Physocyclus paredesi Valdez-Mondragón, 2010

Valdez-Mondragón, Alejandro, 2014, A reanalysis of the morphological phylogeny of the spider genus Physocyclus Simon (Araneae: Pholcidae) with the description of a new species and description of the female of Physocyclus paredesi Valdez-Mondragón from Mexico, Zootaxa 3866 (2), pp. 202-220 : 208-211

Physocyclus paredesi Valdez-Mondragón, 2010

Figures 18–33

P. paredesi Valdez-Mondragón, 2010 ; page 76, figs. 204–207 (description ♂).

Type data. MEXICO: Oaxaca: Municipio Asunción Ixtaltepec: river near to Nizanda (N 16.6575°, W 95.0105°): 1 male holotype (CNAN-T0420), 19 August 2002, R. Paredes, E. Cabrera cols., diurnal collecting on vegetation.

Material examined. MEXICO: Oaxaca: km 278 road Tehuantepec-Juchitán de Zaragoza (N 16.3682°, W 95.1675°; 27 m): 1 male, 1 female ( CNAN), 27 March 2010, A. Valdez, O. Francke, C. Santibáñez, J. Cruz cols. Municipio Santa María Mixtequilla: Santa María Mixtequilla (N 16.3759°, W 95.2421°; 55 m): 1 male ( CNAN), 27 March 2010, A. Valdez, O. Francke, C. Santibáñez, J. Cruz cols.

Diagnosis. Resembles P. gertschi ( Valdez-Mondragón, 2010; figs. 140–143), male distinguished by lateral apophyses of chelicerae more rounded basally in lateral view ( Fig. 24 ); subdistal frontal apophyses on chelicerae (arrow, Fig. 24 ); procursus slightly curved dorsally and curved just in the base ventrally ( Fig. 25 ), without the small distal notch ( Fig. 25 ); the distal spine on the procursus longer and wide distally ( Fig. 25 ). Females distinguished from P. gertschi ( Valdez-Mondragón, 2010; figs. 144–146) by epigynum with paired apophyses smaller, more widely separated from each other than on P. g er t s c hi ( Fig. 31 ); without paired and curved concavities; and by pore plates oval and short ( Fig. 33 ).

Redescription. Male (holotype): [Note: The next male redescription is a translation from Spanish to English from the original description made by Valdez-Mondragón (2010), useful and convenient to future taxonomic work].

Prosoma: Carapace with pale gray irregular pattern, which is around the fovea, extended to posterior part of ocular region, trident-shaped on posterior part of ocular region ( Fig. 22 ). Clypeus with gray pattern extending to three quarters of its total length, on distal fourth the pattern is bifurcated ( Fig. 21 ). Chelicerae without sclerotized cones, with a large concavity formed by both chelicerae ( Figs 21, 23 ). In frontal view, the lateral apophyses of chelicerae are thin and conical ( Fig. 23 ); in lateral view are curved in proximal part, and with a wide tip distally ( Fig. 24 ). Sternum uniformly pale orange ( Fig. 20 ). Endites longer than wide, labium wider than long ( Fig. 20 ). Legs: Coxae and trochanters uniformly pale yellow ( Fig. 20 ). Femora with numerous pale gray spots ( Fig. 19 ). Tibiae with numerous pale gray spots smaller than on femora. Tibiae with one basal gray ring and another one distally. Metatarsi and tarsi pale orange. Tarsi with paired claws, curved. Tibiae and metatarsi without curved setae. Opisthosoma: Globular, longer than high ( Fig. 19 ), gray, with numerous small gray and white irregular spots laterally ( Figs 18, 19 ), midline unspotted. Plate of genital gonopore pale orange, square ( Fig. 20 ). Spinnerets pale gray ( Fig. 20 ). Palp: Femur wide, slightly curved ventrally; with distal apophysis ventrally, which is rounded, inconspicuous, with one long seta apically (arrow, Fig. 25 ). Procursus brownish, paler proximally, black distally, with dorsal apophysis long and wide, and the ventral notch notably deep ( Fig. 25 ). Procursus ventrally with several long setae ( Fig. 25 ), with brush of pseudotrichia next to the distal spine ( Fig. 25 ). Distal spine of procursus long and wide ( Fig. 25 ). Bulb wide, with a long and wide trapezoidal embolus ( Fig. 25 ). Embolic sclerites placed on dorsal part of embolus ( Figs 25, 26 ). Embolus pale yellow retrolaterally, dark sclerotized only in the margins ( Fig. 25 ), with a conspicuous apical spine (left arrow, Fig. 26 ). Spermatic operculum subdistal ( Fig. 25 ); in dorsal view, the embolus is bifurcated apically (right arrow, Fig. 26 ). Measurements: Total length 2.4. Carapace 1.1 long, 1.2 wide. Clypeus 0.5 long. Diameter AME 0.12, ALE 0.14, PME 0.11, PLE 0.13. Distance AME-PME 0.07, ALE- PME 0.06, PME-PME 0.16. Leg I: 21.9 (5.9+0.4+6.1+8.5+1.0). Tibia II: 3.9, tibia III: 52.6, tibia IV: 4.3; tibia I L/ d 43.

