Hypochilus petrunkevitchi Gertsch, 1958

Ciaccio, Erik, Debray, Andrew & Hedin, Marshal, 2022, Phylogenomics of paleoendemic lampshade spiders (Araneae, Hypochilidae, Hypochilus), with the description of a new species from montane California, ZooKeys 1086, pp. 163-204 : 163

Hypochilus petrunkevitchi Gertsch, 1958

Figs 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13

Hypochilus petrunkevitchi Gertsch 1958: 11, figs. 5, 7, 15, 17, 21; Lehtinen 1967: 431, fig. 14; Forster et al. 1987: 21, figs 68-72; Catley 1994: 7, figs. 8, 13, 24.

Material examined.

Fs from Ladybug Trail (SDSU_G2275), Mineral King Road (SDSU_G2485), Providence Creek (SDSU_G2508), Mill Creek (SDSU_G2543), Huntington Lake Road (SDSU_G2514, SDSU_G2557), Yosemite Falls (SDSU_G2564); Ms from Atwell-Hockett Trail (SDSU_G2260), Big Fern Springs (SDSU_G2262), Ladybug Trail (SDSU_G2274), Mehrten Creek (SDSU_G2285), Mineral King Road (SDSU_TAC000192), South Fork Kaweah River (SDSU_G2279), Mill Flat (SDSU_G2254), and Yosemite Falls (SDSU_G2568, SDSU_G2569); see Suppl. material 2.

Diagnosis.

We found that the male palpal conductor (CdL) is consistently longer in H. petrunkevitchi than in both H. bernardino and the new species below, although barely for the latter (Table 5 ), and larger sample sizes might negate this difference. It is clear that all southern Sierran populations retain a very similar morphology, with minor morphological divergence associated with evolution in the southern Transverse ranges ( H. bernardino ).

Genetic data.

SRA Accession numbers: SAMN21239424-SAMN21239431.

New records.

