Perictenus molecula, Henrard & Jocqué, 2017

Henrard, Arnaud & Jocqué, Rudy, 2017, Morphological and molecular evidence for new genera in the Afrotropical Cteninae (Araneae, Ctenidae) complex, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society (Zool. J. Linn. Soc.) 180 (1), pp. 82-154 : 124-128

PERICTENUS MOLECULA SP. NOV. ( FIGS 28A, B , 29A – C, 30A – C, 31A – D )

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C7B098F7-6774-4759-8975-303C872E5095

Type material

Holotype, male: GUINEA: Mt. Nimba, Cavally river, 7 ° 40 0 N, 8 ° 26 0 W, 587 m asl, 23.II.2012, hand collecting at night, near the river, Van den Spiegel D., Henrard A., Allard C., Bimou P. & Sidibe M. (DNA- N37, MRAC 238944 ).

Paratypes: GUINEA: 2 ♀: Mt. Nimba , near campsite SMFG, near City 2, 7 ° 42 0 N, 8 ° 24 0 W, 552 m asl, 08.III.2012, hand collecting at night in natural cave, on the ground near the rock, Van den Spiegel D., Henrard A., Allard C., Bimou P. & Sidibe M. ( DNA-N25 , MRAC 238953 ) ; 1 ♂: Mt. Nimba, Fouenyi Forest , 7 ° 37 0 N, 8 ° 28 0 W, 601 m asl, 1.III.2012, sieving litter, Van den Spiegel D., Henrard A., Allard C., Bimou P. & Sidibe M. ( MRAC 238755 ) ; 1 ♂: Mt. Nimba, Seringbara, Isro Forest , 7 ° 38 0 N, 8 ° 27 0 W, 593 m asl, 24.II.2012, sieving, soil litter, Van den Spiegel D., Henrard A., Allard C., Bimou P. & Sidibe M. ( MRAC 238906 ) ; 1 ♂: Mt. Nimba, Nounouyi Savannah , near Nounouyi River , 7 ° 41 0 N, 8 ° 26 0 W, 568 m asl, 20.II.2012, hand collecting, near the river, Van den Spiegel D., Henrard A., Allard C., Bimou P. & Sidibe M. ( MRAC 238942 ) ; 1 ♀: Mt. Nimba, Heyetouna Forest , 7 ° 39 0 N, 8 ° 19 0 W, 687 m asl, 18.III.2012, sieving, soil litter, Van den Spiegel D., Henrard A., Allard C., Bimou P. & Sidibe M. ( MRAC 238952 ) ; 1 ♀: Mt. Nimba , near campsite SMFG, near City 2, 7 ° 42 0 N, 8 ° 24 0 W, 552 m asl, 3.II.2012, hand collecting in front of natural cave at night, Van den Spiegel D., Henrard A., Allard C., Bimou P. & Sidibe M. ( MRAC 238954 ) ; 1 ♂: Mt. Nimba, Gba valley, 7 ° 41 0 N, 8 ° 24 0 W, 630 m asl, 31.I.2012, primary forest, hand collecting, Van den Spiegel D., Henrard A., Allard C., Bimou P. & Sidibe M. ( MRAC 241325 ) .

Etymology

The species name is a noun in apposition referring to the fact that males and females were matched because of molecular data.

Diagnosis

Males of Perictenus molecula are recognized by the palp ( Figs 29A, B, 30A – C) with a basal retrolateral extension of the cymbium, the very short, blunt RTA originating near the base of the tibia, the embolus with a small dorsal appendage, and the almost rounded MA. The female is recognized by the broad oval epigyne ( Figs 29C, 31A – D ), conspicuously constricted in front, with large, ampullate spermathecae close together.

