Artema kochii Kulczyński 1901: 19–20 Artema mauriciana Simon (1908: 426–427) Pholcus borbonicus Artema mauricia Daddy-long-leg giants: revision of the spider genus Artema Walckenaer, 1837 (Araneae, Pholcidae) Aharon, Shlomi Huber, Bernhard A. Gavish-Regev, Efrat European Journal of Taxonomy 2017 2017-12-08 376 376 1 57 GVVG Kulczynski, 1901 Kulczynski 1901 [526,904,1678,1705] Arachnida Pholcidae Artema GBIF Animalia Araneae 25 26 Arthropoda species kochi   Figs 1, 76–89, 204, 211      Artema kochii Kulczyński 1901: 19–20; pl. 1, fig. 14. Erroneously synonymized with “  Artema mauriciana” by  Simon (1908: 426–427).   Misidentifications “  Pholcus borbonicus” – L. Koch 1875: 25–26; pl. 3, fig. 1, 1a–c ( ♀). — Thorell 1881: 179–180(in footnote). — Simon 1882: 234. “  Artema mauricia” – Simon 1890: 93.    Diagnosis Males are easily distinguished from known congeners by their bulbal process b ( Fig. 81), flattened and rectangular distally, rather than pointed or awl-shaped as in congeners; processes c, d, and e absent (process c present in all congeners, except  Artemasp. b from Algeria). Males differ also by their cheliceral processes that are strongly projecting proximally with frontal rows of modified hairs; with several cone-shaped, sclerotized processes situated frontally near median line (arrows in Figs 83, 85). Females differ from known congeners by entirely different shapes of anterior epigynal projections (AEP) and epigynal plate ( Figs 86, 88): anterior epigynal projections sclerotized and elongated (in contrast to all congeners), not projecting (in contrast to  A. bunkpurugu); epigynal plate sclerotized, wide rectangular, with triangular anterior projection between AEP, median posterior margin gently protruding.    Material examined    Neotype(designated herein)  ERITREA: 1 ♂, “ Massaua” [= Massawa, 15.61° N, 39.45° E],  Apr. 1870, A. Ysselleg. ( MSNG), examined (see Notes below).  Other material   ERITREA: 1 ♀, 7 juvs, together with neotype, same data.  YEMEN-ERITREA: 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 4 juvs, Aden/ Massawa[1889] ( E. Simon, “393” part) ( MNHN AR10169 part).   Figs 76–82.  Artema kochi Kulczyński, 1901(MNHN AR 10169 part, Yemen-Eritrea). 76. Male habitus. 77–79. Male left pedipalp: prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 80–82. Male left bulb and procursus: prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Scale lines: 76 = 2 mm; 77–79 = 1 mm; 80–82 = 0.5 mm.   YEMEN: 1 ♀, 3 juvs, “Sceik Osman” [= Shaykh Uthman, Aden, 12.86° N, 44.98° E],  Jan. 1880, Doria and Beccarileg. (this is the material cited in  Simon1882as   Pholcusborbonicus) ( MSNG);  1 ♀, Aden[ 12.81° N, 45.03° E], date not given, E.A. Emertonleg. (MCZ 34048);  1 ♂, 1 juv., same locality,  15 Oct. 1938, collector not given ( NHMW 353).   SUDAN: 1 ♂, New Halfa[ 15.32° N, 35.60° E],  450 ma.s.l.,  Jun. 2013, M. Siyamleg. ( ZMB).   ETHIOPIA: 1 ♀, “ Abyssinia, Didi Davvs” (uncertain spelling),  20–26 Jun. 1920, B. Brownleg. ( AMNH). Localities not clear: 1 ♂, “Urso 1283”, date not given, Kovacs leg. ( MZUF); 1 ♂, “Afrique Orientale, Gibdo” [= Djibouti/ Eritrea?], Apr.–May 1907, Katona leg. ( MZUF).    Description  Male(MNHN Ar 10169) MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 6.8, carapace width 3.5. Leg 1: 46.2 (12.1 + 1.6 + 13.4 + 16.2 + 2.9), tibia 2: 10.0, tibia 3: 7.6, tibia 4: 10.5; tibia 1 L/d: 34. Distance PME–PME 190 μm, diameter PME 190 μm, distance PME–ALE 90 μm, distance AME–AME 40 μm, diameter AME 180 μm. COLOR. Carapace ochre to light brown, with brown median band and narrow light brown margins; brown to light brown stripes radiate from median pit to margins; ocular area ochre to brown, clypeus with light brown band below AME, and dark brown rim ( Fig. 76); legs ochre to light brown, with reddish brown to ochre prolateral marks on femora proximally, with brown rings on femora subdistally, patellae + tibiae proximally, and tibiae subdistally, tips of femora and tibiae not whitish (probably an artifact, see variation below); sternum ochre to light brown with narrow brown margins; abdomen beige to light brown with pale yellow and dark dots forming indistinct stripes from dorsal to lateral side of abdomen with large marks dorsally. BODY. Ocular area slightly elevated; carapace with distinct median pit and distinctive posterior furrow; clypeus unmodified; sternum wider than long (2.4/1.7); chelicerae as in Figs 83–85, with frontal row of 16–19 modified (cone-shaped) hairs on each side situated on proximally strongly projecting processes; with several cone-shaped, sclerotized processes situated frontally near median line (arrows in Figs 83, 85); without stridulatory ridges (as in Fig. 83); Abdomen globose and high; gonopore with four epiandrous spigots. PALPS. As in Figs 77–79; coxa unmodified, trochanter with short ventral projection, femur