Cyclocosmia ricketti ( Pocock, 1901 )

Zhu, M. S. & Zhang Introduction, J. X. Zhang F., 2006, Rare Spiders Of The Genus Cyclocosmia (Arachnida: Araneae: Ctenizidae) From Tropical And Subtropical China, Raffles Bulletin of Zoology 54 (1), pp. 119-124 : 120-121

Cyclocosmia ricketti ( Pocock, 1901)

( Figs. 1-2 )

Halonoproctus ricketti Pocock, 1901: 209 , pl. 21, fig. 1.

Cyclocosmia ricketti : Simon, 1903: 885, Figs. 1044-1047; Gertsch & Platnick, 1975: 18-19, Figs. 28, 29, 32, 36 (part); Chen & Zhang, 1991: 32, Fig. 25; Song, Zhu & Chen, 1999: 36, Figs. 16H, K-L (part); Schwendinger, 2005: 227, Figs. 2 -8, pl. 1D.

Material examined. – 1 female, Taishun, Zhejiang, China, coll. Z. F. Chen, Dec.1989 .

Diagnosis. – Cyclocosmia ricketti differs from the American species of Cyclocosmia in the abdominal disc with 23-33 ribs on each side ( Fig. 2C ) and the parallel-sided spermathecae ( Fig. 2E ). It is similar to Cyclocosmia latusicosta , new species, in the shape of spermathecae, but can be distinguished from the latter by the length of spermathecae being less than one and a half times its width ( Fig. 2E ), abdominal disc with 23-33 ribs on each side, and an elevated central zone absent inside the upper pair of muscle impressions ( Fig. 2C ). It is also similar to Cyclocosmia siamensis Schwendinger, 2005 ( Schwendinger, 2005: 231, Figs. 9-30, pl. 1C) in the shape of spermathecae, but differs from the latter in the upper and median pair of muscle impressions on opisthosomal disc separated by one transversal rib, all ribs lacking hairs with dark, short, cylindrical, upright proximal portion and light, long, flat, reclining distal portion, rib angles lacking bottlebrush-like bristles bent toward the centre ( Fig. 2C ).

Description of new female. Total length, including chelicerae, 25.83; chelicerae 4.32 long; carapace 11.07 long, 8.91 wide; abdomen 15.57 long, 15.30 wide.

Carapace ( Fig. 2A ) red-brown and smooth, with a few marginal hairs and a long bristle in front of ocular area, four long bent bristles in longitudinal row running through ocular area. Carapace curved in front and straight behind, widest at coxae II. Ocular area black, with a black band in front of fovea and beside ocular area respectively. Cervical groove and radial furrows distinct. Fovea deep and procurved, Ushaped, its greatest width occupying one fourth of carapace width at that point.

Eyes ( Fig. 2B ) set on low tubercle, ocular area 1.00 long, 2.43 wide anteriorly, 2.43 wide posteriorly, occupying two fifths of carapace width at that point. Clypeus height 1.46. Anterior eye row straight and posterior eye row recurved, both rows almost equal in length. Ratio of eyes, ALE: AME: PLE: PME (0.53: 0.45: 0.40: 0.25). ALE-AME 0.30, AME-AME 0.20, PLE-PME 0.08, PME-PME 1.18. MOA 0.91 long, 1.10 wide in front, 1.68 wide at back.

Chelicerae red-brown, inner margin with 11 teeth, outer margin with nine teeth and 15 denticles between them. Rastellum raised on prominent angled projection and consisting of many short black teeth. Labium yellow-brown, 1.56 long, 2.28 wide, with three black cuspules anteriorly. Maxilla yellow-brown, 4.50 long, 2.61 wide, armed with 15 black cuspules at base. Sternum yellow-brown, 6.75 long, 6.30 wide, with numerous long black setae, two pairs of small round sigilla near margin opposite coxae I and II, and a pair of large, irregularly outlined posterior sigilla. Palpal patella with one proventral distal spine.

Legs yellow-brown, with tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi darker in color, short and stout, with erect setae ventrally. Tibiae and tarsi of pedipalps, and tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi of legs I and II with numerous horn-like spines, metatarsus III with a few short dorsal and two ventral spines, tarsus III with a few dark spines prolaterally and ventrally, metatarsus IV with four short spines. Paired claws with a single large tooth, unpaired claw lacking tooth. Pedipalp with single claw bearing one tooth. Measurements of legs: I 21.15 (7.20, 4.14, 4.23, 3.60, 1.98), II 18.09 (5.85, 4.05, 3.15, 3.06, 1.98), III 17.46 (5.58, 4.23, 2.52, 2.97, 2.16), IV 22.32 (6.21, 5.40, 4.23, 4.14, 2.43). Leg formula: 3214. Tibia I 1.98 wide, tibia II 1.98 wide, tibia III 2.25 wide, tibia IV 2.25 wide.

Abdomen ( Fig. 2 C-D) funnel-shaped and dark yellow-brown. Caudal disc slightly concave, 13.95 in transversal diameter and 15.30 in longitudinal diameter, with two ribs running dorsoventrally and 32/33 radiating ribs on each side; each rib angle with 25 or more bristles. Abdominal disc with six well-marked muscle impressions. Four spinnerets, with inner pair small and one-segmented, and outer pair much longer and three-segmented. Two spermathecae ( Fig. 2E ), sack-like, parallel-sided, each one with a length less than one and a half times its width.

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. – China (Fujian, Hunan, Zhejiang, Sichuan).

Remarks. – Song et al. (1999: 36, Figs. 16H, K-L, pl. 1A-B) provided the illustrations of Cyclocosmia ricketti basing on a female specimen collected from Zhangjiajie, Hunan Province, China (drawn by Mr. J. F. Wang). However, the drawing of the disc ( Song et al., 1999: Fig. 16L) was copied from Gertsch & Platnick, 1975: Fig. 29, and it showed to be C. siamensis .

Figures

Fig. 1. Abdomen of Cyclocosmia ricketti (Pocock, 1901), caudal view.

Fig. 2. Cyclocosmia ricketti (Pocock, 1901): A, habitus of female; B, ocular area, dorsal view; C, abdomen, caudal view; D, same, lateral view; E, spermathecae, dorsal view. Scale bars: A, B, E = 1.0 mm, C-D = 2.0 mm.