Vesubia jugorum ( Simon, 1881 )

Piacentini, Luis Norberto, Marco, Yuri Marusik & Isaia, Marco, 2024, Unraveling the monotypy of Vesubia Simon, 1909 and its relationships to Alopecosa Simon, 1885 (Araneae, Lycosidae), Zoosystema 46 (24), pp. 617-629 : 620

Vesubia jugorum ( Simon, 1881)

( Figs 1-6 )

Trabea jugorum Simon, 1881: 83 .

Lycosa jugorum – Simon 1898: 338 (transferred from Trabea).

Vesubia jugorum – Simon 1909: 402; 1937: 1122, 1141, fig. 1775 (female). — Tongiorgi 1968: 111, fig. 2, plate I, fig. 5-6 (female); 1969: 257, figs 1-3 (male and female). — Maurer & Thaler 1988: 331, fig. 14 (male). — Trotta 2005: 169, fig. 344-347 (male and female).

TYPE MATERIAL. — Syntypes. France • 2 ♀; Saint-Martin-Vésubie ; MNHN 4131 ( Fig. 3A ) and MNHN-AR-AR21647 ( Fig. 3B ) .

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED. — France • ♀; Col du Trem, Vallée de Merveilles , Saorge; 5.IX.2019; M. Isaia leg.; coloration and genitalia as per genus; coll. MI .

Italy • ♂; Bocchin dell’Aseo, Mongioie; 18.IX.2019; Isaia leg.; coloration and genitalia as per genus; coll. MI .

DIAGNOSIS. — Same as per genus.

DISTRIBUTION. — The known distribution range covers an area of approximately 2500 km 2, centred in South Western Alps ( Italy and France). The current updated distribution of Vesubia jugorum (fig. 1 in Milano et al. 2023) encompasses the Province of Cuneo in north-western Italy (66 localities), the Département des Alpes-Maritimes (24 localities) and the département des Alpes-de-Haute-Provence (20 localities), in south-eastern France.

DESCRIPTION

Female (specimen from Col du Trem)

Spination pattern. Femur I p 0-d1-d1 d 1-1-0 r 0-d1-d1, II p 0-d1-d1, d 1-1-0 r 0-d1-0, III p d1-0-0, d 1-1-0, r d1-d1- d1, IV p d1-0-d1 d 1-1-1 r 0-0-d1; patella I 0, II 0, III p 1 r 1, IV p 1 r 1; tibia I p 1-1-0 v 2-2-2ap, r 1-v1-0; II p 1-1-0, v 2-2-2ap, r 1-v1-0, III p d1-1 d d1-1-0 r 1-1-0 v 2-2-2ap, IV p 1-0-1 d 1-0-1 r 1-0-1 v 2-2-2ap; metatarsus I p 0-1-1ap r 0-1-0 v 2-2-2ap, II p 1-1-1ap, r 0-1-1ap v 2-2-1ap, III p 1-1-2ap r 1-1-2ap v 2-2-1ap, IV p 1-1-2ap r 1-1-2ap v 2-2- 1ap. Leg formula: 4123

Measurements. TL 14.76, CL 8.38, CW 6.12, CH 2.53. Eyes: AME 0.20, ALE 0.20, PME 0.67, PLE 0.40. Row of eyes: AER 1.53, PME 1.92, PLE 2.47. Legs: length of segments (femur + patella/tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I 5.99 + 8.25 + 5.32 + 2.93 = 22.49, II 5.99 + 7.98 + 4.52 + 2.39 = 20.88, III 5.72 + 7.32 + 4.92 + 2.39 = 20.35, IV 6.65 + 8.91 + 7.85 + 3.46 = 26.87. Leg formula 4123.

