Madagascarchaea lotzi, 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

Madagascarchaea lotzi sp. n. Figs 27, 34

Eriauchenius jeanneli (Millot, 1948): Wood 2008: 283, figs 2C, 14E, 17A, 18B, 22 A–D (in part; specimens from Parc National Ranomafana)

Type material.

Male holotype: MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana, 2.3 km N Vohiparara village, 21°12.8'S, 47°23.0'E, 1100 m, 18 Apr 1998, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, N. Penny, M. Raherilalao, E. Rajeriarison, J. Ranorianarisoa, J. Schweikert, D. Ubick (deposited in CAS; CASENT9012000).

Other material examined.

MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana: 3M, 7F, including female paratype, Talatakely, 21°15'S, 47°25'E, 900 m, 5-7 Dec 1993, N. Scharff, S. Larcher, C. Griswold, and R. Andriamasimanana (CASENT9012330, CASENT9046572); 1F, same data as holotype (CASENT9012007); 1F, Vohiparara, Piste Touristique, 21°13.6'S, 47°24.0'E, 1000 m, 23 Apr 1998, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, N. Penny, M. Raherilalao, E. Rajeriarison, J. Ranorianarisoa, J. Schweikert, D. Ubick (CASENT9012009); 1F, same data as previous except 19 Apr 1998 (CASENT9012008); 1F,1juv, same data as previous except 12,14 Apr 1998 (CASENT9012002); 3M, 4F, 1juv, 21°12'S, 47°27'E, Apr-May 1992, B Roth (CASENT9012005); 3M, 1F, 6juv Vohiparara, Sahamalaotra forest, 41.1 km 54° NE Fianarantsoa, 21°14'19.9"S, 47°23'39.2"E, 1200 m, 26 Dec - 14 Jan 2006 montane rainforest, general collecting day, beating vegetation - specifically clumps of dead dry foliage, H. Wood, J. Miller, J.J. Rafonomezantsoa, E. Rajeriarison, V. Andriamananony (USNMENT01377203, USNMENT01377204, USNMENT01377195); 1M, Vatoharanana, 21°16.7'S, 47°26.1'E, 1200 m, 15 Apr 1998, primary forest, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, N. Penny, M. Raherilalao, J. Ranorianarisoa, J. Schweikert, D. Ubick (CASENT9012006); 1F, Vatoharanana River, 4.1 km 231° SW Ranomafana, 21°17'24"S, 47°26'00"E, 1100 m, 27-31 Mar 2003, montane rainforest, general collecting, beating and puffing spiders, Griswold, Fisher et al. (CASENT9018921); 1M, Talatakely, 21°14.9'S, 47°25.6'E, 5-18 Apr 1998, at night, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, N. Penny, M. Raherilalao, J. Ranorianarisoa, J. Schweikert, D. Ubick (CASENT9012004); 1F,1juv, Vohiparara, 3.6 km W Ranomafana, 21°14.243'S, 47°23.842'E, 1150 m, 13-14 Jan 2009, primary montane rainforest, beating vegetation, C. Griswold, A. Saucedo and H. Wood (USNMENT01377196); 1M, 7 km SW Ranomafana, 1200 m, 22 Oct 1988, W. Steiner, C. Kremen, R. Van Epps (USNMENT00879969); 1F, 7 km W Ranomafana, 1100 m, 1-7 Nov 1988, W.E. Steiner (USNMENT00879988).

Etymology.

The specific name is a patronym to honor Dr. Leon Lotz for his work in describing the South African and Madagascan archaeids.

Diagnosis.

Typically M. lotzi sp. n. can be distinguished from the northern species, M. ambre and M. moramora sp. n., by the presence of an invagination in the abdomen posteriorly (Fig. 27A, arrow). M. lotzi sp. n. is further distinguished from M. moramora sp. n. by having a bifurcation in the embolus that is more shallow (Fig. 27 E–F, H–I) rather than the deeper bifurcation of M. moramora sp. n. (Fig. 28E, F), and from M. ambre by having the anterior portion of the embolus not narrow and jutting out past the conductor in the retrolateral direction (see fig. 21 in Wood 2008). M. lotzi sp. n. is distinguished from M. jeanneli by having an embolus with a more shallow bifurcation, and with the posterior portion of the embolus lacking a large bifurcation at the tip (Fig. 27 E–F, H–I).

Description.

Male holotype (CASENT9012000, from Parc National Ranomafana, Madagascar). Total length 1.61, carapace 0.72 long, 0.51 wide. Abdomen 0.88 long, 1.00 high. Carapace tilt angle 57.0°, tilt height (CtH) 1.24, constriction 0.40, head length 0.79, neck length 0.62. CtH divided by carapace length 1.74. Cephalon with AME on large bulge, and with 6 short post-occular spines at the apex, not on protrusions, and 1 short spine between and posterior to LE and median eyes (see fig. 18B of Wood 2008; broken off on the left side). Chelicerae 1.19 long, and with a small spine 0.33 from base of chelicerae and projecting downward (Fig. 27A). Femur I 1.94 long. Sternum 0.47 long, 0.25 wide. Carapace, chelicerae, and sternum reddish brown with white setae. Legs light brown with darker annulations throughout. Abdomen dark brown with lighter circular patches throughout, with white and brown setae (Fig. 27A). Posterior edge of abdomen invaginated (Fig. 27A, arrow). Conductor concave and triangular; MA dark, thick, and curves anteriorad; S1 a thin ridge; Embolus dark, with bifurcation, with both anterior and posterior pieces of bifurcation flat and wavy (Fig. 27 D–L).

Female paratype (CASENT9012330). Total length 1.96, carapace 0.75 long, 0.55 wide. Abdomen 1.13 long, 1.64 high. Carapace tilt angle 55.0°, tilt height (CtH) 1.35, constriction 0.37, head length 0.75, neck length 0.61. CtH divided by carapace length 1.80. Cephalon as in male. Chelicerae 1.31 long, and with a short spine 0.33 from base of chelicerae and projecting downward. Femur I 1.99 long. Sternum 0.49 long, 0.27 wide. Colors as in male. Posterior edge of abdomen invaginated. Genitalic bursa divided down middle by sclerotized piece on anterior-ventral side, with two main groups of poreplates on either side (Fig. 27C); FSGP with two strong points arising from either side of anterior edge, having ‘wings’ and lacking posterior elongation (Fig. 27B).

Variation.

Total length 1.53-1.61 (males; n=5), 1.70-1.96 (females; n=5); Carapace length 0.68-0.74 (males; n=5), 0.73-0.80 (females; n=5); Femur I 2.64-2.71 times the length of carapace in males (n=5), 2.66-2.89 in females (n=5); CtH divided by carapace length 1.64-1.74 in males (n=5), 1.62-2.80 in females (n=5); Average femur I length 1.90 in males (n=5), 2.07 in females (n= 5).

Natural history.

Specimens were collected in montane rainforest from 900-1200 m in elevation by general collecting, beating and puffing, general collecting at night, beating vegetation, and beating clumps of dead, dry foliage.

Distribution.

Known only from Parc National Ranomafana in central eastern Madagascar (Fig. 34).