Savigniorrhipis acoreensis Wunderlich, 1992

Crespo, Luís Carlos, Bosmans, Robert, Cardoso, Pedro & Borges, Paulo A. V., 2013, On the endemic spider species of the genus Savigniorrhipis Wunderlich, 1992 (Araneae: Linyphiidae) in the Azores (Portugal), with description of a new species, Zootaxa 3745 (3), pp. 330-342 : 333-336

Savigniorrhipis acoreensis Wunderlich, 1992

(figs. 1–8; 15–16)

Material examined: Portugal, Azores, Santa Maria—Pico Alto Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 669927 4094384, datum WGS84), VII.2002, 22 ♂, 14 ♀; VI.2004, 3 ♂, 1 ♀; V.2009, 6 ♂; VIII.2010, 54 ♂, 37 ♀. São Miguel— Atalhada Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 656878 4188871, datum WGS84), VIII.1999, 2 ♂, 4 ♀; VII.2000, 1 ♀; VI.2004, 10 ♂, 11 ♀. São Miguel—Graminhais Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 654838 4185138, datum WGS84), VIII.1999, 29 ♂, 65 ♀; VII.2000, 14 ♂, 16 ♀; VII.2004, 9 ♂, 9 ♀; VI.2010, 19 ♂, 27 ♀. São Miguel—Pico da Vara Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 659806 4184815, datum WGS84), VII.1999, 1 ♂; VIII.1999, 8 ♂, 12 ♀; VII.2000, 6 ♀; VI.2010, 9 ♂, 9 ♀. Terceira—Biscoito da Ferraria Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 479370 4289985, datum WGS84), VI.1999, 6 ♂, 38 ♀; IX.2000, 7 ♂, 16 ♀; VII.2003, 2 ♂, 34 ♀; VII.2003, 31 ♂, 39 ♀; VIII.2003, 9 ♂, 10 ♀; VI.2011, 3 ♂, 19 ♀. Terceira—Caldeira Guilherme Moniz Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 482285 4284477, datum WGS84), VII.2002, 17 ♂, 10 ♀; IX.2002, 16 ♂, 8 ♀; IX.2003, 2 ♂, 1 ♀. Terceira—Pico Galhardo Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 479664 4287554, datum WGS84), VII.2002, 31 ♂, 20 ♀; IX.2002, 24 ♂, 76 ♀; VI.2003, 16 ♂, 22 ♀; VII.2003, 27 ♂, 6 ♀; VIII.2003, 14 ♂, 5 ♀; IX.2003, 6 ♂, 16 ♀; VI.2010, 9 ♂, 36 ♀. Terceira—Serra de Santa Bárbara Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 472028 4288949, datum WGS84), VI.1999, 2 ♂, 41 ♀; VIII.1999, 58 ♂, 33 ♀; VII.2001, 8 ♂, 26 ♀; VI.2003, 3 ♂, 81 ♀; VII.2003, 25 ♂, 32 ♀; VIII.2003, 217 ♂, 238 ♀; IX.2003, 8 ♂, 50 ♀; VIII.2010, 42 ♂, 30 ♀; IX.2010, 48 ♂, 4 ♀. Terceira—Terra Brava Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 482438 4287412, datum WGS84), VII.2001, 8 ♂, 23 ♀; IX.2001, 15 ♂, 28 ♀; VII.2002, 6 ♂, 17 ♀; VI.2003, 2 ♂, 6 ♀; VIII.2003, 93 ♂, 58 ♀; IX.2003, 72 ♂, 167 ♀; IX.2004, 38 ♂, 64 ♀; VI.2010, 2 ♂, 6 ♀; VII.2010, 3 ♂, 3 ♀; VIII.2010, 82 ♂, 55 ♀. São Jorge—Pico Pinheiro Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 408602 4277888, datum WGS84), VII.1999, 15 ♂, 14 ♀; VII.2000, 63 ♂, 52 ♀; VII.2004, 3 ♂, 4 ♀; IX.2010, 123 ♂, 142 ♀. São Jorge—Topo Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 421857 4272031, datum WGS84), VII.2004, 10 ♀; IX.2010, 10 ♂, 1 ♀. Faial—Caldeira do Faial Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 351110 4271917, datum WGS84), VII.2004, 1 ♂, 21 ♀; IX.2010, 11 ♂, 8 ♀. Pico—Caveiro Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 395274 4255409, datum WGS84), VII.1999, 1 ♀; IX.1999, 7 ♂, 10 ♀; VII.2000, 53 ♀; VII.2010, 1 ♂, 19 ♀. Pico—Lagoa do Caiado Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 390826 4257032, datum WGS84), IX.1999, 7 ♂, 15 ♀; VII.2000, 24 ♀. Pico—Mistério da Prainha Natural Reserve, (UTM 26S 388683 4257957, datum WGS84), IX.1999, 21 ♂, 4 ♀; VII.2000, 4 ♂, 8 ♀; VII.2010, 1 ♂, 7 ♀. Flores—Caldeira Funda e Rasa Natural Reserve, (UTM 25S 136817 4370019, datum WGS84), VII.1999, 31 ♂, 65 ♀; IX.2000, 24 ♂, 53 ♀; VII.2010, 41 ♂, 50 ♀. Flores—Morro Alto e Pico da Sé Natural Reserve, (UTM 25S 137809 4376293, datum WGS84), VII.1999, 14 ♂, 38 ♀; IX.2000, 94 ♂, 204 ♀; VII.2007, 4 ♂, 7 ♀; VII.2010, 61 ♂, 109 ♀ (P.A.V. Borges et al. leg.). All cited material is deposited at EDTP.

