Eriauchenius goodmani, 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 goodmani sp. n. Figs 10, 31

Type material.

Male holotype: MADAGASCAR, Toliara, Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d’Andohahela, parcel 1, 15.0 km NW Eminiminy, camp 4, 24°34.2'S, 46°43.9'E, 1500 m, 17-27 Nov 1995, Steve Goodman (deposited in FM).

Other material examined.

Female paratype, same data as holotype, except 20.0 km SE Andranondambo, camp 5, 24°33.7'S, 46°43.3'E, 1875 m, 27 Nov - 5 Dec 1995 (FM).

Etymology.

The specific name is a patronym to honor Dr. Steven Goodman, who collected the specimens and for his extensive work on Madagascar’s biodiversity.

Diagnosis.

Males are distinguished from other “bourgini-group” species except E. harveyi sp. n., E. fisheri , and E. wunderlichi sp. n., by having the pedipalpal tegulum of the " workmani group" form (Fig. 10E), with the apical conductor encircling a pit-like cavity (Fig. 10 D–E). Males are distinguished from E. harveyi sp. n., E. fisheri , and E. wunderlichi sp. n., by the conductor being greatly elongated and blunt at the tip (Fig. 10F). Females are distinguished from " bourgini group" species, except E. harveyi sp. n., E. fisheri , and E. wunderlichi sp. n., by having a bursa with two large groups of poreplates on a sclerotized plate that covers the ventral side of the bursa (Fig. 10C), whereas in other " bourgini group" species the poreplates are in smaller cluster on the anterior side of the bursa. Females are distinguished from E. harveyi sp. n. and E. fisheri , by having a thicker posterior bar on the internal genitalia (Fig. 10B), and distinguished from E. wunderlichi sp. n. females by lacking the large bulge in the center of the posterior bar (Fig. 12B).

Description.

Male holotype (FM, from Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d’Andohahela, Madagascar). Total length 2.62, carapace 1.01 long, 0.87 wide. Abdomen 1.34 long, 1.40 high. Carapace tilt angle 72.2°, tilt height (CtH) 1.62, constriction 0.64, head length 0.81, neck length 0.80. CtH divided by carapace length 1.60. Cephalon with AME virtually flush with surrounding cuticle, and with a single pair of short modified spines at the apex (Fig. 12A). Chelicerae 1.65 long, and with long spine 0.23 from base of chelicerae and projecting perpendicular to the cheliceral cuticle (Fig. 10A). Femur I 2.10 long. Sternum 0.73 long, 0.45 wide. Carapace, chelicerae, sternum and legs reddish brown with white setae. Abdomen mostly yellowish white, but mottled with light brown, interspersed with brown setae (Fig. 10A). Pedipalpal tegulum of the " workmani group" form, with apical conductor encircling a pit-like cavity (Fig. 10 D–F). Conductor tip elongated with a blunt tip (Fig. 10F). MA not present, but SC present and heavily sclerotized and thicker than the transluscent thin structure seen in the " workmani group" (Fig. 10E). Embolus dark, thick, and notched at tip where the opening occurs (Fig. 10D).

Female paratype (FM, from Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d’Andohahela, Madagascar). The cephalon is damaged in this specimen making the head length measurement and cephalon spine count impossible. Total length 3.42, carapace 1.57 long, 1.38 wide. Abdomen 1.70 long, 1.88 high. Carapace tilt angle 65.6°, tilt height (CtH) 2.41, constriction 0.91, neck length 1.34. CtH divided by carapace length 1.54. Cephalon as in male. Chelicerae 2.87 long, and with long spine 0.20 from base of chelicerae and projecting perpendicular. Femur I 2.84 long. Sternum 1.00 long, 0.59 wide. Carapace, chelicerae, sternum and legs reddish brown with white setae. Abdomen darker than the male, mottled with dark brown areas and lighter yellowish areas, interspersed with brown setae. Genitalia with a noncomplex FSGP, with posterior bar, “wings” present but translucent, with poreplates in two large groups, divided down the middle and on a sclerotized plate that covers the ventral side of the bursa (Fig. 10 B–C).

Variation.

no other known material.

Natural history.

Specimens were collected in rainforest from 1500-1875 m in elevation.

Distribution.

Known only from Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d’Andohahela in southeast Madagascar (Fig. 31).