with distinct retrolateral process proximally, ventral membranous area proximally bordered on both sides by heavily sclerotized ridges, and small dorsal projection proximally; femur-patella hinges close together dorsally; patella very short; procursus with proximal dorsal process and weakly developed ventral pocket ( Fig. 89), and distal dorsal notch on retrolateral margin; bulb with membranous embolus rising from base of process a; process a elongated, projecting towards retrolaterally with large subdistal hump; process b flattened, band-like, rectangular ( Fig. 81); processes c, d and e absent. LEGS.Without spines;with long curved hairs, especially on tibiae and metatarsi; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 8%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegmentation not visible.  Male(variation) Tibia 1 in3 other males: 11.4, 13.7, 14.2; color pattern on abdomen varies from pale without any marks to light brown with dark and pale dots forming large dorsal marks and fine lateral stripes; leg color varies from light brown to ochre, in fresh specimen from Sudantips of femora and tibiae whitish; elevated ocular area usually light brown; carapace pattern varies from narrow brown stripes to wide brown marks radiating from median pit to margin ( Fig. 76, cf. Koch 1875: fig. 1).  Female In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 2 females: 5.6, 9.8; stridulatory files laterally on chelicerae present; anterior epigynal projections (AEP) sclerotized, elongated ( Fig. 86); epigynal plate sclerotized, wide rectangular (~3 × wider than long) projecting anteriorly between AEP, with median posterior margin gently protruding; some females with two dark dots at base of triangular anterior projection.    Distribution We examined specimens from Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Yemen( Fig. 1). The original description by Kulczyński (1901)was apparently based on specimens from Egypt(see Notes below).    Notes The original description by Kulczyński (1901)is based on two female specimens, but it does not specify where these females were collected. We assume that Kulczyński examined and illustrated the specimens from Egypt, near Cairo, that L. Koch (1875)had misidentified as  Pholcus borbonicus Vinson, 1863(=  A. atlanta). Kulczyński also mentioned specimens from “Massaua” ( Eritrea, Massawa) that Thorell (1881)had described in some detail but that he had equally misidentified as  Pholcus borbonicus. Since this material from Massawa contains males and females, we conclude that it was not available to Kulczyński. However, we chose to designate a neotypefrom the material originating from Massawa for three reasons: (1) Kulczyński neither designated type specimens nor specified a type locality; (2) we were not able to locate Koch’s specimens from Egypt(they are not in ZMH or ZMB); (3) a good illustration by Kulczyński (1901)of the highly distinctive epigynum of  A. kochileaves little doubt that the specimens available to him are, in fact, conspecific with the specimens from Massawa.   Figs 83–89.  Artema kochi Kulczyński, 1901(MNHN AR 10169 part, Yemen/Eritrea). 83–85. Male chelicerae, lateral and frontal views (arrows: distinctive sclerotized processes frontally near median line). 86. Epigynum and anterior epigynal projections (AEP). 87–88. Female abdomen, lateral and ventral views. 89. Procursus, showing ventral pocket (vp) and dorsal process (dp). Scale lines: 83–85, 89 = 0.25 mm; 86 = 0.5 mm; 87–88 = 1 mm. Much less obvious is how Simon (1908), after having studied specimens of “  A. mauriciana” (=  A. atlanta) from many localities, arrived at the conclusion that the drawings of Kulczyński (1901)represented merely slight individual variation and that  A. kochiwas a synonym of “  A. mauriciana”. This is all the more mysterious because Simon himself had collected  A. kochiin Massawaand Aden(in 1889) and his own material (in MNHN, examined) includes not only females, but also the equally distinctive males. We found both species that Simon collected from Massawa and Aden,  A. atlantaand  A. kochi, deposited in the same vial (Simon collection number 393), so we assume that Simon did not examine all the material in detail but only part of it that happened to be  A. atlanta. 3763211429 1870-04 MSNG A. Yssel Eritrea 15.61 Massaua 771 39.45 26 27 1 1 neotype 3763211322 [189,864,878,905] Eritrea ERITREA 26 27 1 1 neotype 3763211387 MNHN, AR E. Simon Massawa Massawa 26 27 4 2 2 Aden 3763211326 1880-01 MSNG Yemen 12.86 Simon 775 44.98 Doria and Beccari 27 28 1 1 Aden 3763211465 E. A. Emerton 12.81 Aden 775 45.03 27 28 1 1 Aden 3763211437 1938-10-15 NHMW 27 28 NHMW 353 2 1 1 3763211376 [189,1301,439,466] 2013-06 ZMB M. Siyam Sudan 450 15.32 New Halfa 771 35.6 27 28 1 1 3763211341 1920-06-20 1920-06-26 1920-06-20 AMNH B. Brown Ethiopia Didi Davvs Abyssinia 27 28 1 1