Zorocrates fuscus Simon, 1892

PLATNICK, NORMAN I. & UBICK, DARRELL, 2007, A Revision of the Spider Genus Zorocrates Simon (Araneae, Zorocratidae), American Museum Novitates 3579, pp. 1-44 : 5-8

Zorocrates fuscus Simon figures 1–5 ; map 1

Zorocrates fusca Simon, 1888: 212 (two female syntypes from Guanajuato, Mexico, in MNHN, examined).

Zorocrates fuscus: Simon, 1892: 230 (emendation of gender).

Zorocrates cf. guerrerensis: Silva, 2003: 41 , fig. 13a.

NOTE: In the original description, the type locality is presented only as ‘‘Mexique’’ but Simon later (1895b: 106) specified ‘‘Mexique central’’ and that later restriction corroborates the current label with the syntypes, which indicates that the specimens were collected in Guanajuato, Mexico, by Dugès .

DIAGNOSIS: Males resembles those of Z. unicolor but have a longer, fingerlike (rather than ledge-shaped) proximal lobe on the retrolateral tibial apophysis, a distally rounded median apophysis ( figs. 2, 3 ), and a ventrally shorter tegular apophysis; the median apophysis does have a small, subdistal denticle, but it is directed dorsally and is therefore easy to overlook in ventral view (the denticle is more prolaterally directed and conspicuous in males of Z. unicolor ). Females also resemble those of Z. unicolor but have deeper epigynal pockets with smaller, more medially situated openings connected to anteriorly expanded margins that parallel a longitudinal ridge between the pocket and the epigynal midpiece ( fig. 4 ).

MALE: Total length 14. Carapace light brown with dusky triangular markings radiating from thoracic groove; abdomen gray, with lighter cardiac spot, posterior one-fifth with chevron pattern; femora light brown, more distal leg segments grading to brown on metatarsi and tarsi. Leg spination: femora: I r1-1-2; II p0-1-2, r1-1-2; III p1-1-1; IV r0-0-2; patellae IV r0-1-0; tibiae III r1-0-1; metatarsi I p1-1-1, v2-2-0, r1-1-0. Cribellum present. Retrolateral tibial apophysis short, with fingerlike proximal lobe; median apophysis hook-shaped, distally rounded; tegular apophysis sharply pointed ( figs. 1–3 ).

Map 1. Records of the Zorocrates fuscus group (excluding Z. unicolor ): Z. fuscus (dots), Z. guerrerensis (triangles; suspect record from Panama not plotted), Z. gnaphosoides (circles), Z. ocampo (open squares), Z. mordax (filled square).

