Tallonia picta Simon, 1889

Cruz Da Silva, Estevam L. & Sierwald, Petra, 2013, On three monotypic nursery web spider genera from Madagascar with first description of the male of Tallonia picta Simon, 1889 and redescription of the type-species of Paracladycnis Blandin, 1979 and Thalassiopsis Roewer, 1955 (Araneae: Lycosoidea: Pisauridae), Zootaxa 3750 (3), pp. 277-288 : 278-280

Tallonia picta Simon, 1889

Figs 1–18 , 34

Tallonia picta Simon 1889: 223 , immature female holotype from Nosy Be, Madagascar, deposited in MNHN 9180) (examined). Blandin 1979: 364, fig. 27 (epigynum). Platnick 2013.

Nilus pictus ; Simon 1898: 289.

Nilus sparassiformis Strand 1907: 741 . Roewer 1955a: 254, fig. 96 (female).

Tallonia picta ; Blandin 1979: 350, fig. 1, 9, 18, 27 (synonymized N. sparassiformis under T. picta and revalidated Tallonia by removing T. picta from Nilus ).

Diagnosis. See genus diagnosis.

Description. Male (Mahajanga, Madagascar, CAS 9017980). Total length 7.71. Carapace 2.98 long, 2.49 wide, yellow with a median light brown band ( Fig. 1 ), whitish laterally ( Fig. 2 ). Clypeus light brown, 0.16 high ( Fig. 4 ). Anterior eye row slightly recurved in frontal view ( Fig. 4 ), 0.84 wide; posterior recurved in dorsal view ( Fig. 1 ), 1.12 wide. Eye diameters, interdistances, and median ocular quadrangle: AME 0.08, ALE 0.12, PME 0.12, PLE 0.20; AME-AME 0.18, AME-ALE 0.10, PME-PME 0.24, PME-PLE 0.26, OQA 0.42, OQP 0.52, OQH 0.46.

Chelicerae light brown, covered with scattered bristles ( Fig. 4 ). Sternum yellow with an irregular light brown patch, bristly anteriorly ( Fig. 3 ); 1.49 long, 1.41 wide. Labium yellow, 0.33 long, 0.42 wide ( Fig. 3 ). Legs light brown, relative length: II-I-III-IV, I—femur 5.39/ patella-tibia 6.64/ metatarsus 4.90/ tarsus 1.87/ total 18.80; II— 5.31/ 6.72/ 4.98/ 1.90/ 18.91; III—4.39/ 4.98/ 3.73/ 1.49/ 14.59; IV—4.15/ 4.64/ 4.06/ 1.66/ 14.51. Superior tarsal claw with 16 teeth ( Fig. 17 ) and inferior with three ( Fig. 18 ). Ventral pairs of macrosetae on tibiae: I-4; II-4; III-3; IV-3. Abdomen 4.56 long, dark yellow with a median brown band and with three dark brown stripes anteriorly ( Fig. 1 ); one pair of dorsal sigillae. Venter light brown, with scattered bristles. Male palpus with a prominent distal tegular apophysis ( Figs 11 , 14, 15 ). Median apophysis long and with an acute tip ( Figs 11 , 14, 15 ). Conductor long and translucent ( Figs 11 , 14, 15 ). Embolus long and ventrally conspicuous ( Figs 11 , 14, 15 ). Retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) simple, with one branch and with a rounded tip ( Figs 12 , 16 ).

