Hantu kapit, Huber, 2016

Bernhard A. Huber, 2016, A new genus of ground and litter-dwelling pholcine spiders from Sarawak (Araneae, Pholcidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 186, pp. 1-15 : 4-9

Hantu kapit gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:C86E7783-5E91-4FB9-AB7E-A7F32FDA9431

Figs 1–2 , 8–25 , 40–42

Gen.n. Bor80 – Huber et al. 2015a: 73–74.

Diagnosis

Easily distinguished from H. niah gen. et sp. nov. (and from other putatively close relatives in the genera Khorata , Savarna , and Aetana ) by two pairs of horns on male ocular area ( Figs 10 , 14, 15, 17 ), by extremely long apophysis on male palpal trochanter (longer than femur; Fig. 9 ), and by scape on epigynum ( Fig. 40 ) less sclerotized than in H. niah gen. et sp. nov. and with Fne transversal folds.

Etymology

The species name is derived from the type locality; noun in apposition.

Type material

MALAYSIA-BORNEO: holotype, Ƌ, Sarawak, near Kapit , forest along river, 1.937– 1.944° N, 112.904– 112.910° E, 80–120 m a.s.l., 20 Jul. 2014 (B.A. Huber, S.B. Huber), ZFMK ( Ar 15068 ) .

Other material examined

MALAYSIA-BORNEO, Sarawak: 7 ƋƋ, 4 ♀♀, same data as holotype, ZFMK ( Ar 15069–70 ; 6 ƋƋ, 3 ♀♀) and SMK (1 Ƌ, 1 ♀) ; 2 ♀♀, 4 juvs, same data, in pure ethanol, ZFMK ( Bor 183 ) .

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total body length 2.4, carapace width 0.9. Leg 1: 24.5 (5.8 + 0.4 + 5.7 + 9.3 + 3.3), tibia 2: 3.4, tibia 3: 2.4, tibia 4: 3.1; tibia 1 L/d: 72. Distance PME-PME 500 µm, diameter PME 105 µm, distance PME-ALE 25 µm, no AME.

COLOR. Carapace pale ochre with large dark lateral marks and median mark posteriorly, dark median line, ocular area and clypeus dark brown. Sternum dark brown to black. Legs ochre to light brown, without dark rings. Abdomen ochre-grey with large dorsal and lateral marks; ventral side largely covered by large dark mark and smaller dark mark at spinnerets.

BODY. Habitus as in Fig. 1 ; ocular area highly modiFed ( Figs 10 , 14, 15, 17 ), with two pairs of large horns arising from near PME and PLE and pair of smaller processes arising from near ALE; each triad on short stalk directed toward lateral; carapace with distinct thoracic furrow; clypeus with small median process ( Figs 15, 17 ); sternum wider than long (0.60/0.50), unmodiFed. Chelicerae as in Fig. 11 , with pair of proximal lateral apophyses in rather frontal position and pair of small, distal apophyses near lamellae; without modiFed hairs.

PALPS. As in Figs 8–9 , coxa with sclerotized protruding rim ventro-distally; trochanter with distinctive long retrolateral apophysis widening distally and provided with small teeth at tip ( Fig. 16 ); femur large, without processes; patella unusually long; tibia long and slender. Procursus highly complex, apparently with several hinges between distinctive sclerites. Bulb simple, weakly sclerotized embolus with subdistal branch.

LEGS. With single ventral row of ~25 spines on femora 1; without curved hairs; with short vertical hairs in two dorsal rows on all femora and tibiae; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 6%; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1, present on other tibiae. Tarsus 1 pseudosegments indistinct, only distally ~15 visible in dissecting microscope.

Male (variation)

Tibia 1 in 7 other males: 5.6–5.9 (mean 5.7). Spines on femora variable in thickness and number (~20–30).

Female

In general similar to male ( Fig. 2 ); ocular area unmodiFed, triads closer together (distance PME-PME 220 µm), not on stalks; clypeus unmodiFed; no spines on femora; fewer vertical hairs on femora and tibiae (but especially on tibiae also with higher than usual density). Tibia 1 in 4 females: 4.7, 4.8, 4.9, 4.9. Epigynum large dark plate, weakly sclerotized, slightly protruding and with many Fne transversal folds, especially in posterior half ( Figs 13 , 40, 41 ); with distinctive scape, pale whitish distally; internal genitalia as in Figs 12 and 42 .

Natural history

The spiders were found in domed webs in small holes in the ground along a river in well-preserved forest.

Distribution

Known from type locality near Kapit only ( Fig. 7 ).

Figures

Fig. 7. Map of northern Borneo, showing known records of Hantu gen. nov.

Figs 1 – 6. Live specimens. 1 – 2. Hantu kapit gen. et sp. nov., Ƌ and ♀ from Kapit, Sarawak. 3 – 6. Hantu niah gen. et sp. nov., Ƌ and ♀ from Niah, Sarawak.

Figs 8 – 13. Hantu kapit gen. et sp. nov., ZFMKAr 15069 – 70. 8 – 9. Left male palp, prolateral and retrolateral views (arrow points at ventral process on coxa). 10. Male prosoma, oblique frontal view. 11. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 12 – 13. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal and ventral views. Abbreviations: b = genital bulb; e = embolus; p = procursus; tr = trochanter. Scale lines: 0.5 mm (8 – 10); 0.3 mm (11 – 13).

Figs 14 – 19. Hantu kapit gen. et sp. nov., ZFMK Ar 15069. 14 – 15. Male prosoma, frontal and slightly oblique frontal views. 16. Tip of right male palpal trochanter apophysis. 17. Male prosoma, oblique frontal view. 18. Left procursus and genital bulb, prolateral view. 19. Right procursus and bulb, retrolateral view (arrow points at ventral process on coxa). Abbreviations: b = genital bulb; e = embolus; p = procursus. Scale lines: 50 µm (16); 200 µm (14 – 15, 17 – 19).

Figs 20 – 25. Hantu kapit gen. et sp. nov., ZFMK Ar 15069. 20. Tip of right procursus, retrolateral view. 21. Male palpal tarsal organ. 22. Trichobothrium base on male palpal tibia. 23. Male gonopore. 24. Male ALS. 25. Comb-hairs on male tarsus 4. Scale lines: 8 µm (21); 10 µm (22, 24 – 25); 40 µm (20, 23).

Figs 40 – 45. Female genitalia; untreated in ventral view, cleared in ventral and dorsal views. 40 – 42. Hantu kapit gen. et sp. nov., ZFMK Ar 15070. 43 – 45. Hantu niah gen. et sp. nov., ZFMK Ar 15073. At varying scales.