Storenomorpha anne, Jäger, Peter, 2007

Jäger, Peter, 2007, Spiders from Laos with descriptions of new species (Arachnida: Araneae), Acta Arachnologica 56 (1), pp. 29-58 : 49-54

Storenomorpha anne spec. nov.

Figs. 83-92

Type material. Male holotype ( SMF 56395 ), Laos, Luang Prabang Prov., Luang Prabang, Phou Si (L10), 299 m altitude, N 19°53.390', E 102°08.06 l', disturbed forest, on the ground, at night, by hand, P. Jäger & J. Altmann leg. 4. + 9.III.2006 . 6 male paratypes, 1 female paratype ( SMF 56396 ), same data as holotype .

Further material examined. 1 subadult male, 1 subadult female, 1 juvenile ( SMF 56397 ), same data as holotype .

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Anne Gaelle Verdier (Heritage House, Luang Prabang) for her steady support during my Laos expeditions; noun (name) in apposition.

Diagnosis. Males can be recognised by having both, tegular apophysis and conductor, sharply pointed, extending beyond the retrolateral margin of cymbium and pointing in the same direction, i.e. being retrolatero-basad ( Figs. 83 - 84). Females may be recognised by having both, anterior and posterior parts of internal duct system coiled (Fig. 88) and the shape of the median septum of epigynum (Fig. 87).

Description. Male (holotype). PL 5.4, PW 3.9, OL 5.6, OW 3.4, sternum length 2.4, sternum width 1.7, chelicerae length 1.35. Eye diametres: AME 0.27, ALE 0.29, PME 0.23, PLE 0.27. Eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.05, AME-ALE 0.11, PME-PME 0.10, PME-PLE 0.54, AME- PME 0.12, ALE-PLE 0.52, clypeus AME 0.79, clypeus ALE 0.53. Leg and pedipalpus measurements: pedipalpus 5.4 (1.9, 0.9, 0.6, -, 2.0); leg I 14.8 (4.3, 2.1, 3.9, 2.8, 1.7); leg II 13.1 (3.8, 1.9, 3.4, 2.5, 1.5); leg III 10.6 (3.2, 1.7, 2.7, 1.8, 1.2); leg IV 13.5 (4.0, 1.8, 3.6, 2.7, 1.4). Leg spination (all ventral): Tibia: I + III 2 short distal spines, II 1 retrolateral distal spine/1 prolateral distal spine, one prolateral subdistal spine, IV 1 prolateral short distal spine; Metatarsus: I—II 8~10 cusps, 2 short distal spines; III-IV 2-3 subdistal cusps, 4 short distal spines (left III additional ventral cusp).

Pedipalpus with massive semicircular conductor, arising in a 6-o’clock-position from tegulum, with distinct scultpure in its marginal part. Embolus very thin, filiform, arising in a 5-o’clock-position, passing into conductor’s groove in a 6-o’clock-position ( Fig. 83 ). Palpal tibia with one sharp, pointed apophysis, hook-shaped in a retrolateral view (Fig. 84).

Female. PL 6.1, PW 4.1, OL 9.5, OW 6.9, sternum length 2.5, sternum width 1.8, chelicerae length 1.60. Eye diametres: AME 0.31, ALE 0.31, PME 0.26, PLE 0.29. Eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.10, AME-ALE 0.15, PME- PME 0.16, PME-PLE 0.65, AME-PME 0.20, ALF-PLE 0.72, clypeus AME 0.90, clypeus ALE 0.61. Leg and pedipalpus measurements: pedipalpus 4.7 (1.8, 1.0, 0.8, -, 1.1); leg I 12.8 (4.0, 2.0, 3.5, 2.0, 1.3); leg II 12.6 (3.7, 2.1, 3.2, 2.2, 1.4); leg III 10.7 (3.2, 1.8, 2.5, 1.9, 1.3); leg IV 13.7 (4.0, 2.0, 3.6, 2.6, 1.5). Leg spination (all ventral): Tibia: I—III 2 short distal spines, IV 1 prolateral short spine; Metatarsus: I—II 8- 9 cusps (right I 3 cusps), 2 short distal spines; III-IV 4 subdistal cusps (left IV additional subdistal cusp), 4 short distal spines.

Epigynum with median septum having a broader posterior part and a narrow anterior part with diverging margins both, anteriorly and posteriorly. Copulatory openings lateral to anterior septum, coiled. Epigynal field as long as wide, rounded; with three slit sense organs on each side, two of them included in the field, one separated with 1~2 of its length from the field (Fig. 87). Internal duct system with two coils in the anterior half, following copulatory openings; posterior part as laterad coil; anterior and posterior part connected by ducts running para-median (Fig. 88). Subadult female with pre-epigynum (Fig. 90), resembling epigyna of adults ( S. arboccoae Jocque & Bosnians 1989 , S. paguma Grismado & Ramirez 2004 ), and 3-4 slit sense organs on each side distinctly separated from the quadrangular epigynal field.

Colour in ethanol. PS and legs reddish brown to yellowish brown; sternum almost uniformly reddish brown; femur slightly darker than patella and tibia, turning into olive; metatarsus and tarsus darker than patella and tibia, reddish brown. OS dark brown. Pattern: contrasting bright pattern consisting of white, flattened hairs. PS with broad median band and narrow marginal bands; dorsal OS with median band above heart, reaching into posterior half; OS with lateral bands, these passing into patches posteriorly; ventral OS with two lateral bands, separated distinctly in the anterior half, passing into patches in posterior half. For colour pattern of living specimen see Fig. 92 .

Variation. Males: PL 5.2-6.3, PW 3.9-4.6, OL 4.8-5.9, OW 3.2- 4.0. Pedipalpal cylindriform hairs: 7 on left and right pedipalpus (n = 3), 7 and 8, respectively, on each side (n=3). Spination: Tibia short distal spines: I-IV 2 (n = l); I-III 2, IV 1 prolateral/2 (n = 2); I-III 2, IV 1 prolateral (n=3).

Natural history. Storenomorpha spp. have been known as foliage dwelling spiders ( Jocque & Bosnians 1989, Grismado & Ramirez 2004). According to a note of C. and R. Deeleman spiders “live in grasslands and hide during the day in rolled up leaves of standing herbs”. In Luang Prabang they were collected during the night, while both sexes were running on the ground of a degraded forest with leaf litter and only few herbs and shrubs.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Figs. 83 ~ 91. Storenomorpha anne spec. nov. Male holotype (83 - 86) and female paratype (87 — 91) from Phou Si (L 10). 83 - 85 Male pedipalpus (83 ventral, 84 retrolateral, 85 dorsal view); 86 eye arrangement, dorsal view; 87 epigynum, ventral view; 88 internal duct system, dorsal view; 89 schematic course of internal duct system, dorsal view; 90 pre-epigynum, ventral view, c — conductor, ms — median septum, ta — tegular apophysis.

Fig. 92. Storenomorpha anne spec. nov. Male from Phou Si, Luang Prabang, habitus (in original habitat).