New species of Cheiracanthium (Araneae: Eutichuridae) from Madagascar and the Comoros Islands
Author
Lotz, L. N.
text
Zootaxa
2014
3857
3
301
332
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3857.3.1
7c112ae3-5a6b-4410-b413-95533e7166dd
1175-5326
225808
D2A7F86B-7E6C-464A-9935-625C0371E8BD
Cheiracanthium ransoni
sp. nov.
Figs 97– 98
,
101–106
Type
material from
Madagascar
:
Holotype
♂, Massif Andringitra,
22º20’S
,
46º55’E
,
X.1971
, B. Ranson (
MRAC
142897).
Paratypes
: (allotype) ♀, Antananarivo,
3 km
41ºNE
Andranomay
,
11.5 km
147ºSSE
Anjozorobe
,
18º28’24”S
,
47º57’36”E
,
5–13.XII.2000
, C.E. Griswold,
et al.
(
CASC
9004390);
2♂
, same data as
holotype
(
MRAC
142897);
11♂
3♀, same data as allotype (
CASC
9002950, 9003905, 9004026, 9004390, 9004391, 9006605);
7♂
, Antsiranana, Montagne des Franqais,
7.2 km
142ºSE Antsiranana (= Diego Suarez),
12º19’22”S
,
49º20’17”E
,
II.2001
, various collectors (
CASC
9002223, 9007184);
3♂
2♀, Antsiranana, Park National Montagne d’Ambre,
12º35’47”S
,
49º09’34”E
,
2–7.II.2001
, various collectors (
CASC
9004497, 9006920);
1♂
, Antananarivo, Réserve Spéciale d’Ambohitantely, Forêt d’Ambohitantely,
20.9 km
72ºNE d’Ankuzobe,
18º13’31”S
,
47º17’13”E
,
17–22.IV.2001
, Fisher & Griswold,
et al.
(
CASC
9008037);
1♂
, Fianarantsoa, Vohiparara, broken bridge,
21º13.57’S
,
47º22.19’E
,
22–28.XI.2001
, R. Harin’Hala (
CASC
9010497);
2♂
, Fianarantsoa, Ranomafana, Belle vue,
21º15.99’S
,
47º25.21’E
,
IV.2002
, R. Harin’Hala (
CASC
9010660, 9010670);
1♂
, Fianarantsoa, Ranomafana, Radio tower,
21º15.05’S
,
47º24.43’E
,
21–24.XII.2001
, R. Harin’Hala (
CASC
9010799).
Etymology.
The name is a patronym in honour of the collector of the
holotype
, B. Ranson.
Diagnosis.
C. ransoni
sp. nov.
is similar to
C. leucopheaum
, in the two parts of the female spermathecae being next to each other and the short CA and RTA of the males, but is differentiated from
C. leucophaeum
by the tube between the two parts of the female spermathecae being straight and not U-shaped (compare
Fig. 103
with fig.
73 in
Lotz 2007a
). Males are differentiated by the short RTA with a single pointed apex and the CA being slightly longer and more U-shaped (
Figs 105–106
).
Description.
Female
: (n = 3): TL = 6.77 (6.4–7.4); CL = 2.90 (2.6–3.3); CW = 2.03 (2.0–2.1); OAL = 0.33 (0.30–0.35); OAW = 1.30 (1.3–1.3); CLL = 0.10 (0.10–0.10). Chelicerae: robust with long fangs; cheliceral fang furrow with six teeth of unequal size, PMT:RMT = 3:3 (
Fig. 101
). Measurements: AME–AME 0.20; AME–ALE 0.20; AME diameter 0.15; PME–PME 0.25; PME–PLE 0.25; PME diameter 0.15; MOQAW 0.50; MOQPW 0.55; CI (CL/CW) 1.57; LL:CL 2.94; STL 1.3; STW 1.2. Leg measurements: I—2.5+1.0+2.5+2.6+1.1 = 9.7; II—2.0+1.0+1.6+1.9+0.8 = 7.3; III—1.6+0.9+1.1+1.5+0.6 = 5.7; IV—2.3+1.0+1.8+2.2+0.8 = 8.1; palp—1.0+0.4+0.6+0.9 = 2.9. Leg spines: I 0-0-1p,
2v-2v-
0, 2v-2
v1
p1r-
2v
; II 0-1p-1p, 0-1
v1
p-0, 2v-2
v1
p1r-
3v
; III 0-1p-1p1r, 0-1p1r-0, 2v-2
v1
p1r-3
v1
p1r; IV 0-0-1p1r, 1r-0-1p1r, 2v-2
v1
p1r-3
v1
p1r. Abdomen (
Fig. 97
): creamy-yellow with a slight heartmark. Epigynum (
Figs 102–103
): wider than long, with two depressions separated by a broad median septum; copulatory openings situated in anterior sides of depressions; internally, short copulatory ducts proceed laterally to end medially in compact dumbbell-shaped spermathecae; fertilization ducts exit spermathecae posteromedially.
Male
: (n = 10): TL = 5.77 (4.4–7.0); CL = 2.56 (1.9–3.1); CW = 1.93 (1.4–2.4); OAL = 0.36 (0.25–0.50); OAW = 1.19 (0.7–1.6); CLL = 0.84 (0.05–0.10). Chelicerae: similar to female, except longer and with PMT:RMT = 1–4:3–5 (
Fig. 104
). Measurements: AME–AME 0.20; AME–ALE 0.35; AME diameter 0.20; PME–PME 0.30; PME–PLE 0.40; PME diameter 0.17; MOQAW 0.60; MOQPW 0.64; CI (CL/CW) 1.29; LL:CL 4.52; STL 1.7; STW 1.5. Leg measurements: I—3.4+1.3+3.7+4.2+1.4 = 14.0; II—2.5+1.1+2.5+2.6+1.0 = 9.7; III—2.0+0.9+1.5+2.1+0.9 = 7.4; IV—2.7+1.1+2.5+3.1+1.0 = 10.4; palp—1.4+0.5+0.9+0.9 = 3.7. Leg spines: I 0- 1p-1p,
2v-2v-
0, 2v-
2v-3v
; II 0-1p-1p,
2v-2v-
0, 2v-2
v1
p-
3v
; III 0-1p1r-1p1r,
1v-
1p1r-0,
2v-
1p1r-3
v1
p1r; IV 0- 1p1r-1p1r, 1
v1
p1r-1p1r-0, 2
v1
p1r-2
v1
p1r-3
v1
p1r. Abdomen (
Fig. 98
): slightly more elongate than in female. Palp (
Figs 105–106
): cymbium elongated, about equal to or slightly longer than, tibia length, with a short, broad; apophysis pointing laterally; RTA short and broad, with a single blunt point at apex; TA unsclerotized, long and bent at apex; EM semicircular, on posterior and prolateral sides of tegulum, ending at CON apex; CON unsclerotized but distinct.
Distribution.
Several localities on the eastern side of
Madagascar
(
Fig. 117
).
Habitat.
Forest, spiny forest/thicket, dry forests to high altitude rainforests.