Paccius haddadi Pett & Escobar-Toledo, 2025

Pett, Brogan L., Escobar-Toledo, Jaime & Ferreira, Elodie, 2025, On the genus Paccius (Araneae, Trachelidae) in Madagascar: two new species, redescriptions, and a key to the species, Zootaxa 5716 (2), pp. 257-267 : 258-262

Paccius haddadi Pett & Escobar-Toledo sp. nov.

Figs 1–3

Type material. Holotype ♂: MADAGASCAR: Mahajanga Province: Mariarano classified forest, 15.4867°S, 46.6957°E, 30 m a.s.l., 9.VII.2018, Tropical dry forest, 2 m high on a tree in a silk sac retreat with tied up leaves, leg. B.L. Pett (RMCA 247821; BINCO_MAD_18_048_2).

Paratypes: 1♀ MADAGASCAR: Mahajanga Province: Mariarano classified forest, Antafiameva camp, 15.49°S, 46.70°E, 28 m a.s.l., June or July 2017, Tropical dry forest, leg. Y. Wang (RMCA 247822; BINCO_MAD_ 17_0127_1) ; 1♂ same data as preceding except Mariarano camp, 15.486°S, 46.695°E, 28 m a.s.l., 1.VII.2025, Tropical dry forest, leg. A. Young (RMCA 247830; BINCO_MAD_25_001) ; 1♂ same data as preceding except 5.VII.2025, in camp on ground at night, leg. D. Spencer (RMCA 247831; BINCO_MAD_25_002) .

Diagnosis. Males are most similar to those of P. angulatus Platnick, 2000 , P. griswoldi Platnick, 2000 and P. quinteri Platnick, 2000 in having a retrolateral expansion of the cymbium that is less than half the length of the cymbium. Paccius haddadi sp. nov. males are separated by the expansion being gradual ( Fig. 3A, C ) (vs. abrupt in P. angulatus and P. quinteri ( Platnick 2000: figs 5.1 & 5.13, respectively) and having a more rounded margin than in P. griswoldi ( Platnick 2000: fig. 5.5). Additionally, P. haddadi sp. nov. has an RTA that is generally broad and tapering across its entire length to a rounded apex ( Fig. 3B, D ) (vs. very broad before abruptly tapering to an anteriorly directed apex in P. angulatus ; narrow RTA in P. griswoldi ; and abruptly narrowing to a sharp point in P. quinteri ; Platnick 2000: figs 5.2, 5.6, 5.14, respectively). Females are closest to those of P. griswoldi in sharing a recurved epigynal atrium and long posteriorly converging CD with several anterior loops. Females of the new species are separated by the epigynal atrium entirely recurved ( Fig. 3E, G ) (vs. with median anterior extension; Platnick 2000: fig. 5.7) and the anterior CD with several small loops and turns and one larger half turn ( Fig. 3F, H ) (vs. two half turns; Platnick 2000: fig. 5.8).

Etymology. The specific epithet is a genitive patronym in honour of South African Arachnologist Dr. Charles R. Haddad (University of the Free State, South Africa), for his exceptional and unparalleled contributions to the knowledge of Afrotropical trachelids.

Description. Holotype male ( Figs 2A, C, E , 3A–D ). Measurements: TL 10.08, CL 4.56, CW 3.12, CH 1.96, SL 2.60, SW 1.81, AL 5.52, AW 2.20, chelicera length 1.80, chelicera width 1.04. Legs: I: 3.96, 1.48, 3.80, 3.36, 1.56. II: 2.80, 1.04, 2.60, 2.36, 1.24. III: 2.16, 1.00, 1.56, 1.95, 0.76. IV: 3.01, 1.16, 2.84, 3.16, 0.92. Eyes: AME 0.28, ALE 0.18, PME 0.16, PLE 0.17.

Colouration: Carapace, chelicerae and sternum deep dark purple, coxae I and basal half of Ti I deep purple, apical half of Ti I reddish-purple, rest of leg I orange-brown, coxae II–IV purplish-brown, all other segments of legs II–IV pale yellow. Dorsal sclerite of abdomen orange, two pairs of sigilla, posterior pair very dark, distinct. Epigastric sclerite purplish-orange, venter generally cream, ventral sclerite light orange with dark spots along length.

