High level of endemism in Haiti’s last remaining forests: a revision of Modisimus (Araneae: Pholcidae) on Hispaniola, using morphology and molecules
Author
Huber, Bernhard A.
Author
Fischer, Nadine
Author
Astrin, Jonas J.
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2010
2010-01-25
158
2
244
299
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00559.x
journal article
10.1111/j.1096-3642.2009.00559.x
0024-4082
5438272
MODISIMUS PALVET
HUBER & FISCHER
SP. NOV.
(
Figs 9, 16
,
35
,
60
,
89, 93
,
114
,
115, 121, 122
,
185–187
,
201
)
Type:
Male
holotype
from
Macaya B.
R
., at
18°20.5
′
N
,
74°01.0
′
W
,
Dept Sud
,
Haiti
;
ravine, with some broadleaf trees in pine forest,
1350 m
a.s.l.
, domed sheets connected to undersides of green leaves,
30 November 2007
(
B.A. Huber
), in
ZFMK
(
Haiti
19a)
.
Etymology:
The species name is derived from the Creole words
pal
(pale) and
vèt
(green), and refers to the colour of this species; it is used as a noun in apposition.
Diagnosis:
Medium-sized, pale-greenish, long-legged species, with six eyes, distinguished from close relatives (
M. miri
sp. nov.
and
M. berac
sp. nov.
) by pattern and conical shape of modified hairs on male chelicerae (
Figs 89
,
186
), and by epigynum shape (
Figs 60
,
114
); further distinguished from
M. miri
sp. nov.
by slightly more slender procursus, and absence of apophyses above fang joints; distinguished from
M. berac
sp. nov.
by slightly more slender bulbal apophysis, and slightly longer dorsal cymbium projection.
Male (
holotype
):
Total length, 1.9; carapace width, 0.73. Leg 1: 23.6 (5.7 + 0.3 + 5.7 + 9.8 + 2.1); tibia 2, 3.7; tibia 3, 2.4; tibia 4, 2.8. Tibia 1 L/d: 76. Habitus as in
Figures 9
,
35
, carapace pale ochre-yellow, clypeus with wide brown distal margin, sternum whitish; legs pale ochre-yellow with darker patella area and tibia–metatarsus joints; abdomen pale greenish grey, with some purple spots close together dorsally, ventrally monochromous. Ocular area elevated; thoracic furrow distinct, but shallow. PME– PME, 95 Mm; PME diameter, 55 Mm; PME–ALE, 95 Mm; no AME. Sternum as wide as long (0.45), unmodified. Chelicerae with four cone-shaped modified hairs on each side (
Figs 89
,
186
). Palps as in
Figure 185
, coxa with retrolateral apophysis, femur with low proximal projection, and distal apophysis ventrally; procursus rather short and wide, with several membranous structures, including distinctive dorsal projection, bulb with prominent apophysis, and membranous and sclerotized subdistal elements. Legs without spines, many short vertical hairs on all femora; without curved hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 7%; prolateral trichobothrium missing on tibia 1, present on all other tibiae; tarsus 1 with ~35 pseudosegments.
Figures 185–189.
Diagnostic characters. 185–187.
Modisimus palvet
sp. nov.
185. Left palp, retrolateral view. 186. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 187. Cleared epigynum, dorsal view. 188, 189.
Modisimus berac
sp. nov.
188. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 189. Cleared epigynum, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.
Variation:
Tibia
1 in
four other males: 5.3, 5.3, 5.7, and 5.8.
Female:
In general, similar to male, but paler, without purple spots on abdomen; some females with white spots dispersed over dorsal side of abdomen, and indistinct darker rings subdistally on femora. Tibia
1 in
six females
: 3.8–4.5 (mean 4.1). Epigynum, simple externally (
Figs 60
,
114
); dorsal view as in
Figure 187
.
Distribution:
Known from
type
locality only
(
Fig. 201
).
Material examined:
Haiti
:
Dept Sud
,
Macaya B.
R
.:
1♂
,
holotype
above; same data,
4♂
and
6♀
(
ZFMK
,
Haiti
19); same data,
4♀
, in pure ethanol (
ZFMK
,
Haiti
64)
.