Hortipes, A Huge Genus Of Tiny Afrotropical Spiders (Araneae, Liocranidae)
Author
BOSSELAERS, JAN
Author
JOCQUÉ, RUDY
text
Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History
2000
2000-10-19
2000
256
4
4
http://www.bioone.org/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1206%2F0003-0090(2000)256%3C0004%3AHAHGOT%3E2.0.CO%3B2
journal article
10.1206/0003-0090(2000)256<0004:HAHGOT>2.0.CO;2
0003-0090
5351417
Hortipes pollux
,
new species
Figures 9b–e
,
11c
;
Map 2
TYPES:
Male
holotype
: litter in
Kasaramba forest
, elev.
2350 m
,
Nyika Plateau
,
Malawi
,
S10°40'
,
E33°50'
(13
December
, 1981;
R. Jocque´
) (
MRAC 156.577
).
Paratypes
:
3♀
together with
holotype
(
MRAC
),
1♀
(
AMNH
)
;
16,
1♀
from litter in
Juniper Forest
, elev.
2150 m
,
Nyika Plateau
,
Malawi
S10°40'
,
E33°50'
(13
December
, 1981;
R. Jocque´
) (
MRAC
)
;
16 from litter in
Mwenembwe Forest
, elev.
2300 m
,
Nyika Plateau
,
Malawi
S10°40'
,
E33°50'
(17
December
, 1981;
R. Jocque´
) (
MRAC
)
.
ETYMOLOGY: Because this species is the largest of two very similar species, it is named after the brightest of the two firstmagnitude stars in the constellation Gemini.
DIAGNOSIS: Males of
H. pollux
are recognized by the presence of an apophysis on palpal pa in combination with the sharply bent RTA and a MA that is visible over a fairly large ratio of the MA’s length. Males are distinguished from those of the closely related
H. castor
by the distal end of the palpal patellar apophysis being clearly distinguishable from basal part and making an angle with the latter. Females can be recognized by the relatively simple vulvar structure with large, those of the closely related
H. castor
by the ID making a ventrally oriented Uloop.
MALE:
Measurements.
Total length 2.27; carapace 1.13 long, 0.86 wide; length of fe: I 0.95, II 1.00, III 0.78, IV 1.22.
Leg spination.
Fe: I rv 2; IV plt 0 rlt 0; ti: I, II vsp 5–6; mt: III plt 0–1 vt 0 rlt 0; IV plt 1 vt 1 rlt 1.
Coloration.
Carapace yellow, chelicerae and sternum pale yellow. Abdomen offwhite, marbled with pale grey irregular spots. Legs yellow.
Palp.
Pa with short, slightly procurved, retrolateral apophysis whose distal end is clearly distinguishable from basal part and makes an angle with the latter; ti with evenly recurved, sharp RTA; cymbium elongate without prolateral concavity nor series of curved hairs; sperm duct in tegulum fairly narrow and of same width over almost entire length; MA originating on distal extremity of tegulum, thin, and slightly tapered from base to tip, visible over about onehalf its length in ventral view, reaching RTA in retrolateral view; embolus originating on prolateral part of tegulum, without swollen or enlarged base, fairly thin and short, distal part appressed against MA (fig. 9b–d).
FEMALE:
Measurements.
Total length 3.73; carapace 1.51 long, 1.22 wide. Length of fe: I 1.35, II 1.40, III 1.16, IV 1.62.
Leg spination.
fe: I rv 2; IV plt 0–1 rlt 0–1; ti: I, II vsp 6–7; mt: III plt 1 vt 0 rlt 0; IV plt 1 vt 2 rlt 1.
Coloration.
Carapace orange yellow, chelicerae yellow. Sternum pale yellow, bordered with orange yellow. Abdomen pale yellow, without pattern. Legs orange yellow.
Female genitalia.
Vulva: entrance of ID anterior to large, spherical ST1, IDs running parallel to each other along symmetry axis in posterior direction, making a Uloop in ventral direction before connecting to ST1. A short distance from entrance, at anterior end of Uloop, ID is associated with glandular structure connected with the lumen through a series of pores (figs. 9e, 11c).
OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED:
Malawi
:
1♀
from litter in evergreen forest around
Chisenga Falls
, elev.
1800 m
,
Nyika Plateau
,
S10°40'
,
E33°50'
(9
December
, 1981;
R. Jocque´
) (
MRAC
)
;
1♀
from litter alongside waterfall in
Juniper Forest
, elev.
2150 m
,
Nyika Plateau
,
S10°40'
,
E33°50'
(13 Decem
2000 BOSSELAERS AND JOCQUÉ:
HORTIPES
37
or
6 in
males, 6 or
7 in
females), the presence of a plt spine on mt III in males, and the presence of terminal spines on fe IV of females, as well as the transparency of the vulva and the exact shape of the ID vertical Uloop are variable.
DISTRIBUTION: Nyika Plateau,
Malawi
.