Eriauchenius andrianampoinimerina, Wood, Hannah M. & Scharff, Nikolaj, 2017

Wood, Hannah M. & Scharff, Nikolaj, 2017, A review of the Madagascan pelican spiders of the genera Eriauchenius O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1881 and Madagascarchaea gen. n. (Araneae, Archaeidae), ZooKeys 727, pp. 1-96 : 1

Eriauchenius andrianampoinimerina sp. n. Figs 4, 30

Type material.

Male holotype: Madagascar, Toamasina, Montagne d’Anjanaharibe, 18 km 21° NNE Ambinanitelo, 15°11'18"S, 49°36'54"E, el. 470 m., rainforest, EC30 beating low vegetation, 8-12 Mar 2003, C. Griswold, B. Fisher et al. (deposited in CAS; CASENT9018910).

Other material examined.

MADAGASCAR: 1M, together with holotype (CASENT9018910); 1F paratype, Toamasina, Montagne d’Anjanaharibe, 18 km21° NNE Ambinanitelo, 15°11'18"S, 49°36'54"E, el. 470 m., rainforest, general collecting night, 8-12 Mar 2003, C. Griswold, B. Fisher et al. (CASENT9018902); 3F, Toamasina, Montagne d’Anjanaharibe, 19.5 km 27° NNE Ambinanitelo, 15°10'42"S, 49°38'06"E, el. 1100 m, 12-16 Mar 2003, montane rainforest, general collecting night, Griswold, Fisher et al. (CASENT9018889); 1M, Taomasina, Parc National Masoala, Ambohitsitondroina, Mt. Ambanizana, 15°34'9.9"S, 50°00'12.3"E, elev. 600-650 m., rainforest, 28 Feb 2003, general coll. night, D. Andriamalala, D. Silva et al. (CASENT 9015518); 1M,1Juv, Taomasina, Parc National Masoala, Ambohitsitondroina Mt., Ambanizana, 15°34'9.9"S, 50°00'12.3"E, 750-800 m., 1 Mar 2003, rainforest, Ludd/raking, D. Andriamalala, D. Silva, et al. (CASENT9015244); 1M, Toamasina, Parc National Masoala, Ambohitsitondroina Mt., Ambanizana, 15°34'9.9"S, 50°00'12.3"E, 700-750 m, 28 Feb 2003, rainforest, beating vegetation, D. Andriamalala, D. Silva, et al. (CASENT9015315); 1F, Toamasina, Parc National Masoala, Ambohitsitondroina Mt., Ambanizana, 15°34'9.9"S, 50°00'12.3"E, 750-800 m, 1 Mar 2003, rainforest, sweeping, D. Andriamalala, D. Silva, et al. (CASENT9015417); 1M, Toamasina, Parc National Masoala, Ambohitsitondroina Mt., Ambanizana, 15°34'9.9"S, 50°00'12.3"E, 600-650 m, 1-2 Mar 2003, rainforest, general collecting night, D. Andriamalala, D. Silva, et al. (CASENT9015371); 1F,1Juv, Toamasina, Parc National Masoala, 2 hour hike from Tompolo, 39 km SE Maroantsetra, 15°41'35.5"S, 49°58'22.5"E, 450 m, primary montane rainforest, beating vegetation, 15-17 Dec 2008, F. Alvarez-Padilla, H. Wood (USNMENT01377253); 1M,1F, Toamasina, Montagne d’Akirindro, 7.6 km 341° NNW Ambinanitelo, 15°17'18"S, 49°32'54"E, 600 m., 17-21 Mar 2003, rainforest, general collecting night, Fisher, Griswold et al. (CASENT 9018892); 1M, Toamasina, Mikira forest, 2.5 hour hike from Andaparaty, 29 km N Maroantsetra, 15°12'2.95"S, 49°36'55.0"E, 195m, 10-12 Dec 2008, primary montane rainforest, beating vegetation, F. Alvarez-Padilla & H. Wood (USNMENT01377259); 2Juv, Toamasina, Mikira forest, 2.5 hour hike from Andaparaty, 29 km N Maroantsetra, 15°12'2.95"S, 49°36'55.0"E, 195m, 10-12 Dec 2008, primary montane rainforest, general collecting, F. Alvarez-Padilla & H. Wood (USNMENT01377252); 1F,1Juv, Toamasina, Mikira forest, 2.5 hour hike from Andaparaty, 29 km N Maroantsetra, 15°12'2.95"S, 49°36'55.0"E, 195m, 10-12 Dec 2008, primary montane rainforest, beating vegetation 5-10 feet above ground, F. Alvarez-Padilla & H. Wood (USNMENT01377250, USNMENT01377251); 1M,3F,3Juv, Antsiranana, Parc National de Marojejy, 25.4 km 30° NNE Andapa, 10.9 km 311° NW Manantenina, 14°26'42"S, 49°44'06"E, 1575 m., 21 Nov 2003, montane rainforest, EB26 general collecting night, B.L. Fisher et al. (CASENT 9018952); 1M,1Juv, Parc National de Marojejy, 25.4 km 30° NNE Andapa, 10.9 km 311° NW Manantenina, 14°26'42"S, 49°44'06"E, 2000 m, 23 Feb 2003, montane shrubland, general collecting night, B.L. Fisher et al. (CASENT9018942); 1M, 1F,5Juv, Antsiranana Prov., Marojejy Res., 8.4 km NNW of Manantenina, 14°26'S, 49°45'E, 700 m., 10-16 Nov 1993, C. Griswold, J. Coddington, N. Scharff, S. Larcher, B. Andriamasimanana (CASENT9010046, CASENT9010056); 1M,2Juv, Antsiranana, Parc National de Marojejy, Manantenina River, 28.0 km 38° NE Andapa, 8.2 km 333° NNW Manantenina, 14°26'12"S, 49°46'30"E, 450 m, 12-15 Nov 2003, rainforest, general collecting day, B.L. Fisher et al. (CASENT9034282).