Female. Similar to the male, differences: Prosoma: Carapace slightly darker orange than on male ( Fig. 28 ). Dorsal pattern of coloration of carapace more marked than on the male, with three groups of gray spots on each side ( Fig. 28 ). The trident-shaped pattern on posterior part of ocular region more marked than the male ( Fig. 28 ). Clypeus with a wide, longitudinal gray region, which has a white spot medially. Chelicerae pale gray, basally pale yellow. Sternum, endites and labium yellow ( Fig. 30 ). Legs: Shorter and more robust than on male, coloration pattern as on male, with numerous gray spots bigger and more marked than on the male ( Fig. 30 ). Coxae and trochanters pale orange ( Fig. 29 ). Opisthosoma: More voluminous than the male ( Fig. 29 ). Epigynum: Wider than long ( Fig. 31 ). Ventral apophyses of epigynum paired and small ( Fig. 31 ), located on median part ( Figs 31, 32 ).

Pore plates oval ( Fig. 33 ). Measurements: Total length 3.2. Carapace 1.1 long, 1.0 wide. Clypeus 0.4 long. Diameter AME 0.10, ALE 0.11, PME 0.09, PLE 0.12. Distance AME-PME 0.03, ALE-PME 0.05, PME-PME 0.10. Leg I: 13.7 (3.8+0.4+3.9+4.7+0.9). Tibia II: 2.5, tibia III: 1.8, tibia IV: 2.9; tibia I L/d 26.

Natural history. The male specimen from Santa María Mixtequilla was collected in a dry tropical forest, among boulders on the ground and rock walls.

Distribution. Asunción Ixtaltepec, Oaxaca, Mexico, type locality. Santa María Mixtequilla, Oaxaca, Mexico, additional material ( Fig. 34 ).

Figures

FIGURE 34. Distribution records of Physocyclus peribanensis sp. nov. (square) and Physocyclus paredesi Valdez-Mondragón, 2010 (diamonds).

FIGURES 18 – 27. Physocyclus paredesi Valdez-Mondragón, 2010. Male (holotype). 18 – 20, Habitus, dorsal, lateral, and ventral views respectively. 21, Carapace and chelicerae, frontal view. 22, Carapace dorsal view. 23 – 24, Chelicerae, frontal and lateral views respectively (arrow indicates the subdistal apophysis on each chelicera). 25 – 27, Left palp, retrolateral, dorsal, and prolateral views respectively (arrow on Fig. 25 indicates the distal apophysis on femur, which has a long seta; left arrow on Fig. 26 indicates the apical conspicuous spine on embolus, right arrow indicates the apical bifurcation on embolus). Scales: 0.3 mm (Fig. 24), 0.5 mm (Figs 18 – 23, 25 – 27). Abbreviations: BU, bulb of the palp; ES, embolic sclerites; LAC, lateral apophyses of chelicerae; SF, stridulatory files of chelicerae; SO, spermatic operculum.

FIGURES 28 – 33. Physocyclus paredesi Valdez-Mondragón, 2010. Female. 28 – 30, Habitus, dorsal, lateral, and ventral views respectively (left arrow on Fig. 28 indicates the posterior dorsal protuberance on carapace, right arrow indicates the sclerotized patch on opisthosoma). 31, Epigynum, ventral view. 32, Epigynum, left lateral view. 33, Epigynum, dorsal view. Scales: 0.5 mm. Abbreviations: PP, pore plates; VAE, ventral apophyses of epigynum.