Merced River drainage (YOSE): California, Mariposa County, Yosemite NP, Big Oak Flat Rd., bridge over Tamarack Creek, 37.7278, -119.7143, coll. E. Ciaccio, M. Hedin, A. Rivera, 29 Sept 2017 (SDSU_G2561-2563, 3I). Mariposa County, Yosemite NP, vic Bridalveil Falls, 37.7167, -119.6519, coll. E. Ciaccio, 3 August 2017 (SDSU_G2515-2518, 4I). Mariposa County, Yosemite NP, near Yosemite Falls, 37.7491, -119.5965, coll. E. Ciaccio, M. Hedin, A. Rivera, 29 Sept 2017 (SDSU_G2564-2566, 2I, 2F, 2M). Mariposa County, Yosemite NP, near Yosemite Falls, 37.7491, -119.5965, coll. M. Hedin, K. Crandall, 27 June 1992 (SDSU_H0015-H0016, 2I). San Joaquin River drainage (SAN): Fresno County, Sierra NF, Huntington Lake Rd., Balsam Creek turnout, 37.1884, -119.2591, coll. E. Ciaccio, 31 July 2017 (SDSU_G2510-2514, 1I, 4F). Fresno County, Sierra NF, Snowslide Creek on Huntington Lake road, 37.2029, -119.2367, coll. E. Ciaccio, 10 Sept 2017 (SDSU_G2557-2560, 1I, 3F). Kings River drainage (KING): California, Fresno County, Sierra NF, McKinley Grove Rd., Bear Creek turnout, 37.0411, -119.1202, coll. E. Ciaccio, B. Hernandez, S. Torres, J. Waters, 24 July 2017 (SDSU_G2557-2560, 4I, 1M). Fresno County, Sierra NF, McKinley Grove Big Trees Area, 37.0224, - 119.1066, coll. E. Ciaccio, 10 Sept 2017 (SDSU_G2555, G2556, 1I, 1F). Fresno County, Bretz Mill, Providence Creek, 37.0427, -119.2371, coll. E. Ciaccio, 31 July 2017 (SDSU_G2505-2509, 2M, 3F). Fresno County, Kings Canyon NP, dam at Sheep Creek on Don Cecil Trail, 36.7840, -118.6784, coll. E. Ciaccio, 9 Sept 2017 (SDSU_G2551, 1I). Fresno County, Kings Canyon NP, Road’s end permit station, Bubbs Creek/Zumwalt Meadow trail jct, 36.7918, -118.5871, coll. E. Ciaccio, 9 Sept 2017 (SDSU_G2549-2550, 1I, 1F). Fresno County, Mill Flat OHV staging area, Mill Flat Creek, 36.7452, -119.0047, coll. E. Ciaccio, 30 July 2017 (SDSU_G2502-2504, 3I). Fresno County, Sequoia NF, Mill Flat OHV Staging Area, 36.7471, -119.0046, coll. E. Ciaccio, 9 Sept 2017 (SDSU_G2552-2554, M, 2F). Fresno County, Sequoia NF, Ten Mile Rd., at bridge N of Hume Lake, 36.7838, -118.9006, coll. E. Ciaccio, 8 Sept 2017 (SDSU_G2546-2548, I, 2F). Fresno County, Sequoia NF, Ten Mile Rd., Landslide Creek turnout, 36.7625, -118.8801, coll. E. Ciaccio, 29 July 2017 (SDSU_G2497-2501, 1I, 2M, 2F). Fresno County, Sequoia NF, Hwy 245 at Mill Creek, ~1 mi S of Hwy 180 Jct, 36.7145, -118.9879, coll. E. Ciaccio, 30 July 2017 (SDSU_G2542-2545, 2I, 2F). Kaweah River drainage (KAW): Tulare County, Sequoia NP, Hwy 198, Big Fern Springs, 36.5382, -118.7751, coll. M. Hedin, 12 July 1993 (SDSU_H0020-H0022, 3I). Tulare County, Sequoia NP Hwy 198, Big Fern Springs, 36.5382, -118.7751, coll. E. Ciaccio, 17 August 2016 (SDSU_G2261-G2265, 1M, 3F, 1I). Tulare County, Sequoia NF, Forest Rte 14S11, Boulder Creek turnout, 36.7342, -118.7736, coll. E. Ciaccio, 29 July 2017 (SDSU_G2492-G2496, 1M, 4F). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, Hwy 198 near Lodgepole CG, Marble Fork Kaweah River, 36.6037, -118.7392, coll. E. Ciaccio, 29 July 2017 (SDSU_G2487-G2491, 4M, 1F). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, Mineral King Rd., Squirrel Creek pullout, 36.4428, -118.7694, coll. E. Ciaccio, 28 July 2017 (SDSU_G2482-G2486, 3M, 1F, 1I). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, Atwell-Hockett Trail, bridge on trail, 36.4584, -118.6564, coll. E. Ciaccio, 16 August 2016 (SDSU_G2256-G2260, 3M, 1F, 1I). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, bridge over Marble Fork on road to Crystal Cave, 36.5759, -118.7860, coll. E. Ciaccio, 17 August 2016 (SDSU_G2266-G2270, 4F, 1I). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, Ladybug Trail, upstream from bridge at start of trail, 36.35005, -118.76238, coll. E. Ciaccio, B. Hernandez, S. Torres, 3 Sept 2016 (SDSU_G2273-G2278, 2M, 3F, 1I). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, Middle Fork Trail, 36.5416, -118.7074, coll. E. Ciaccio, 18 August 2016 (SDSU_G2271, 1I). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, Middle Fork Trail, Mehrten Creek, 36.5457, -118.6920, coll. E. Ciaccio, B. Hernandez, S. Torres, 4 Sept 2016 (SDSU_G2284-G2288, 2M, 2F, 1I). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, Middle Fork Trail, near Mehrten Creek, 36.5456, -118.7036, coll. E. Ciaccio, 16 August 2016 (SDSU_G2272, 1I). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, Mineral King Road, turnout on the road, 36.45346, -118.6923, coll. E. Ciaccio, 18 August 2016 (SDSU_G2251-2255, 5F). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, Mineral King Road, crossing of Redwood Creek, W of Atwell Mill CG, 36.4533, -118.7036, coll. M. Hedin, 24 August 2009 (SDSU_TAC000192- TAC000193, 1F, 1M). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, South Fork Kaweah River, jnct of Cedar Creek and South Fork Kaweah River, 36.3551, -118.7335, coll. E. Ciaccio, B. Hernandez, S. Torres, 4 Sept 2016 (SDSU_G2279-G2283, 1M, 3F, 1I). Tulare County, Sequoia NP, below Atwell Mill CG, along Kaweah River, 36.4584, -118.6561, coll. M. Hedin, 23 August 2009 (SDSU_H0842- H0844, 1F, 1M, 1I). See also Suppl. material 2 for locality (including elevation) and natural history information for specimens examined.

Remarks.

Catley (1994) provided no formal diagnosis for H. petrunkevitchi (and original diagnoses only compared H. petrunkevitchi to the easily distinguishable H. kastoni ), but offered the following differences from H. bernardino in his keys to males and females - length of male PTaL relatively long (0.99-1.10 mm); index of shape of male palpal median apophysis (= vertical height of distal edge of apophysis × length of ventral border of apophysis) large (0.02-0.03) and strongly notched at proximal edge; apex of the conductor in tight whorl with large inwardly directed distal apophysis. Spermathecal bulbs large, diameter of largest not less than 0.11 mm; median ducts of greater length than lateral ducts. We have commented above on the shape of the apex of the male conductor (Fig. 10 ), the shape of the male palpal median apophysis (Figs 11 , 12 ), and a PTaL which overlaps in length (Table 5 ). Similarly, we view the relative size of spermathecal bulbs, and relative length of median versus lateral ducts as qualitatively similar (Fig. 13 ).

Distribution and habitat.

