Porrhomma borgesi Wunderlich, 2008

Růžička, Vlastimil, 2018, A review of the spider genus Porrhomma (Araneae, Linyphiidae), Zootaxa 4481 (1), pp. 1-75 : 16

Porrhomma borgesi Wunderlich, 2008

Figs. 11A–F .

Porrhomma borgesi Wunderlich, 2008 — Borges & Wunderlich (2008): p. 254, Figs. 3a–f (descr. ♂ ♀).

Material examined. AZORES: Graminhais Natural Reserve, São Miguel, August 1999, 1 Ƌ 1 ♀, leg. et coll. P. Borges.

Diagnosis. A large group of species is characterised by embolus of middle length and S-shaped ascending parts of copulatory ducts: P. borgesi , P. cambridgei , P. convexum , P. errans , P. nekolai , P. oblitum , P. pygmaeum and P. rosenhaueri . P. borgesi can be distinguished from all these species by the following combination of characters: CW = 0.60–0.65 mm, eyes reduced (PME–PME = 3.4), legs short (Mt I/CW = 0.88–1.00). It is the only species occurring in Azores.

Description. ♀ (from Azores, São Miguel, Aug 1999). Carapace yellow-brown, 0.62 mm wide, eyes reduced, PME–PME = 3.4 ( Fig. 11A ). Abdomen greyish-yellow. Fe I–II with one dorsal spine, Fe I with one prolateral spine. Ti I with one prolateral spine, Ti I–II with one retrolateral spine. Tm Mt I = 0.50, Mt I/CW = 1.00.

Ascending parts of the ducts are S-shaped. Spermathecae are formed behind the ascending part of the ducts ( Figs. 11C–F ).

Ƌ (together with female). Embolus of middle length with a narrow velum. AP has the form of a bird head ( Fig. 11B ).

Variation. Ƌ♀. Carapace 0.60–0.65 mm wide. Tm Mt I = 0.40–0.50, Mt I/CW = 0.88–1.00 (material examined and original description).

Ecology. Inhabits mainly wet mosses and detritus in laurel forests, developed on fissured basaltic rocks. Some specimens were also collected in high altitude natural grasslands ( Borges & Wunderlich 2008).

Global distribution. Terceira, Pico and Sao Miguel Islands, Azores ( Borges & Wunderlich 2008). See Fig. 12 .

Figures

FIGURE 3. A–B, Porrhomma microphthalmum, male palp. A, retrolateral view. B, prolateral view. Abbreviations as in Fig. 2. V, velum. Scale bar, 50 µm.

FIGURE 11. A–F, Porrhomma borgesi from Azores. A, ♀ carapace, frontal view. B, embolic section. C, epigynum. D–F, vulva, ventral, caudal and dorsal. Scale bars, 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 12. Global distribution of Porrhomma borgesi.