Zorascar pasunepipe, Henrard & Griswold & Jocqué, 2024

Henrard, Arnaud, Griswold, Charles & Jocqué, Rudy, 2024, On new genera and species of crack-leg spiders (Araneae, Udubidae) from Madagascar, European Journal of Taxonomy 966 (1), pp. 1-80 : 38-44

Zorascar pasunepipe gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1C01B17C-DC6C-4BA5-942B-77F90554F3A0

Figs 13–15 , 16A–D , 26

Diagnosis

The male of Zorascar pasunepipe gen. et sp. nov. is easily recognized by the presence of an enormous and tortuous cymbial retrobasal extension (CE), extending most of the tibial length ( Figs 14A–C , 15A–B , 16A–B ). The female is provided with an epigyne ( Fig. 16C ) with the median lobe (ML) that is broad and shallowly concave medially, copulatory openings (CO) exposed anteromedially (vs the female epigyne of Z. pasunepomme gen. et sp. nov. has a ML that is narrow and deeply concave medially, and with CO exposed laterad of the ML, Fig. 16E ).

Etymology

The species name, a noun in apposition, refers to the famous painting of René Magritte depicting a pipe, named ‘Ceci n’est pas une pipe’, to which the cymbial extension is reminiscent, at least according the artist who made the drawings of Zorascar gen. nov. for the present paper.

Type material

Holotype

MADAGASCAR – Antsiranana Province • ♂; Bamevika, Andriakanala Forest ; 14°18′58.932″ S, 48°43′22.886″ E; 1586 m a.s.l.; 6–11 Feb. 2019; M. Jocque leg.; hand collected around camp; DNA RJ5; BINCO_MAD_19_0079_2; BE_ RMCA _ARA. Ara. 247343; RMCA.

Paratypes

MADAGASCAR – Antsiranana Province • 1 juv.; same data as for holotype; DNA RJ1; BINCO_ MAD_19_0079_2; BE_ RMCA _ARA. Ara. 247344; RMCA • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Réserve Spéciale Manongarivo , 10.8 km 229° SW of Antanambao; 13°58′ S, 48°26′ E; 400 m a.s.l.; 8 Nov. 1998; B.L. Fisher leg.; rainforest; EC19 sifted litter; [SEM stub 30:4]; CASENT_9016138; CAS .

Other material examined

MADAGASCAR – Antsiranana Province • 1 ♂; Réserve Spéciale Manongarivo , 10.8 km 229° SW of Antanambao, 13°58′ S, 48°26′ E; 400 m a.s.l.; 8 Nov. 1998; B.L. Fisher leg.; rainforest; EC19 sifted litter; [male palp drawn; male stacked images]; CASENT_9016135; CAS • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; CASENT_9016136; CAS • 1 ♂; same data as for preceding; CASENT_9016137; CAS • 1 ♀; Réserve Spéciale Manongarivo , 14.5 km 220° SW of Antanambao; 13°60′ S, 48°26′ E; 1175 m a.s.l.; 20 Oct. 1998; B.L. Fisher leg.; rainforest; EB09 sifted litter; BLF1938; CASENT_9016139; CAS • 1 ♀; same data as for preceding; CASENT_9016141; CAS .

Description

Male holotype (BE_RMCA_ARA.Ara.247343; RMCA)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 7.81. Carapace: length 3.91, width 2.91, height 1.85.

COLORATION ( Figs 13A, C, E ). Carapace brownish yellow, with two faint, longitudinal dark bands along margin and between PME and fovea; chelicerae brownish with two faint longitudinal darker stripes; sternum brownish yellow, with faint radiating stripes; legs brownish yellow with three faint darker rings on femora and two on tibias, distally and proximally; abdomen brownish yellow with ill-defined pattern on dorsum and sides; spinnerets pale yellow.

STERNUM ( Fig. 13E ) oval with slightly sinuous margins; 1.49 wide, 1.70 long.

CHILUM. 0.12 high, 0.20 wide.

EYES. ALE 0.18; AME 0.15; PLE 0.18; PME 0.16; ALE–AME 0.05; AME–AME 0.08; PLE–PME 0.18; PME–PME 0.10; MOQ: AW 0.33, PW 0.44, L 0.44.

CLYPEUS. With 14 long setae.

LEGS. Trochanters shallowly notched. Unpaired claws smooth, rudimentary on legs III and IV.

