Haploclastus validus Pocock, 1899

Mirza, Zeeshan A., Sanap, Rajesh V. & Siliwal, Manju, 2011, Robust Trapdoor Tarantula Haploclastus validus Pocock, 1899: notes on taxonomy, distribution and natural history (Araneae: Theraphosidae: Thrigmopoeinae), Journal of Threatened Taxa 3 (10), pp. 2109-2119 : 2110-2116

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11609/JoTT.o2627.2109-19
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:42697D40-B104-491D-B2DF-88253010F7C5
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03B9D405-FF8A-DA51-FC9F-AB6AFC1CFA36
treatment provided by	Carolina
scientific name	Haploclastus validus Pocock, 1899
status

Treatment

Haploclastus validus Pocock, 1899 View in CoL

Haploclastus robustus Pocock, 1899: 748 View in CoL ; Haploclastus validus, Siliwal & Raven 2010: 72 View in CoL

Type material: Holotype female of H. validus (= H. robustus ), Matheran, Raighad District, Maharashtra, coll. Bombay Natural History Society, deposited at Natural History Museum, London. Not examined.

Material examined

1 male, 27.iv.2010, Matheran, Raighad District , Maharashtra (19000 ’N & 73017 ’E; 800m elevation), coll. Rajesh Sanap and Zeeshan Mirza, WILD-10- ARA-1102 ; 1 female, 19.ii.2010, Matheran, Raighad District , Maharashtra (19000 ’N & 73017 ’E; 800m elevation) coll. Ashish Jadhav & Rajesh Sanap WILD- 10-ARA-1103 ; 1 male, 24.vi.2009, Aarey Milk Colony , Mumbai, Maharashtra (1907 ’31’’N & 72052 ’76’’E; 104m elevation), coll. Zeeshan Mirza & V. Rathode, WILD-10-ARA-543 ; 1 female, 28.xii.2009, Aarey Milk Colony , Mumbai, Maharashtra, (1907 ’31’’N & 72052 ’76’’E; 104m elevation), coll. Rajesh Sanap & Zeeshan Mirza, WILD-10-ARA-544 ; 1 female, Bhimashankar WLS, Maharashtra, (19004 ’04.4”N & 73032 ’20.3”E; 858m elevation), coll. Manju Siliwal, Saroj Behera & Mandar Kulkarni, WILD-09- ARA-360 .

Diagnosis

Male - Carapace slightly shorter than metatarsus + tibia of leg I; slightly longer than patella + femur of leg III; considerably shorter than tarsus + metatarsus of leg IV and tibia + patella of leg I. ALE clearly larger than the rest. Embolus broad at base, slightly twisted anteriorly and flatten, flattened end resembles a duck’s bill which tapers into a stout point; ventrally with rows of poorly developed keels.

Female

Carapace slightly longer than metatarsus + tibia of leg IV; slightly shorter than twice the length of tarsus + metatarsus of leg II. Fused seminal receptacle; brickshaped structure with the upper edges smooth and rounded rose to form small mounds.

Redescription of male ( Figs 1–11 View Figures 1–7. 1 View Figures 8–11. 8 ), WILD-10- ARA-1102

Total length 26.10; carapace 12.46 long, 9.10 wide; abdomen 13.64 long and 9.10 wide, chelicerae 6.96 long. Spinnerets: PMS, 1.70 long, 0.60 wide, 0.84 apart; PLS, 6.82 total length (2.58 basal, 1.80 middle, 2.44 distal; midwidths1.12, 0.86, 0.62 respectively). Morphometry of leg and palp given in Table 1.

Colour in life ( Image 1 View Image 1 ): Carapace blackish-brown, carapace overall covered with dense silvery curved grey hair radiating from fovea. Abdomen covered with thick mat of brownish-black hair. Femora, patellae and tarsi of all legs covered with brownish hair; metatarsus and tibia of all legs covered with silvery grey hair.

Carapace ( Fig. 1 View Figures 1–7. 1 ): Fovea procurved. Length to width 1.6, bristles: 14 long on caput in mid-dorsal line; 9 long, 6 short anteromedially; 14 long, 12 short between PME; 3 short between AME–AME; 7 long, 4 short on clypeal edge.

Eyes ( Fig. 2 View Figures 1–7. 1 ): Ocular group 0.86 long, 2.14 wide; diameter AME 0.40, PME 0.18, ALE 0.46, PLE 0.30; distance between ALE-AME 0.21, AME-AME 0.26, PLE-PME 0.12, PME-PME 1.10; MOQ not square, 0.42 long, 0.86 front width, 1.34 back width.

Maxillae ( Figs 3 & 6 View Figures 1–7. 1 ): Prolateral face with randomly arranged long bristles above and below maxillary suture. Cuspules ca. 200 in triangular patch in anterior corner. 3.82 front length, 4.68 back length, 2.32 wide.