Carapace: Broadly subrectangular, entire surface covered with procurved rows of tubercles, relatively high anteriorly with moderately steep slope toward pedicel, about 3–3.5x higher at PER than at base of pedicel, widest at midpoint of coxae II.

Eyes: PER straight, AER slightly procurved in dorsal view, clearly procurved in frontal view, AMEs much larger than other eyes, about 2x PMEs, lateral eyes both protruding on very small tubercles.

Sternum: Shield-shaped, margins rebordered, with triangular extensions between coxae, widest just posterior to coxae I, anterior margin truncated and straight, granulose across surface.

Legs: Leg I much thicker and longer than II–IV, devoid of spines, Mt I & II with scopulae and two rows of short black cuspules, three much larger, sharper cuspules at base of Mt II.

Chelicerae: Strong and robust, tubercles dorsal to fang running along promarginal line, five subequal teeth on promargin, middle one largest, distal two much smaller (most distal tooth borders denticle), four equally sized teeth on retromargin.

Abdomen: (note: abdomen appears deflated, presumably the specimen dried out briefly during export, some interpretation of heights are possibly different in fresh specimens) Oval and long, about 5x longer than wide, covered entirely by dorsal sclerite, widest and highest at anterior margin of sclerite, ventral sclerite long and subrectangular, covering most of venter.

Pedipalp ( Fig. 3A–D ): Anterior margin of tibia wide, around 0.9x length; three median boat-shaped setae wrap together into long, blunted claw-shaped structure nearly as long as depth of tibia; RTA generally broad, tapering across length; cymbium roughly number “6”-shaped, retrolateral expansion just less than 1/3 cymbium length, very gradual and lacking strong, truncated apex; tegulum roughly oval, wide sperm duct running along nearly entire perimeter; embolus arising at posterior retrolateral margin of tegulum at 05:30 position, running clockwise for entire half around rim of tegulum, with very slim thread-like apex at 1 o’clock position.

Variation (n = 3): CL 3.48–4.86, AL 4.32–6.02.

Female ( Paratype) ( Figs 1 , 2B, D, F , 3E–H ). Measurements : TL 13.44 , CL 5.36 , CW 3.99 , CH 2.72, SL 3.24 , SW 2.20 , AL 8.08 , AW 4.12 , chelicera length 2.09, chelicera width 1.25. Legs: I: 4.04, 1.48, 3.40, 3.14, 1.52. II: 3.44, 1.28, 2.68, 2.80, 1.36. III: 2.48, 1.20, 1.92, 2.12, 0.84. IV: 3.60, 1.44, 3.24, 3.27, 1.04. Eyes: AME 0.30, ALE 0.20, PME 0.20, PLE 0.21.

Colouration and general body form all the same as in male except the following characters. Abdomen white with very sparse short black setae, widest at 1/3 its length, very small dorsal sclerite at anterior face of abdomen, less than 1/10 abdomen length, subrectangular.

Epigyne ( Fig. 3E–H ): Epigynal plate about 1.5x longer than wide, with wide transverse recurved epigynal hood and deeply depressed atrium; CO situated close to posterolateral margin of hood, with CD initially short and directed slightly anterolaterally before two small turns, anterior half turning back to posteriorly directed portion; ST II very small, drop-like in shape, situated posterolateral to CO, with thin ducts connecting to primary CD course; CD course as in Fig. 3A, C ; ST I large and circular, about 4x size of ST II; long FD arising at posteromedian margin.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Paccius haddadi sp. nov., in vivo. A, B, C female, D, E male.A, D Dorsal view; B, C frontal view, E frontal dorsal view. Photo credits: A, B, C Lincoln MacGregor, D, E Daniel Núñez.

FIGURE 2. Paccius haddadi sp. nov. habitus. A, C, E Paratype male (RMCA 247830); B, D, F Paratype female (RMCA 247822). A, B Dorsal; C, D Lateral; E, F Ventral. Scale lines: 2 mm.

FIGURE 3. Paccius haddadi sp. nov., genitalia.A–D Holotype male (RMCA 247821); E–H Paratype female (RMCA 247822). A, C Left palp, ventral; B, D Idem, retrolateral; E, G Epigyne, ventral; F, H Vulva, dorsal. Note: dashed line on Fig. 3A represents the line from where the size of the retrolateral expansion is taken. Scale lines: 0.5 mm.