Dendrolycosa robusta (Thorell 1895)

Figs 42–80, 167: 6–8, 10

Therimachus robustus Thorell 1895: 224 (Description of male and female; 1 male, 4 females, 1 juvenile, syntypes from Burma, Kyeikpadem, Oates ded., 1407 b, NHRS, examined; 1 female, 2 juveniles, syntypes from Burma, Tharrawaddy, Oates ded., 1407 a, NHRS, examined; 1 male, 4 females, 2 subadult males, 1 subadult female, syntypes from Burma, Kyeikpadem, NHM 1895.9.21.752–60 [part], examined; 1 immature, syntype from Burma, Tharrawaddy, NHM 1895.9.21.752–60 [part], examined).

Dendrolycosa robusta, — Simon 1898a: 289 (Transfer to Dendrolycosa). Pocock 1900: 247.

Nilus (Sphedanus) lanceolatus Simon 1898b: 16 (Description of female; holotype, female, from Cochinchina [S Vietnam], MNHN, examined). Syn. nov.

Pisaura lizhii Zhang 2000: 4, figs 3A–C (Description of female; holotype, female, China, Yunnan Province, L.Z. Zhang leg. 06.VI.1984, HUB, not examined). Syn. nov.

Dianpisaura lizhii,— Zhang et al. 2004: 367, figs 2–7, 176–181 (Transfer from Pisaura, description of male; 1 male, China, Yunnan, Mengla, D.Q. Li leg. 24.V.2000; 4 females, China, Yunnan, Mengla, J. F. Wang leg. 08.VII.1981; 3 females, China, Yunnan, Menglun County, C. Zhang & D.Q. Li leg. 30.VI.2001; none examined).

Additional material examined. Laos, Vientiane Prov., Vientiane, Ban Dongmakkhai, Houay Nhang Conservation Forest, N 18°5'1.84" E, 102°40'16.76", 186 m, secondary forest, in web on a twig of a tree (Figs 79–80), by hand, at night, P. Jäger leg. 01.IV.2011 as immature, adult in laboratory: 27.V.2011.

Diagnosis. Medium sized to large spiders with body length of 10.8–15.7 mm in males and 14.0–23.0 mm in females, and colour pattern A (Figs 62–78). Males distinguished by long and slender palpal articles (Figs 58–59); females distinguished from other Dendrolycosa spp. by the presence of a large anterior vulval pocket (Figs 43, 46, 52, 54, 57).

Redescription. Male (syntype NHRS 1407b). PL 5.5, PW 4.4, AW 3.4, OL 7.2, OW 2.4. Eye diameters: AME 0.27, ALE 0.30, PME 0.30, PLE 0.32. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.15, AME–ALE 0.09, PME–PME 0.18, PME–PLE 0.27, AME–PME 0.33, ALE–PLE 0.48, clypeus AME 0.35, clypeus ALE 0.35. Leg and pedipalpus measurements: pedipalpus 9.1 (3.5, 1.2, 2.5, -, 1.9); leg I 26.0 (7.0, 2.7, 6.8, 6.6, 2.9); leg II 25.7 (7.1, 2.7, 6.5, 6.5, 2.9); leg III 20.6 (5.7, 2.0, 5.3, 5.4, 2.2); leg IV 27.0 (7.5, 2.3, 6.5, 7.7, 3.0); leg formula 4123. Spination: palp: femur 160, patella 120, tibia 1101; Femur I 536, II 535, III 836, IV 435; Patella I–IV 121, Tibia I–II 2228, III 2227, IV 2226; Metatarsus I–IV 3037 (all metatarsi with distal ventral median spine). Chelicerae with 3 anterior (median largest) and 3 equally sized posterior teeth on left chelicerae and unequally sized on right chelicerae. Copulatory organ as in diagnosis. Palpal femur, patella and tibia elongated. Palpal tibia with dense ventral row of long bristles. RTA long, slender, almost straight, with distal tip slightly bent. Conductor extending distally beyond distal apophysis. Distal apophysis slender, strongly pointed, extending laterally beyond conductor in ventral view, with distinct dorsal outgrowth. Median apophysis long, slender, slightly sickle shaped, its distal part hidden behind distal apophysis in ventral view (position might vary, since it is arising from a membranous field) (Figs 58–61). Colour in ethanol (Figs 66–67). Yellowish to reddish brown with pattern A. Dorsal prosoma with 2 broad bright marginal to submarginal bands, these consisting of white feathered hairs. Sternum and ventral coxae without pattern. Gnathocoxae and labium darker. Chelicerae reddish brown with basal humps bright. Palp and legs without distinct pattern, becoming darker distally. Dorsal opisthosoma with characteristic dark brown patch in anterior half and brown folium, the latter darker and with undulating lateral margins in posterior half. Lateral opisthosoma contrasting and with irregular spots. Ventral opisthosoma with 4 longitudinal rows of muscle sigilla, the lateral ones with longitudinally elongated sigilla and reaching far into posterior half, the inner ones with transversally elongated sigilla, as continuous rows posterior to epigastric furrow and as single sigilla in posterior half (Fig. 65).

