Hygropoda tangana ( Roewer, 1955 ) Cruz Da Silva, 2013

Cruz Da Silva, Estevam L., 2013, The nursery-web spider Hygropoda tanganus (Roewer, 1955) comb. nov. (Araneae: Lycosoidea: Pisauridae); generic transfer, first description of the female and redescription of the male, Zootaxa 3710 (3), pp. 289-296 : 290-294

Hygropoda tangana ( Roewer, 1955) new combination

Figs 1–20

Cispius tanganus Roewer 1955: 238 , figs 88b, 90a–c, male holotype from Tanga, Tanzania, East Africa [05º03'S, 39º06'E], (SMF 10546, examined).

Note. The male holotype of Cispius tanganus was compared to specimens from Madagascar available at CAS. The combination of characters of the male palpus (developed embolus, membranous distal apophysis and median apophysis) with the excavated middle field of the female epigynum and shape of the head of the spermathecae observed in the females, the presence of long and flexible tarsi (character exclusively found in Hygropoda Thorell, 1894 and Megadolomedes Davies & Raven, 1980 ) and the fact that males and females were found together in several Madagascar samples, justifies the transfer of C. tanganus from Cispius to Hygropoda .

Diagnosis. The males of H. tangana comb. nov. resemble those of H. higenaga (Kishida, 1936) by the short membranous distal tegular apophysis ( Zhang et al., 2004, fig. 83), but can be distinguished by the distal finger-like ventral projection on the tegulum (VTP, figs 8, 12, 13) and by the large and heavily sclerotized embolus (E) ( Figs 7 , 10, 11 ). Females resemble those of H. higenaga by the presence of two lateral excavations on the middle field ( Zhang et al., 2004, fig. 80), but can be distinguished by the deep median excavations ( Figs 9 , 14, 15 ) and by the acute median posterior projection surrounded by the lateral lobes ( Fig. 14 ).

Description. Male (holotype). Total length 6.05. Carapace 2.07 long, 1.55 wide, yellow, unmarked ( Figs 1, 2 ). Clypeus yellow, scattered setae, 0.10 high ( Fig. 4 ). Anterior eye row straight (front view) 0.54 wide ( Fig. 4 ),; posterior recurved, 0.76 wide ( Fig. 1 ). Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.08, ALE 0.10, PME 0.12, PLE 0.10; AME-AME 0.06, AME-ALE 0.06, PME-PME 0.17, PME-PLE 0.14, OQA 0.26, OQP 0.40, OQH 0.30. Chelicerae light brown, scattered bristles ( Fig. 4 ). Sternum yellow, glabrous, light brown laterally ( Fig. 3 ); 1.12 long, 0.94 wide. Labium yellow, 0.32 long, 0.34 wide ( Fig. 3 ). Legs yellow with long dark brown macrosetae ( Fig. 5 ), relative length: I-II-IV-III, I— femur 7.31/ tibia-patella 9.04/ metatarsus 9.31/ tarsus 3.70/ total 29.36; II—5.39/ 6.22/ 5.81/ 2.15/ 19.57; III—3.07/ 2.98/ 3.32/ 1.16/ 10.53; IV—5.14/ 5.22/ 5.47/ 2.32/ 18.15. Ventral pairs of macrosetae on tibiae: I-5; II-4; III-3; IV-3. Hood of trichobothria smooth ( Fig. 18 ). Superior tarsal claw with 17 teeth, inferior with one tooth ( Fig. 19 ). Abdomen 4.15 long, yellow, unmarked ( Figs 1, 2 ). Venter light yellow, glabrous ( Fig. 3 ). Palpus with a hook-like and curved median apophysis ( Figs 7 , 10, 11 ). Distal apophysis tegular membranous ( Figs 7 , 11 ). Ventral tegular projection finger shaped ( Figs 7 , 10, 11 ). Embolus slender and heavily sclerotized ( Figs 7 , 10, 11 ). Retrolateral tibial apophysis slender and elongated ( Figs 8 , 12, 13 ).