H. petrunkevitchi was previously known from a handful of locations in the west-central Sierra Nevada, and our work has greatly expanded our distributional knowledge for this species (Fig. 9 ). All previous taxonomic publications involving this species examined only northern specimens (Kaweah River drainage and northwards), which here retain the name H. petrunkevitchi .

Conservation.

Of all the basins in the southern Sierra Nevada, the Kaweah and Kings populations appear to occupy the most contiguous habitat, as reflected in both nuclear phylogenies and STRUCTURE results (Figs 2 - 5 , 9 ). The Yosemite and San Joaquin populations, which are geographically isolated and particularly genetically divergent, deserve close monitoring. While all Yosemite populations lie within the boundaries of Yosemite National Park, this does not strictly assure future persistence. Populations in Yosemite Valley occur only in deep breakdown “caves”, and in our experience spiders are not abundant. Both known San Joaquin populations occur in habitats that have recently burned as part of the devastating 2020 Creek Fire, again likely changing the nature of the canopy structure (and thus microclimatic conditions) in this area.

Figures

Figure 2. UCE phylogeny. Phylogeny reconstructed from partitioned RAxML analysis of " filtered and trimmed " UCE matrix. Bootstrap support values are 100 for all nodes unless otherwise indicated; second support values from IQ-TREE. Inset - SVDquartets UCE tree with bootstrap support values less than 95 shown.

Figure 5. Maximum likelihood mitochondrial tree. Black circles designate clusters of sequences collapsed as the same species in multi-threshold GMYC analyses; all other branches supported as separate species (e. g., n = 13 for multi-threshold model). Inset - K 2 P distances within and among primary mitochondrial lineages.

Figure 9. Southern Sierra Nevada topography map with genetic and morphological sample locations (see Suppl. material 1 and Suppl. material 2). Geographic gaps and other notable geographic features mentioned in the text are highlighted.

Figure 10. California taxa male palp (conductor) comparison. For each specimen, left panel = prolateral view, right panel = retrolateral view. H. bernardino A, B Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2931) C, D Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2932); H. xomote E, F Alder Creek (SDSU _ G 2600) G, H Tule River (SDSU _ G 2289); H. petrunkevitchi KINGS lineage I, J Mill Flat (SDSU _ G 2554); H. petrunkevitchi KAW lineage K, L Mineral King Road (SDSU _ TAC 000192); H. petrunkevitchi YOSE lineage M, N Yosemite (SDSU _ G 2568); H. kastoni O, P Ney Springs (SDSU _ TAC 000191). Distal conductor apophysis highlighted by arrows. Detailed specimen information provided in Suppl. material 2.

Figure 11. California taxa male palp comparison, prolateral views. H. kastoni A Ney Springs (SDSU _ TAC 000191); H. bernardino B Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2931) C Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2932); H. xomote D Tule River (SDSU _ G 2289) E Alder Creek (SDSU _ G 2600) F Belknap Springs (SDSU _ G 2300); H. petrunkevitchi KINGS lineage G Mill Flat (SDSU _ G 2554); H. petrunkevitchi KAW lineage H Mineral King Road (SDSU _ TAC 000192); H. petrunkevitchi YOSE lineage I Yosemite (SDSU _ G 2568). Median apophysis highlighted by arrows. For specimens E and I the bulb has rotated during specimen prep; these two images are retrolateral views, subsequently flipped in Photoshop. Detailed specimen information provided in Suppl. material 2.

Figure 12. California taxa male palp comparison, retrolateral views. H. kastoni A Ney Springs (SDSU _ TAC 000191); H. bernardino B Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2931) C Mtn Home (SDSU _ G 2932); H. xomote D Tule River (SDSU _ G 2289) E Alder Creek (SDSU _ G 2600) F Belknap Creek (SDSU _ G 2300); H. petrunkevitchi KINGS lineage G Mill Flat (SDSU _ G 2554); H. petrunkevitchi KAW lineage H Mineral King Road (SDSU _ TAC 000192); H. petrunkevitchi YOSE lineage I Yosemite (SDSU _ G 2568). For specimens E and I the bulb has rotated during specimen prep; these two images are prolateral views, subsequently flipped in Photoshop. Detailed specimen information provided in Suppl. material 2.

Figure 13. Comparative female spermathecal morphology for California taxa. H. bernardino A Foresee Creek (SDSU _ G 2893); H. petrunkevitchi YOSE lineage B Yosemite (SDSU _ G 2564); H. xomote C Jenny Creek (SDSU _ G 2477) D Windy Creek (SDSU _ G 2465) E Belknap Creek (SDSU _ G 2296) F Alder Creek (SDSU _ G 2601); H. petrunkevitchi KAW lineage G Ladybug Trail (SDSU _ G 2275) H Mineral King Road (SDSU _ G 2485); H. petrunkevitchi KINGS lineage I Mill Creek (SDSU _ G 2543) J Providence Creek (SDSU _ G 2508); H. petrunkevitchi SAN lineage K Snowslide Creek (SDSU _ G 2557) L Balsam Creek (SDSU _ G 2415). Scale bars shown for select specimens. Detailed specimen information provided in Suppl. material 2.