Systaria princesa, Jäger, 2018

Jäger, Peter, 2018, On the genus Systaria (Araneae: Clubionidae) in Southeast Asia: new species from caves and forests, Zootaxa 4504 (4), pp. 524-544 : 537-538

Systaria princesa spec. nov.

Figs 33–39 , 45–46

Type material: PHILIPPINES: Palawan: Holotype: male , Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park, Tagusan cave [19], N 10°9'43.93'', E 118°53'30.05'', 305 m elevation, S. Vanni, P. Agnelli & M. Ciaramella leg. 2.– 3.5.2017 ( SMF) . Paratypes (1 male, 4 females). Puerto Princesa Underground River National Park : 1 female, with same data as for holotype ( SMF). 1 male, 1 female , Puerto Princesa Underground River cave, “gypsum and mud galleries”, entrance (outflow) at N 10°11’55.77’’, E 118°55’33.41’’, 1 m elevation, S. Vanni, P. Agnelli & M. Ciaramella leg. 26.4.2017, #18 ( PNM). 1 female, Tagusan cave, S. Vanni, P. Agnelli & M. Ciaramella leg. 2.- 3.5.2017, #16 ( MZUF). 1 female, Lion cave (Cabayugan), S. Vanni & C. Paniccia leg. 8.5.2017 ( PNM) .

Additional material examined (2 subadult males, 1 subadult female, 3 juveniles). PHILIPPINES: Palawan: 1 subadult female, with same data as for holotype ( SMF). 2 subadult males, Puerto Princesa Underground River cave , “gypsum and mud galleries”, entrance (outflow) at N 10°11'55.77'', E 118°55'33.41'', 1 m

elevation, S. Vanni, P. Agnelli & M. Ciaramella leg. 26.4.2017, #18 (PNM). 3 juveniles, Tagusan cave, S. Vanni, P. Agnelli & M. Ciaramella leg. 2.- 3.5.2017, #16 (MZUF).

Etymology. The species is named after the type locality; name in apposition.

Diagnosis. Small to medium sized spiders with body length of males: 7.5–9.1, of females: 9.2–12.2. The species seems to be closely related to S. insulana (Rainbow 1901) from the New Hebrides in having very similar copulatory organs ( Figs 33–35, 38–39 ; cf. Platnick & Bonaldo 1995 and Fig. 44 ), but may be distinguished by the male RTA with wider base (=a) and shorter distal part (=b, best seen in retrolateral view, Figs 34, 36 ; with a/b= 1.6 in S. princesa spec. nov.; a/b= 1 in S. insulana ; cf. Fig. 44 ) and the more distinctly arched atrial margin, especially medially protruding more posteriorly and more widely separated and slightly larger spermathecae. Moreover, both sexes of the new species have more lateral femoral spines (males: p3, r4; females p2, r3) of legs I and II especially in females (less in males [p2–3, r1–3] and none in females in S. insulana ).

Description. Male (holotype): prosoma length 4.1, prosoma width 3.6, anterior width of prosoma 1.6, opisthosoma length 5.0, opisthosoma width 2.4. Eyes: AME 0.25, ALE 0.19, PME 0.16, PLE 0.20, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.05, PME–PME 0.25, PME–PLE 0.22, AME–PME 0.13, ALE–PLE 0.02. Cheliceral furrow with 3 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth. Spination: Palp: femur p001, d012, r001; legs (IV lacking): femur I– II p0111, d111, r1111, III p1111, d111, r1111; patella I – III 000; tibia I–II v222, III p11, d10, r11, v222; metatarsus I – II v220, III p122, r112, v222. Leg formula: 123. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 4.7 (1.8, 0.7, 0.8, -, 1.4), I 14.2 (3.9, 1.7, 3.6, 3.3, 1.7), II 12.9 (3.5, 1.7, 3.2, 3.0, 1.5), III 11.6 (3.3, 1.4, 2.7, 2.9, 1.3). Palp as in diagnosis ( Figs 33–36 ). Cymbium distinctly longer than tibia. RTA arising distally from tibia with broad, roughly rectangular base in retrolateral view, its dorsal margin serrated, distal tip hooked. Embolus arising in 8-o’clock-position from tegulum, slightly bent, narrowing from broad base to narrow apical part. Tip situated close to membranous conductor in 12- to 12.30-o’clock-position. Broad part of spermophor visible in retrolateral and proximal part of tegulum. Colouration. Yellowish-brown without pattern. Fovea, eye region, chelicerae, labium gnathocoxae, sternum, cymbium and posterior half of opisthosoma darker.