Female (Fianarantsoa Province, Madagascar, CAS 9008954). Total length 7.30. Carapace 2.32 long, 1.82 wide, color as in male ( Fig. 6 ). Clypeus as in male, 0.12 high. Anterior eye row straight, 0.56 wide; posterior recurved, 0.82 wide. Eye diameters and interdistances: AME 0.09, ALE 0.08, PME 0.10, PLE 0.08; AME-AME 0.11, AME-ALE 0.08, PME- PME 0.20, PME-PLE 0.18, OQA 0.26, OQP 0.40, OQH 0.28. Chelicerae light brown, bristly; promargin with five teeth equidistant and equal in size; retromargin without teeth. Sternum as in male, scattered setae; 1.20 long, 1.05 wide. Labium dark brown, 0.34 long, 0.40 wide. Legs as in male, relative length: I-II-IV-III, I—femur 5.39/ tibia-patella 6.30/ metatarsus 5.37/ tarsus 2.45/ total 19.51; II—4.23/ 4.98/ 4.15/ 1.99/ 15.35; III—2.98/ 3.07/ 2.57/ 1.16/ 9.78; IV—4.73/ 4.64/ 4.06/ 1.74/ 15.17. Ventral pairs of macrosetae on tibiae: I-4; II-4; III-3; IV-3. Abdomen 5.14 long, color as in male ( Fig. 6 ). Epigynum with copulatory plugs ( Fig. 15 ). Middle field of epigynum with concave median excavations ( Figs 9 , 14 ). Elongated copulatory ducts ( Fig. 16 ). Head of spermathecae short ( Fig. 16 ) and with pores and with small finger-like projections ( Fig. 17 ).

Material examined. TANZANIA, Tanga: Lushoto District, Mazumbai Forest Reserve [04°29’S, 38°29’E], elevation 1650m, 1 ♂, 22.XI.1995, no collector data ( ZMUC) , Muheza District, Kwamgumi Forest Reserve [04°57’S, 38°45’E], elevation 450m, 14 ♂, 6 ♀, 18? 20.VII.1995, no collector data ( ZMUC) , Segoma Forest Reserve [04°59’S, 38°44’E], elevation 210m, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 11.XI.1995, no collector data ( ZMUC) ; Iringa: Mufindi District, Uzungwa Forest Reserve [08°31’S, 35°54’E], elevation 750m, 2 ♂, 12.III.1996, McKamey et al. ( ZMUC) . KENYA, Kwale: Shimba Hills National Reserve, Makadara Forest [04°10’S, 39°27’E], elevation 400m, 3 ♂, 1 ♀, 08.VI.1975, A. J. Penniman & B. D. Valentine ( AMNH) . SOUTH AFRICA, Eastern Cape: Mkhambath [31°17’S, 29°58’E], 1 ♀, 28.I.2008, no collector data ( NCA 6758 ) . MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa Province: Forêt d’Analalava [22°35’S, 45°07’E], elevation 700m, 1 ♀, 01–05.II.2003, B. L. Fisher et al. ( CAS 9017406 ) , 1 ♀, 01–05.II.2003, B. L. Fisher et al. ( CAS 9008954 ) ; Isalo National Park, Sahanafa River [22°18’S, 45°17’E], elevation 500m, 2 ♀, 10–13.II.2003, C. E. Griswold et al ( CAS 9017318 ) , 1 ♂, 27–31.I.2003, B. L. Fisher et al. ( CAS 9017225 ) ; Toliara Province: Forêt Classée d’Analavelona [22°40’S, 44°11’E], 1100m, 1 ♀, 18–22.II.2003, B. L. Fisher et al. ( MCTP) .

Distribution. Tanzania, South Africa (East Cape), Kenya, Madagascar (Fianarantsoa, Toliara) ( Fig. 20 ).

Figures

FIGURE 20. Distribution of Hygropoda tangana (Roewer, 1955).

FIGURES 1–6. Hygropoda tangana (Roewer, 1955) comb. nov. 1–5 male habitus (1 dorsal, 2 lateral, 3 ventral, 4 frontal, 5 ventral macrosetae of right tibia I). 6 female habitus, dorsal view.

FIGURES 7–9. Hygropoda tangana (Roewer, 1955) comb. nov. 7, 8 left male palpus (7 ventral, 8 retrolateral). 9 female epigynum (ventral). (BPT = basal projection of tegulum, C = conductor, DTA = distal tegular apophysis, E = embolus, MA = median apophysis, RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis, ST = subtegulum).

FIGURES 10–13. Hygropoda tangana (Roewer, 1955) comb. nov. 10–13 left male palpus (10 ventral, 11 details of bulb, 12 retrolateral, 13 detail of retrolateral tibial apophysis). (BPT = basal projection of tegulum, C = conductor, DTA = distal tegular apophysis, E = embolus, MA = median apophysis, RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis, ST = subtegulum).

FIGURES 14–19. Hygropoda tangana (Roewer, 1955) comb. nov. 14–17 female epigynum (14 ventral, without copulatory plug, 15 ventral, with copulatory plug, 16 dorsal, 17 detail of the head of spermathecae, dorsal view). 18 trichobothria of right leg IV, 19 tarsal claw of left leg II, prolateral view. (BS = base of spermathecae, CD = copulatory duct, CP = copulatory plug, FD = fertilization duct, HS = head of spermathecae, LL = lateral lobes, MF = middle field of epigynum).