FEMALE: Total length 16. Coloration as in male. Leg spination: femora: I, II p0-1-1, r1-1-0; IV p2-0-1, r0-0-1; patellae IV p0-0-0, r0-1-0; tibiae: I, II d0-0-0, p0-0-0, r0-0-0; III r1-0-1; IV r2-0-1; metatarsi: I p0-0-0, r0-0-0; II p0-0-0, r0- 0-1; III p1-1-2, r1-1-2; IV v3-2-2. Cribellum present. Epigynal midpiece triangular, with transverse anterior ledge; lateral pockets present, with relatively small openings; spermathecae with short anterior lobes ( figs. 4, 5 ).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: MEXICO: Distrito Federal: no specific locality, Sept. 1940 (F. Bonet, AMNH), 13, Oct. 20, 1942 (R. Ibarra H., AMNH), 13, Dec. 15, 1949 (AMNH), 13, May 1955 (AMNH), 1♀ , Mar. 1956 (UNAM), 13, Sept. 2, 1958 (UNAM), 13, Nov. 1958 (UNAM), 13; Azcapotzalco, Oct. 27, 2002 (UNAM), 1♀; Col. Medellín, Oct. 31, 1941 (AMNH), 13; Contreras, Aug. 9, 1942, elev. 2800 m (C. Bolivar, AMNH), 1♀, Mar. 4, 1944 (M. Cardenas, AMNH), 1♀; Coyoacán , Sept. 1946, elev. 2300 m (H. Wagner, AMNH), 13, Nov. 1, 2000 (AMNH), 23; Cuauhtémoc, Mar. 2000, in house (UNAM), 1♀ ; Mexico City , Oct. 1945 (H. Wagner, AMNH), 13, winter 1945–1946, in house (H. Wagner, AMNH), 13, Dec. 25, 1975, on building downtown (V. Roth, AMNH), 1♀ ; Miguel Hidalgo , Nov. 20, 2001, on patio (UNAM), 13; Pedregales, July–Aug. 1909, under stone (A. Petrunkevitch, AMNH), 1♀ , Petregal [probably Pedregal], Oct. 2, 1947 (H. Wagner, AMNH), 13. Guanajuato: no specific locality (Dugès, MNHN AR230), 2♀ (syntypes). Guerrero: summit, 4 mi W Cacahuamilpa, 18 ° 41 9 N, 99 ° 34 9 W, Sept. 3, 1966 (J., W. Ivie, AMNH), 1♀ ; 3 mi N Chilpancingo , Nov. 18, 1946 (E. Ross, CAS), 1♀ ; 72.6 mi SE Ciudad Altamirano, 2.1 mi S Highway 51 on road to Apaxtla , Nov. 11, 1987, elev. 1520 m (V. Lee, CAS), 1♀ ; Taxco , Oct. 1945 (L. Isaacs, AMNH), 13, Apr. 1946 (L. Isaacs, AMNH), 13; 3 km SE Tuxpan, Nov. 3, 1976, elev. 1768 m (E. Ross, CAS), 13, 2♀ . Hidalgo: Apulco, Oct. 6, 1947 (H. Wagner, AMNH), 2♀ ; El Tablón, 7 mi SE Zimapán , 20 ° 40 9 N, 99 ° 20 9 W, Aug. 19, 1964 (gJ., W. Ivie, AMNH), 33 (identified from scanning electron micrographs by M. Ramírez); 2 mi. NE Jacala, Sept. 1, 1946, elev. 1500 ft., pine-oak (C. Bogert, AMNH), 1♀ ; Pachuca , Jan. 28, 1943 (AMNH), 1♀ ; Parque Nacionale de El Chico , June 28, 1943, elev. 3100 m (C. Bolivar, F. Bonet, Osorio, Pelaez, AMNH), 1♀ ; Tasquillo, Tzindejeh , 20 ° 33 9 N, 99 ° 19 9 W, July 29, 1966 (J., W. Ivie, AMNH), 1♀ ; Tulancingo, 1957 (UNAM), 33. Jalisco: Jocotepec , July 31, 1965 (Conant, AMNH), 1♀ ; E end, Lago de Chapala , Nov. 30, 1948 (H. Leech, CAS), 2♀ ; W side, Laguna de Sayula , July 30, 1964 (W. Gertsch, J. Woods, AMNH), 2♀ ; 22.7 mi S Puerto Vallarta, Oct. 20, 1973 (S. Williams, C. Mullinex, CAS), 1♀; 3.5 mi S Zocoalco, Aug. 18, 1959 (C. Bogert, AMNH), 1♀. México: Aculco, Route 55 detour to San Joaquín , Oct. 13, 2001, disturbed pasture, elev. 2485 m (O. Francke, E. González, UNAM), 13; Malinalco , ruin, Oct. 25, 1973 (S. Williams, C. Mullinex, CAS), 2♀ ; Naucalpan, Nov. 