Zorodictyna Strand, 1907

Henrard, Arnaud, Griswold, Charles & Jocqué, Rudy, 2024, On new genera and species of crack-leg spiders (Araneae, Udubidae) from Madagascar, European Journal of Taxonomy 966 (1), pp. 1-80 : 50-52

Genus Zorodictyna Strand, 1907

Figs 22–26

Type species

Zorodictyna intermedia Strand, 1907 (= junior synonym of Zorodictyna oswaldi ( Lenz, 1891) , see below), by monotypy.

Diagnosis

Cribellate udubids having an entire or vestigial cribellum and a strong scopulae beneath leg tarsi and most of length of metatarsi. The male palp ( Figs 23C , 25C ) is provided with a short paracymbium retrolateral process (PP) (absent in Zorodictyna oswaldi ( Lenz, 1891)) and the female epigyne has a median lobe (ML) broad, nearly rectangular, not extending to posterior margin of epigyne ( Figs 23D , 25D ). The genus is distinguished from Uduba males in lacking a threadlike embolus and a knob-like process between palpal patella and tibia and from Uduba females by having compact spermathecae rather than multiple loops. It is distinguished from Tabiboka gen. nov. and Zorascar gen. nov. by having a strong tarsal and metatarsal scopulae and having a cribellum rather than a colulus.

Description

BODY. Large spiders (males: 13.00–24.00; females: 19.00–31.00) with smooth teguments of carapace, sternum and legs ( Figs 22 , 24 ). Carapace piriform, longer than wide (L/W: males: 1.12–1.50; females: 1.24–1.41), with thoracic fovea linear; with sparse cover of short, dark setae; profile higher in ocular and thoracic area and abruptly sloping posteriorly.

COLORATION ( Figs 22 , 24 ). Cephalothorax brown dorsally, yellow-brown ventrally; abdomen dark with obscure pattern ( Z. almae sp. nov., Z. silvadavilae sp. nov.) or with bold markings ( Z. oswaldi ( Lenz, 1891)) .

EYES ( Figs 22A, C , 24A, C ). In two nearly straight rows: ALE larger than AME, PLE and PME similar to ALE; tapetum of secondary eyes canoe shaped, shiny. Clypeus with long setae.

PROSOMA. Chilum double, about three times or more as wide as high. Chelicerae: paturon conical, with some long setae medially, three teeth on both margins, with retrolateral thick setae at fang base; fang with serrate texture on proximal edge. Labium ( Figs 22B, D , 24B, D ) rectangular. Endites ( Figs 22B, D , 24B, D ) roughly rectangular, with retrolateral margins sinuous, distal part slightly wider than proximal part, with subdistal serrula present as simple row. Sternum ( Figs 22B, D , 24B, D ) oval, slightly longer than wide, length 1.22–1.33 times width, with slightly curved margins, not extending between coxae IV.

LEGS ( Figs 22 , 24 ). Slender. Formula 4123 or 1423. Three tarsal claws, unpaired claw smooth, small to absent, superior claws with six to eight teeth; without claw tufts or tenent setae; scopulae present beneath all tarsi and distal parts of metatarsi. Trichobothria in two or more rows on tarsi, in three or more on metatarsi, all equal in length; distal and proximal plates of bothria well differentiated, proximal plates with transverse ridges ( Griswold 1993: fig. 62). Tarsal organ with tear-drop or keyhole-shaped opening ( Griswold 1993: fig. 63), close to tip of tarsus. Spines numerous, with four pairs of ventral spines on tibia I, not overlapping, and three pairs of ventral spines on metatarsus. Calamistrum present, oval in basal third of metatarsus. Male tibial crack (autospasy suture) present in males as a suture through the bases of leg tibia just distad to the basalmost pair of ventral spines ( Fig. 24B , arrow). Trochanters distally notched to entire.

