Maghreba kahfa, 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 : 63-67

Maghreba kahfa gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:3EA692AD-0EFD-4A81-82D0-421F5A261AC7

Figs 163B , 182–194

Diagnosis

Distinguished from known congeners by combination of: procursus with long and straight ventral sclerite and slender dorsally-directed tip (identical to M. aurouxi gen. nov., cf. Figs 290–292 ; very similar to M. amezyan gen. et sp. nov. but smaller), distal bulbal sclerite with two small ventral teeth of different sizes and strongly protruding dorsal process ( Figs 182–185 ; very similar to M. aurouxi and M. amezyan ), epigynum without processes ( Fig. 191 ; unlike M. aurouxi ), dorsal arc of internal female genitalia without or with very indistinct posterior protrusions ( Figs 187 , 194 ; unlike M. aurouxi and M. amezyan ); from all congeners also by pore plates in female internal genitalia ( Fig. 187 ; pores in groups, right and left sides not clearly separated) and by slight troglomorphism: reduced eye size (diameter PME/distance PME–PME: 0.46; in other species:>0.60), thin legs (tibia 1 L/d: 80; in other species: <70), and long legs (male tibia 1 length/carapace width: 7.8; in other species 5.3–7.0).

Etymology

The species name is an adjective derived from the Arabian ‘ kahf ’ = ‘cave’.

Type material

Holotype MOROCCO – Souss-Massa • ♂; Agadir, Grotte des Chauves-souris, “812”; 30.6129° N, 9.4671° W; 780 m a.s.l.; 30 Oct. 2019; J. Lips leg.; ZFMK Ar 22357.

Other material examined

MOROCCO – Souss-Massa • 2 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype, “822”, “782”; ZFMK Ar 22358, Ar 22359 • 1 ♂, 3 ♀♀, 1 juv.; Agadir, Ifri Taghrart Wankrim , “842”, “839”, “835”; 30.5915° N, 9.5158° W; 380 m a.s.l.; 4 Nov. 2019; J. Lips leg.; CPO • 1 ♂; Agadir, Tigmi N’Dou Akkal , “611”; 30.7596° N, 9.4186° W; 1260 m a.s.l.; 29 Oct. 2019; S. Moutaouakil leg.; ZFMK Ar 22360 • 1 ♂; Agadir, Imi Ougoug , “543”; 30.6123° N, 9.4671° W; 770 m a.s.l.; 28 Oct. 2019; S. Moutaouakil leg.; ZFMK Ar 22361 .

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 3.3, carapace width 1.3. Distance PME–PME 140 µm; diameter PME 65 × 80 µm; distance PME–ALE 25 µm; diameter AME 40 µm; distance AME–AME 40 µm. Leg 1: 10.3 + 0.5 + 10.2, metatarsus broken; tibia 2: 6.4, tibia 3: 4.8, tibia 4: 5.3; tibia 1 L/d: 80; femora 1–4 diameters: 0.18, 0.17, 0.17, 0.17.

COLOR (in ethanol). Carapace pale ochre to whitish, with light brown median Y-mark; sternum brown with dark brown radial marks; legs pale ochre-yellow, without dark rings, with very thin black lines on femora and tibiae ( Figs 188–189 ); abdomen pale gray, with numerous whitish marks, few dark dorsal marks posteriorly only; ventrally with very indistinct spots in front of gonopore and between gonopore and spinnerets, only around spinnerets slightly more distinct dark mark.

BODY. Habitus similar to M. aurouxi gen. nov. (cf. Fig. 260–261 ). Ocular area slightly raised. Deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging from pit toward posterior margin. Clypeus unmodified, rim not more sclerotized than in female. Sternum wider than long (0.95/0.65), unmodified. Abdomen slightly elongated, dorso-posteriorly weakly angular.

CHELICERAE. As in M. aurouxi gen. nov. and M. stifadma gen. et sp. nov. (cf. Fig. 233 ), with pair of low whitish proximal humps and pair of frontal lateral apophyses, each with one cone-shaped modified hair; distance between tips of modified hairs: 360 µm; lateral stridulatory ridges distinct, clearly visible in dissecting microscope.

PALPS. In general as in M. aurouxi gen. nov. (cf. Figs 285–287 ); coxa with rounded hump and small but distinct retrolateral-ventral process; trochanter barely modified (low ventral rounded hump); femur not curved towards dorsal, distally widened and with very low rounded ventral protrusion, proximally with prolateral stridulatory pick (modified hair), without retrolateral transversal line, with distinct retrolateral-ventral proximal process and distinct dorsal process; femur-patella joints shifted toward prolateral side; tibia relatively long and slender, tibia-tarsus joints shifted toward retrolateral side; tarsus without macrotrichia; procursus apparently identical to M. aurouxi gen. nov. (cf. Figs 290–292 ), some dorsal hairs slightly curved upwards; on prolateral side with proximal ridge followed by distinct hairless hump at half length; distally with low ventral flap; procursus tip with strong ventral sclerite and semitransparent process, main branch strongly curved towards dorsal, with semitransparent hairlike process and wide tip divided by retrolateral ridge; genital bulb ( Figs 182–185 ) basal sclerite with indistinct dorsal apophysis; distal (main) sclerite large, with deep retrolateral pocket, strong dorsal process without teeth, ventral part with two ventral teeth of different sizes, sperm duct opening not seen.