Etymology.

The specific name is a noun in apposition and commemorates King Andrianampoinimerina, who unified the Merina Kingdom.

Diagnosis.

Males and females are considered part of the " workmani group" based on having a single dorsal protuberance on the abdomen (a triangular shaped abdomen) (Fig. 4A). Males and females are distinguished from all other species in the " workmani group" by the strong abdomen markings and by the “neck” being very upright, having a tilt angle that is greater than 80° (Fig. 4A). Males are distinguished from all other " workmani group" species except E. rafohy sp. n. by having the MA with a bifurcation (Fig. 4C).

Description.

Male holotype (CASENT9018910, from Montagne d’Anjanaharibe, Madagascar). Total length 4.32, carapace 1.52 long, 1.29 wide. Abdomen 2.40 long, 1.73 high, with a dorsal hump. Carapace tilt angle 88.1°, tilt height (CtH) 3.94, constriction 0.35, head length 1.32, neck length 2.34. CtH divided by carapace length 2.59. Cephalon with AME on a large bulge and 4 post-ocular protrusions on the apex of the cephalon (Fig. 4A), each provided with a short modified spine at the tip. Chelicerae 3.71 long, and with spine 0.33 from base of chelicerae (Fig. 4A). Femur I 9.58 long. Sternum 1.08 long, 0.50 wide. Carapace, chelicerae, sternum and femora I & II reddish dark brown with many white setae. Legs I & II with lighter annulations close to leg joints. All coxae yellowish brown and legs III & IV yellowish brown, with darker annulations on femora, tibiae and metatarsi. Abdomen with characteristic color pattern of undulating brown ‘rings’, with tufts of white setae and white book-lung covers (Fig. 4A). Pedipalpal tegulum of the " workmani group" form, with apical conductor encircling a pit-like cavity (Fig. 4 D–I). Conductor tip is a broad triangular point (Fig. 4 D–I) similar to other " workmani group" species except E. andriamanelo . MA with a bifurcation (Fig. 4C). Embolus similar to other " workmani group" species, being broad and complex with the sperm duct opening in the middle and sclerotization only at the tip (Fig. 4 D–E, G–H).

Female paratype (CASENT9018902). Total length 4.17, carapace 1.56 long, 1.21 wide. Abdomen 2.41 long, 1.74 wide, with dorsal hump. Carapace tilt angle 84.2°, tilt height (CtH) 3.90, constriction 0.36, head length 1.27, neck length 2.27. CtH divided by carapace length 2.50. Cephalon as in male. Chelicerae 3.64 long, and with spine 0.38 from base of chelicerae. Femur I 6.81 long. Sternum 0.95 long, 0.47 wide. Colors as in male. Female internal genitalia indistinguishable from other " workmani group" species (Fig. 4B).

Variation.

Total length 3.24-4.32 (males; n=5), 3.50-4.67 (females; n=5); Carapace length 1.16-1.46 (males; n=5), 1.36-1.86 (females; n=5); Femur I 6.17-6.39 times the length of carapace in males (n=5) and 3.71-4.35 times the length of carapace in females (n=5). CtH divided by carapace length 2.36-2.59 in males (n=5), 2.13-2.49 in females (n=5). Average femur I length 8.70 (males; n=5), 6.27 (females; n=5).

Natural history.

Specimens were collected in montane rainforest, rainforest, and montane shrubland, by beating low vegetation, beating vegetation, sweeping, raking, and by general collecting day and night. Specimens were collected from 195-2000 m in elevation.

Distribution.

Northeastern Madagascar (Fig. 30).