Pholcus sudhami Huber, 2011

Berhard A. Huber, Booppa Petchard, Charles Leh Moi Ung, Joseph K. H. Koh & Amir R. M. Ghazali, 2016, The Southeast Asian Pholcus halabala species group (Araneae, Pholcidae): new data from field observations and ultrastructure, European Journal of Taxonomy 190, pp. 1-55 : 24-27

Pholcus sudhami Huber, 2011

Figs 54–56 , 79–89

Pholcus sudhami Huber, 2011: 300 , figs 1380–1382, 1411–1412, 1476–1480 (♂♀).

Diagnosis

Easily distinguished from most congeners by male palpal morphology (figs 1476, 1477 in Huber 2011; distinctive procursus with large membranous structure, absence of appendix) and by female genitalia (figs 1479 and 1480 in Huber 2011; elongate pore plates in lateral position and semicircular internal structures visible through cuticle; very similar to Ph. pakse ); from Ph. pakse only by male embolus without spines (compare figs 1476 and 1481 in Huber 2011).

New material examined

THAILAND: 9 ♂♂, 8 ♀♀, ZFMK (8 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀, Ar 15031–32 ) and PSUZC (1 ♂, 1 ♀), Kanchanaburi, Erawan National Park (14°22.2' N, 99°08.75' E), 85 m a.s.l., forest along stream, on rocks and tree roots, 15 Mar. 2015 (B.A. Huber, B. Petcharad) ; 2 ♀♀, in absolute ethanol, ZFMK ( Mal 379 ), same data ; 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, RMNH, Erawan National Park , 15–16 Mar. 1986 (C.L. & P.R. Deeleman) .

Assigned tentatively

THAILAND: 3 ♂♂, 3 ♀♀, ZFMK ( Ar 15033 ), Prachuap Khiri Khan, Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, near Tham Phraya Nakhon (12°12.0' N, 100°00.8' E), 40 m a.s.l., at rocks in forest, 14 Mar. 2015 (B.A. Huber, B. Petcharad) ; 2 ♀♀, 3 juvs , in absolute ethanol, ZFMK ( Mal 373 ), same data ; 1 ♀, ZFMK ( Ar 15034 ), Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park, Tham Kaeo (12°12.2' N, 99°59.5' E), 60 m a.s.l., under rock in cave entrance, 14 Mar. 2015 (B.A. Huber, B. Petcharad) ; 1 ♀, RMNH, Sam Roi Yot National Park , no further locality information, 8 Dec. 1990 (C.L. & P.R. Deeleman) ; 1 juv., in absolute ethanol, ZFMK ( Mal 376 ), Wat Huai Takaeng (13°35.23' N, 99°45.52' E) (= “ Tham Phraya Prap ” in Huber 2011), 30 m a.s.l., in cave, 15 Mar. 2015 (B.A. Huber, B. Petcharad) .

Description – amendments

In males from Khao Sam Roi Yot, the uncus has a slightly more pointed tip and the subdistal spine on the embolus has a more transversal position relative to the embolus. Specimens from this locality are therefore assigned tentatively. Tibia 1 in 7 males from type locality ( Erawan ): 8.7–10.6 (mean 9.9); in 7 females: 7.5–8.6 (mean 8.1). Hairs on male ocular area not visibly different from those in females ( Figs 79–80 ); tarsus 4 comb-hairs of the simplified Pholcus - type (cf. Huber & Fleckenstein 2008), with three lateral tines ( Fig. 82 ); procursus with distinctive field of ventral spines ( Figs 83, 89 ); male distal cheliceral apophyses with two modified hairs each ( Fig. 86 ); gonopore with four epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 88 ); ALS with one widened, one pointed, and six smaller cylindrically shaped spigots of varying sizes ( Fig. 81 ).

Natural history

At the type locality ( Erawan ) most specimens were found on the lower surfaces of exposed tree roots at the riverside. At the other localities, specimens were only found on overhanging smooth rocks at the cave entrances (Tham Kaeo; Wat Huai Takaeng) or in the forest (Phraya Nakhon). When disturbed, the spiders dropped to the ground.

Distribution

Known from four localities in central western Thailand ( Fig. 57 ).

Figures

Fig. 57. Known distributions of species tentatively assigned to the Pholcus halabala species group.

Figs 49 – 56. Live specimens, Pholcus kuhapimuk Huber, sp. nov. (49 – 51), Ph. khaolek Huber, sp. nov. (52 – 53), and Ph. sudhami Huber, 2011 (54 – 56). 49 – 51. ♂, penultimate instar ♂, and ♀ with egg-sac from Wat Kuhapimuk, Thailand. 52 – 53. ♀ with spiderlings and ♂ from Khao Lek, Thailand. 54 – 55. ♂ from Tham Phraya Nakhon, Thailand. 56. ♂ from Erawan, Thailand.

Figs 79 – 89. Pholcus sudhami Huber, 2011, ZFMK Ar 15031 – 32. 79 – 80. Male and female prosomata, frontal views. 81. Female ALS. 82. Comb-hairs on male tarsus 4. 83. Right procursus, retrolateral (slightly distal) view. 84. Left bulb and procursus, prolateral view. 85. Left uncus and embolus, prolateral view. 86. Male distal cheliceral apophysis (arrows point at modified hairs). 87. Epigynum, ventral view. 88. Male gonopore. 89. Pseudotrichia on ventral side of procursus. Abbreviations: b = genital bulb; e = embolus; p = procursus; u = uncus. Scale lines: 20 µm (81 – 82, 86); 30 µm (89); 50 µm (88); 60 µm (85); 200 µm (83 – 84, 87); 300 µm (79 – 80).