Eriauchenius rafohy, 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 rafohy sp. n. Figs 5, 30

Type material.

Male holotype: Madagascar, Antananarivo, Réserve Spéciale d’Ambohitantely, Forêt d’Ambohitantely, 20.9 km 72° NE Ankazobe, 18°13'31"S, 47°17'13"E, 1410 m., 17-22 Apr 2001, montane rainforest, general collecting night, J.J. Rafanomezantsoa et al. (deposited in CAS; CASENT9006503).

Other material examined.

MADAGASCAR: 3F, together with the holotype (CASENT 9006503); Paratype female,1M, 1 hatched eggcase, Antananarivo, Réserve Spéciale d’Ambohitantely, Forêt d’Ambohitantely, 20.9 km 72° NE Ankazobe, 18°13'30.3"S, 47°16'44"E, 1574 m., 19 Mar 2003, primary montane rainforest, Ldd fallen logs/litter (among fallen logs and litter), D. Andriamalala, D. Silva, et al. (CASENT 9015039); 1M,1Juv, Antananarivo, Réserve Spéciale d’Ambohitantely, Forêt d’Ambohitantely, 20.9 km 72° NE Ankazobe, 18°13'30.3"S, 47°16'44"E, 1574 m, 20 Mar 2003, primary montane rainforest, Ludd/raking, D. Andriamalala, D. Silva, et al. (CASENT9015019); 3M, 3F,>70Juvs, Antananarivo, 3 km 41° NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147° SSE Anjozorobe, 18°28'24"S, 47°57'36"E, 1300 m., 5-13 Dec 2000, montane rainforest, general collecting, Fisher, Griswold et al. (CASENT9004087, CASENT9004076); 2F,6Juv, Antananarivo, 3 km 41° NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147° SSE Anjozorobe, 18°28'24"S, 47°57'36"E, 1300 m., 5-13 Dec 2000, montane rainforest, beating low vegetation, Fisher, Griswold et al. (CASENT9003844); 1F,8Juv, Antananarivo, 3 km 41° NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147° SSE Anjozorobe, 18°28'24"S, 47°57'36"E, 1300 m., 5-13 Dec 2000, montane rainforest, beating and sweeping, Fisher, Griswold et al. (CASENT9004010); 1F,1Juv, Antananarivo, 3 km 41° NE Andranomay, 11.5 km 147° SSE Anjozorobe, 18°28'24"S, 47°57'36"E, 1300 m., 5-13 Dec 2000, montane rainforest, cryptic searching, Fisher, Griswold et al. (CASENT9008673); 1F, 1Juv, Antananarivo, Réserve Spéciale d’Ambohitantely, Forêt d’Ambohitantely, 20.9 km 72° NE Ankazobe, 18°13'31"S, 47°17'13"E, 1410 m., 17-22 Apr 2001, montane rainforest, EB17 beating low vegetation, Fisher, Griswold et al. (CASENT9001208).

Etymology.

The specific name is a noun in apposition and commemorates Queen Rafohy.

Diagnosis.

Males and females are considered part of the " workmani group" based on having a single dorsal protuberance on the abdomen (a triangular shaped abdomen) (Fig. 5A). Males are distinguished from the " workmani group" species E. andriamanelo sp. n., E. ranavalona sp. n., and E. rangita sp. n. by having a bifurcating MA (Fig. 5C), from E. andrianampoinimerina by lacking the distinctive abdomen markings (Fig. 5A), and E. workmani by lacking the large bump on the pedipalpal bulbs (Fig. 5 D–K). Females are distinguished from E. andriamanelo by lacking the heavily sclerotized “T” shaped structure on the posterior of the bursa, from E. andrianampoinimerina by lacking the strong abdomen markings and by the “neck” having a tilt angle that is less than 80°, and from E. ranavalona by lacking the lime-green abdomen markings. Females are indistinguishable from the remaining " workmani group" species.

Description.

Male holotype (CASENT9006503, from Réserve Spéciale d’Ambohitantely, Madagascar). Total length 4.41, carapace 1.75 long, 1.29 wide. Abdomen 2.57 long, 1.29 wide, 2.91high, with a prominent dorsal hump. Carapace tilt angle 74.82°, tilt height (CtH) 3.93, constriction 0.56, head length 1.38, neck length 2.29. CtH divided by carapace length 2.25. Cephalon with AME on a large bulge and 4 post-ocular protrusions on the apex of the cephalon (Fig. 5A), each provided with a short modified spine at the tip. Chelicerae 4.02 long, and with spine 0.39 from base of chelicerae (Fig. 5A). Femur I 9.02 long. Sternum 1.12 long, 0.67 wide. Carapace, chelicerae, sternum and femora I & II reddish dark brown with many white setae. All coxae and legs III & IV yellowish brown. The latter with darker annulations on femora, tibiae and metatarsi. Abdomen yellowish brown, mottled with brown, and light brown book-lung covers, all covered with many white setae (Fig. 5A). Pedipalpal tegulum of the " workmani group" form, with apical conductor encircling a pit-like cavity (Fig. 5 C–L). Conductor tip is a broad triangular point similar to other " workmani group" species except E. andriamanelo sp. n. (Fig. 5 D–L). MA with a bifurcation (Fig. 5C, H, L). Embolus similar to other " workmani group" species, being broad and complex with the sperm duct opening in the middle and sclerotization only at the tip (Fig. 5 D–E, G–H, J–K).

Female paratype (CASENT9015039). Total length 4.60, carapace 1.69 long, 1.51 wide. Abdomen 2.65 long, 2.39 wide, 3.91 high, with dorsal hump. Carapace tilt angle 73.3°, tilt height (CtH) 4.00, constriction 0.59, head length 1.54, neck length 2.26. CtH divided by carapace length 2.37. Cephalon as in male. Chelicerae 3.99 long, and with spine 0.44 from base of chelicerae. Tarsus of pedipalps with ventral patch of long thick setae. Femur I 6.30 long. Sternum 1.10 long, 0.66 wide. Colors as in male, but generally darker. Female internal genitalia indistinguishable from other " workmani group" species (Fig. 5B).

Variation.

Total length 3.39-4.73 (males; n=4), 4.32-4.86 (females; n=6); Carapace length 1.50-1.80 (males; n=4), 1.57-1.75 (females; n=6); Femur I 5.10-5.72 times the length of carapace in males (n=4) and 3.48-3.88 times the length of carapace in females (n=6). CtH divided by carapace length 2.17-2.35 in males (n=4), 2.20-2.39 in females (n=6). Average femur I length 8.70 (males; n=4), 6.16 (females; n=6).

Natural history.

Specimens have been collected in montane rainforest through general collecting, beating vegetation, sweeping, raking, cryptic searching, and among fallen logs and litter in altitudes from 1300-1638 m above sea level. One specimen was collected with a hatched eggsac.

Distribution.

Known only from Antananarivo Province in central Madagascar (Fig. 30).