Leg measurements

Spination

MALE PALP ( Figs 14–15 , 16A–B ). RTA short, emerging in center of tibia, with cylindrical base and sharp triangular apex; tibia with dorso-retrolateral excavation bordered by median row of long setae and dorsal margin of RTA, accommodating very large, pipe-shaped retrobasal cymbial extension (CE); cymbium oval with rounded apical extremity, without dorsal patch of chemosensitive setaeor retrobasal paracymbial process; subtegulum large, filling posterior third of cymbial concavity, with basal ridge (SL) interacting with the tegulum; tegulum rounded with massive, pointed, prolateral protuberance (TL); embolus (E) inserted on center of tegulum, short, stout at base, with medial groove, lamellar apically and curved retrolaterad; median apophysis (MA) strongly sclerotized, short, hooked, curved prolaterad; conductor (C) translucent, flattened, fan shaped, narrow at base and strongly widened at extremity; paraconductor (Pc) pedicel-like membranous extension originating at base of MA, running backward along MA and ending with flattened fan-shaped tip embracing E.

Female (CASENT_9016138; CAS)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 8.50. Carapace: length 4.80, width 3.60, height 1.70.

COLOUR ( Figs 13B, D ). Carapace brownish yellow, dark along margin and with two contrasting dark bands along margin of pars cephalica, short longitudinal line behind each PME and longer faint median band between PME and fovea; chelicerae brownish-yellow, anteriorly with two thin longitudinal darker stripes; sternum yellowish white with faint median dusky oval mark; legs brownish yellow with three darker rings basally, medially and apically on femur and two basally and apically on tibia; abdomen yellow-white with spotted pattern on dorsum and sides, venter with two broken dusky longitudinal bands and dark surrounding spinnerets, spinnerets pale yellow.

STERNUM. Oval with slightly sinuous sides; 2.10 wide, 2.20 long.

CHILUM. 0.15 high, 0.20 wide.

EYES. ALE 0.13; AME 0.09; PLE 0.16; PME 0.15; ALE–AME 0.08; AME–AME 0.25; PLE–PME 0.18; PME–PME 0.10; MOQ: AW 0.26, PW 0.43, L 0.35.

CLYPEUS. With eight long setae.

Leg measurements

Spination

GENITALIA. Epigyne ( Fig. 16C ) with median lobe (ML) broad and shallowly concave medially, copulatory openings (CO) exposed anteromedially; lateral lobes (LL) rounded and becoming narrowed to a blunt point medially over median sector (MS); lateral processes (LP) small, blunt. Endogyne ( Fig. 16D ) with narrow, curved copulatory ducts (CD), these hidden beneath the spermathecal heads (S); fertilization ducts (FD) posterior.

Variation

Male (n = 5)

Total length = 7.81–8.60, carapace length/width = 1.21–1.34, carapace height/width = 0.46–0.56, PER/carapace width = 0.23–0.24, PER/OAL = 2.28–2.44, PER/AER = 1.40–1.44, OAL/ OQL = 1.14–1.25, OQP/OQA = 1.00–1.52, sternum length/width = 1.07–1.16, palpal coxa length/width = 2.00–2.50, femur I length/carapace width = 1.05–1.13, metatarsus I length/carapace width = 0.87–1.12, femur IV length/carapace width = 1.17–1.24, cymbium length/carapace width = 0.39–0.46, cymbium length/palpal patella length = 2.00–2.57, cymbium length/palpal tibia length = 1.60–2.29, cymbium length/palpal femur length = 0.84–1.00, palpal tibia length/palpal patella length 1.00–1.43. Male palp of the holotype from Andriakanala Forest and of specimens from Manongarivo. i.e.; CASENT_9016135–138 and CASENT_9016141 are very similar but differ in a few characteristics. The the holotype has the RTA more narrowly pointed, the cymbial retrobasal extension longer and more twisted, the tegular prolateral locking process more narrowly triangular and the apex of the MA sharper than those features in males from Manongarivo.

