Leptopholcus tipula ( Simon, 1907 )

Huber, Bernhard A., 2009, Life on leaves: leaf-dwelling pholcids of Guinea, with emphasis on Crossopriza cylindrogaster Simon, a spider with inverted resting position, pseudo-eyes, lampshade web, and tetrahedral egg-sac (Araneae: Pholcidae), Journal of Natural History 43 (39 - 40), pp. 2491-2523 : 2506-2510

Leptopholcus tipula ( Simon, 1907)

( Figures 8, 9 , 26, 27, 30, 31 , 82–100 , 149 )

Micromerys tipula Simon 1907, p. 248 –249.

Leptopholcus tipula Brignoli 1980, p. 653 ; Deeleman-Reinhold 1986b, p. 206.

Type

The original description is based on a female from “Ile Fernando-Poo: Punta Frailes” ( Equatorial Guinea: Bioko, ∼ 3°46′N, 8°42′E); this specimen is apparently lost (could not be found in MNHN) .

Note

Simon (1907) mentioned additional material from Gabon, and these non-type specimens are well preserved and still available in the MNHN (see later). They are identical to specimens newly collected on Bioko very close to the type locality. In addition, no other Leptopholcus species has been collected on Bioko, and the only other species collected in Cameroon is clearly different (B.A. Huber, unpublished data). Together, this suggests that the following material is in fact conspecific with Simon’s lost type.

Diagnosis

Easily distinguished from known congeners by the semitransparent flap dorsally on the uncus ( Figures 82 , 87, 88 ).

Male (Bioko: Punta Beecrof)

Total body length 7.1, carapace width 0.9. Leg 1: 36.8 (9.2 + 0.4 + 8.5 + 14.6 + 4.1), tibia 2: 6.4, tibia 3: 4.4, tibia 4: 7.2, tibia 1 L/d: 113. Habitus as in Figures 26 and 27 ; entire spider mostly pale ochre-yellow to whitish, patella area and tibia-metatarsus joints brown. Distance PME–PME 370 µm, diameter PME 80 µm, distance PME– ALE 45 µm, no trace of AME. Ocular area not elevated, each triad on low hump, some stronger hairs on posterior side. No thoracic furrow, clypeus unmodified. Chelicerae as in Figure 84 , with indistinct lateral apophyses distally. Sternum wider than long (0.65/0.50), unmodified. Palps as in Figures 82 and 83 , coxa unmodified, trochanter with ventral apophysis with serrated tip ( Figure 89 ), femur with distinct retrolateral apophysis proximally, widened ventrally, tarsal organ capsulate ( Figure 82 ), procursus with distinctive distal elements ( Figures 90, 91 ), some of them membranous, bulb with short weakly sclerotized embolus, uncus with long dorsal transparent flap, appendix short and massive ( Figures 82 , 87 ). Legs without spines and curved hairs, few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 3%; prolateral trichobothrium missing on tibia 1, present on other tibiae; tarsal pseudosegments not visible in dissecting microscope. ALS with one widened and one pointed spigot; PMS with two small spigots ( Figure 93 ). Gonopore with four epiandrous spigots ( Figure 94 ).

Variation

In some males dorsal part of clypeus slightly darkened; in some abdomen appears (still) greenish. Tibia 1 in 36 other males: 7.2–8.8 (mean 8.0). In males from Bilik, Cameroon, uncus slightly smaller; in males from Mayombe, Congo D. R., sclerotized part of uncus slightly narrower; in males from Ghana and Guinea, both uncus and appendix minimally different in shape ( Figures 87 and 88 are from slightly different angles of view and thus exaggerate this difference).

Female

In general similar to male but triads closer together (distance PME–PME 300 µm). Tibia 1 in 65 females: 5.9–7.5 (mean 6.8). Tip of palpal tarsus ending in sclerotized cone accompanied by several strong bristles ( Figure 96 ). Spinnerets and spigots as in male ( Figure 98 ). Tarsus 4 with ventral row of comb-hairs ( Figure 99 ). Epigynum very simple and weakly sclerotized ( Figures 30 , 95 ), with distinctive internal structures (including pair of apparent pockets) visible through cuticle ( Figure 30 ); internal genitalia as in Figures 31 and 86 . The female from Makokou, Gabon, has a slightly different epigynum and is therefore assigned tentatively.