Female (paratype): prosoma length 5.0, prosoma width 3.5, anterior width of prosoma 2.2, opisthosoma length 6.6, opisthosoma width 3.8. Eyes: AME 0.22, ALE 0.20, PME 0.17, PLE 0.20, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.09, PME–PME 0.28, PME–PLE 0.28, AME–PME 0.19, ALE–PLE 0.07. Cheliceral furrow with 3 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth. Spination: Palp: femur p001(0), d012, r001, patella p1, tibia p21, d11, metatarsus p21, r10, v022; legs: femur I–II p011, d111, r111, III p1111, d111, r1111, IV p1111, d111, r01(0)1; patella I–IV 000; tibia I v220, II v110, III–IV p11, d10, r11, v222; metatarsus I–II v200, III p122, r112, v222, IV p122, r122, v222. Leg formula: 4123. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 5.2 (1.7, 0.8, 1.1, -, 1.6), I 14.2 (4.1, 1.8, 3.7, 3.0, 1.6), II 13.5 (3.9, 1.9, 3.4, 2.8, 1.5), III 11.5 (3.3, 1.4, 2.6, 2.8, 1.4), IV 16.1 (4.4, 1.9, 4.1, 4.1, 1.6). Copulatory organ as in diagnosis ( Figs 38–39 ). Epigynal field wider than long, transverse oval, with 2 pairs of slit sensilla and small separate anterior bands. Anterior margin of atrium bipartite, arched. Sclerotised spheres (~30) visible through cuticle in ventral view. Copulatory openings located laterally. Internal duct system with huge oval bursae, copulatory ducts recognisable postero-laterally behind bursae. Connecting duct narrow, spermathecae separated by almost one of their diameter, fertilisation ducts antero-laterad. Colouration. As in male.

Variation. Males (n=1) with prosoma length 3.2, opisthosoma length 4.3; females (n=4) with prosoma length 4.0–5.5, opisthosoma length 5.2–6.7. RTA tip may be more distinctly pointed in ventral view ( Fig. 35 ) and dorsal margin of RTA less serrated in retrolateral view ( Fig. 36 ).

Distribution. Known from several caves close to the type locality ( Figs 45–46 ).

Natural history. All specimens have been recorded from the dark parts of the cave system. Along with adult and subadult females as well as juveniles the following organisms have been found: Heteropoda simoneallmannae Jäger 2018 , Heteropoda sp., Pholcidae gen. sp. 1 & 2, Pisauridae, Psechrus sp., Salticidae , Theraphosidae : (Selenocosmiinae), Uloboridae, Opiliones (Laniatores) , Acari (Trombidiformes) and Isopoda (Agnelli, personal communication).

Figures

FIGURE 45. Records of Systaria spp. in SE Asia described in this paper. Triangles—species recorded from caves, circlesspecies recorded from forest.

FIGURE 46. All known records of the genus Systaria (World Spider Catalog 2018) including undescribed species mentioned in Deeleman-Reinhold (2001) according to habitats. Triangles—species recorded from caves, circles—species recorded from forest. See discussion.

FIGURES 33–39. Systaria princesa spec. nov. from Philippines, Palawan (33–34, 37 holotype male from Tagusan cave, 35– 36 male paratype from Puerto Princesa Underground River cave, 38–39 female paratype from Tagusan Cave). 33–36 Left palp (33, 35 ventral, 34, 36 retrolateral). 37 Sternum, ventral. 38 Epigyne, ventral. 39 Vulva, dorsal. For explanations of a, b see diagnosis. Abbreviation: CO—copulatory opening.

FIGURES 40–44. Systaria spp., copulatory organs. 40–43 Systaria elberti (Strand 1913) from Indonesia, Lombok Island (40– 41 holotype male, 42–43 female), 44 Systaria insulana (Rainbow 1809), male from New Hebrides. 40–41, 44 Left palp (40 ventral, 41, 44 retrolateral). 42 Epigyne, ventral. 43 Vulva, dorsal. For explanations of a, b see diagnosis (44 modified from Platnick & Bonaldo 1995, not to scale). Abbreviation: CO—copulatory opening.