Eriauchenius harveyi, 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 harveyi sp. n. Figs 11, 32

Type material.

Male holotype: Madagascar, Fianarantsoa, Massif Andringitra, 43 km S Ambalavo, 22°14'S, 47°00'E, 825 m, 4 Oct 1993, rainforest, sifted litter B.L. Fisher (deposited in CAS; CASENT9012110)

Other material examined.

MADAGASCAR: Female paratype, same data as holotype, (CASENT9012342); 1M, Fianarantsoa, 9.0 km NE Ivohibe, 22°25.6'S, 46°56.3'E, 900 m, 12-17 Nov 1997, forest, leaf litter, B.L. Fisher (CASENT9012109)

Etymology.

The specific name is a patronym to honor Dr. Mark Harvey for his work on the Australian archaeids.

Diagnosis.

Males are distinguished from other " bourgini group" species except E. fisheri , E. goodmani sp. n. and E. wunderlichi sp. n. by having the pedipalpal tegulum of the " workmani group" form, with the apical conductor encircling a pit-like cavity (Fig. 11 D–K). Males are distinguished from E. fisheri by having a comparably straighter embolus, with only a broad curve (Fig. 11E, H, J–K), rather than s-shaped, from E. goodmani sp. n. by lacking the elongated conductor that is broad and blunt at the tip (Fig. 10F), rather than tapering off to a fine point (Fig. 11F, I), and from E. wunderlichi sp. n. by lacking an elongation in the apical portion of the tegulum where the conductor swirls around making the bulb almost twice as long as it is wide (Fig. 12F). Females are distinguished from the " bourgini group" except for E. goodmani sp. n. and E. wunderlichi sp. n. by having two large groups of poreplates on a sclerotized plate that covers the ventral side of the bursa (Fig. 11C), whereas in other " bourgini group" species the poreplates are in smaller clusters on the anterior side of the bursa. Females are distinguished from E. goodmani sp. n. by having a thinner posterior bar (Fig. 11B), and from E. wunderlichi sp. n. by lacking the large bulge in the center of the posterior bar (Fig. 12B). Females are indistinguishable from E. fisheri .

Description.

Male holotype (CASENT9012110, from Massif Andringitra, Madagascar). Total length 2.05, carapace 0.87 long, 0.75 wide. Abdomen 1.08 long, 1.15 high. Carapace tilt angle 76.1°, tilt height (CtH) 1.29, constriction 0.55, head length 0.73, neck length 0.61. CtH divided by carapace length 1.48. Cephalon with AME virtually flush with surrounding cuticle, and with 2 short modified spines at the apex (Fig. 11A). Chelicerae 1.30 long, and with a long spine 0.15 from base of chelicerae and projecting perpendicular to the cheliceral cuticle (Fig. 11L, arrow). Femur I 1.36 long. Sternum 0.56 long, 0.37 wide. Carapace, chelicerae, sternum and legs reddish brown with white setae, but reduced numbers compared to other Eriauchenius . All patella lighter in color, being more yellowish white. Abdomen mottled brown and beige, with tufts of white setae, although reduced in number compared to other Eriauchenius (Fig. 11A). Pedipalpal (Fig. 11 D–K) tegulum of the " workmani group" form (Fig. 11 D–E), with apical conductor encircling a pit-like cavity. Conductor tip tapering off into a sharp point (Fig. 11I). MA broad, thick and triangular (Fig. 11H, K), and sclerite SC heavily sclerotized and thicker than the transluscent thin structure seen in the " workmani group". Embolus dark, broadly curved, and wire-like (Fig. 11 G–K).

Female paratype (CASENT9012342). Total length 2.31, carapace 0.97 long, 0.86 wide. Abdomen 1.23 long, 1.24 high. Carapace tilt angle 76.3°, tilt height (CtH) 1.45, constriction 0.65, head length 0.82, neck length 0.70. CtH divided by carapace length 1.49. Cephalon as in male. Chelicerae 1.44 long, and with long spine 0.17 from base of chelicerae and projecting perpendicular. Femur I 1.50 long. Sternum 0.63 long, 0.42 wide. Colours as in male. Genitalia with a noncomplex sclerotized plate, with posterior bar, and with “wings” reduced, with poreplates in two large groups, divided down the middle of the bursa and on a sclerotized plate that covers the ventral side of the bursa (Fig. 11 B–C).

Variation.

Total length 2.05-2.12 (males; n=2); Carapace length 0.87-0.92 (males; n=2); Femur I 1.57-1.64 times the length of carapace in males (n=2). CtH divided by carapace length 1.47-1.48 in males (n=2). Average femur I length 1.43 (males; n=2).

Natural history.

Specimens were collected in rainforest in the leaf litter from 825-900 m in elevation.

Distribution.

Known only from around Andringitra Massif in southeast Madagascar (Fig. 32).