Distribution

Widely distributed, ranging at least from western Congo D. R. to eastern Guinea ( Figure 149 ).

Material examined

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Bioko : Punta Beecrof (3°43.3′N, 8°39.7′E), at night, 18.x.1998 (D.K. Dabney, D. Ubick), 131♀ in CAS ; 3.5 km N Luba (3°28.9′N, 8°35.0′E), swampy forest, 13.x.1998 (M. Boko, D.K. Dabney, L. Henwood, R. W. Tomos, D. Ubick, J. V. Vindum), 1♀ 1 juv. in CAS .

CONGO DEM. REP.: Bas Congo, Mayombe, Luki Forest Reserve (5°37.3’S, 13°05.9′E), 270 m a.s.l., primary rainforest, 4.-13.xi.2006, 26.ix.-4.x.2007 (D. de Bakker, J.P. Michiels), 37365 ♀ in MRAC (15 vials separated from 219850-855, 224312-319; and 222067); same locality and collectors: beating along trail near guest house, 8./ 14.xi.2006, 232♀ in MRAC (2 vials separated from 219959 and 991); beating along trail, primary rainforest, 11.xi.2006, 13 in MRAC (221534); beating in secondary forest, 16.xi.2006, 132♀ in MRAC (219849); old secondary rainforest, 17.- 25.ix.2007, 14321 ♀ in MRAC (9 vials, separated from 224303-311); young secondary rainforest, 14.ix.2007, 1♀ in MRAC (separated from 224301) .

GABON: unspecified locality and date, collected by “Mcq.”, 131♀ in MNHN (10499; Simon collection number 15558) . 10 km S Bigouenia [∼ 0°55’S, 10°21′E], 29.xii.1985 (A. Pauly), 1♀ in MRAC (172913) . Ogooue-Maritime: Reserve de Faune de la Moukalaba-Dougoua, 12.2. km 305° NW Doussala (2°17.0’S, 10°29.8′E), 110 m a.s.l., rainforest, beating vegetation, 24.ii.2000 (B.L. Fisher), 13 in CAS (9027072).

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC: Sangha-Mbaéré: Parc National Dzanga- Ndoki, 37.9 km 169° S Lidjombo (2°22.2′N, 16°10.3′E), 360 m a.s.l., rainforest, beating low vegetation, 20.-28.v.2001 (B.L. Fisher), 13 in CAS (separated from 9027099) .

CAMEROON: South Region: near Kribi (2°54.0′N, 9°54.4′E), 20 m a.s.l., 9.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), 333♀ in ZFMK ; same data, 2♀ 7 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK . Between Kribi and Campo , “site 1” (2°42.2′N, 9°51.8′E), 10 m a.s.l., 10.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), 13 in ZFMK ; same data, 2♀ 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK . Between Kribi and Campo , “site 2” (2°40.4′N, 9°51.4′E), 15 m a.s.l., 10.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), 2♀ 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK . Bilik (3°32′N, 11°17′E), Terminalia forest, fogging sample 92/13, 29.i.1993 (A. Russell-Smith), 131♀ in ZFMK ; same data but “F04 A2/ 1B”, 132♀ 1 juv. in ZFMK . Littoral Region: Douala [∼ 4°03′N, 9°45′E], 1913 (A. Haas), 1♀ in SMF . Southwest Region: Fako Div., Limbe Subdiv. : 1.4 km NE of Etome (4°03.0′N, 9°07.5′E), ca. 400 m a.s.l., 13.-19.i.1992 (S. Larcher, G. Hormiga, J. Coddington, C.E. Griswold, C. Wanzie), 534♀ in CAS ; same data, 9314 ♀ in USNM . Mamfe [∼ 5°45′N, 9°19′E], 7.-11.i.1949 (B. Malkin), 1♀ in CAS .