Maxillary lyra: No definite shape, small spike setae above and below suture arranged randomly. No ventral brush of lyra.

Labium ( Fig. 3 View Figures 1–7. 1 ): 1.45 long, 1.76 wide with ca. 220 cuspules restricted to upper region of labium covering ¼ of area.

Chelicerae ( Figs 4 & 5 View Figures 1–7. 1 ): Ectal lyrate, grove glaborous; lyra, straight, black spines in 3–4 rows. Promarginal teeth in 2 rows: 11 outer large teeth, 6 small on inner edge adjacent to larger teeth; 50 basomesal teeth in 3-4 rows.

Sternum ( Fig. 3 View Figures 1–7. 1 ): 6.22 long, 5.06 wide. Oval, high in centre, sloping gradually, reddish-brown, covered with dense mat of short black hair. Posterior tip sharp but not separating coxae IV. Long black hair radiating margin.

Sigilla ( Fig. 3 View Figures 1–7. 1 ): Three pairs, posterior, oval, 1.16 diameter, ca. 1.00 apart, 1.16 from margin, submarginal; middle, oval, 0.62 diameter, ca. 3.50 apart, ca. 0.20 from margin and anterior, marginal and round.

Legs: Formula 4123. Leg III clearly thicker than the rest. Metatarsi I 1.50 times longer than tarsi I, metatarsi II 1.31 times longer than tarsi II, metatarsi III 1.50 times longer than tarsi III, metatarsi IV 1.91 times longer than tarsi IV.

Metaspines: I, 1 ventral; II, 1 ventral, 3 ventrolateral; III, 5 dorsal, 1 ventral, 6 ventrolateral; V: 1 dorsal, 1 ventral, 6 ventrolateral, 2 prolateral. Absent elsewhere.

Trichobothria: ta I, 24 clavate, 13 long 8 short filiform, ta II, 19 clavate, 12 long, 8 short filiform; ta III, 20 clavate, 12 long, 6 short filiform; IV, 15 clavate 10 long, 6 short filiform.

Leg Coxae: Coxal base dorsally easily seen from above. I longest, about 1.23 times longer than II. Coxae IV widest. Coxae I-IV covered with short and long black hair with black bristles with pallid tips; I-II sloping forward and III-IV sloping backwards.

Claws: Paired bare claws on all legs; palp with a single bare claw.

Abdomen pilosity ( Fig. 1 View Figures 1–7. 1 ): Dorsally covered with mat of short brown hair intermixed with long black and pallid hair and ventrally with short and long brown hair with yellow cuticle exposed.

Spinnerets ( Fig. 7 View Figures 1–7. 1 ): Two pairs, yellowish brown covered with golden hair.

Male Palp ( Image 2 View Image 2 , Fig. 9–11 View Figures 8–11. 8 ): Embolus broad at base slightly twisted forward and flatten, flattened end resembles a duck’s bill which tapers into a stout point. Ventrally with rows of poorly developed keels.

Morphometry of WILD-10-ARA-543:

Total length 26.10. Carapace 14.45 long, 9.11; chelicerae 6.10 long. Sternum: 6.22 long, 5.06 wide. Labium: 2.56 long, 2.16 wide. Abdomen 11.54 long,

8.06 wide. Spinnerets: PMS, 1.50 long, 0.58 wide, 0.60 apart; PLS, 2.08 basal, 1.76 middle, 2.02 distal; midwidths, 1.06, 0.98, 0.60 respectively; 5.86 total length.

Abdomen pilosity: Cuticle not visible dorsally in juveniles and sub-adults. Large adults (especially those containing eggs in the body cavity) with cuticle entirely exposed with a fine layer of scattered short golden hair.

Redescription of female, WILD-10-ARA-1103:

Carapace 14.39 long, 12.60 wide, chelicerae 7.94. Abdomen 17.50 long, 15.02 wide. Spinnerets: PMS,

2.04 long, 0.74 wide, 0.85 apart; PLS, 3.31 basal, 1.56 middle, 2.47, distal; midwidths 1.35, 1.09, 0.85, respectively and 1.30 apart. Morphometry of leg and palp given in Table 2.

Colour in life ( Image 3 View Image 3 ): Carapace reddish-brown overall with two prominent (after preservation) black bands emerging from fovea running across caput, entire surface covered with short black and golden hair. Abdomen black dorsally, yellowish on ventral and ventrolateral side covered with short and long black hair. Legs overall covered with long as well as short brown hair.

Carapace: Fovea deep, procurved. Length to

width ratio 1.14. Caput raised high and eye group on a tubercle. Bristles: 11 long on caput in mid-dorsal line; 4 long, 16 short antero-medially; 6 long, 18 short between PME; 10 long, 13 short on clypeus edge.

