Uduba rakotozafy, 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 : 75-76

Uduba rakotozafy , new species

Figures 8 G , 11 E , 29 G , 58 A–C , Maps 9 , 19 .

Type material. Holotype male ( CASENT9006024 ) from forest at 1000m elevation at Parc National Périnet , near Andasibe, Toamasina Province, Madagascar, collected 4-5 November 1993 by C. Griswold, deposited in CAS.

Etymology. The species epithet is a patronym in honor of the Malagasy musician Rakotozafy, a legendary player of his own customized marovany zither and one of the most celebrated valiha players of the twentieth century.

Diagnosis. Uduba rakotozafy belong to Group V, the Uduba rajery group ( Map 19 ). Males can be distinguished from those of other Uduba by the form of the male palp, with a thick, swollen VTA on the tibia, the spine-like TA3 extending through a notch at the apex of the tegulum ( Fig. 29 G ), and the large, triangular MA ( Figs. 58 A–C ). Uduba rakotozafy may be distinguished from U. rajery by having the MA apex with an apical lobe and spike ( U. rajery has two spikes, Figs. 55 B , 56 E ). Females are unknown.

Description. Make (Holotype): Total length 9.29. Markings as in Figs. 8 G . 11 E , Carapace 4.86 long, 3.71 wide, 1.57 high; clypeus 0.21 high. Eye diameters: AME 0.14, ALE 0.18, PME 0.20, PLE 0.21. Chelicerae 1.93 long; sternum 2.25 long, 1.61 wide; labium 1.04 long; palpal coxae 1.57 long. Ratios– carapace length / width = 1.31, carapace height / width = 0.42, PER / carapace width = 0.84, PER / OAL = 2.64, PER / AER = 1.42, OAL / OQL = 1.27, OQP / OQA = 1.33, clypeus height / AME = 1.50, cheliceral length / clypeus height = 9.00, sternum length / width = 1.40, palpal coxa length / width = 2.59, femur I length / carapace width = 1.10, metatarsus I length / carapace width = 1.10, femur IV length / carapace width = 1.15, cymbium length / carapace width = 0.58, cymbium length / palpal patella length = 3.00, cymbium length / palpal tibia length = 2.73, cymbium length / palpal femur length = 1.15, palpal tibia length / palpal patella length = 1.10. Cribellum divided. Spination: palpus–femur d0-1-1, p0-0-1, r0-0-1, patella p1-0, tibia p1-0; leg I– femur d1-0-1-1, p0-0-2, r0-0-1, tibia p0-1-1-0, v2-2-2-2, r0-1-1-0, metatarsus p1-1-2, v2-2-2, r1-1- 2; leg II–femur d1-1-1, p0-1-1-0, r0-1-1-0, tibia d0-0-1, p0-1-1-0, v2-2-2-2, r0-1-1-0, metatarsus p1-1-2, v2-2-2, r1-1-1; leg III–femur d1-1-1, p1-1-2, r1-1-2, tibia d0-1-0-0, p0-1-1-0, v2-2-2, r0-1- 1-0, metatarsus d0-1-0, p1-1-2, v2-2-2, r1-1-2, tarsus v0-1-0; leg IV–femur d1-1-1, p1-1-1, r0-0-1, tibia d1-0-1-0, p0-0-1-0, v2-2-2, r0-1-0-0, metatarsus d0-1-0, p1-1-2, v2-2-2, r1-1-2. Scopulae: cymbium, apicodorsal; tarsi I–IV, ventral. Leg measurements: I: 4.07 + 1.64 + 3.64 + 4.07 + 2.64 = 16.07; II: 3.57 + 1.57 + 2.93 + 3.21 + 2.07 = 13.36; III: 3.07 + 1.43 + 1.79 + 2.71 + 1.50 = 10.50; IV: 4.29 + 1.50 + 3.43 + 4.29 + 2.14 = 15.64; palpus: 1.86 + 0.71 + 0.79 + NA + 2.14 = 5.50. Leg formula 1423. Male palp ( Figs. 58 A–C ): palpal tibia 0.41 cymbial length, RTA broad, RTA length 0.24 tibia length, length equals width, with bluntly-pointed apex ( Fig. 58 C ), VTA unique, large, hammer-shaped, transversely wider than long and with apical recurved hook ( Figs. 58 A–C ), length 0.80 times width, length 0.32 tibia width; tibia lacking a stout retrolateral spine but with slender prolateral spine ( Fig. 58 B ); tegulum convex, without ridge, tegulum length 0.875 times width; TA1 with subbasal notch and broad apex, extends distad of tegulum apex, TA1 extends past TA3 apex by 1.15 times tegulum length; TA3 elongate with recurved apex extending through notch at tegular anterior margin ( Figs. 29 G , 58 A ), TA3 extends apicad of TA2 by 1.09 tegulum length, TA2 a small low mound partly forming the notch from which the TA3 apex emerges; MA origin at 0.17 times tegulum length, MA apex extends distad of tegulum apex, MA length (including apical processes) 1.03 times width, MA very large, covering much of tegulum, length 0.83 times tegulum length, width 0.71 times tegulum width, triangular with apical projections, retrolateral blunt and prolateral acutely-pointed ( Figs. 29 G , 58 A ); conductor fan entire. Female: Unknown.