ABDOMEN ( Figs 22 , 24 ). Oval, without scuta. Epiandrous glands absent. Cribellum entire. Spinnerets:ALS and PLS large, conical, biarticulate; PMS one-segmented, small. Females with two ALS major ampullate gland spigots and field of about 10–20 piriform gland spigots and tartipores; PMS with two anterior minor ampullate gland spigots and posterior cylindrical gland spigots and aciniform gland spigots; PLS with few cylindrical gland spigots and aciniform gland spigots, apically with unique spigot, probably “modified” or “pseudoflagelliform” gland spigot; males lack cylindrical gland spigots and have “modified” gland spigot and second of each pair of major ampullate gland and minor ampullate gland spigots spigot reduced to nubbins.

MALE PALP ( Figs 23A–C , 25A–C ; LENZ 1891: FIG. 6b–c ; Lehtinen 1967: fig. 78; Griswold 1993: figs 19– 21). Tibia with large or stout RTA, inserted medially, provided with basal concavity, with short rounded or tapered VTA; cymbium oval with rounded distal extremity, without dorsal patch of short setae, with rounded paracymbial retrolateral process (PP) (absent in Zorodictyna oswaldi ) and conical retrobasal extension (CE); bulbus provided with retrobasal subtegulum lobe (locking lobe, SL), and tegulum rounded with well-developed prolateral conical protrusion at base of embolus (corresponding locking lobe, TL); embolus (E) with fixed base, originating prolateraly, directed clockwise, short and lamellate ( Figs 23A–B , 25A–B ); median apophysis (MA) hook-shaped, situated opposite to E; conductor (C) hyaline, well developed, fan-shaped, medially extending from narrow base to wide flattened tip; paraconductor (Pc) as narrow, finger-like membranous extension inserted between tegulum and base of MA with sharp triangular dorso-prolateral process (EBP) arising near bases of embolus and paraconductor.

GENITALIA. Epigyne ( Figs 23D , 25D ; Lenz 1891: fig. 8b; Lehtinen 1967: figs 72, 76; Griswold 1993: figs 22–24) as single, shield-shaped plate (ML) with convex median and lateral folds; lateral sector convex or with tooth. Endogyne ( Figs 23E , 25E ): copulatory ducts (CD) very short, twisted; spermatheca (S) one or two lobate, head of spermatheca provided with one or more pores; no evidence of enlarged Bennett’s Gland pore through spermathecal base.

Species included

Zorodictyna oswaldi (type species, ♂ ♀); Zorodictyna almae sp. nov. (♂ ♀); Zorodictyna silvadavilae sp. nov. (♂ ♀).

Note on the type species

The first species name used in Zorodictyna was Zorodictyna intermedia Strand, 1907 , which is the type species by monotypy. However, there is good reason to consider Z. intermedia Strand, 1907 a junior synonym of Uduba inhonesta Simon, 1906 (now Z. inhonesta ), which was already recognized by Lehtinen (1967). Furthermore, we have carefully examined the type specimens of Agroeca oswaldi Lenz, 1891 (now Z. oswaldi ) and Z. inhonesta : the distinction observed by Lehtinen 1967 was artifactual, resulting from a mating plug lodged in the epigyne of the type of Z. oswaldi in contrast with the clean epigyne of the type of Uduba inhonesta Simon, 1906 . We have established that Z. inhonesta ( Simon, 1906) is itself a junior synonym of Z. oswaldi . Therefore, the type species of Zorodictyna Strand, 1907 is also a junior synonym of Z. oswaldi . For more complete details concerning the synonymy, see the description of Zorodictyna oswaldi ( Lenz, 1891) below.

Affinities

From the molecular analyses ( Fig. 2 ), Zorodictyna appears closely related to species in the Udubidae that have been identified as Tabiboka gen. nov. and Zorascar nov. gen.

Distribution

Species of the genus Zorodictyna occur in Madagascar ( Fig. 26 ).

Figures

Fig. 22. Zorodictyna almae sp. nov., male and female habitus; A–B = male holotype (CASENT_9082245; FMNH); C–D = female paratype (CASENT_9082245; FMNH). A, C. Dorsal view. B, D. Ventral view. Scale bars = 5 mm. Stacked microphotographs by Franklyn Cala Riquelme.

