Pomboa, HUBER, 2000

HUBER, BERNHARD A., 2000, New World Pholcid Spiders (Araneae: Pholcidae): A Revision At Generic Level, Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2000 (254), pp. 1-348 : 288-292

POMBOA , NEW GENUS

TYPE SPECIES: Pomboa quindio , new species.

ETYMOLOGY: The generic name honors the Colombian poet Rafael Pombo, loved by children for his ‘‘El Renacuájo Paseador’’ (‘‘The Strolling Frog’’). Gender feminine.

DIAGNOSIS: Medium-sized (total length 1.7–3.3) pholcids, extremely variable in habitus; distinguished from other genera by the procursus that is widely curved and dorsoproximally bears a cuticular spine accompanied by membranous fringes (figs. 1160, 1176; the cuticular spine is missing in P. cali , n. sp.).

DESCRIPTION: Total length ~ 1.7–3.3 mm. Carapace with distinct thoracic groove, ocular area moderately elevated, usually with eight eyes in very common position (fig. 1164), AME smallest (in P. pallida , n. sp., triads much farther apart and AME missing: fig. 1170); distance PME-ALE about 60– 70% of PME diameter. Male clypeus unmodified. Male chelicerae often with modified hairs proximally (in type species proximal hairs just stronger than usual), usually with pair of simple apophyses distally (missing in P. cali ), without stridulatory ridges laterally. Male sternum without humps. Male palpal coxa with retrolateral apophysis, femur characteristically ‘‘bottle-shaped’’ (fig. 1177), with retrolateral apophysis proximally; procursus widely curved, usually with dorsoproximal cuticular spine accompanied by membranous fringes (figs. 1160, 1176; missing in P. cali ). Tarsal organ not examined. Legs of varying length (leg 1 about 6–17 × body length; tibia 1 l/d usually ~ 35–50; 90 in P. pallida ), leg 1 longest, leg 2 longer than or as long as leg 4, leg 3 shortest; legs with dark rings at varying positions; without spines, with many vertical hairs on all tibiae (only in P. cali with curved hairs on tibiae and metatarsi); retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at ~ 3–8%; tarsus with ~ 20–30 pseudosegments. Opisthosoma oval. Male epigastric system and spinnerets not examined.

Sexual dimorphism slight; tibiae of females with few vertical hairs; epigynum very simple externally.

MONOPHYLY: P. quindio and pallida have almost identical pedipalps, including details of procursus and bulb, and the epigynum is almost identical externally. The additional fact that they come from the same department in Colombia leaves little doubt that they are in fact very closely related, despite the extremely different habitus. P. cali shares the habitus with P. quindio , and a number of further details with both other species (general palp shape, proximal modified hairs on male chelicerae, tibiae with many vertical hairs), and is from the same department in Colombia, too. It is therefore assigned to the genus despite some important differences (procursus without dorsal spine, male chelicerae without distal apophyses).

GENERIC RELATIONSHIPS: The membranous sac in the female internal genitalia of the type species P. quindio (fig. 1162) similar to that of Pisaboa (cf. figs. 1138, 1142, 1150). However, similar structures occur independently also in Gertschiola (figs. 349, 354) and Litoporus (fig. 1217). Vertical hairs in high density on the tibiae occur also in Pisaboa and Waunana . The close relationship with Litoporus suggested in the cladogram in appendix 2 is based on the large distance of the eye triads (char. 2), and is probably artificial. (Note that one of the two other most parsimonious trees found by NONA did not include this sister group relationship.)

DISTRIBUTION: So far only known from the Departamento del Valle, Colombia.

COMPOSITION: At this point the genus includes only the three species newly described below. The MCZ has a fourth species, also from Dept. del Valle, which is very close to P. quindio , but has roundish instead of point- ed apophyses on the chelicerae and differs in the shape of the dorsal spine and laminae on the procursus.

Pomboa quindio , new species Figures 1159–1162

TYPES: Male holotype, 1♀ paratype from Quindio, 11 km E Calarca, Dept. del Valle,

Colombia; 7000 ft elev., Mar. 7–11, 1974 (S. & J. Peck), in MCZ .

ETYMOLOGY: Named for the type locality. The specific name is a noun in apposition.

DIAGNOSIS: Distinguished from P. pallida by the dark coloration, the shorter legs, and the presence of AME; from P. cali by the apophyses distally on the male chelicerae (fig. 1159), and the spine and lamellae dorsally on the procursus (fig. 1160).

MALE (holotype): Total length 2.6, carapace width 1.13; leg 1: 14.5 (3.3+0.4+3.6 +5.9+1.3), tibia 2: 2.3, tibia 3: 1.8, tibia 4: 2.3; tibia 1 l/d: 35. Habitus and prosoma as in P. cali (cf. figs. 1163–1164), with distinct thoracic groove, eight eyes on moderately elevated ocular area; distance PME-ALE about 65% of PME diameter. Carapace light brown, with darker margins and median band, ocular area slightly darker than carapace, sternum light brown, with three pairs of roundish lighter spots. Chelicerae light brown, with pair of pointed apophyses distally and low bulges with slightly stronger hairs proximally (fig. 1159). Palps light to dark brown, procursus blackish distally; general shape of palp as in P. pallida (cf. figs. 1171–1172), but spine and lamellae dorsally on procursus different (fig. 1160). Legs light brown, without rings; without spines and curved hairs, but with many vertical hairs on all tibiae; metatarsi 1 with very long hairs ventrally; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 8%; tarsus 1 with ~ 20 pseudosegments. Opisthosoma shape as in P. cali (cf. fig. 1163, but slightly rounder), greenish-gray with band of darker spots laterally.

