Uduba lehibekokoa, 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 : 60-62

Uduba lehibekokoa , new species

Figures 9 C , 50 A–C , Maps 7 , 14.

Type material. Holotype ( CASENT9017929 ) and paratype ( CASENT9017361 ) males from tropical dry forest at 140m elevation (16°28ʹS, 45°21ʹE) in Parc National de Namoroka , Mahajanga Province, Madagascar, collected 4–8 November 2002 by the Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team, deposited in the California Academy of Sciences.

Etymology. The species name is from the Malagasy words lehibe, meaning big or large, and kokoa, signifying bigger or larger. This refers to the large size of spiders of this species: Uduba lehibekokoa are much larger than the similar Uduba woodae . A compound adjective in apposition.

Diagnosis. Uduba lehibekokoa are members of Group I.b, the Uduba woodae group (Map 14) of Group I, the Epigynal atrium group. They are cribellate, with divided cribellum or vestige. Males can be distinguished from those of other Uduba by having the palp with TA2 highly sclerotized, black, concave medially against TA3 ( Fig. 50 A ), distinguished from U. schlingeri by having the TA2 concave but not chelate (TA2 chelate in U. schlingeri , Figs. 61 B , 62 C, E ), and from U. taralily by having a simple MA ( Fig. 50 B ) ( U. taralily with MA concave with lateral projections, Fig. 63 B ). Uduba lehibekokoa specimens are distinguished from U. woodae by having the MA A–C, and specimens are larger size, total length 14.00–15.50 ( U. woodae males have a sharp point on the MA, the TA3 apex is blunt, the VTA is short and straight, length less than twice width, Figs. 66 A–C , and specimens are less than 12.50 total length). Female unknown.

Description. Male (Holotype): Total length 15.50. Markings as in Fig. 9 C . Carapace 8.80 long, 6.70 wide, 3.80 high; clypeus 0.40 high. Eye diameters:AME 0.26, ALE 0.28, PME and PLE 0.34. Chelicerae 3.80 long; sternum 4.10 long, 3.00 wide; labium 2.10 long; palpal coxae 2.80 long. Cribellum divided. Spination: palpus–femur d1-1-3; leg I–femur d1-1-1, p0-1-1-1, r1-1-1-1, patella p1, r1, tibia d0-0-1-1, p0-1-1-0, v2-2-2-2, r0-1-1-0, metatarsus p1-0-1-1, v2-2-1-2, r1-1-1-1; leg II–femur d1-1-1, p1-1-1-1, r0-1-1-1, patella p1, r1, tibia d0-0-1-0, p0-1-2-0, v2-2-2-2, r0-1-0-0, metatarsus p1-1-1, v2-2-1-2, r1-1-1; leg III–femur d1-1-1, p1-1-1-1, r1-0-1-1, patella r1, tibia d0- 1-0, p0-1-1-0, v2-2-2, r0-1-1-0, metatarsus p1-2-2, v2-2-1-2, r1-1-2; leg IV–femur d1-1-0, p1-1-1- 1, patella r1, tibia d0-0-1-0, p0-1-1-0, v2-2-2, r0-1-1-0, metatarsus p0-1-1-2, v2-2-2-1-2, r0-1-1-2. Scopulae: cymbium, apicodorsal; tarsi and apices of metatarsi I–IV, ventral. Leg measurements: I: 9.00 + 3.90 + 9.30 + 9.60 + 4.70 = 36.50; II: 8.10 + 3.50 + 7.70 + 8.80 + 5.00 = 33.10; III: 7.10 + 3.10 + 5.00 + 7.30 + 3.80 = 26.30; IV: 9.20 + 3.20 + 7.60 + 11.50 + 5.00 = 36.50; palpus: 3.30 + 1.60 + 1.50 + NA + 4.30 = 10.70. Leg formula [1=4]23. Male palp: palpal tibia 0.36 times cymbial length, RTA broadly triangular, RTA length 0.29 tibia length, length 1.11 times width, with pointed apex ( Fig. 50 C ), VTA tapering to a slender, hooked apex ( Figs. 50 A, C ), length 3.67 times width, VTA length 0.305 times tibia width; tibia lacking stout spines; tegulum convex, without ridge ( Figs. 50 B, C ), tegulum length 0.98 times width; TA1 extends distad of tegulum apex, TA1 extends past TA3 apex by 1.32 times tegulum length; TA3 transverse, concave dorsally, tapering to a point that is recurved apically ( Fig. 50 B ), TA3 apex visible in front of TA2; TA2 highly sclerotized, black ( Figs. 50 B, C ), concave medially against TA3, TA2 and TA3 apices at same level; MA transverse, simple, origin at 0.53 times tegulum length, tegulum apex at 0.22 tegulum length from MA apex, length (including apical processes) 0.44 times width, MA small, length 0.18 tegulum length, width 0.39 times tegulum width ( Figs. 50 A–C ); conductor fan entire. Female: Unknown.