Variation. Male. Variation unknown: Uduba rakotozafy is only known from one male, the holotype.

M aterial examined. MADAGASCAR: Toamasina Province: Parc National Périnet, near Andasibe , 18°56ʹS, 48°24ʹE, elev. 1000m, 4–5 November 1993, J. Coddington, N. Scharff, S. Larcher, C. Griswold, R. Andriamasimanana (Holotype, CASENT9006024 , 1♂, CAS) .

Natural history. The lone specimen of Uduba rakotozafy was collected on the ground in rainforest. The vestige of a divided cribellum on the male suggests that U. rakotozafy females deploy cribellate sticky silk, but we know nothing of their behavior.

Distribution. The species Uduba rakotozafy is known only from the type locality at Parc National Périnet in the central eastern escarpment of Madagascar ( Maps 9 , 19 ).

Figures

FIGURE 8. Habitus photos of Uduba spp., males, dorsal views. A. U. rinha, MRAC174.445 from 25 km W Morarano Chrome, Toamasina Province. B. U. pseudoevanescens, Paratype (CASENT9006006) collected at 57 km Route d’Anosibe de Moramanga. C. U. evanescens (Dahl, 1901), (CASENT900687) from Ranomafana. D. U. fisheri, (CASENT9002693) from montane rainforest near Anjozorobe. E. U. rajery, Holotype (CASENT9026393) from littoral rainforest in Forêt Ambohidena, Ile Sainte Marie. F. U. valiha, Holotype (CASENT9026394) from Forêt de Vevembe. G. U. rakotozafy, Holotype (CASENT9006024) from forest at Parc National Périnet. Scale bars = 2 mm.

FIGURE 11. Habitus drawings, Uduba ♂♂, dorsal views. A. U. salegy, Holotype (CASENT9006044) from Parc National Montagne d’Ambre. B. U. halabe, Paratype, (CASENT9006017) from Parc National Ranomafana. C. U. pseudoevanescens, Paratype (CASENT9006006) from Route d’Anosibe de Moramanga. D. U. rinha, (MRAC174.445) from 25 km W Morarano Chrome, Toamasina Province. E. U. rakotozafy, Holotype (CASENT9006024) from Parc National Périnet. F. U. ibonia, Holotype (CASENT9006038) from 7 km W Ranomafana. G. U. schlingeri (CASENT9006061) from 7 km W Ranomafana. Illustrations by Jenny Speckels. All to same scale, scale bar = 5.0 mm.

FIGURE 29. Uduba spp., color-coded comparisons of male left palpal tarsi, ventral views. A. U. evanescens (Dahl, 1901) (CASENT9024032) from Parc National Ranomafana. B. U. rakotofrah, paratype (CASENT9062794), from Anosyenne Mts. C. U. madagascariensis (Vinson, 1863) (CASENT9006026) from Ambohimanga. D. U. halabe, holotype (CASENT9006018) from Parc National Ranomafana. E. U. schlingeri, (CASENT9006062) from Parc National Ranomafana. F. U. ibonia, (CASENT9006036) from Parc National Ranomafana. G. U. rakotozafy, holotype (CASENT9006024) from Parc National Périnet. H. U. fisheri, (CASENT9007941) from Anjozorobe. I. U. rinha, (MRAC174.445) from 25 km W Morarano Chrome, Toamasina Province. Conductor (C), yellow; Median apophysis (MA), blue; TA1, purple; TA2, green; TA3, red. Illustrations by Charles Griswold and Jenny Speckels, not to scale.

FIGURE 58. Uduba rakotozafy, new species, Holotype (CASENT9006024) from Parc National Périnet, left male palpus. A. Prolateral. B. Ventral. C. Retrolateral. Illustrations by Jenny Speckels. RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis on male palp; TA3, retroapical apophysis of the tegulum; UTA, basal tibial apophysis on male palp; VTA, ventral tibial apophysis on male palp. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.

MAP 9. Distributions of Uduba fisheri, Uduba MAP 10. Distributions of Uduba hiragasy, Uduba rakotofrah, Uduba rajery, Uduba rakotozafy and Uduba valiha, Uduba taralily, Uduba danielae and Uduba sarotra. kavanaughi.

MAP 19. Distribution of Group V, the Uduba rajery MAP 20. Distribution of Group VI, the Uduba danielae group: Uduba rakotozafy and U. rajery. group: Uduba jayjay and U. danielae.

FIGURE 55. Uduba rajery, new species, Holotype (CASENT9026393) from Forêt Ambohidena, Ile Sainte Marie, left male palpus. A. Prolateral. B. Ventral. C. Retrolateral. Illustrations by Giovanni Maki. 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 bar = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 56. Uduba rajery, new species, Holotype male (CASENT9026393) from Forêt Ambohidena, Ile Sainte Marie, right palpus, SEM. A. Tibia and tarsus, retrolateral. B. Tarsus, ventral. C. Tibia and tarsus, prolateral. D. Bulb, retrolateral. E. Bulb, proventral. F. Bulb, prolateral. C, conductor; CmS, cymbial scopula (arrows); E, embolus; Eb, embolic base; MA, median apophysis; ST, subtegulum; TA1, proapical apophysis of the tegulum; TA2, proapical apophysis of the tegulum; TA3, retroapical apophysis of the tegulum. Scale bars: A–C, F = 100 µm, D, E = 30 µm.