Hypochilus xomote Hedin & Ciaccio, 2022

Ciaccio, Erik, Debray, Andrew & Hedin, Marshal, 2022, Phylogenomics of paleoendemic lampshade spiders (Araneae, Hypochilidae, Hypochilus), with the description of a new species from montane California, ZooKeys 1086, pp. 163-204 : 163

Hypochilus xomote Hedin & Ciaccio sp. nov.

Figs 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14

Type material.

Holotype male (SDSU_TAC000658) from California, Kern County, upstream of Cedar Creek campground, off Hwy 155, Sequoia National Forest, 35.7508, -118.5807, elevation ~ 1520 meters, coll. M. Hedin, 4 October 2021 (MCH 21_091). Deposited at the University of California Davis Bohart Museum of Entomology. Paratype females (SDSU_TAC000659, TAC000660) and paratype male (SDSU_TAC000661) from same collecting event (MCH 21_091). Deposited at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.

Etymology.

xomote, from the Native American Yowlumni tribal word for south, providing a name for the southern-most known Hypochilus populations in the California Sierra Nevada. The X of xomote is pronounced as a "breathy, hissy sort-of H" ( Vera and Clark 2002). Language translation from the Tule River Yokuts Language Project ( Vera and Clark 2002), representing the language of the Yowlumni Yokuts. Members of the larger Yokuts people historically occupied the southern San Joaquin Valley and adjacent Sierran foothills, including the Tule River basin; the Yowlumni occupied a smaller region near the valley outlet of the Kern River (see Fig. 9 ).

Diagnosis.

CdL of intermediate length (Table 5 ), longer than H. bernardino but shorter than H. petrunkevitchi , although barely so for geographically adjacent KAW populations of H. petrunkevitchi .

Genetic data.

SRA Accession numbers: SAMN21239432-SAMN21239434.

Description.

Male holotype - Total length 7.5. Cephalothorax 3.0 long, 2.4 wide: clypeus 0.10. Eye diameters: AME 0.125, ALE 0.225, PME 0.175, PLE 0.20. Chelicerae pale yellow to white, dusky markings at base; promarginal cheliceral teeth 5, cheliceral formula 52314, retromarginal cheliceral teeth two; one distal, one proximal, both very small. Endites and labium white to pale yellow; sternum with dusky pigmentation, small unpigmented patches circling sparse weak setae; coxae whitish; trochanters with proximal and distal pigmented patches; all legs yellow tan with broken dark annulations on femora and tibiae; pro-lateral proximal aspect of femur 1 with ~ 20 unpigmented weak setae; leg 1> 20 × length of cephalothorax. Abdomen dorsally pale yellow- white with darker maculations over the entire surface, clothed with sparse hairs, with multiple transverse rows of small weak setae. Palpal tarsus (left) (0.875), palpal tibia short (1.875), thickened proximally (width 0.5), PTW/PTL = 0.267. Conductor length (0.55), conductor tip loosely whorled with very small distal apophysis in retrolateral view. Leg formula 1243; spination (only surfaces bearing spines listed): pedipalpal femur: none; tibia: many dorsal, many prolateral, few to none retrolateral; tarsus: setose with five closely appressed black spines on retrolateral surface of apical spur. Femur I-many prolateral/dorsal; legs II-IV one dorsal proximally. Trichobothrial distribution: all legs with one trichobothria distally on tibia and metatarsus.

Female paratype (SDSU_TAC000659): Total length 11.8, cephalothorax 3.8 long, 3.1 wide; clypeus 0.20. Eye diameters: AME 0.175, ALE 0.275, PME 0.225, PLE 0.20. Clypeal area, lateral aspects of head, and foveal area with dusty maculations. Pedipalp pale yellow-white, legs pale yellow-white with femora and tibiae of all legs with broken dark rings and conspicuous dark spots, first leg> 9 × length of cephalothorax. Chelicerae pale yellow, dusky on front proximal surface. Spermathecae with convoluted ducts and relatively large receptacula (e.g., Fig. 13F ). Leg formula 1243; spination (only surfaces bearing spines listed): pedipalpal femur: few distal and dorsal; tibia: few dorsal and prolateral, few to none retrolateral; metatarsus: stronger and denser than other pedipalp elements. Femur I-many prolateral/dorsal; legs II-IV one dorsal proximally. Trichobothrial distribution: pedipalpal tibia with a series of dorsal trichobothria; all legs with one trichobothria distally on tibia and metatarsus.