Eyes: Ratio of eye group width to length 2.4. ALE clearly larger than rest, AME slightly larger than PLE, PLE and PME almost equal in diameter. ALE 0.58, AME 0.47, PLE 0.32, PME 0.31; ALE-AME 0.23, AME-AME 0.40, PLE-PME 0.11, PME-PME 1.06, ALE-PLE 0.30, PLE-PLE 1.79, ALE-ALE 1.50. Ocular group 0.80 long and 2.34 wide. MOQ 0.68

long; front width 0.90 and back width 1.18. Clypeus absent.

Maxillae: Prolateral face with three to four rows of thorn setae intermixed with long spine-like bristles above and below the maxillary suture. Long spine setae scattered above as well as below the thorn rows. Cuspules ca. 200 in a triangular patch in the anterior corner.

Maxillary lyra ( Image 4 View Image 4 ): No definite shape, small thorn setae above and below suture arranged randomly. No ventral brush of lyra.

Labium: 2.56 long, 2.16 wide, labiosternal grove shallow, 265 cuspules similar in size to those on the maxilla.

Chelicerae: Ectal lyrate, grove glaborous; lyra, straight, black spines in 3-4 rows. Promarginal teeth in 2 rows 15 outer large teeth, 10 small on inner edge adjacent to the larger teeth; 49 basomesal teeth in 3-4 rows.

Sternum: 7.91 long and 5.72 wide. Longer than wide, high at 1/3 region and gradually sloping. Posterior edge acutely sharp, not separating coxae IV. Sternum reddish-brown with a mat of golden short hairs. Long black hair radiating from the marginal area.

Sigilla: Three pairs, posterior, oval, 1.19 diameter, ca. 1.04 apart, 1.7 from margin; middle, oval, 0.79 diameter, ca. 3.43 apart,0.04 from margin and anterior, marginal and round.

Legs: Formula 4123. Leg III clearly thicker than the rest. Metatarsi I 1.09 times longer than tarsi I, metatarsi II 1.22 times longer than tarsi II, metatarsi III 1.40 times longer than tarsi III, metatarsi IV 2.08 times longer than tarsi IV.

Metaspines: I: 1 ventral; II: 2 ventrolateral; III: 2 ventral, 6 ventrolateral, 2 dorsal; V: 1dorsal, 2 ventral, 6 ventrolateral.Absent elsewhere.

Trichobothria: ta I, 26 clavate, 12 long 4 short filiform, ta II, 22 clavate, 12 long, 7 short filiform; ta III, 21 clavate, 10 long, 5 short filiform; IV, 17 clavatem 10 long, 6 short filiform. Clavate in distal half in middorsal, filiform in distal 2/3 rd in two rows.

Leg coxae: Numerous short scattered spinules on prolateral face of coxae of leg I, II, III and IV. Leg I-III with median narrow light brush, IV glabrous. II-IV with setose mound up from inner corner low mound with few bristles. All retrolaterally lack ventral edge and ventrally with uniform setation. Coxal base dorsally easily seen from above. I longest, about 1.11 times longer than II. Coxae IV widest. Coxae I–IV covered with a mat of golden hair and also with long black hair; I-II sloping forward and III-IV sloping backwards.

Claws: Paired bare claws on all legs; palp with a single bare claw.

Abdomen pilosity: Dorsally covered with a mat of short brown hair intermixed with long black and pallid hair and ventrally with short and long brown hair with yellow cuticle exposed.

Spinnerets: Two pairs, yellowish-brown covered with golden hair.

Spermathecae ( Fig. 8 View Figures 8–11. 8 ): Fused seminal receptacle. A brick-shaped structure with upper edges smooth and rounded, present to form small mounds.

Variations:

Total length 16.11–31.89 (23.14±8.03). Carapaces 7.28–14.39 (9.97±3.86) long, 6.02-12.6 (8.81±3.4) wide. Sternum: 3.56–7.91 (5.36 ± 2.27) long, 3.07– 5.72 (4.32±1.33) wide. Labium: 0.98-2.16 (1.59±0.59) long, 1.3-2.56 (1.8±0.67) wide. Abdomen range 8.83– 17.5 (13.17±4.34) long, 5.61–15.02 (9.73± 4.81) wide. Spinnerets: PMS, 1.18–2.04 (0.60 ± SD 0.60) long, 0.70–0.74 (mean ± SD 0.03) wide, 0.48–0.85 (mean ± SD 0.26) apart; PLS, 1.28–3.31 (2.07± SD 1.09) basal, 1.05–1.56 (1.26±0.27) middle, 0.51–2.47 (1.46±0.98) distal; midwidths, 0.98–1.35 (1.19±0.19), 0.89–1.09 (0.96±0.11), 0.70–0.85 (0.75±0.08) respectively; 2.84–7.34 (4.79±2.31) total length.

Distribution

India ( Image 5 View Image 5 ): Maharashtra: Matheran, Raighad District; Jauli, Satara District; Aarey Milk Colony, Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai; Kolad, Raighad District; Bhimashankar Wildlife Sanctuary, Pune District.