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 LEPRETE
HUBER
SP. NOV.
(
Figs 53
,
74
,
161, 162
,
199
)
Type:
Male
holotype
from near
Le Prete
(
18°15.9
′
N
,
73°56.7
′
W
),
Dept Sud
,
Haiti
;
170 m
a.s.l.
, forest over coffee and banana plantations, from sheltered places near the ground,
2 December 2007
(
B.A. Huber
), in
ZFMK
(
Haiti
15a)
.
Etymology:
The species name refers to the
type
locality; it is used as a noun in apposition.
Diagnosis:
Medium-sized species that is very similar to
M. tiburon
sp. nov.
, but differs in the pattern of modified hairs on male chelicerae (
Fig. 161
), epigynum much smaller, pore plates relatively larger and rounder (
Fig. 162
), and prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1.
Male (
holotype
):
Total length, 2.7; carapace width, 1.2. Leg 1: 31.1 (7.8 + 0.5 + 7.8 + 12.5 + 2.5); tibia 2, 5.2; tibia 3, 4.3; tibia 4, 5.6. Tibia 1 L/d: 73. Habitus similar to
M. seguin
sp. nov.
(cf.
Figs 27–29
), carapace pale ochre-white, with wide brown lateral margins posteriorly, thoracic furrow also dark brown, indistinct spot posteriorly medially; ocular area and clypeus light brown, clypeus with pair of lateral darkbrown bands; sternum medially brown with some light spots, whitish laterally; legs ochre to light brown, tips of femora and tibiae whitish, darker rings subdistally on femora and tibiae; abdomen bluish grey, with many black spots dorsally (except heart area) and laterally, with some small white spots forming disrupted lines; genital area and area in front of spinnerets light brown, with a bluish spot in between. Ocular area strongly elevated; thoracic furrow distinct. PME–PME, 105 Mm; PME diameter, 135 Mm; PME–ALE, 135 Mm; AME–AME, 25 Mm; AME diameter, 25 Mm. Sternum wider than long (0.85/0.60), unmodified. Chelicerae with patch of ~20 short modified hairs distally on each side (
Fig. 161
). Palps very similar to
M. tiburon
sp. nov.
(cf.
Fig. 157
), but much smaller, and bulbal apophysis more curved and more pointed in dorsal view. Legs with spines on femur 1 (one prolateral row, ~25 short spines not reaching tip of femur) and femur 2 (three rows: prolateral row with ~20 spines, not reaching tip; prolateroventral row with five spines reaching tip; retrolateroventral row with eight spines, reaching tip); all femora with many short vertical hairs; curved hairs on all tibiae and metatarsi; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 11%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae. Tarsus 1 with ~30 pseudosegments.
Figures 161–165.
Diagnostic characters. 161, 162.
Modisimus leprete
sp. nov.
161. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 162. Cleared epigynum, dorsal view. 163–165.
Modisimus macaya
sp. nov.
163. Left palp, retrolateral view. 164. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 165. Cleared epigynum, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.3 mm.
Variation:
Second male without spines on femora. Tibia 1: 7.2.
Female:
In general similar to male. Tibia
1 in
three females
: 5.5, 5.9, and 6.1. Epigynum, composed of two lateral plates, smaller and more sculptured than in
M. tiburon
sp. nov.
, and with a more distinct posterior sclerite (
Fig. 53
); dorsal view as in
Figures 74
and
162
, with oval pore plates.
Distribution:
Known from
type
locality only (
Fig. 199
).
Material examined:
Haiti
:
Dept Sud
, near
Le Prete
,
1♂
,
holotype
above; same data,
1♂
,
3♀
and
six juveniles
(
ZFMK
,
Haiti
15); same data,
2♂
,
1♀
and
one juvenile
, in pure ethanol (
ZFMK
,
Haiti
87)
.