Male (specimen from Bocchin dell’Aseo)

Spination pattern. Femur I p 0-0-d1 d 1-1-1 r 0-d1-d1, II p 0-d1-d1, d 1-1, r d1-d1, III p 0-d1-d1, d 1-1-1 r d1-d1-d1, IV p d1-d1 d 1-1-0 r 0-0-d1; patella I p 1, II p 1 r 1, III p 1 r 1, IV p 1 r 1; tibia I p 1, v 2-2-2-2ap, r 1, II p 1-0-0 v 2-2-2-2ap, r -1-0-0, III p 1-1, d 1-1, r 1-1, v 2-2-0-2ap, IV p 1-1 d 1-1 r 1-1 v 2-2-0-2ap; metatarsus I p d1-d1-1ap, v 2-2-0-2ap, r 1-1-1ap, II p 1-1-1ap, r 1-1-1ap, v 2-2-2ap, III p 1-1-2ap, r 1-1-2ap, v 2-2-1ap, IV p 1-1-2ap r 1-1-2ap v 2-2-1ap. Leg formula 4123.

Measurements. TL 11.70, CL 6.65, CW 5.32, CH 2.79. Eyes: AME 0.20, ALE 0.20, PME 0.67, PLE 0.53. Row of eyes: AER 1.27, PME 1.67, PLE 2.13. Legs: length of segments (femur + patella/tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = total length): I 5.99 + 7.98 + 5.32 + 2.53 = 21.82, II 5.59 + 7.71 + 4.66 + 2.39 = 20.35, III 5.45 + 7.71 + 4.39 + 2.39 = 19.94, IV 6.78 + 8.11 + 8.11 + 3.33 = 26.33. Leg formula 4123.

NATURAL HISTORY

Life history information was reported through recent research focusing on the conservation of this species ( Mammola et al. 2016; 2019; Milano et al. 2023). Due to its tight ecological requirements and its sensitivity to temperature increase due to global warming, in 2018 the species was assessed as Endangered in the IUCN Redlist ( Isaia & Mammola 2018).

CONSERVATION STATUS

Endangered B1ab (see Mammola et al. 2016; Isaia & Mammola 2018).

Figures

FIG. 1. — Live specimens of Vesubia jugorum (Simon, 1881): A, female carrying spiderlings, in the nearby of Refugio Remondino, Valdieri (Alpi Marittime, Prov- ince of Cuneo, Italy); B, female and habitat, Passo Tesina, Sant’Anna di Vinadio (Alpi Marittime, Province of Cuneo, Italy). Photos: A, Francesco Tomasinelli; B, Emanuele Biggi.

FIG. 2. — Drawings of Vesubia jugorum (Simon, 1881): A, B, habitus, dorsal (A), anterior (B); C, D, female genitalia: epigyne ventral view (C); vulva (D). Not to scale.

FIG. 3. — Type material of Vesubia jugorum (Simon, 1881) from Simon’s collection (MNHN): A, ventral view of the lectotype with its original label; B, ventral view of the epigyne from additional material accompanied by the original label. Not to scale.

FIG. 4. — Vesubia jugorum (Simon, 1881) male genitalia, bulb of the right pedipalp: A, prolateral; B, ventral; C, retrolateral; D, dorsal; E, apical; F, entire pedipalp prolateral. Abbreviations: E, embolus; MA, median apophysis; PP, palear projection. Scale bar: A-E, 0.20 mm; F, 0.50 mm.

FIG. 5. — Vesubia jugorum (Simon, 1881), expanded pedipalp bulb: A, ventral view; B, anterior view; C, detail of median apophysis. Abbreviations: C, conductor; E, embolus; MA, median apophysis. Scale bar: A, B, 0.50 mm; C, 0.20 mm.

FIG. 6. — Vesubia jugorum (Simon, 1881), SEM images: A, epigyne ventral view; B, epigyne anterior view; C, bulb, apical view; D, bulb, ventral view; E, bulb retrolateral view. Abbreviations: C, conductor; E, embolus; MA, median apophysis; MS, median septum; P, epyginal pocket; Pp, pars pendula; PP, palear projection; Sy, synembolus. Scale bar: A-E, 0.10 mm.