Other material examined.

Tule River drainage: California, Tulare County, Sequoia NF, Balch Park Road , Jenny Creek , 36.2843, -118.7335, coll. E. Ciaccio, 28 July 2017 (SDSU G2477-2481, 5F). Tulare County , Sequoia NF, Hwy 190 turnout, Belknap Creek , 36.1534, -118.5977, coll. E. Ciaccio, 23 Sept 2016 (SDSU G2296-G2300, 4F, M). Tulare County , Mountain Home State Forest , Hidden Falls campground, 36.2585, -118.6631, coll. E. Ciaccio, 28 July 2017 (SDSU G2472-G2476, 2F, 3I). Tulare County , Sequoia NF, Hwy 190, McIntyre Creek turnout, 36.1509, -118.5831, coll. E. Ciaccio, 27 July 2017 (SDSU G2467-2471, 3F, 2I). Tulare County , Sequoia NF, North Fork Middle Fork Tule River , 36.2082, -118.6488, coll. E. Ciaccio, 24 Sept 2016 (SDSU G2307-G2311, 4F, M). Tulare County , Sequoia NF, Road 208, North Fork Middle Fork Tule River , 36.1879, -118.6775, coll. E. Ciaccio, 23 Sept 2016 (SDSU G2301-2306, 5F, 1I). Tulare County , Sequoia NF, Hwy 190, Middle Fork Tule River , 36.1556, -118.6688, coll. E. Ciaccio, 23 Sept 2016 (SDSU G2289- 2295, 1I, 1M, 5F). Tulare County , Sequoia NF, Forest Route 21S94, Windy Creek turnout, 36.0810, -118.6055, coll. E. Ciaccio, 27 July 2017 (SDSU G2462-2466, 4F, 1I). Cedar Creek drainage: Kern County , Sequoia NF, Alder Creek campground, north side of campground along Cedar Creek , 35.7201, -118.6138, coll. E. Ciaccio & T. Bougie, 26 March 2018 (SDSU G2600-2602, 1M, 2F). Kern County , Sequoia NF, Alder Creek campground, north side of campground along Cedar Creek , 35.7201, -118.6125, coll. M Hedin & O. Hedin, 5 Sept 2020 (SDSU_TAC000657, 2M). Kern County , Hwy 155, Cedar Creek campground, Hwy 155, 35.7500, -118.5810, coll. E. Ciaccio & T. Bougie, 25 March 2018 (SDSU G2596- 2599, 4I). Kern County , upstream of Cedar Creek campground, off Hwy 155, Sequoia National Forest, 35.7508, -118.5807, elevation ~ 1520 meters, coll. M. Hedin, 4 October 2021 (MCH 21_091, 1M, 4F) .

Distribution and habitat.

Known only from the upper Tule River and upper Cedar Creek drainages, at the southern end of the California Sierra Nevada mountains (Fig. 9 ). We hypothesize that higher elevation xeric ridges (Dennison Mountain ridge in particular) separate the distribution of this species from Kaweah River drainage populations of H. petrunkevitchi . Populations of H. xomote sp. nov. are predicted to be present in the White River drainage that lies between the Tule and Cedar Creek drainages (Fig. 9 ), although collecting efforts in this drainage have failed thus far. We have collected these spiders on shaded granite boulders, in mineshafts, and in stream culverts, generally near water along rivers or streams, in conifer or mixed oak/conifer forests (Fig. 14 ; Suppl. material 2). See also Suppl. material 2 for locality (including elevation) and natural history information for specimens examined.

Conservation.

