Epocilla calcarata ( Karsch, 1880 )

Saaristo, Michael I., 2002, New species and interesting new records of spiders from Seychelles (Arachnida, Araneaea), Phelsuma 10, pp. 1-32 : 25-26

Epocilla calcarata ( Karsch, 1880) ( Figs. 70-75 )

Plexippus calcaratus Karsch, 1880c: 398 (Dm) .

Goajara crassipes Peckham & Peckham, 1907: 616 (Dm).

Epocilla calcaratus, Zabka 1985:217 , f. 132-148 (Tm from Plexippus , S).

-"-, Feng 1990:218, f. 193.1-6 (mf).

-"-, Chen& Zhang, 1991: 315, f. 335.1-6 (m).

-"-, Peng et al. 1993: 51, f. 129-137 (mf).

-"-, Song, Zhu & Chen 1999: 509, f. 292H-I, 325D-E (mf).

Material examined: Conception , sweeping, 1m, Febr . 2000, Hill & Vel leg. ( MZT AA2.069 ) and 1f, Febr. 2002, PatMatyot leg. ( MZT AA 2.231 ) ; Mahé, Sans Soucis, 1f, Febr . 2002, Pat Matyot leg. ( MZT AA 2.220 ) .

Diagnosis: Male of this handsome, rather large salticid (TL = ca. 6.7) is easily recognised by the heavily build, dark brown first legs and bands of white hairs on the lateral sides of the broad carapace; abdomen slender with a orange median scutum which reaches about its middle and is covered with orange, squamous hairs. Female pale coloured with bright orange, lateral bands of squamous hairs both on carapace and abdomen.

Description: The species has been well described by Zabka (1985).

Distribution: The species has a wide distribution from China to Sulawesi and Hawaii ( Platnick 2002). This is the first record of the species from Seychelles and found from Conception and Mahé.

Figures

Figs. 70 - 75. Epocilla calcarata (Karsch, 1880). - 70: Male dorsally. - 71: Female dorsally. - 72: Right leg I ofmale laterally. - 73: Right male palp laterally. - 74: Right male palp ventrally. - 75: Epigyne ventrally - Scale bars: 70 - 72 = 1.0,73 - 75 = 0.2 mm. Orig.