Artema kochi Kulczyński, 1901

Aharon, Shlomi, Huber, Bernhard A. & Gavish-Regev, Efrat, 2017, Daddy-long-leg giants: revision of the spider genus Artema Walckenaer, 1837 (Araneae, Pholcidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 376 (376), pp. 1-57 : 26-30

Artema kochi Kulczyński, 1901 (revalidated)

Figs 1 , 76–89 , 204 , 211

Artema kochii Kulczyński 1901: 19–20 ; pl. 1, fig. 14. Erroneously synonymized with “ Artema mauriciana ” by Simon (1908: 426–427).

Misidentifications

“ Pholcus borbonicus ” – L. Koch 1875: 25–26; pl. 3, fig. 1, 1a–c (♀). — Thorell 1881: 179–180 (in footnote). — Simon 1882: 234.

“ Artema mauricia ” – Simon 1890: 93.

Diagnosis

Males are easily distinguished from known congeners by their bulbal process b ( Fig. 81 ), flattened and rectangular distally, rather than pointed or awl-shaped as in congeners; processes c, d, and e absent (process c present in all congeners, except Artema sp. b from Algeria). Males differ also by their cheliceral processes that are strongly projecting proximally with frontal rows of modified hairs; with several cone-shaped, sclerotized processes situated frontally near median line (arrows in Figs 83, 85 ). Females differ from known congeners by entirely different shapes of anterior epigynal projections (AEP) and epigynal plate ( Figs 86, 88 ): anterior epigynal projections sclerotized and elongated (in contrast to all congeners), not projecting (in contrast to A. bunkpurugu ); epigynal plate sclerotized, wide rectangular, with triangular anterior projection between AEP, median posterior margin gently protruding.

Material examined

Neotype (designated herein)

ERITREA: 1 ♂, “ Massaua ” [= Massawa , 15.61° N, 39.45° E], Apr. 1870, A. Yssel leg. ( MSNG), examined (see Notes below).

Other material

ERITREA: 1 ♀, 7 juvs, together with neotype, same data .

YEMEN-ERITREA: 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 4 juvs, Aden / Massawa [1889] (E. Simon, “393” part) ( MNHN AR 10169 part).

YEMEN: 1 ♀, 3 juvs, “Sceik Osman” [= Shaykh Uthman, Aden, 12.86° N, 44.98° E], Jan. 1880, Doria and Beccari leg. (this is the material cited in Simon 1882 as Pholcus borbonicus ) ( MSNG); 1 ♀, Aden [12.81° N, 45.03° E], date not given, E.A. Emerton leg. (MCZ 34048); 1 ♂, 1 juv., same locality, 15 Oct. 1938, collector not given ( NHMW 353 ).

SUDAN: 1 ♂, New Halfa [15.32° N, 35.60° E], 450 m a.s.l., Jun. 2013, M. Siyam leg. ( ZMB).

ETHIOPIA: 1 ♀, “ Abyssinia, Didi Davvs ” (uncertain spelling), 20–26 Jun. 1920, B. Brown leg. ( AMNH).

Localities not clear: 1 ♂, “Urso 1283”, date not given, Kovacs leg. ( MZUF); 1 ♂, “Afrique Orientale, Gibdo” [= Djibouti / Eritrea?], Apr.–May 1907, Katona leg. ( MZUF).

Description

Male (MNHN Ar 10169)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 6.8, carapace width 3.5. Leg 1: 46.2 (12.1 + 1.6 + 13.4 + 16.2 + 2.9), tibia 2: 10.0, tibia 3: 7.6, tibia 4: 10.5; tibia 1 L/d: 34. Distance PME–PME 190 μm, diameter PME 190 μm, distance PME–ALE 90 μm, distance AME–AME 40 μm, diameter AME 180 μm.