Diagnosis. The males of this species differ from S. topographicus n. sp. by the anterior radical process sensu Hormiga (2000), which is long, thin, pointing out in a roughly 45º angle from the base of the radix, by the straight embolus with a slightly curved tip and by the tibial apophysis, which shows a dorsal widening process hump in its prolateral side. The females can be diagnosed by the wide undivided dorsal plate of the epigynum, and by the shape of the copulatory ducts. The apical position of the metatarsal trichobotria appears to be unique in the Savignia - group (Tm I 0.81 (0.74–0.85)).

Redescription. Male. Total length 1.70 (1.60–1.75). Prosoma 0.85 (0.83–0.87) long, 0.59 (0.57–0.60) wide. Male cephalic area slightly elevated, without tubercles or sulci ( Fig. 6 ). Clypeus protruding. Anterior side of prosoma with small hairs. Anterior row of eyes recurved. Posterior row procurved. AME separated from ALE twice the diameter of the former. AME separated by half their diameter. PME separated by four times their diameter. PLE touching ALE. PME separated from AME roughly four times the diameter of the former. PME separated from PLE 1.5 times the diameter of the former. Coloration of prosoma and legs yellowish to brown. Sternum slightly darker. Chelicerae with 15 to 20 imbricated stridulatory striae, with four promarginal teeth and five smaller retromarginal denticles. Opisthosoma with a dorsal pattern of black patches along its dorsal side in a whitish background and black areas along the sides reaching the spinnerets, this pattern being variable to an extent where some specimens present one single large black patch with non-pigmented areas in its center.

Legs with a basal and apical spine on tibiae I and II, and one basal on tibiae III and IV (2211). L Sp Ti I–II = 0.4; L Sp Ti III–IV = 1.6. Patellar apical spine present on all legs. Tm IV present. Measurements of legs in Table 1 .

Male palp ( Figs. 1–5 ). Tibia with three trichobothria, and a large unciform apophysis extending prolaterally, curving retrolaterally. Halfway its length with a flag-like extension. Paracymbium simple without apophyses or hairs, with a wide base. Cymbium with a smooth dorsal depression accommodating the terminal section of the tibial apophysis. Suprategular apophysis with a bifid marginal apophysis and a curved sharpened terminal lobe. Radix with two apophyses, the anterior radical process a thin, long process pointing ventrally in a 45º angle direction in regard to the radix’s base, the posterior radical process a stout, short ventral process, in close contact with embolus. Embolus short, descending straight in front of tegulum.

