Crossopriza ghul, Huber, 2022

Huber, Bernhard A., 2022, Revisions of Holocnemus and Crossopriza: the spotted-leg clade of Smeringopinae (Araneae, Pholcidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 795 (1), pp. 1-241 : 137-139

Crossopriza ghul sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:DBDAE29C-0C1C-4B8A-B062-0AB9790BEDA1

Figs 352 , 481–482 , 526–537

Diagnosis

Distinguished from the very similar C. moqal sp. nov. by distinctive set of apophyses prolaterally on distal bulbal sclerite ( Fig. 528 ), by slightly wider distance between pore plates in female internal genitalia ( Fig. 532 ), by pair of shallow epigynal furrows closer together (~365 µm apart), and by female internal median structure different (W-shaped structure in ‘valve’; no Y-shaped structure behind ‘valve’);

from geographically closer C. kittan sp. nov. by apophyses prolaterally on distal bulbal sclerite and by relatively shorter epigynum ( Fig. 534 ).

Etymology

The species name refers to the type locality; noun in apposition.

Type material

Holotype OMAN – Ad Dakhiliyah • ♂; Wadi Ghul , ‘site 1’; 23.234° N, 57.150° E; 1440 m a.s.l.; 15 Feb. 2018; B.A. Huber leg.; ZFMK Ar 22427.

Other material examined

OMAN – Ad Dakhiliyah • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK Ar 22428 • 4 ♀♀ (in pure ethanol); same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK Om105. – Al Batinah South • 1 ♀; hill above mountain village above Wadi Sahtan ; 23.218° N, 57.315° E; 980 m a.s.l.; 26 Mar. 2017; B.A. Huber leg.; ZFMK Ar 22429 .

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 2.6, carapace width 1.0. Distance PME–PME 70 µm; diameter PME 60 × 80 µm; distance PME–ALE 20 µm; diameter AME 65 µm; distance AME–AME 20 µm. Leg 1: 26.8 (7.5 + 0.5 + 7.6 + 9.5 + 1.7), tibia 2: 4.8, tibia 3: 3.5, tibia 4: 4.3; tibia 1 L/d: 76; femora 1–4 diameters: 0.16, 0.13, 0.13, 0.13.

COLOR (in ethanol). Carapace pale ochre-yellow, anteriorly in median pit light brown; sternum laterally light ochre-yellow, medially with wide, dark brown band; legs ochre-yellow, without darker rings, with black lines on femora and (few) on tibiae; abdomen pale gray, with few indistinct dark marks dorsally, mainly posteriorly above spinnerets, ventrally with darker marks near pedicel and near spinnerets and pair of indistinct longitudinal bands behind gonopore.

BODY. Habitus as in Fig. 481 . Ocular area slightly raised.Wide but shallow thoracic pit and pair of furrows diverging from pit toward posterior margin. Clypeus unmodified (but rim more strongly sclerotized than in female). Sternum wider than long (0.80/0.55), unmodified. Abdomen oval, dorso-posteriorly slightly angular, tapering at spinnerets.

CHELICERAE. As in C. moqal sp. nov. (cf. Figs 488–489 ) but smaller: maximum width 405 µm; distance between tips of modified hairs: 335 µm; stridulatory files clearly visible in dissecting microscope.

PALPS. Proximal segments as in C. moqal sp. nov. (cf. Figs 483–485 ) but smaller: femur dorsal length 270 µm; tibia maximum length 570 µm; procursus tip ( Figs 526–527 ) with strong ventral sclerite (more pointed in lateral view than in C. moqal sp. nov.), and further membranous and sclerotized elements (very similar to C. moqal sp. nov.); genital bulb ( Figs 528–530 ) with simple basal sclerite connected to distal (main) sclerite, sperm duct opening at basis of distal sclerite; distal sclerite with retrolateral ridge and several distinctive prolateral apophyses (arrangement different from C. moqal sp. nov.).

LEGS. Femur 1 with single row of ~20 ventral spines; without curved hairs; few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 3.5%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1, present on other leg tibiae; tarsi without regular pseudosegments but with indistinct platelets.

Female

In general similar to male ( Fig. 482 ) but without spines on legs, apparently without stridulatory files on chelicerae, and with stridulatory organ consisting of pair of weakly sclerotized but distinct processes posteriorly on carapace and pair of light brown plates anteriorly on abdomen; sternum coloration as in male. Tibia 1 in three females: 6.0, 6.2, 7.2. Epigynum as in Figs 533–534 , pair of pockets (shallow furrows) ~365 µm apart; internal median structure W-shaped.

Natural history

All specimens were collected by turning rocks on the ground in the wadi and on the hill.

Distribution

Known from two localities in the Hajar Mountains of north-eastern Oman ( Fig. 352 ).

Figures

Fig. 352. Distribution of Crossopriza Simon, 1893; autochthonous species part 1 (cf. Fig. 353): species with main cheliceral apophyses in lateral position.

Figs 475–482. Crossopriza Simon, 1893, live specimens. 475–478. C. moqal sp. nov., male and female from Oman, Moqal Cave. 479–480. C. kittan sp. nov., male and female from Oman, Ibri, Al Kittan Cave. 481–482. C. ghul sp. nov., male and female with egg-sac from Oman, Wadi Ghul.

Figs 526–532. Crossopriza ghul sp. nov.; holotype male (ZFMK Ar 22427) and female from Oman, Wadi Ghul (ZFMK Ar 22428).526–527. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 528–530. Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 531–532. Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figs 533–537. Crossopriza ghul sp. nov.; female from Oman, Wadi Ghul (ZFMK Ar 22428). 533– 534. Abdomen and epigynum, ventral views. 535–537. Female internal genitalia, dorsal view (with dorsal arc tilted backwards), ventral view, and regular dorsal view. Scale bars: 533–534 = 0.5 mm; 535–537 = 0.3 mm.

Figs 486–494. Crossopriza moqal sp. nov.; male and female from Oman, Moqal Cave (ZFMK Ar 22421, Ar 22422). 486–487. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views; arrow: distinctive ventral hump. 488–489. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 490–492. Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views; arrow: retrolateral ridge.493–494. Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. Abbreviation: vs = ventral sclerite. Scale bars = 0.3 mm.

Figs 483–485. Crossopriza moqal sp. nov.; male from Oman, Moqal Cave (ZFMK Ar 22421); left palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Scale bar = 0.5 mm.