Fig. 23. Zorodictyna almae sp. nov., genitalia drawings; A–C = male holotype (CASENT_9082245; FMNH); D–E= female paratype (CASENT_9002829; CAS).A. Left palp, prolateral view.B. Idem, ventral view. C. Idem, retrolateral view. D. Epigyne, ventral view. E. Endogyne, dorsal view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CD = copulatory duct; CE = cymbial retrobasal extension; CO = copulatory opening; E = embolus; EBP = embolus basal process; FD = fertilisation duct; LL = lateral lobe; MA = median apophysis; ML = median lobe; MS = median sector; Pc = paraconductor; PP = paracymbial process; RTA= retrolateral tibial apophysis; S = spermatheca; SL = subtegular locking lobe; TL = tegular locking lobe; VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale bars = 0.25 mm. Illustrations by Charles Griswold.

Fig. 24. Zorodictyna silvadavilae sp. nov., male and female habitus; A–B = male holotype (CASENT_9006231; CAS); C–D = female paratype (FMNH-0000-056-622; FMNH). A, C. Dorsal view. B, D. Ventral view, the arrow in B points to the tibial crack. Scale bars = 5 mm. Stacked microphotographs by Franklyn Cala Riquelme.

Fig. 25. Zorodictyna silvadavilae sp. nov., genitalia drawings; A–C = male holotype (CASENT_9006231; CAS); D–E = female paratype (CASENT_9006230; USNM).A. Left palp, prolateral view.B. Idem, ventral view. C. Idem, retrolateral view. D. Epigyne, ventral view. E. Endogyne, dorsal view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CD = copulatory duct; CE = cymbial retrobasal extension; CO = copulatory opening; E = embolus; EBP = embolus basal process; FD = fertilisation duct; LL = lateral lobe; MA = median apophysis; ML = median lobe; MS = median sector; Pc = paraconductor; PP = paracymbial process; RTA= retrolateral tibial apophysis; S = spermatheca; SL = subtegular locking lobe; TL = tegular locking lobe; VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale bars = 0.25 mm. Illustrations by Jenny Speckels.

Fig. 26. Distribution map of species, and samples localities in the northern and eastern part of Madagascar. Tabiboka milleri gen. et sp. nov. (orange), Tabiboka milloti gen. et sp. nov. (yellow), Tabiboka polotowae gen. et sp. nov. (purple), Zorascar pasunepipe gen. et sp. nov. (red), Zorascar pasunepomme gen. et sp. nov. (dark blue), Zorodictyna almae sp. nov. (pale blue), Zorodictyna silvadavilae sp. nov. (green), Zorodictyna oswaldi (Lenz, 1891) (pink star).

Fig. 6. Tabibokamillerigen.nov.etsp. nov.SEM ofmale rightpalp(mirrored), paratype(CASENT_9016094; CAS). A. Palp, ventral, slightly retrolateral view.B. Idem, retrolateral view.C. Idem, dorsal view.D. Bulb, prolateral view. E. Idem, ventral view. F. Idem, retrolateral view. Abbreviations: BC = basal concavity of the RTA; C = conductor; CE = cymbial retrobasal extension; E = embolus; MA = median apophysis; Pc = paraconductor; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; SL = subtegular locking lobe; TL = tegular locking lobe; VTA = ventral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: A–C = 0.43 mm; D–F = 0.2 mm. SEM images by Charles Griswold and Darrell Ubick.

Fig. 2. Phylogenetic reconstruction based on the maximum likelihood (MLi) analysis performed on the COI–16S dataset, showing the relationships between Zorascar gen. nov. and other relatives of the family Udubidae Griswold & Polotow, 2015 and Zoropsidae Bertkau,1882. The tree is congruent in its topology (for supported nodes) with the Bayesian analyses of the same dataset. Nodal support values (MLi Bootstraps and posterior probabilities (PPr) are indicated as following = MLi/PPr). Values below 50/0.5 are not shown or indicated by hyphens.