRB); Loulé, Algarão do Paulino , cave (CBM); Loulé, Igrejinha de Soidos , cave (CBM); Loulé, Poço dos Mouros, cave (CBM); Loulé, Querença, Solestreira Grande, cave (CBM) . Beja: Vale do Guadiana NP, Mértola, Cerro das Antenas, 7 males 3 females, 26. I –26. III.2003; Mértola, montado, 3 males 1 female, 12. II –29.V.2003; Mértola, São Domingos, 1 male 12. II, 1 female 19.XI.2003 (CPC); Serpa, Ribeira de Limas , 1 male, 5.VI.2000 (CPC) . Setúbal: Arrábida NP, Serra da Arrábida , 1 male, 7.IV.1998, 1 female 17.XII.1997 (CPC) ; Setúbal, Lapa do Jogo dos Mouros (CBM) ; Setúbal, Lapa da Nazaré (CBM) .

Distribution: Southern half of the Iberian Peninsula.

Habitat type: Forests close to rivers, but also commonly found in caves.

Phenology: Adults are found from December to May.