Female. Total length 1.89 (1.75–2.00). Prosoma 0.83 (0.83–0.83) long, 0.59 (0.57–0.60) wide. Clypeus not protruding. Anterior row of eyes recurved. Posterior row procurved. AME separated from ALE by the diameter of the former. AME separated by half their diameter. PME separated from AME roughly 1.5 times the diameter of the former. PLE touching ALE. PME separated by their diameter. PME separated from PLE by their diameter. Coloration of prosoma and legs yellowish to brown. Sternum slightly darker. Chelicerae with about five to seven small stridulatory striae, with five promarginal teeth and five smaller retromarginal denticles. Opisthosoma same as in male (see above).

Leg spination same as in male. Tm IV present. Tm I values (for 10 females): 0.81 (0.74–0.85). Measurements of legs in Table 2 .

Epigynum ( Figs. 7, 8 ). Dorsal plate wide and rectangular, in ventral view visible for its greater part by the reduction of the ventral plate. Receptacula J-shaped, with short thick copulatory ducts.

Ecology. This species dwells in the canopy of endemic bushes and trees such as Ilex perado subsp. azorica , Vaccinium cylindraceum , Laurus azorica , Erica azorica and Juniperus brevifolia . In the latter species, it is the most abundant endemic spider species. Juniperus brevifolia has numerous short leaves, which provide refuge for the spiders. Using the Lloyd Index (see Ribeiro et al. 2005) this species could be considered as specialist of the endemic tree Juniperus brevifolia .

The related gymnosperm exotic tree Cryptomeria japonica is also an important habitat for this spider, particularly at high altitudes when C. japonica is planted as a monoculture near native forests.

Phenology. Adults of both sexes are continually found from June to September. This might not represent its phenology as no sampling was carried out in other months.

Distribution. Azorean islands with patches of native forest and possible extinct in the remaining islands (Corvo and Graciosa).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 8. Savigniorrhipis acoreensis Wunderlich, 1992. Male from Flores: 1 — retrolateral aspect of pedipalp; 2 — frontal aspect of pedipalp; 3 — prolateral aspect of pedipalp; 4 — dorsal aspect of tibia; 5 — dorsal aspect of suprategular apophysis; 6 — lateral aspect of the prosoma. Female from Terceira: 7 — ventral aspect of the epigynum; 8 — dorsal aspect of vulva. Scale bars = 0, 1 mm.

Tables

TABLE 1. Measurements of leg segments in male Savigniorrhipis acoreensis: average (maximum – minimum) in mm (n = 5).

	Femur	Patella	Tibia	Metatarsus	Tarsus	Total
I	0.58 (0.57–0.60)	0.20 (0.18–0.20)	0.47 (0.45–0.48)	0.47 (0.47–0.48)	0.35 (0.33–0.37)	2.07 (2.05–2.08)
II	0.58 (0.57–0.60)	0.19 (0.18–0.20)	0.45 (0.42–0.48	0.45 (0.38–0.48)	0.30 (0.18–0.35)	1.98 (1.73–2.07)
III	0.51 (0.50–0.53)	0.18 (0.17–0.20)	0.37 (0.35–0.38)	0.40 (0.38–0.42)	0.28 (0.27–0.30)	1.73 (1.68–1.82)
IV	0.64 (0.62–0.67)	0.19 (0.17–0.22)	0.54 (0.52–0.57)	0.54 (0.50–0.57)	0.34 (0.32–0.37)	2.24 (2.20–2.28)

TABLE 2. Measurements of leg segments in female Savigniorrhipis acoreensis: average (maximum – minimum) in mm (n = 5).

	Femur	Patella	Tibia	Metatarsus Tarsus	Total
I	0.57 (0.53–0.62)	0.20 (0.18–0.22)	0.44 (0.42–0.45)	0.45 (0.43–0.47) 0.34 (0.32–0.37)	2.00 (2.05–2.08)
II	0.56 (0.55–0.57)	0.19 (0.18–0.20)	0.43 (0.42–0.47)	0.44 (0.42–0.45) 0.33 (0.32–0.33)	1.96 (1.93–1.98)
III	0.51 (0.50–0.57)	0.18 (0.17–0.20)	0.36 (0.35–0.38)	0.39 (0.37–0.40) 0.28 (0.27–0.28)	1.72 (1.67–1.77)
IV	0.64 (0.63–0.65)	0.20 (0.20–0.20)	0.51 (0.50–0.52)	0.51 (0.50–0.53) 0.33 (0.32–0.35)	2.19 (2.17–2.22)