Specimens are more abundant and populations appear more secure in the densely forested and higher elevation / higher latitude Tule River drainage. Specimens are less abundant and populations appear more fragmented in the lower elevation and more southerly Cedar Creek drainage. Recent large fires have occurred in both drainages.

Figures

Figure 9. Southern Sierra Nevada topography map with genetic and morphological sample locations (see Suppl. material 1 and Suppl. material 2). Geographic gaps and other notable geographic features mentioned in the text are highlighted.

Figure 10. California taxa male palp (conductor) comparison. For each specimen, left panel = prolateral view, right panel = retrolateral view. H. bernardino A, B Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2931) C, D Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2932); H. xomote E, F Alder Creek (SDSU _ G 2600) G, H Tule River (SDSU _ G 2289); H. petrunkevitchi KINGS lineage I, J Mill Flat (SDSU _ G 2554); H. petrunkevitchi KAW lineage K, L Mineral King Road (SDSU _ TAC 000192); H. petrunkevitchi YOSE lineage M, N Yosemite (SDSU _ G 2568); H. kastoni O, P Ney Springs (SDSU _ TAC 000191). Distal conductor apophysis highlighted by arrows. Detailed specimen information provided in Suppl. material 2.

Figure 11. California taxa male palp comparison, prolateral views. H. kastoni A Ney Springs (SDSU _ TAC 000191); H. bernardino B Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2931) C Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2932); H. xomote D Tule River (SDSU _ G 2289) E Alder Creek (SDSU _ G 2600) F Belknap Springs (SDSU _ G 2300); H. petrunkevitchi KINGS lineage G Mill Flat (SDSU _ G 2554); H. petrunkevitchi KAW lineage H Mineral King Road (SDSU _ TAC 000192); H. petrunkevitchi YOSE lineage I Yosemite (SDSU _ G 2568). Median apophysis highlighted by arrows. For specimens E and I the bulb has rotated during specimen prep; these two images are retrolateral views, subsequently flipped in Photoshop. Detailed specimen information provided in Suppl. material 2.

Figure 12. California taxa male palp comparison, retrolateral views. H. kastoni A Ney Springs (SDSU _ TAC 000191); H. bernardino B Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2931) C Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2932); H. xomote D Tule River (SDSU _ G 2289) E Alder Creek (SDSU _ G 2600) F Belknap Creek (SDSU _ G 2300); H. petrunkevitchi KINGS lineage G Mill Flat (SDSU _ G 2554); H. petrunkevitchi KAW lineage H Mineral King Road (SDSU _ TAC 000192); H. petrunkevitchi YOSE lineage I Yosemite (SDSU _ G 2568). For specimens E and I the bulb has rotated during specimen prep; these two images are prolateral views, subsequently flipped in Photoshop. Detailed specimen information provided in Suppl. material 2.

Figure 13. Comparative female spermathecal morphology for California taxa. H. bernardino A Foresee Creek (SDSU _ G 2893); H. petrunkevitchi YOSE lineage B Yosemite (SDSU _ G 2564); H. xomote C Jenny Creek (SDSU _ G 2477) D Windy Creek (SDSU _ G 2465) E Belknap Creek (SDSU _ G 2296) F Alder Creek (SDSU _ G 2601); H. petrunkevitchi KAW lineage G Ladybug Trail (SDSU _ G 2275) H Mineral King Road (SDSU _ G 2485); H. petrunkevitchi KINGS lineage I Mill Creek (SDSU _ G 2543) J Providence Creek (SDSU _ G 2508); H. petrunkevitchi SAN lineage K Snowslide Creek (SDSU _ G 2557) L Balsam Creek (SDSU _ G 2415). Scale bars shown for select specimens. Detailed specimen information provided in Suppl. material 2.

Figure 14. Habitat, web, and live specimen digital images for H. xomote. From Kern County, vicinity Alder Creek campground, along Cedar Creek, 5 - 6 Sept 2020 (see Suppl. material 2) A large S-facing granite boulder, on the north side of Cedar Creek. Spider aggregations found in shaded areas, at white arrow B web of an adult female C image of live adult female D image of live adult male.