Eriauchenius milloti, Wood, Hannah M. & Scharff, Nikolaj, 2017

Wood, Hannah M. & Scharff, Nikolaj, 2017, A review of the Madagascan pelican spiders of the genera Eriauchenius O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1881 and Madagascarchaea gen. n. (Araneae, Archaeidae), ZooKeys 727, pp. 1-96 : 1

Eriauchenius milloti sp. n. Figs 17, 32

Type material.

Male holotype: MADAGASCAR, Toliara, Parc National Andohahela, Parcelle I, Manangotry, off Rte. 118, 34 km N Taolagnaro, 24°44'35.0"S, 46°51'23.3"E, 670 m, 23 Dec 2008 - 3 Jan 2009, primary montane rainforest, general collecting day and night, turning over dead palm frond bases on the ground, F. Alvarez-Padilla & H. Wood (deposited in USNM: USNMENT01377187).

Other material examined.

Female paratype, 1 eggcase, same data as holotype (USNMENT01377188); 3M,11F,1 eggcase, same as previous (USNMENT01377189, USNMENT01377180, USNMENT01377181, USNMENT01377182, USNMENT01377183, USNMENT01377179, USNMENT01377171, USNMENT01377172); 2M3F, same as previous except turning over dead palm frond bases on the ground, F. Alvarez-Padilla & H. Wood (USNMENT01377176, USNMENT01377177); 1Juv, same as previous except general collecting day and night, beating vegetation (USNMENT01377178); 1M, Toliara, Foret Classee Tsikongambarika I, Ivolo forest, Andily, ca. Fort Dauphin, 24°56'13.5"S, 46°55'58.4"E, 20 m, 13 Mar 2003, rainforest, Ludd tree trunks/litter, D. Andriamalala, D. Silva et al. (CASENT9015862); 1Juv, Toliara, Foret Classee Tsitongambarika, Cascade trail hike, 7.5 km NW Taolagnaro, 24°59'11.9"S, 46°55'34.7"E, 100 m, 24 Dec 2008, primary montane rainforest, general collecting day and night, F. Alvarez-Padilla & H. Wood (USNMENT01377184); 1Juv, Toliara, Parc National Andohahela, Parcelle I, Manangotry, off Rte. 118, 32 km N Taolagnaro, 24°45'50.1"S, 46°51'23.5"E, 100 m, 25 Dec 2008, rainforest near stream surrounded by disturbed slash/burn forest, sifting and mini-winkler extraction of leaf litter, F. Alvarez-Padilla & H. Wood (USNMENT01377175).

Etymology.

The specific name is a patronym to honor Dr. Jacques Millot for his work describing Madagascan archaeids.

Diagnosis.

Males distinguished from other " bourgini group" species except E. pauliani and E. lukemacaulayi sp. n. (and presumably E. milajaneae sp. n., although the males are unknown) by the presence of a lateral process on the conductor, which is narrow in E. lukemacaulayi sp. n. and E. milloti (Figs 14E, G–I, 17 D–I, asterisk), but is broader in E. pauliani (Fig. 18 C–D, F–H, asterisk). E. milloti sp. n. is distinguished from E. lukemacaulayi sp. n. by the quarter-moon-shape of the pedipalpal bulbs (Fig. 17 D–F, J–L). Females of E. lukemacaulayi sp. n., E. milajaneae sp. n., and E. milloti sp. n. (and presumably E. pauliani ) are distinguished from other " bourgini group" females by the enlarged, extended U-shaped PB (Figs 14B, 16B, 17B). The PB is smaller and thiner in other " bourgini group" females. In E. milloti sp. n. the curved ends of the PB extend all the way to the anterior edge of the FSGP (Fig. 17B), whereas in E. milajaneae sp. n. and E. lukemacaulayi sp. n. the curved ends do not go past the anterior of the “wings” (Figs 14B, 16B).

Description.

Male holotype (USNMENT01377187, from Parc National Andohahela, Madagascar). Total length 2.18, carapace 0.91 long, 0.85 wide. Abdomen 1.23 long, 1.31 high. Carapace tilt angle 69.58°, tilt height (CtH) 1.89, constriction 0.47, head length 0.81, neck length 0.92. CtH divided by carapace length 2.08. Cephalon with AME on large bulge. Cephalon with 4 short post-ocular spines at the crown, not on protrusions. Chelicerae 1.81 long, and with short spine 0.30 from base of chelicerae and projecting downward (Fig. 17A). Femur I 2.53 long. Sternum 0.59 long, 0.38 wide. Carapace, chelicerae, and sternum reddish brown with white setae, although chelicerae lighter brown in middle. All legs with parts that are lighter brown and parts with darker annulations. Abdomen yellowish white, with scattered small and large dark brown areas with yellowish spots, and with tufts of white setae (Fig. 17A). Pedipalpal bulb with a membranous sac above the base of the embolus, with a greatly exposed broad and dark embolus that is encircled by the conductor (Fig. 17 D–L). Conductor with a small narrow process (Fig. 17 D–I, asterisk) followed by a constriction (Fig. 17H, arrow) that is then followed by a large bulge on the retrolateral side.

Female paratype (USNMENT01377188). Total length 2.33, carapace 0.97 long, 0.88 wide. Abdomen 1.33 long, 1.51 high. Carapace tilt angle 62.94°, tilt height (CtH) 1.99, constriction 0.48, head length 0.87, neck length 0.95. CtH divided by carapace length 2.05. Cephalon as in male. Chelicerae 1.89 long, and with short spine 0.33 from base of chelicerae and projecting downward. Femur I 2.48 long. Sternum 0.64 long, 0.41 wide. Colors as in male, although abdomen with a greater degree of dark brown. Female genitalia FSGP with a rounded posterior elongation (Fig. 17B); PB large and U-shaped, extending to the anterior edge of the FSGP (Fig. 17B); poreplates in one group on each lateral side of the bursa anterior (Fig. 17C).

Variation.

Total length 1.78-1.89 (males; n=5), 1.94-1.99 (females; n=5); Carapace length 0.88-0.91 (males; n=5), 0.94-0.99 (females; n=5); Femur I 2.73-2.82 times the length of carapace in males (n=5), 2.55-2.64 in females (n=5); CtH divided by carapace length 1.98-2.08 in males (n=5), 1.99-2.08 in females (n=5). Average femur I length 2.49 in both males (n=5) and females (n= 5).

Natural history.

In primary rainforest from 20-640 m in elevation. Collected day and night, turning over dead palm frond bases on the ground, in litter, and on tree trunks.

Distribution.

Known only from Parc National Andohahela and surroundings in the southeastern part of Madagascar (Fig. 32).