COLOR. Carapace ochre to light brown, with brown median band and narrow light brown margins; brown to light brown stripes radiate from median pit to margins; ocular area ochre to brown, clypeus with light brown band below AME, and dark brown rim ( Fig. 76 ); legs ochre to light brown, with reddish brown to ochre prolateral marks on femora proximally, with brown rings on femora subdistally, patellae + tibiae proximally, and tibiae subdistally, tips of femora and tibiae not whitish (probably an artifact, see variation below); sternum ochre to light brown with narrow brown margins; abdomen beige to light brown with pale yellow and dark dots forming indistinct stripes from dorsal to lateral side of abdomen with large marks dorsally.

BODY. Ocular area slightly elevated; carapace with distinct median pit and distinctive posterior furrow; clypeus unmodified; sternum wider than long (2.4/1.7); chelicerae as in Figs 83–85 , with frontal row of 16–19 modified (cone-shaped) hairs on each side situated on proximally strongly projecting processes; with several cone-shaped, sclerotized processes situated frontally near median line (arrows in Figs 83, 85 ); without stridulatory ridges (as in Fig. 83 ); Abdomen globose and high; gonopore with four epiandrous spigots.

PALPS. As in Figs 77–79 ; coxa unmodified, trochanter with short ventral projection, femur with distinct retrolateral process proximally, ventral membranous area proximally bordered on both sides by heavily sclerotized ridges, and small dorsal projection proximally; femur-patella hinges close together dorsally; patella very short; procursus with proximal dorsal process and weakly developed ventral pocket ( Fig. 89 ), and distal dorsal notch on retrolateral margin; bulb with membranous embolus rising from base of process a; process a elongated, projecting towards retrolaterally with large subdistal hump; process b flattened, band-like, rectangular ( Fig. 81 ); processes c, d and e absent.

LEGS.Without spines;with long curved hairs, especially on tibiae and metatarsi; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 8%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegmentation not visible.

Male (variation)

Tibia 1 in 3 other males: 11.4, 13.7, 14.2; color pattern on abdomen varies from pale without any marks to light brown with dark and pale dots forming large dorsal marks and fine lateral stripes; leg color varies from light brown to ochre, in fresh specimen from Sudan tips of femora and tibiae whitish; elevated ocular area usually light brown; carapace pattern varies from narrow brown stripes to wide brown marks radiating from median pit to margin ( Fig. 76 , cf. Koch 1875: fig. 1).

Female

In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 2 females: 5.6, 9.8; stridulatory files laterally on chelicerae present; anterior epigynal projections (AEP) sclerotized, elongated ( Fig. 86 ); epigynal plate sclerotized, wide rectangular (~3 × wider than long) projecting anteriorly between AEP, with median posterior margin gently protruding; some females with two dark dots at base of triangular anterior projection.

Distribution

We examined specimens from Ethiopia, Eritrea, and Yemen ( Fig. 1 ). The original description by Kulczyński (1901) was apparently based on specimens from Egypt (see Notes below).

Notes

The original description by Kulczyński (1901) is based on two female specimens, but it does not specify where these females were collected. We assume that Kulczyński examined and illustrated the specimens from Egypt, near Cairo, that L. Koch (1875) had misidentified as Pholcus borbonicus Vinson, 1863 (= A. atlanta ). Kulczyński also mentioned specimens from “Massaua” ( Eritrea, Massawa) that Thorell (1881) had described in some detail but that he had equally misidentified as Pholcus borbonicus . Since this material from Massawa contains males and females, we conclude that it was not available to Kulczyński. However, we chose to designate a neotype from the material originating from Massawa for three reasons: (1) Kulczyński neither designated type specimens nor specified a type locality; (2) we were not able to locate Koch’s specimens from Egypt (they are not in ZMH or ZMB); (3) a good illustration by Kulczyński (1901) of the highly distinctive epigynum of A. kochi leaves little doubt that the specimens available to him are, in fact, conspecific with the specimens from Massawa.

Much less obvious is how Simon (1908), after having studied specimens of “ A. mauriciana ” (= A. atlanta ) from many localities, arrived at the conclusion that the drawings of Kulczyński (1901) represented merely slight individual variation and that A. kochi was a synonym of “ A. mauriciana ”. This is all the more mysterious because Simon himself had collected A. kochi in Massawa and Aden (in 1889) and his own material (in MNHN, examined) includes not only females, but also the equally distinctive males. We found both species that Simon collected from Massawa and Aden, A. atlanta and A. kochi , deposited in the same vial (Simon collection number 393), so we assume that Simon did not examine all the material in detail but only part of it that happened to be A. atlanta .