FEMALE (paratype): Tibia 1: 2.8. In general very similar to male, but without vertical hairs on tibiae, without long hairs on metatarsi 1. Epigynum simple brown plate, darker laterally (fig. 1161), internally with relatively large pore plates and large membranous sac ventral of uterus externus (fig. 1162).

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Dept. del Valle, Colombia.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: COLOMBIA: Dept. del Valle: Quindio: types above.

Pomboa cali , new species Figures 1163–1167

TYPE: Male holotype from Cali , Dept. del Valle, Colombia ; 1000 m elev., 1976 (W. G. Eberhard), in MCZ .

ETYMOLOGY: Named for the type locality. The specific name is a noun in apposition.

DIAGNOSIS: Distinguished from congeners by the absence of distal apophyses on the male chelicerae (fig. 1167) and the absence of a dorsal spine on the procursus.

MALE (holotype): Total length 3.3, carapace width 1.7; leg 1: 31.2 (7.6+0.7+8.1 +12.5+2.3), tibia 2: 5.0, tibia 3: 4.1, tibia 4: 4.7; tibia 1 l/d: 50. Habitus and prosoma as in figs. 1163–1164; deep thoracic groove, eight eyes on moderately elevated ocular area; distance PME-ALE about 70% of PME diameter. Sternum wider than long, without anterior humps. Carapace light brown with distinct dark brown lateral and median bands (fig. 1164), ocular area dark brown, clypeus brown, sternum laterally light brown, medially darker brown. Chelicerae brown, with pair of proximal humps that carry some thickened and shorter hairs (fig. 1167). Palps as in figs. 1165–1166; brown, procursus tip black; retrolateral coxal apophysis round, indistinct, femur with proximal retrolateral hump, widened distally (fig. 1166), bulb Sshaped, procursus first directed retrolaterally and then curving back toward palpal trochanter (figs. 1165–1166). Legs brown, with slightly darker rings on femora (subdistally) and tibiae (proximally and subdistally), with many vertical hairs on tibiae only, curved hairs on tibiae and metatarsi, without spines; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 4%; tarsus 1 with ~ 25 pseudosegments. Opisthosoma greenish-ochre, with dark spots dorsally (fig. 1163).

FEMALE: Unknown.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from type locality.

MATERIAL EXAMINED: COLOMBIA: Dept. del Valle: Cali: type above.

Pomboa pallida , new species Figures 1168–1180

TYPES: Male holotype, 13 paratype from near Yotoco , Dept. del Valle, Colombia ; 1600 m elev., ‘‘I.D. # 1119,’’ Dec. 1976 (W. G. Eberhard), in MCZ .

ETYMOLOGY: The specific name is an adjective referring to the pale color of this species in comparison to the known congeners.

DIAGNOSIS: Easily distinguished from congeners by the pale coloration and the absence of the AME.

MALE (holotype): Total length 1.7, carapace width 0.75; leg 1: 28.7 (6.9+0.3+6.8 +12.5+2.3), tibia 2: 4.4, tibia 3: 3.1, tibia 4: 3.9; tibia 1 l/d: 93. Habitus and prosoma as in figs. 1168–1170; distinct thoracic groove, six eyes in widely separated triads on slightly elevated ocular area; distance PME-ALE about 70% of PME diameter. Entire prosoma monochromous ochre-yellow, only faint U mark behind ocular area and slightly darker frontal part of sternum (fig. 1173). Chelicerae with pair of patches of modified hairs proximally, and pair of simple rounded apophyses distally (figs. 1174–1175). Palps as in figs. 1171–1172, ochre-yellow, only procursus light brown, retrolateral coxal apophysis round, indistinct, femur with proximal retrolateral hump, widened distally (fig. 1177), bulb with prominent apophysis, procursus widely curved, with dorsal projection proximally (fig. 1176). Legs ochre-yellow, with slightly darker patellae and tibia-metatarsus joints; without spines and curved hairs, with many vertical hairs on all tibiae; retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 3%; tarsus 1 with ~ 30 pseudosegments. Opisthosoma oval, monochromous pale greenishyellow.

VARIATION: Tibia 1 in four males: 6.0–6.7; in some males there are tiny dark spots in the position of the AME.

FEMALE (type locality): Total length (N = 2) 1.7, 1.9; tibia 1 (N = 2) 4.1, 4.5. In general very similar to male, but without vertical hairs on tibiae. Epigynum hardly darker than abdomen, elevated but simple (figs. 1178– 1179), internally only pore plates and valve discernible (fig. 1180). One female from type locality with brown sternum.

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from Dept. del Valle, Colombia.

NATURAL HISTORY: Even though the pale coloration and reduction of AME might suggest adaptation to cave life, the spider has been collected from webs in a vine on a tree 2 m above the ground where they spun (presumably) sheet webs ~ 15 cm across (those with ‘‘I.D. # 1119’’; W. G. Eberhard, personal commun.).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: COLOMBIA: Dept. del Valle : near Yotoco: types above, and one juvenile with same data in other vial ( MCZ) ; same data as types (without ‘‘I.D. # 1119’’) ,

13 1♀ 4 juveniles ( MCZ) ; Yotoco , 1500 m elev., ‘‘E235,’’ Aug. 1977 (W. G. Eberhard), 1♀ ( MCZ) ; same data (without ‘‘E235’’), 23 2♀ 1 juvenile ( MCZ) ; Lago Calima , 1300 m elev., Mar. 1975 (W. G. Eberhard), 13 ( MCZ) .