Apostenus ochraceus Hadjissarantos, 1940

Bosselaers, Jan, 2009, Studies in Liocranidae (Araneae): redescriptions and transfers in Apostenus Westring and Brachyanillus Simon, as well as description of a new genus, Zootaxa 2141, pp. 37-55 : 42-43

Apostenus ochraceus Hadjissarantos, 1940

Figs. 1 F, G; 2 D; 8 B.

Apostenus ochraceus Hadjissarantos, 1940: 96 , fig. 31.

Material examined. 1 ♀, Greece, Lesbos, Agia Paraskevi, Galthouni, rivulet and stones in dense pine wood, 27 March 2008 [ CJVK 2816] ; 2 ♀, Lesbos, Anemotia, Moni Voukolon E., under stones in olive grove, 29 March 2008 [ CJVK 2821] ; 2 ♀, Lesbos, Kratigos, along road, under stones in ant nest, 50 m, N 39° 01' 04" E 26° 36' 43, 3 April 2008 [CJB] ; 2 ♀, Lesbos, Charamida, pine wood along road, under stones in ant nest, 55 m, N 39° 01' 06" E 26° 34' 26", 3 April 2008 [CJB] ; 1 ♀, Lesbos, Mytilini, N of Agios Georgios, under stones in derelict land, 3 April 2008 [ CJVK 2836] ; 1 ♀, Lesbos, Mytilini, S of Agios Georgios, in small quarry, 3 April 2008 [ CJVK 2837] .

Diagnosis. A. ochraceus is close to A. californicus and A. palmensis , but differs from A. californicus by its pale colour, from A. palmensis by its large PME and from both species by the posteriorly bifurcated median lobe of the epigyne.

Description. Male unknown.

Female. Total length 3.52. Carapace length 1.03, w 0.87, ochre with light grey striae, fovea brown, pronounced, length 0.16, anterior end 0.74 from front end of carapace. MOQ depth 0.14, anterior w 0.10, posterior w 0.19. AER w 0.24, PER w 0.31. Clypeus 1.5 times diameter of AME. Chelicerae ochre, with strong fr setae, especially close to paturon base. Sternum yellow, smooth, length 0.66, w 0.55. Abdomen yellow to orange brown, with four weak sigilla. Retrocoxal hymen clearly distinguishable. Leg length I 2.79 II 2.58 III 2.50 IV 3.60. Leg spination ( Fig. 2 D ) fe: I pl 0-0-1 do 1-1-0 plv 0-0-1; II do 1-1-0; III do 1-1-1; IV do 1-1-1; pa: I dt 1; II dt 1; III dt 1; IV dt 1; ti: I plv 1-1-1-1-1 rlv 1-1-1-1-1; II plv 1-1-1-1 rlv 1-1-1-1; III pl 0-0- 1 do 1-0-1 plv 1-1-0 rlv 0-1-0; IV pl 1-1-1 do 0-0-1 rl 1-0-1 plv 1-1-0 rlv 0-1-0; mt: I plv 1-1-1 rlv 1-1-1; II plv 1-1-1 rlv 1-1-1; III pl 0-1-0 rl 0-1-0 plv 1-0-1 rlv 1-0-1; IV pl 1-0-1 rl 1-1-1 plv 1-0-0 rlv 1-0-0 vts 1.

Epigyne ( Fig. 1 G) sclerotised but semitransparent, with a partly bifurcated, subtriangular median septum reminiscent of a Ginkgo leaf. Vulva ( Fig. 1 F) with anteriolateral CO and two oval ST with the long axis oriented transversally. The interior side of the ST1 wall has dispersed holes connected to tubes, presumably the ducts of glands.

Discussion. The epigynes of the specimens collected clearly correspond to the illustration of Hadjissarantos (1940). The anchor-shaped median lobe of the epigyne of A. ochraceus is quite similar to the epigynal median lobes of A. fuscus , A. palmensis and A. californicus ( Grimm 1986; Wunderlich 1992; Ubick & Vetter 2005), although the stalk is narrower in A. ochraceus . The vulvar structure with subglobular ST1 having thick, punctured walls is also typical for Apostenus . Apostenus ochraceus seems to live in association with nests of yellow ants ( Pheidole sp.). No males have ever been collected. In most species of Apostenus , males appear to be rare.

Distribution. Greece and the Greek isles.

Figures

FIGURE 1 A – E. Apostenus humilis. F – G. Apostenus ochraceus. A, B, male holotype. A, left male palp, rl view; B, left male palp, ve view; C, epigyne; D, leg II, tarsal tip; E, vulva, ve; F. vulva, ve.; G, epigyne. Scale bars: 0.1.

FIGURE 2 A – K. Leg spination schematics. A, legend; B, Apostenus humilis, male holotype; C, Apostenus humilis, female, MNHN 25; D, Apostenus ochraceus, female; E, Agraecina rutilia, female holotype; F, Agraecina lineata, female, MNHN 5653; G, Cybaeodes liocraninus, holotype; H, Cybaeodes testaceus, female holotype, MNHN 3107; I, Cybaeodes madidus, female holotype, MNHN 1677; J, Cybaeodes marinae, female, Italy, Castelporziano, AMNH; K, Arabelia pheidoleicomes, female holotype.