Eusparassus fritschi ( Koch, 1873 ), 2013

Moradmand, Majid, 2013, The stone huntsman spider genus Eusparassus (Araneae: Sparassidae): systematics and zoogeography with revision of the African and Arabian species, Zootaxa 3675 (1), pp. 1-108 : 36-37

Eusparassus fritschi ( Koch, 1873) stat. rev.

Figs 20–21 , 49c–d , 61c–d

Ocypete fritschi C. Koch, 1873: 114 (description of female, syntypes, SMF, examined)

Sparassus oraniensis (Lucas) . Simon 1880: 291 (unjustified synonymy). Removed from junior synonymy.

Type material. Syntypes (designated by Koch 1873): 2 ♀♀, MOROCCO: Region de Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz: Mtouga [label: 2 Types, Ocypete fritschi C. Koch, Marroko : Mtüga] 1872, Fritsch & Rein leg. ( SMF 4569 ) .

Other material examined. MOROCCO: Region de Souss-Massa-Draa: 4♂, 2♀♀, Agadir , April 1939, L. Bulaud ( MNHN) ; 2♀♀, 1juv, Tafraoute , camp place, 21 August 1999, H. Nickel ( SMF) ; 1♂ ( MM 198 ) , 1♀, June 1986, Wirtz leg. ( SMF) ; Region de Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz: 1♂ ( MM 194 ) , Tizi-n-Test, Taroudannt , Buland leg. ( MNHN) ; 1♂, Atlas, river gravel at Ouirgane , May 1976, 1200 m, P. Hillyard leg. ( NHM) . 5♀♀, 1sub ♀, S.E. of Marrakesh, Lala Aziza ( MNHN 6550 ) ; Region de Taza-Al Hoceima-Taounate: 2♀♀, Taza Province, Taza (N 34° 12' 36, W 4° 0' 36), 19 May 1936 ( SMF 4656 ) ; Region de Meknes-Tafilalet: 1♀, Azrou , 28 May 1930 ( SMF 4603 ) .

Diagnosis. Compared to other group members, it is the only species with posterior eyes (especially PME) distinctly reduced in size (~1.4 times smaller than AME) ( Fig. 21d ); male distinguished easily from other congeners by EM with a projected bulge ( Fig. 20c ); epigyne with MS and EF as long as wide ( Fig. 21a ) [see also diagnosis for dufouri species group above].

Description. Male (ranges: n=7, single measurement: MM 198):

Measurements. Males of medium size. Total length 14.6–16.7; prosoma length 7.1–8.2, prosoma width 6.0– 7.1, anterior width of prosoma 3.2–3.5, opisthosoma length 7.5–8.5, opisthosoma width 5.0–5.3. Eye diameters: AME 0.46, ALE 0.38, PME 0.37, PLE 0.40; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.21, AME-ALE 0.07, PME-PME 0.42, PME-PLE 0.47, AME-PME 0.35, ALE-PLE 0.25, clypeus height at AME 0.32, clypeus height at ALE 0.37.

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 4 or 5 posterior teeth; cheliceral furrow lacking intermarginal denticles.

Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 9.9 [3.1, 1.5, 1.7, 3.6], I 35.5 [9.9, 3.7, 9.0, 9.8, 3.1], II 38.9 [11.1, 3.8, 10.2, 10.6, 3.2], III 33.1 [9.8, 3.4, 8.5, 8.6, 2.8], IV 37.8 [10.9, 3.3, 9.4, 11.1, 3.1].

Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111; Legs: Femur I 324 /424, II 323/424, III 424, IV 322/422; Patella I– IV 101 ; Tibia I–IV 2224; Metatarsus I 1014 , II–III 2024, IV 3036.

Palp. As in diagnosis with ST not visible; vRTA rounded and weakly developed; cymbium longer than tibia ( Figs 20a, b ); ET pointing first proximad and distally ventrad; hyaline EM bulging and covering part of ET ( Fig. 20c ).