27, 1997, in house (F. Alvarez, UNAM), 13; Reyes Iztacala, Oct. 25, 2001, in house (C. Durán, AMNH), 13; San Juan Teotihuacán , Nov. 4, 1939 (C. Bogert, H. Vokes, AMNH), 1♀ ; Tenancingo , Sept. 27–Oct. 7, 1946, elev. 2050 m (H. Wagner, AMNH), 23, 6♀ ; Tenango del Valle, Aug. 25–26, 1946, elev. 2400 m (H. Wagner, AMNH), 13; Teotihuacán ruins, Aug. 13, 1977, elev. 7400 ft (C. Griswold, T. Meikle, CAS), 1♀ ; Tonatico, Dec. 1, 1996 (UNAM), 13. Michoacán: Jiquilpan , 19 ° 59 9 N, 102 ° 41 9 W, May 9, 1963 (W. Gertsch, W. Ivie, AMNH), 3♀ ; Morelia , 19 ° 40 9 N, 101 ° 12 9 W, May 8, 1963 (W. Gertsch, W. Ivie, AMNH), 3♀ ; Pátzcuaro , Oct. 20–Nov. 13, 1955 (C. Bogert, AMNH), 1♀ ; 24 mi S Sahuayo on Highway 15 to Morelia , Oct. 23, 1973 (S. Williams, C. Mullinex, CAS), 1♀ ; 3 km E Tuxpan , Jan. 6, 1989, elev. 1825 m (E. Ross, R. Stecker, CAS), 2♀ ; Zamora , Aug. 1, 1956 (W. Gertsch, W. Ivie, AMNH), 1♀ ; Zitácuaro , Dec. 6, 1943, elev. 2000 m (C. Bolivar, AMNH), 1♀ . Morelos: Cuernavaca , Apr. 1959 (N. Krauss, AMNH), 1♀ ; N Cuernavaca, 18 ° 56 9 N, 99 ° 14 9 W, May 6, 1963 (W. Gertsch, W. Ivie, AMNH), 3♀; Oaxtepec , May 17, 1942 (Correa, Cardenas, AMNH), 1♀ ; Tepoztlán , Dec. 3, 1947 (UNAM), 1♀ . Oaxaca: 1.5 mi S Carrizal, July 25, 1963, elev. 9500 ft (G. Sluder, AMNH), 1♀ ; El Punto, road to Ixtlán de Juárez , Aug. 19, 1961 (C., M. Bogert, AMNH), 2♀ ; 5 mi NE Mitla, near ‘‘ El Crucero’’ ruins, Aug. 27, 1963, on ridge, elev. ca. 6800–7200 ft (M. Bogert, G. Sluder, N. Bucknall, AMNH), 1♀ ; Monte Alban , Dec. 11, 1943 (E. Ross, CAS), 1♀ ; 0.5 mi E Nochixtlán , 1 mi SE El Palmar, Dec. 11, 1948 (E. Ross, CAS), 1♀ ; 9 mi S Nochixtlán , 17 ° 20 9 N, 97 ° 12 9 W, May 1, 1963 (W. Gertsch, W. Ivie, AMNH), 1♀ . Puebla: Acultzingo , July 4, 1963 (AMNH), 2♀ ; Ozumbilla , 18 ° 37 9 N, 97 ° 25 9 W, Apr. 25, 1963 (W. Gertsch, W. Ivie, AMNH), 1♀ ; Tehuacán , Nov. 8, 1939 (C. Bogert, H. Vokes, AMNH), 2♀ ; 3 mi NE Zacatepec on Route 140, June 30, 1963 (AMNH), 1♀ . San Luis Potosı´: Route 70, 70 mi W Valles, Feb. 19, 1970, under roadside stone (J. Cooke, AMNH), 1♀ . Tlaxcala: Tlaxcala , July 26, 1956 (W. Gertsch, V. Roth, AMNH), 1♀ . Veracruz: Carrizal , Feb. 10, 1948 (H. Wagner, AMNH), 1♀ ; Jalapa (BMNH 1905.4.28.1341- 1346), 1♀ ; Orizaba (Eislin, Vaslit , MCZ 56234), 1♀ ; Perote , June 30, 1946 (H. Wagner, AMNH), 1♀ ; Zongolica , Mar. 1983 (AMNH), 1♀ . Zacatecas: 20 km E Tlaltenango , Sept. 14, 1984 (W. Pulawski, CAS), 1♀ .

DISTRIBUTION: Central and southern Mexico (map 1); one female supposedly taken at St. Ann’s , Trinidad (Aug. 13, 1958, M. Nieves, AMNH) is presumed to be either mislabeled or introduced .

Figures

Figs. 1–5. Zorocrates fuscus Simon. 1. Left male palp, prolateral view. 2. Same, ventral view. 3. Same, retrolateral view. 4. Epigynum, ventral view. 5. Same, dorsal view.

Figs. 11–15. Zorocrates guerrerensis Gertsch and Davis. 11. Left male palp, prolateral view. 12. Same, ventral view. 13. Same, retrolateral view. 14. Epigynum, ventral view. 15. Same, dorsal view.