Physocyclus lyncis, Nolasco & Valdez-Mondragón, 2022

Nolasco, Garduño & Valdez-Mondragón, Alejandro, 2022, Four new species of the spider genus Physocyclus Simon, 1893 (Araneae: Pholcidae) from Mexico, with updated taxonomic identification keys, European Journal of Taxonomy 813, pp. 173-206 : 198-201

Physocyclus lyncis sp. nov. Nolasco & Valdez-Mondragón

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F0F73C91-0BF2-4841-88E6-56B9AE3D1BE5

Figs 58–63

Differential diagnosis

Females of Physocyclus lyncis sp. nov. resemble P. californicus by shape of epigynum, with semisquare shape in anterior part; VAE with a flat, wide shape in frontal and lateral views ( Fig. 61 ; VM 2010: figs 12, 14). In P. lyncis sp. nov. (1) VAE long, wide, almost flat, ending in rounded tip, with dark region between them ( Figs 61–62 ); (2) VAE closer to each other; (3) PP long, elongated, slightly curved ( Fig. 63 ); (4) sclerotized arc of uterus pointing toward right side; (5) body coloration light beige, with a light brown inverted triangle pattern in carapace ( Fig. 58 ); (6) irregular pale gray marks spread on sternum ( Fig. 60 ).

Etymology

The species name is a noun in apposition and refers to the type locality where the species was collected: Cueva del Lince, Ejido La Primavera, Ecotourist Park, Jalisco, Mexico.

Material examined

Holotype MEXICO • ♀; Jalisco, Municipality of Zapopan, Cueva del Lince, Ejido La Primavera , Ecotourist Park ; 20.7120°N, 103.5700°W; 1605 m a.s.l.; 8 Nov. 2020; A. Valdez, I. Navarro, A. Juárez and S. Nolasco leg.; daytime collection; CNAN-T01476 .

Paratypes MEXICO • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; CNAN-T01477 • 2 ♀♀; Municipality of Zapopan , Ejido La Primavera, Ecotourist Park; 20.6892°N, 103.5820°W; 1645 m a.s.l.; 30 Mar. 2012; L. Olguín, J. Mendoza, G. Contreras, C. Santibañez and D. Ortiz leg.; daytime collection; CNAN-T01478 .

Other material

MEXICO • 2 immatures; same collection data as for holotype; LATLAX .

Description

Female (holotype, CNAN-T01476)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 4.5. Carapace 1.6 long, 1.9 wide. Clypeus 0.5. Diameter AME 0.10, ALE 0.12, PME 0.12, PLE 0.15. Distance ALE-PME 0.11, PME-PME 0.18. Leg lengths: I missing; tibia II: missing; tibia III: 4.8; tibia IV: 6.4.

PROSOMA. Carapace light beige with light brown irregular pattern, triangular-shaped around fovea and posterior part of ocular region ( Fig. 58 ). Fovea longitudinal. Clypeus entirely light gray, without marks. Chelicerae light gray, without stridulatory files ( Fig. 59 ). Sternum with light beige coloration, with spread and irregular pale gray spots. Endites and labium longer than wide, with light brown coloration ( Fig. 60 ).

LEGS. All segments with same coloration as carapace. Tibiae and femora with light gray rings distally. Trochanter light gray retrolaterally ( Fig. 60 ).

OPISTHOSOMA. Globose, longer than wide, with big dark marks, gray and white ( Figs 58–59 ). Spinnerets light brown ( Fig. 60 ).

EPIGYNUM. Wider than long, with semisquare shape in anterior part; VAE long, wide, semicircular distally and almost flat, pointing downwards ( Figs 61–62 ). Pale region close to epigastric furrow ( Fig. 61 ). PP wide, sclerotized arc of uterus ( Fig. 63 ).

Male

Unknown.

Variation

Females Female paratype collected from the type locality smaller than female holotype. The body coloration and its patterns are lighter. The marks on the ophistosoma are only dark. (N =1): tibia I: missing; tibia II: missing; tibia III: missing; tibia IV: 5.3. Females collected in 2012 are bigger than female holotype. Body coloration is ocher and the marks are dark brown. Dark region between the VAE is more marked and darker. (N =2): female 1: tibia I: missing; tibia II: missing; tibia III: 5.6, tibia IV: 7.6. Female 2: tibia I: missing; tibia II: missing; tibia III: 4.9; tibia IV: 6.8.

Natural History

The specimens were collected on the walls of a small cave. The wall of the cave is of clay material that came off on contact ( Fig. 75 ). This cave is located in perturbed oak forest, but the predominant vegetation of the Ejido La Primavera is oak-pine forest ( Fig. 74 ). This type of vegetation is somewhat unusual for the genus Physocyclus , which commonly inhabits deciduous tropical forest and xerophytic scrub, but rarely temperate forest.

Distribution

Mexico: Jalisco ( Fig. 78 ).

Figures

Figs 58–63. Physocyclus lyncis sp. nov. Female (holotype). 58–60. Habitus in dorsal, lateral and ventral views, respectively. 61–63. Epigynum in ventral, lateral and dorsal views, respectively. Scale bars: 58– 60 = 1 mm; 61–63 = 0.5 mm.

Figs 74–77. Habitat and microhabitat of Physocyclys lyncis sp. nov. (74–75) and Physocyclus pocamadre sp. nov. (76–77). 74. Pine-oak forest, predominant vegetation in the Ejido La Primavera, Ecotourist Park, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. 75. “Cueva del Lince” (type locality), inside of the Ejido la Primavera, Ecotourist Park, Zapopan, Jalisco, Mexico. 76. Habitat close to the beach “El Tecolote”, La Paz, Baja California Sur. 77. Xerophytic scrub, close to the beach “Punta San Francisquito” (type locality), Baja California.

Fig. 78. Known records of Physocyclus mariachi sp. nov., P. sikuapu sp. nov., P. lyncis sp. nov., and P. pocamadre sp. nov. from Western Mexico. Abbreviations: BC = Baja California; BCS = Baja California Sur; COL = Colima; DGO = Durango; GRO = Guerrero; JAL = Jalisco; MICH = Michoacan; NAY = Nayarit; SIN = Sinaloa; SON = Sonora.