LEGS. Femur 1 with single row of ~25 ventral spines; without curved hairs; few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 2.5%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1, present on other leg tibiae; tarsal pseudosegments proximally irregular and indistinct, distally ~5 fairly distinct.

Male (variation)

Tibia 1 in two other males: 7.8, 10.0. Abdomen shape variable, sometimes more globular. Dark pigment slightly variable (abdomen sometimes monochromous whitish).

Female

In general similar to male but without spines on legs, with pair of indistinct whitish (almost transparent) humps posteriorly on carapace, and pair of corresponding indistinct plates frontally on abdomen; cheliceral stridulatory ridges not seen in dissecting microscope but apparently present (possible stridulatory pick present on palpal femur). Tibia 1 in four females: 8.8, 9.6, 10.8, 10.9. Epigynum as in Fig. 191 , main epigynal plate triangular, weakly protruding, without processes; with pair of indistinct round pits (distance 330 µm); posterior plate short and wide, simple; indistinct plate (or brown area) in front of epigynum, not elevated. Internal genitalia ( Figs 186–187 , 192–194 ) with contiguous pore plates medially ‘dissolved’ into groups of pores; dorsal and ventral arcs both strongly developed, ventral arc with very indistinct ventral median process (pocket?).

Natural history

The specimens were found among rocks and on the cave wall (rather than under rocks) near the cave entrance but in complete darkness (J. Lips, pers. com. Jun. 2021).

Distribution

Known from several neighboring localities in the western-most High Atlas, Morocco ( Fig. 163B ).

Figures

Fig. 163. Known distribution of Maghreba gen. nov. A. Complete known distribution, including an undescribed Algerian species in CRB; the approximate extent of the Atlas Mountains is shown (1000 m altitude isolines, taken from https://www.britannica.com/). B. Known distributions of named species. Asterisk: specimens tentatively assigned to M. aurouxi gen. nov.

Figs 182–187. Maghreba kahfa gen. et sp. nov.; male and female from Morocco, Agadir, Ifri Taghrart Wankrim (CPO). 182–185. Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, retrolateral, and ventral views. 186– 187. Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views; arrows: pockets (pits). Abbreviations: bs = basal sclerite; dp = dorsal process; vt = ventral teeth. Scale bars = 0.3 mm.

Figs 188–194. Maghreba kahfa gen. et sp. nov.; male and female from Morocco, Agadir, Ifri Taghrart Wankrim (CPO). 188–189. Male right femora 3 and 4, ventral views. 190–191. Female abdomen and epigynum, ventral views. 192–194. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view with dorsal arc tilted backwards, ventral view, and regular dorsal view. Abbreviations: da = dorsal arc; va = ventral arc. Scale bars: 188–189 = 0.2 mm; 190–194 = 0.5 mm.

Figs 290–298. Maghreba aurouxi (Barrientos, 2019) gen. nov.; male and female from Morocco, SE of Zebzat (ZFMK Ar 22385, Ar 22386). 290–292. Left procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 293–296. Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, retrolateral, and ventral views. 297–298. Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views; arrows: pockets (pits). Abbreviations: bs = basal sclerite; da = dorsal apophysis; dp = dorsal process; ph = prolateral hump; pr = epigynal process; pt = procursus tip; vf = ventral flap; vs = ventral sclerite; vt = ventral teeth. Scale bars = 0.3 mm.

Figs 257–264. Maghreba gen. nov., live specimens. 257–259. M. gharbija gen. et sp. nov., male and female from Morocco, E of Ghazoua. 260–262. M. aurouxi (Barrientos, 2019) gen. nov., male and female from Morocco, SE of Zebzat. 263–264. M. djabalija gen. et sp. nov., male and female with eggsac from Morocco, NE of Tizi n’Test.

Figs 227–236. Maghreba stifadma gen. et sp. nov.; male and female from Morocco, Setti-Fatma (ZFMK Ar 22368, Ar 22369). 227–229. Left procursus, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 230–232. Left genital bulb, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views.233–234. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 235–236. Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views; arrows: pockets (pits). Abbreviations: bs = basal sclerite; da = dorsal apophysis; dp = dorsal process; pr = epigynal process; pt = procursus tip; vf = ventral flap; vs = ventral sclerite; vt = ventral teeth. Scale bars = 0.3 mm.

Figs 285–289. Maghreba aurouxi (Barrientos, 2019) gen. nov.; male from Morocco, SE of Zebzat (ZFMK Ar 22385). 285–287. Left palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views; arrow: process on coxa. 288–289. Femora 3 and 4, ventral views. Scale bars: 285–287 = 0.5 mm; 288–289 = 0.2 mm.