GHANA: Kakum forest (5°20′N, 1°23′W), secondary forest, 15./17./ 19.xi.2005 ( R. Jocqué, D. de Bakker, L. Baert), 734♀ in MRAC (3 vials: 217688, 691, 699); same data but primary forest, 16./18./21./23./ 25.xi.2005, 9310 ♀ in MRAC (5 vials: 217696, 700, 713, 716, 727) .

GUINEA: Guinée Forestière : Forêt Classée de Diéké (7°32.0′N, 8°49.9′W), 430 m a.s.l., 1.xii.2008 (B.A. Huber), 33 in ZFMK ; same data, 131♀ in pure ethanol, in ZFMK ; Forêt Classée de Ziama (8°24.2′N, 9°19.3′W), 640 m a.s.l., 2.xii.2008 (B.A. Huber), 233♀ in ZFMK ; same data, 2♀ in pure ethanol, in ZFMK ; Mount Nimba (∼ 7°41.5′N, 8°24.5′W), ∼ 600 m a.s.l., forest, 29.xi.2008 (B.A. Huber), 2♀ in pure ethanol, in ZFMK .

Assigned tentatively

GABON: Makokou , CNRS (0°04′N, 12°08′E), Ogooue-Invindo, ix.-xi.1976 (A.L. Rypstra), 1♀ in USNM .

Figures

Figures 7–14. Further Guinean leaf-dwelling pholcids. (7) Leptopholcus guineensis, male, as seen against the light, without flash; (8–9) Leptopholcus tipula, females with newly hatched spiderlings and with egg-sac; (10–11) Pholcus kakum, n. sp., male and female with egg-sac; (12) Spermophora dieke n. sp., female; (13) Pehrforsskalia conopyga, male; (14) Nyikoa limbe, female with egg-sac.

Figures 15–31. Crossopriza and Leptopholcus. (15–23) C. cylindrogaster; (15–17) male, dorsal, lateral, and ventral views; (18) female, dorsal view; (19) female abdomen, ventral view; (20, 21) cleared epigynum, ventral and dorsal views; (22) female eyes and “pseudo-eyes”, frontal view; (23) semithin section of ALE with associated “pseudo-eye”; (24–27) males in dorsal and lateral views of L. guineensis (24, 25) and L. tipula (26, 27); (28–31) epigyna in ventral and cleared dorsal views of L. guineensis (28, 29) and L. tipula (30, 31). Notes: l, cuticular lens; p, epigynal pocket; pe, “pseudo-eye”; r, retina; t, tapetum.

Figures 82–86. Leptopholcus tipula. (82, 83) Left palp, prolateral and retrolateral views; (84) male chelicerae, frontal view; (85, 86) cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. Notes: a, appendix; b, bulb; e, embolus; f, flap on uncus; pp, pore plate; pr, procursus; ta, trochanter apophysis; u, uncus. Scale lines: 0.3 mm (84–86), 0.5 mm (82, 83).

Figures 87–100. Leptopholcus tipula. (87, 88) Left bulbal projections, prolateral, from Cameroon (87) and Guinea (88); (89) tip of right male palpal trochanter apophysis; (90) tip of right procursus, prolateral view; (91) tip of left procursus, retrolateral view; (92) right male palpal tarsal organ; (93) male ALS and PMS; (94) male gonopore with epiandrous spigots; (95) epigynum; (96) female palpal tarsi, dorso-lateral view; (97) female prosoma, dorso-frontal view; (98) female spinnerets and anal cone; (99) comb hairs on female left tarsus 4, prolateral view; (100) cuticular sculpturing on female abdomen, showing difference in ventral (left) and lateral (right) pattern (frontal side on top). Notes: a, appendix; b, bulb; e, embolus; f, flap on uncus; pr, procursus; u, uncus. Scale lines: 20 µm (89, 92, 93, 99), 60 µm (87, 90, 94, 96, 100), 100 µm (88, 91, 98), 200 µm (95, 97).

Figures 148–149. Known distributions of Crossopriza cylindrogaster and the two Leptopholcus species treated herein.