Female (Mahajanga, Madagascar, CAS 9018121). Total length 13.03. Carapace 4.31 long, 3.81 wide, light brown ( Fig. 5 ). Clypeus light brown with strong and long dark brown bristles ( Fig. 6 ), 0.24 high. Anterior eye row slightly recurved in frontal view ( Fig. 6 ), 1.22 wide; posterior recurved, 1.66 wide. Eye diameters, interdistances, and median ocular quadrangle: AME 0.20, ALE 0.16, PME 0.23, PLE 0.30; AME-AME 0.18, AME-ALE 0.16, PME-PME 0.30, PME-PLE 0.42, OQA 0.58, OQP 0.68, OQH 0.70. Chelicerae yellow with strong and short dark brown bristles ( Fig. 6 ). Sternum light brown, bristly; 2.32 long, 2.07 wide. Labium light brown, 0.42 long, 0.66 wide. Legs light brown, relative length: I-II-IV-III, I—femur 6.65/ patella-tibia 7.71/ metatarsus 5.05/ tarsus 2.39/ total 21.80; II—6.51/ 7.84/ 4.92/ 2.12/ 21.39; III—6.11/ 5.58/ 3.59/ 1.99/ 17.27; IV—5.98/ 5.68/ 4.12/ 1.88/ 17.66. Ventral pairs of macrosetae on tibiae: I-4; II-4; III-3; IV-3. Abdomen 7.47 long, yellow with several dark brown spots distributed on dorsum ( Fig. 5 ). Venter light yellow, covered with scattered bristles. Epigynum with one medial excavation with a sclerotized border on the middle field ( Figs 7, 8 , 13 ). Base of spermathecae (BS) short and rounded ( Fig. 9 ). Stalk of spermathecae (SS) short ( Fig. 9 ). Head of spermathecae prominent, with projected pores ( Figs 9, 10 ).

Other material examined. MADAGASCAR, Mahajanga: Réserve Spéciale de Bemaviro [1655'S, 4422'E], elevation 30 m, ♂, 19–23.XI.2002, B.L. Fisher & C.E. Griswold (CAS 9017980); Parc National Namoroka [1624'S, 4518'E], elevation 100 m, 3 ♂, 5 ♀, 12–16.XI.2002, B.L. Fisher & C.E. Griswold (CAS); Parc National de Baie de Baly [1600'S, 4513'E], elevation 10 m, 2 ♀, 26–30.XI.2002, B.L. Fisher & C.E. Griswold (CAS); Mahavavy river [1603'S, 4554'E], elevation 20 m, 14 ♀, 01–05.XII.2002, B.L. Fisher & C.E. Griswold (CAS 9018121). Antsiranana: Nosy Be Island, Parc National de Lokobe [1324'S, 4818'E], elevation 200 m, 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 19– 23.XI.2002, D. Andriamalala et al. (CAS)

Distribution. Madagascar (Antsiranana, Mahajanga) ( Fig. 34 ).

Note. Blandin (1979) compared the holotype of T. picta with 10 specimens (6 adult females and 4 immatures, deposited in SMF 4872) from the same locality of the holotype, Ile de Nossibé, Madagascar. The drawing of the epigynum provided by Blandin (1979: 364, fig. 27) was used to securely determine the identity of this species. Males with the females were collected together at different localities in Madagascar ( Fig. 34 ).

Figures

FIGURE 34. Distribution of Paracladycnis Blandin, 1979, Tallonia Simon, 1889 and Thalassiopsis Roewer, 1955 in Madagascar.

FIGURES 1 – 6. Tallonia picta Simon, 1889. 1 – 4 male habitus (1 dorsal, 2 lateral, 3 ventral, 4 frontal). 5, 6 female habitus (5 dorsal, 6 frontal).

FIGURES 7 – 10. Tallonia picta Simon, 1889. 7 – 10 epigynum (7 ventral, 8 detail of middle field, 9 dorsal, 10 detail of the head of spermathecae). (BS = base of spermathecae, CD = copulatory duct, FO = fossa, FD = fertilization duct, HS = head of spermathecae, LL = lateral lobes, MF = middle field, SS = stalk of spermathecae).

FIGURES 11 – 13. Tallonia picta Simon, 1889. 11, 12 male palpus (11 ventral, 12 retrolateral). 13 epigynum (ventral). (C = conductor, DTA = distal tegular apophysis, E = embolus, MA = median apophysis, RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis, ST = subtegulum).

FIGURES 14 – 18. Tallonia picta Simon, 1889. 14 – 16 male palpus (14 ventral, 15 detail of bulbus, 16 retrolateral), 17 superior tarsal claw of left leg IV, 18 detail of inferior tarsal claw. (C = conductor, DTP = distal tegular projection, DTA = distal tegular apophysis, E = embolus, MA = median apophysis, RTA = retrolateral tibial apophysis, ST = subtegulum, T = tegulum).