Female (ranges: n=10, single measurement: syntype):

Measurements. Females of large size. Total length 20.8–25.0, prosoma length 8.8–10.0, prosoma width 7.5– 9.4, anterior width of prosoma 4.6–6.0, opisthosoma length 12.0–15.0, opisthosoma width 7.0–10.0. Eye diameters: AME 0.50, ALE 0.43, PME 0.38, PLE 0.36; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.33, AME-ALE 0.16, PME-PME 0.60, PME-PLE 0.75, AME-PME 0.56, ALE-PLE 0.46, clypeus AME 0.45, clypeus ALE 0.53. AE distinctly larger than PE, with AME distinctly larger than others ( Fig. 21d ).

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 4 or 5 posterior teeth, cheliceral furrow lacking intermarginal denticles; one bristle at distal end of cheliceral basal segment ( Fig. 21e ).

Legs. Leg formula: II IV I III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 11.5 [3.4, 1.8, 2.2, 4.1], I 34.1 [9.4, 4.5, 8.1, 9.3, 2.8], II 36.7 [10.7, 4.5, 9.0, 9.7, 2.8], III 31.6 [9.7, 4.0, 7.6, 7.8, 2.5], IV 36.1 [10.3, 4.3, 8.8, 10.0, 2.7].

Spination. Palp 131, 101, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I 223/224/424, II–III 424, IV 322/422; Patella I–IV 000; Tibia I–II 0004/2024, III–IV 2024; Metatarsus I–III 1014 /2024, IV 3036.

Epigyne/vulva. As in diagnosis with EF as long as wide ( Fig. 21a ) or slightly longer than wide, longitudinal band on MS (dorsal view) weakly developed ( Fig. 21b ), GP well developed ( Fig. 21c ).

Colouration [in ethanol]. Reddish brown with series of chevron like patterns on dorsal opisthosoma, legs banded ( Figs 49c–d ), ventral opisthosoma with V-shaped dark marking ( Fig. 49d ).

Remarks. Koch (1873) described two females from the Mtuga Plateau, Morocco. He noted the general similarities in traits between this species and E. walckenaeri (sub Ocypete tersa ). Simon (1880) listed this species as synonym of E. oraniensis but with a question mark (sub Sparassus oraniensis ). Probably he did not see the syntypes, but referred to the colouration of the ventral opisthosoma for his judgment. The dark marking is a diagnostic character in all members of the dufouri group. In E. fritschi stat. rev. clear differences exist between the characters of the copulatory organs (especially the newly discovered male) compared to other species. Thus, species rank is re-established and the male is described here for the first time.

Known geographical distribution and habitat. The Atlas Mountains in Morocco, river gravel under stones.

Figures

FIGURE 20. Eusparassus fritschi (Koch, 1873) stat. rev., male from Morocco (SMF). (a) left palp, ventral; (b) left palp, retrolateral; (c) embolus tip and conductor, ventral.

FIGURE 21. Eusparassus fritschi (Koch, 1873) stat. rev., syntype female from Morocco: Mtuga (SMF). (a) epigyne, ventral; (b) vulva, dorsal; (c) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (d) eye arrangement, dorsal; (e) left chelicera, ventral.

FIGURE 49. Habitus of species of the dufouri group. (a–b) Eusparassus atlanticus Simon, 1909 stat. nov., syntype female; (c– d) Eusparassus fritschi (Koch, 1873) stat. rev., syntype female; (e–f) Eusparassus letourneuxi (Simon, 1874), female. (a, c, e) dorsal, (b, d, f) ventral.

FIGURE 61. Eusparassus dufouri group. (a–b) Eusparassus barbarus (Lucas, 1846); (c–d) Eusparassus fritschi (Koch, 1873) stat. rev.; (e–f) Eusparassus letourneuxi (Simon, 1874). (a, c, e) left male palps, ventral; (b, d, f) epigynes, dorsal.