Figures

Figs 1–2. 1. Known distributions of species of Artema except A. atlanta Walckenaer, 1837. The Japanese record of A. doriae Thorell, 1881 is not shown as it is based on a single introduced specimen. 2. Known distribution of Artema atlanta. Green dots: specimens examined; black dots: specimens not examined (data from: Banks 1898; Beatty et al. 2008; Blackwell 1958; Bösenberg & Lenz 1895; Brignoli 1981; Bryant 1940, 1948; Caporiacco 1928, 1948, 1949; Chamberlin 1924; Chrysanthus 1967; Colmenares 2008; Denis 1953; Doleschall 1857; Dyal 1935; Franganillo 1926a; Gao & Li 2010; Gertsch & Davis 1942; Gonzalez-Sponga 2005; Karsch 1879, 1892; Leardi in Airaghi 1902; Lessert 1936; Majumder & Biswas 1993; Marples 1955; Mello-Leitão 1942; Millot 1946; Moenkhaus 1898; F.O.Pickard-Cambridge 1902; Petrunkevitch 1925, 1929; Pocock 1900; Saaristo 2001; Simon 1885, 1894; Taczanowsky 1874; Thorell 1895, 1898; Vinson 1863; Yaginuma 1970). Records from Israel, Belgium, and Britain are not shown as they are based on single introduced specimens.

Figs 76–82. Artema kochi Kulczyński, 1901 (MNHN AR 10169 part, Yemen-Eritrea). 76. Male habitus. 77–79. Male left pedipalp: prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 80–82. Male left bulb and procursus: prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Scale lines: 76 = 2 mm; 77–79 = 1 mm; 80–82 = 0.5 mm.

Figs 83–89. Artema kochi Kulczyński, 1901 (MNHN AR 10169 part, Yemen/Eritrea). 83–85. Male chelicerae, lateral and frontal views (arrows: distinctive sclerotized processes frontally near median line). 86. Epigynum and anterior epigynal projections (AEP). 87–88. Female abdomen, lateral and ventral views. 89. Procursus, showing ventral pocket (vp) and dorsal process (dp). Scale lines: 83–85, 89 = 0.25 mm; 86 = 0.5 mm; 87–88 = 1 mm.

Figs 201–207. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 201. Artema atlanta Walckenaer, 1837 (AMNH, USA, Arizona, Tucson). 202. A. bunkpurugu Huber & Kwapong, 2013 (ZFMK Ar 10516, Ghana, Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri). 203. A. nephilit sp. nov. (HUJ Ara 16020, Israel, Samar). 204. A. kochi Kulczyński, 1901 (MNHN AR 10169 part). 205. A. doriae Thorell, 1881 (ZFMK Ar 15234, Iran, Tehran Prov., Tochal). 206. A. transcaspica Spassky, 1934 (ZIN type vials). 207. Artema sp. c. (ZMMU, Pakistan, Baluchistan, Muslim Bagh). Scale lines: 0.5 mm.

Figs 208–214. Cleared female genitalia, posterior dorsal views. 208. A. atlanta Walckenaer, 1837 (AMNH, USA, Arizona, Tucson). 209. A. bunkpurugu Huber & Kwapong, 2013 (ZFMK Ar 10516, Ghana, Bunkpurugu-Nakpanduri). 210. A. nephilit sp. nov. (HUJAra 16020, Israel, Samar). 211. A. kochi Kulczyński, 1901 (MNHN AR 10169 part). 212. A. doriae Thorell, 1881 (ZFMK Ar 15234, Iran, Tehran Prov., Tochal). 213. A. transcaspica Spassky, 1934 (ZIN type vials). 214. Artema sp. c (ZMMU, Pakistan, Baluchistan, Muslim Bagh). Scale lines: 0.5 mm.