Uduba heliani, Griswold & Ubick & Ledford & Polotow, 2022

Griswold, Charles, Ubick, Darrell, Ledford, Joel & Polotow, Daniele, 2022, A Revision of the Malagasy Crack-Leg Spiders of the Genus Uduba Simon, 1880 (Araneae, Udubidae), with Description of 35 New Species from Madagascar, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 67, pp. 1-193 : 44-45

Uduba heliani , new species

Figures 5 D, E , 72 A, B , Maps 11 , 16.

Type material. Holotype female ( CASENT9006106 ) from 530m elevation in Forêt Classée Andriantantely (18°41.7ʹS, 048°48.8ʹE), Toamasina Province, Madagascar, collected 4–7 December 1998 by Helian Ratsirarson, deposited in CAS.

Etymology. The species epithet is a patronym in honor of Mr. Helian Ratsirarson, Malagasy entomologist, Lakeside International Scholar at CAS and member of the Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team that collected widely throughout Madagascar.

Diagnosis. Uduba heliani belong to Group II, the Epigynum lateral projection group, or Uduba evanescens group (Map 16). They have a divided cribellum. Females of Uduba heliani can be distinguished from those of other Uduba species by the female genitalia ( Figs. 72 A, B ): the epigynal plate is broadly oval (width 1.83 times length) with the copulatory openings beneath transverse grooves at mid-level of plate ( Fig. 72 A ), CO origin at 0.29 times of epigynum length; vulva with spermathecal ducts forming three longitudinal loops extending anteriad of the CO ( Fig. 72 B ).

Description. Male: Unknown. Female (Holotype, CASENT9006106): Total length 6.10. Markings as in Figs. 5 D, E . Carapace 2.90 long, 2.00 wide, 1.20 high; clypeus 0.15 high. Eye diameters: AME 0.10, ALE and PME 0.12, PLE 0.16. Chelicerae 1.30 long; sternum 1.30 long, 1.10 wide; labium 0.60 long; palpal coxae 0.95 long. Ratios – carapace length / width = 1.40, carapace height / width = 1.40, PER / carapace width = 0.34, PER/OAL = 3.07, PER/AER = 1.34, OAL/OQL = 1.27, OQP/ OQA = 1.48, clypeus height / AME = 1.50, cheliceral length / clypeus height = 8.67, sternum length / width = 1.18, palpal coxa length / width = 2.11, femur I length / carapace width = 0.90, metatarsus I length / carapace width = 0.75, femur IV length / carapace width = 1.00, palpal tarsus length / carapace width = 0.50, palpal tibia length / palpal patella length = 2.00, palpal tarsus length / palpal tibia length = 2.00, palpal tarsus length / palpal femur length = 1.11, palpal tibia length / palpal patella length = 1.00. Cribellum divided. Spination: palpus– femur d0-1-0-2, patella p1-0, tibia p2-1, tarsus p2-1, r0-1-0; leg I–femur d1-0-0, tibia v1-1-1-2, metatarsus v2-2-2; leg II–femur d1-0-0, tibia v1-1-1-2, metatarsus p0-0-1, v2-2-2; leg III–femur d0-1-1-0, p0-1-1-0, r0-0-0-1, tibia d0-1-0, p1-0-1, v2-2-2, r0-1-1-0, metatarsus d0-1-0-0, p1-2-2, v2-2-2, r1-1-1; leg IV–femur d0-1-0, tibia v1-2-2, r0-1-1-0, metatarsus p0-0-1-2, v2-2-2, r0-1-1-1. Scopulae: weak ventral beneath tarsi I and II. Leg measurements: I: 1.80 + 0.90 + 1.50 + 1.40 + 1.10 = 6.70; II: 1.70 + 0.80 + 1.30 + 1.25 + 1.00 = 6.05; III: 1.25 + 0.70 + 0.80 + 1.10 + 0.60 = 4.45; IV: 2.00 + 0.80 + 1.50 + 1.60 + 1.00 = 6.90; palpus: 0.90 + 0.50 + 0.50 + NA + 1.00 = 2.90. Leg formula 4123. Female genitalia ( Figs. 72 A, B ): epigynal plate without depressed atrium, posterior margin at epigastric furrow convex but concave in center, plate width 1.83 times length, ML and LL not clearly defined, copulatory openings beneath transverse grooves at mid-level of plate, distance between copulatory openings 0.295 times epigynum width, CO origin at 0.29 times of epigynum length ( Fig. 72 A ), extent of plate laterad of copulatory openings equals 0.16 times plate width, plate with weak lateral projections, lateral margins well defined. Vulva with spermathecal ducts forming three anterior, longitudinal loops ( Fig. 72 B ), vulva length 0.80 times width, vulva width 6.25 times distance between fertilization ducts.

Variation. Unknown: only the unique holotype female is known.

Material examined. MADAGASCAR: Toamasina Province: Forêt Classée Andriantantely , 18°41.7ʹS, 048°48.8ʹE, elev. 530m, 4–7 December 1998, H. Ratsirarson [#HJ-121] (holotype,

CASENT9006106 , 1♀ , CAS).

Natural history. An individual of the cribellate Uduba heliani has been collected in mid-elevation rainforest; no other habitat data are available.

Distribution. Uduba heliani are known only from the type locality near the east coast of central Madagascar ( Maps 11 , 16).

Figures

FIGURE 5. Habitus photos of Uduba spp., females. A, B. U. danielae, Holotype (CASENT9007875) from montane rainforest at 1620m elevation in Jardin Botanique at Réserve Spéciale d’Ambohitantely. C, F. U. jayjay, Holotype (CASENT9004079) from montane rainforest at 3 km 41°NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147°SSE Anjozorobe. D, E. U. heliani, Holotype (CASENT9006106) from Forêt Classée Andriantantely. A, C, D. Dorsal. B, E, F. Ventral. Scale bars: A, B, D, E = 2 mm, C, F = 5 mm.

FIGURE 72. Uduba spp., female genitalia drawings. A, B. U. heliani, new species, holotype (CASENT9006106) from Forêt Classée Andriantantely. C, D. U. hiragasy new species, paratype (CASENT9064772) from Tsinjoarivo Forest. E. F. U. fisheri, new species, (CASENT9065339) from 2 km W Andrambovato along River Tatamaly. G, H. U. valiha, new species, paratype (CASENT9006071) from Massif Andringitra. A, C, E, G. Epigynum, ventral. B, D, F, H. Vulva, dorsal. Illustrations by Charles Griswold. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

MAP 11. Distributions of Uduba balsama and Uduba MAP 12. Distributions of Uduba lamba, Uduba lakroa heliani. and Uduba fandroana.