Hygropoda celebesiana ( Strand, 1913 )

Cruz, Estevam L. & Silva, Da, 2012, On the nursery-web spider genus Hypsithylla Simon, 1903 (Araneae: Pisauridae) and its synonymy with Hygropoda Thorell, 1894, Zootaxa 3523, pp. 59-63 : 61-62

Hygropoda celebesiana ( Strand, 1913) . New combination

( Figs 1–9 )

Hypsithylla celebesiana Strand, 1913: 121 , female holotype from Boeton, Sulawesi [05°03'S, 122°53'E] (SMF 4870) (examined). Strand, 1915: 257, plate 19, fig. 95. Bonnet, 1957: 2268. Roewer, 1955: 139. Platnick, 2012.

Note. Hypsithylla celebesiana Strand, 1913 is transferred to Hygropoda Thorell, 1894 because it has long, flexible tarsi, while the middle field of the epigynum has two median excavations ( Fig. 8 ) and the head of spermathecae is rounded and short ( Fig. 9 ). The form of the genitalia means this species should be placed in Hygropoda rather than Megadolomedes , which is the only other pisaurid genus known to have long and flexible tarsi ( Davies & Raven 1980).

Condition of holotype. Missing right and left legs IV, other legs loose in the vial.

Diagnosis. The female of Hygropoda celebesiana comb. nov. resembles that of H. higenaga (Kishida, 1936) ( Zhang et al., 2004: 382, figs 80, 81) because they both have long, flexible tarsi and short head of the spermathecae (HS), but can be distinguished by the two deep median excavations on the middle field of epigynum (MF) ( Fig. 8 ) and by the larger head of the spermatheca (HS) ( Fig. 9 ) in H. celebesiana .

Description. Female (Holotype, Boeton, Sulawesi, SMF 4870). Total length 15.02. Carapace 4.98 long, 2.98 wide, yellow with faint brown markings ( Figs 2, 3 ); slightly low ( Fig. 4 ), fovea elongated and distally positioned ( Figs 2, 3 ). Clypeus light yellow, 0.18 high ( Fig. 7 ). Anterior eye row procurved (frontal view), 1.08 wide; posterior recurved, 1.46 wide ( Fig. 7 ). Eye diameters, interdistances, and median ocular quadrangle: AME 0.17, ALE 0.10, PME 0.20, PLE 0.16; AME-AME 0.15, AME-ALE 0.18, PME-PME 0.34, PME-PLE 0.32, OQA 0.48, OQP 0.66, OQH 0.34. Chelicerae yellow, bristly ( Fig. 7 ); promargin with three teeth and retromargin of fang furrow with three equidistant and equal-sized teeth. Sternum dark yellow, scattered setae; 2.49 long, 1.74 wide ( Fig. 5 ). Labium yellow, 0.83 long, 0.66 wide ( Fig. 6 ). Legs yellow ( Fig. 2 ), relative length: I-II-III, I—femur 11.57/ tibia-patella 13.16/ metatarsus 12.63/ tarsus 13.56/ total 50.92; II—9.31/ 9.57/ 9.97/ 5.98/ 34.83; III—5.98/ 5.71/ 5.32/ 4.38/ 21.39. Ventral pairs of macrosetae on tibiae: I-4; II-4; III-3. Abdomen 9.70 long, dark yellow with four pairs of light brown spots on dorsum ( Fig. 2 ); light yellow patch anteriorly and with three pairs of sigilla. Venter light yellow, scattered setae ( Fig. 5 ). Epigynum with two deep median excavations with a sclerotised border on the middle field (MF) ( Fig. 8 ). Head of spermathecae (HS) short ( Fig. 9 ).

Male. Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Sulawesi ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Type locality of Hygropoda celebesiana (Strand, 1913) comb. nov. in Sulawesi.

FIGURES 2 – 7. Hygropoda celebesiana (Strand, 1913) comb. nov. 2, 3 female habitus (2 dorsal, 3 detail of carapace, 4 lateral, 5 ventral, 6 detail of sternum, endites and labium, 7 frontal).

FIGURES 8, 9. Hygropoda celebesiana (Strand, 1913) comb. nov. 8, 9 female epigynum (8 ventral, 9 dorsal). Abbreviations: BS = base of spermatheca, HS = head of spermathecae, MF = middle field.