Female (n = 2)

Total length = 8.50–10.10, carapace length/width = 1.33–1.34, carapace height/ width = 0.47–0.58, PER/AER = 1.37–1.39, OQP/OQA = 1.48–1.62, sternum length/width = 1.05–1.12, palpal coxa length/width = 2.50–2.55, femur I length/carapace width = 0.94–0.97, metatarsus I length/carapace width = 0.72–0.76, palpal tarsus length/carapace width = 0.34–0.36, palpal tarsus length/palpal tibia length = 1.44–2.17, palpal tarsus length/palpal tibia length = 1.30–1.44, palpal tibia length/palpal patella length = 1.11–1.50. Epigyne with median lobe length 1.80–3.33 times width; distance from atrium base to epigastric fold 0.19–0.26 times epigyne length.

Natural history

This species has been collected in forest from 400 m to 1600 m a.s.l. The function of the remarkable retrobasal cymbial extension on the male palp is unknown.

Distribution

Zorascar pasunepipe gen. et sp. nov. is known only from Antsiranana Province in northwestern Madagascar ( Fig. 26 ).

Figures

Fig. 13. Zorascar pasunepipe gen. et sp. nov.; A, C, E–F = holotype male (BE_RMCA_ARA.Ara.247343; RMCA); B, D = paratype female (CASENT_9016138; CAS). A–B. Habitus, dorsal view.C–D. Prosoma, dorsal view. E. Habitus, ventral view. F. Tarsus of leg I, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A–B, E = 2 mm; C–D = 1 mm; F = 0.5 mm. Stacked microphotographs A, C, E–F by Arnaud Henrard and Rudy Jocqué; B, D by Hannah Wood.

Fig. 14. Zorascar pasunepipe gen. et sp. nov., holotype male (BE_RMCA_ARA.Ara.247343; RMCA). A. Male right palp (mirrored), retrolateral view. B. Idem, ventral view. C. Idem, dorsal view. D. Idem, bulbus, retrolateral view. E. Idem, ventral view. F. Idem, prolateral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CE = cymbial retrobasal extension; E = embolus; MA = median apophysis; Pc = paraconductor; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; SL = subtegular locking lobe; TL = tegular locking lobe. Scale bars: A–C = 0.5mm; D–F = 0.2 mm. Stacked microphotographs by Arnaud Henrard and Rudy Jocqué.

Fig. 15. Zorascar pasunepipe gen. et sp. nov., holotype (BE_RMCA_ARA.Ara.247343; RMCA), micro-CT scans of right male palp (mirrored). A. Retrolateral view. B. Ventral view. C. Prolateral view. D. Bulbus, retrolateral view.E. Bulbus, ventral view.F. Bulbus, apical view.Abbreviations: C = conductor; CE = cymbial retrobasal extension; E = embolus; MA = median apophysis; Pc = paraconductor; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; SL = subtegular locking lobe; TL = tegular locking lobe. Scale bars: A–C = 0.5 mm; D–F = 0.2 mm. 3D micro-CT scans by Arnaud Henrard.

Fig. 16. Drawings of genitalia; A–B = Zorascar pasunepipe gen. et sp. nov., holotype male (BE_RMCA_ ARA.Ara.247343; RMCA); C–D = Z. pasunepipe, paratype female (CASENT_9016138; CAS); E = Zorascar pasunepomme gen. et sp. nov., holotype female (BE_RMCA_ARA.Ara.247346; RMCA). A. Male right palp (mirrored), ventral view. B. Idem, retrolateral view. C, E. Epigyne, ventral view. D. Endogyne, dorsal view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CD = copulatory duct; CE = cymbial retrobasal extension; CO = copulatory opening; E = embolus; FD = fertilisation duct; LL = lateral lobe; LP = lateral process; MA = median apophysis; ML = median lobe; MS = median sector; Pc = paraconductor; RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis; S = spermatheca; SL = subtegular locking lobe; TL = tegular locking lobe. Scale bars: A–B = 2 mm; C–E = 0.5 mm. Illustrations A–B, E by Alain Reygel; C–D by Charles Griswold.

Fig. 26. Distribution map of species, and samples localities in the northern and eastern part of Madagascar. Tabiboka milleri gen. et sp. nov. (orange), Tabiboka milloti gen. et sp. nov. (yellow), Tabiboka polotowae gen. et sp. nov. (purple), Zorascar pasunepipe gen. et sp. nov. (red), Zorascar pasunepomme gen. et sp. nov. (dark blue), Zorodictyna almae sp. nov. (pale blue), Zorodictyna silvadavilae sp. nov. (green), Zorodictyna oswaldi (Lenz, 1891) (pink star).

Leg measurements

Spination