Description

Male (holotype). Total length 11.7. Carapace 6.2 long and 5.2 wide. Clypeus 0.30 high. Eye diameters: AME 0.23, ALE 0.22, PME 0.26, PLE 0.34. Coloration ( Fig. 28A ): carapace medium brown with slightly paler diamond-shaped area, faintly delimited by dark stripes, just behind eyes; with fairly thick cover of silvery setae near PME and on sides. Chelicerae dark brown, with paler brown stripes near base; sternum reddish brown, slightly darker along margin, with dark setae. Abdomen: dorsum black with reddish brown central band in anterior half, flanked by two shorter lateral bands, followed by three faint reddish brown chevrons; four reddish apodemes; sides cream with numerous short dark stripes; venter dark grey with four rows of apodemes each surrounded by small cream spot. Spinnerets yellow. Chelicerae with three promarginal teeth, median slightly larger; four retromarginal subequal teeth; without intermarginal denticles. Leg measurements: I: femur 5.5/ patella 2.6/ tibia 4.8/ metatarsus 5.0/ tarsus 2.1/ total 20.0; II: 5.1/ 2.4/ 4.3/ 4.6/ 1.8/ 18.2; III: 4.5/ 2.1/ 3.5/ 4.2/ 1.4/ 15.7; IV: 5.7/ 2.1/ 4.8/4.5/ 2.6/19.7. Leg formula 1423. Leg spination: femur I pl1-1-1 d1-1-1 rl1-1-1, II pl1-1-1-1 d1-1-1 rl1-1-1, III pl1-1-1-1 d1-1-1 rl1-1-1-1, IV pl1-1-1 d1-1-1 rl1-1; patella I pl1 rl1, II pl1 rl1, III pl1 rl1, IV pl1 rl1; tibia I v2-2-2-2-2 pl1-1 d1 rl1-1, II v2-2-2-2 pl1 d1 rl1-1, III v2-2-2 pl1-1 d1-1-1 rl1-1, IV v2-2-2 pl1-1 d1-1-1 rl1-1; metatarsus I v1-2-2 pl1-1-1 rl1-1-1, II v2-2-2 pl1-1-1 rl1-1-1, III v2-2-2 pl1-1-1-1 d1-2 rl1-1- 1, IV v2-2-2-2 pl1-1 d1-2 rl1-1-1; Mt IV unmodified; scopulae on t and Mt I and II on t III and IV. Palp ( Figs 29A, B, 30A – C): tibia with one large dorsal and one large ventral seta; RTA short, blunt, originating near posterior margin; distal margin of tibia with retrolateral incision and large, rounded, ventral projection fitting basal concavity of cymbium; cymbium short, curved, with large conical extension near base, pointing laterad; distal tegular membrane triangular; embolus flat, curved, with small retrolateral blunt appendage pointing dorsally. MA subcircular with posterior margin slightly concave, distal margin with dorsal lip.

Female (paratype, together with holotype). Total length 13.1. Carapace 6.5 long and 5.3 wide. Clypeus 0.36 high. Eye diameters: AME 0.28, ALE 0.23, PME 0.30, PLE 0.34. Coloration ( Fig. 28B ) as in male but pattern less well pronounced, particularly on abdomen: dorsal pattern faint without chevrons, venter grey with poorly delimited spots; chelicerae uniform dark brown; legs: uniform pale brown at base to dark brown at extremity. Chelicerae with three promarginal teeth, median larger; four retromarginal subequal teeth; without intermarginal denticles. Leg measurements: I: femur 4.5/ patella 2.5/ tibia 3.8/ metatarsus 3.7/ tarsus 1.4/ total 15.9; II: 4.4/ 2.3/ 3.3/ 2.3/ 1.21/ 14.6; III: 3.9/ 2.0/ 2.8/ 2.9/ 1.1/ 12.5; IV: 5.0/ 2.1/ 4.1/ 5.3/ 1.8/ 18.3. Leg formula 4123. Leg spination: femur I pl1-1 d1-1, II pl1-1 d1-1-1 rl1-1, III pl1-1-1 d1-1-1 rl1-1-1, IV pl1-1 d1-1-1; patella I, II none, III pl1 rl1, IV pl1 rl1; tibia I v2-2-2-2-2, II v2- 2-2-2-2, III v2-2-2 pl1-1 d1-1 rl1-1, IV v2-2-2 pl1-1 d1-1 rl1-1; metatarsus I v2-2-2, II v2-2-2, III v2-2-2 pl1-1-1 rl1-1-1, IV v2-1-2-2 pl1-1-1 rl1-1-1; Mt IV unmodified; scopulae on t, Mt and distal half of T I, on Mt and t II and on t III and IV. Epigyne ( Figs 29C, 31A, B ) with broad plate, conspicuously constricted in front, with rounded sides; with pale yellow centre and broad dark sides; LP situated behind posterior margin of MS, strongly curved inwards, with sharp tip. Vulva ( Fig. 31C, D ) with copulatory ducts very short; spermathecae large, ampullate, oblique, almost touching anteriorly.

Distribution

Only know from Mt. Nimba in Guinea.

Figures

Figure 28. Perictenus molecula sp. nov.: A, Pt male (MRAC 238906); B, Pt female (DNA-N25, MRAC 238954); A, male, habitus, dorsal view; B, female, habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars = 5 mm.

Figure 31. Perictenus molecula sp. nov., Pt female (DNA-N25, MRAC 238954): A, epigyne, ventral view; B, as previous, digested; C, as previous, dorsal view; D, as previous, dorsolateral view. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.