Female (syntype NHRS 1407b). PL 6.6, PW 5.3, AW 3.3, OL 9.5, OW 4.7. Eye diametres: AME 0.31, ALE 0.33, PME 0.35, PLE 0.38. Eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.20, AME–ALE 0.15, PME–PME 0.21, PME–PLE 0.46, AME–PME 0.41, ALE–PLE 0.66, clypeus AME 0.47, clypeus ALE 0.49. Leg and pedipalpus measurements: pedipalpus 8.5 (2.7, 1.3, 2.0, -, 2.5); leg I 25.1 (7.1, 3.0, 6.2, 6.2, 2.6); leg II 25.8 (7.4, 3.1, 6.6, 6.1, 2.6); leg III 21.4 (6.4, 2.6, 5.2, 5.1, 2.1); leg IV 26.7 (7.5, 2.7, 6.3, 7.2, 3.0); leg formula 4213. Spination: palp: femur 161, patella 120, tibia 1101, tarsus 1014; Femur I 636/534, II 335/535, III 535, IV 533; Patella I–IV 121, Tibia I 2127, II 2128, III–IV 2226; Metatarsus I–IV 3037 (all metatarsi with distal ventral median spine). Chelicerae as in male, unequally sized teeth on left chelicerae. Palpal claw with 9 teeth, paired leg claws with c. 14 teeth. Copulatory organ as in diagnosis. Epigynal field wider than long, with two anterior bands at anterior margin and 1–4 slit sense organs antero-laterally. Carina with strong posterior indentation, extending anteriorly beyond anterior lateral carinal margins. Few fine wrinkles in anterior and/or posterior part of epigyne. Median septum varying from narrow to broad. Internal duct system with broad copulatory ducts, the latter narrowing in front of head of spermathecae. Head of spermathecae distinct. Base of spermathecae round, only at posterior margin with distinct outline. Anterior pocket converging posteriorly (Figs 42–57).

Colour in ethanol: as in male (Figs 62–65, 68–70: partly faded; Figs 71–72: fresh material). For colour of live specimen see Figs 73–78.

Variation. Some females with darker colour pattern. According to illustrations of Pisaura lizhii by Zhang (2000), males have a RTA with a swelling proximally, and a conductor with prolateral margin at least partly straight (i.e. longer than that of syntypes of D. robusta) (Fig. 58); females of Chinese specimens (sub P. l i z h i i) with intromittent ducts extending medially not beyond lateral margins of anterior pocket (Fig. 52). The Laotian specimen with more slender head of spermathecae (Fig. 57).

Distribution Burma: Tharrawaddy and Kyeikpadem; China: Yunnan; Laos: Vientiane; Vietnam: Cochinchina (Fig. 167: 6–8, 10).