Variation (Males, N = 2). Total length 14.00–15.50, carapace length / width = 1.29–1.31, carapace height / width = 0.38–0.57, PER / carapace width = 0.31–0.34, PER / OAL = 2.64–2.82, PER / AER = 1.36–1.47, OAL / OQL = 1.00–1.05, OQP / OQA = 1.21–1.31, clypeus height / AME diameter width = 1.54–1.73, cheliceral length / clypeus height = 8.00–9.50, sternum length / width = 1.37–1.41, femur I length / carapace width =1.31–1.34, metatarsus I length / carapace width = 1.43–1.46, femur IV length / carapace width = 1.35–1.37, cymbium length / carapace width = 0.64– 0.65, cymbium length / palpal patella length = 2.69–4.20, cymbium length / palpal tibia length = 2.87–3.00, cymbium length / palpal femur length 1.24–1.30, palpal tibia length / palpal patella length = 0.94–1.40. Female variation unknown.

M aterial examined. MADAGASCAR: Mahajanga Province: Parc National de Namoroka, 9.8 km 300°WNW Vilanandro, 16°28ʹS, 45°21ʹE, elev. 140m, tropical dry forest, general collecting day spiders, 4–8 November 2002, Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team [BLF6451] (holotype, CASENT9017929 , 1♂, CAS) , general collecting night spiders, 4–8 November 2002, Fisher-Griswold Arthropod Team [BLF6449] (paratype, CASENT9017361 , 1♂, CAS) .

Natural history. Members of the cribellate species Uduba lehibekokoa occur at low elevation (140m) in tropical dry forest. We know nothing of their use of silk.

Distribution. The species Uduba lehibekokoa is known only from the type locality in far western Madagascar ( Maps 7 , 14).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Habitus photos of Uduba spp., males, dorsal views. A. U. schlingeri, (CASENT9006077) from R. S. de Ivohibe. B. U. woodae, CASENT9017831 from Lake Ranobe. C. U. lehibekokoa, Holotype (CASENT9017929) from tropical dry forest in Parc National de Namoroka. D. U. salegy, Holotype (CASENT9006044) from montane rainforest in Parc National Montagne d’Ambre. E. U. ibonia, CASENT9006034 from Parc National Ranomafana. F. U. fandroana, CASENT9006103 from Forêt d’Ankazomivady. G. U. kavanaughi, Holotype (CASENT9029870) from evergreen forest in Parc National Ranomafana. H. U. lamba, Holotype (CASENT9042542) from rainforest in Réserve Nationale Intégrale Betampona. Scale bars: A–F, H = 5 mm, G = 10 mm.

FIGURE 50. Uduba lehibekokoa, new species, Holotype (CASENT9017929) from Parc National de Namoroka, left male palpus. A. Prolateral. B. Ventral. C. Retrolateral. Illustrations by Daniele Polotow. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

MAP 7. Distributions of Uduba evanescens (Dahl, 1901) MAP 8. Distributions of Uduba woodae, Uduba lavitra and Uduba lehibekokoa. and Uduba milamina.

FIGURE 61. Uduba schlingeri, new species, (CASENT9006062) from Parc National Ranomafana, left male palpus. A. Prolateral. B. Ventral. C. Retrolateral. Illustrations by Jenny Speckels. TA2, proapical apophysis of the tegulum; TA3, retroapical apophysis of the tegulum. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 62. Uduba schlingeri, new species, CASENT9006059 from Andohahela, right male palpus, SEM. A. Tibia and tarsus, retrolateral. B. Tibia and tarsus, ventral. C. Tibia and tarsus, ventrolateral. D. Bulb, apical. E. Bulb, proventral. MA, median apophysis; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis on male palp; TA1, proapical apophysis of the tegulum; TA2, proapical apophysis of the tegulum; TA3, retroapical apophysis of the tegulum; UTA, basal tibial apophysis on male palp; VTA, ventral tibial apophysis on male palp. Scale bars: A–C = 1500 µm, D = 600 µm, E = 1000 µm.

FIGURE 63. Uduba taralily, new species, Holotype (CASENT9042524) from Miandritsara Forest, left male palpus. A. Prolateral. B. Ventral. C. Retrolateral. Illustrations by Daniele Polotow. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.

FIGURE 66. Uduba woodae, new species, Holotype (CASENT9017834) from Lake Ranobe, left male palpus. A. Prolateral. B. Ventral. C. Retrolateral. Illustrations by Giovanni Maki. TA2, proapical apophysis of the tegulum; TA3, retroapical apophysis of the tegulum. Scale bar = 1.0 mm.