Diaphorocellus isalo, Zonstein & Marusik, 2020

Zonstein, Sergei L. & Marusik, Yuri M., 2020, Two new species of Diaphorocellus Simon, 1893 from Madagascar (Araneae, Palpimanidae), African Invertebrates 61 (1), pp. 1-15 : 1

Diaphorocellus isalo sp. nov. Figs 1A-D , 2A-B , 3A-B , 4A-C , 5A-B , 6A , 7A-D , 8A , 9

Etymology.

The specific name is a toponym referring to the type locality, Isalo.

Types.

Holotype ♂, and paratype ♀ from Madagascar, Fianarantsoa Province, Isalo, 22°38'S, 45°21'E, 20.iii.1994, A. Pauly (RMCA ARA 201275).

Diagnosis.

The holotype male of D. isalo sp. nov. can be distinguished from the males of D. jocquei sp. n. by its larger size (CL 2.25 vs. 2.0), by presence of the cymbial spines vs. absence, and by the tapering prolateral arm of the tegular apophysis vs. widened arm. Females of these two species clearly differ in the shape of the membranous sacs of the endogyne: small globular in D. isalo sp. nov. vs. large subconical in D. jocquei sp. nov. In D. isalo sp. nov. the PME almost touch each other, while in D. isalo sp. nov. these eyes are slightly distant from each other (Figs 2A-B cf. Figs 2C-D ). Additionally, D. isalo sp. nov. differs from D. biplagiatus by possessing a finely spotted dorsal abdominal pattern, as well as by lacking very long retrolateral setae of the male palp, by having a short palpal femur (length/width ratio 2.3 vs. 3.2) and by presence of the membranous sacs in the endogyne (vs. absent). Other diagnostic characters of D. isalo sp. nov. are noted in the Discussion.

Description.

Male. RMCA ARA 201275 (holotype).

Habitus: as in Figs 1A-B . Colour in alcohol: carapace, chelicerae and dorsal abdominal scutum dark carmine brown; legs I intense reddish orange; palps and legs II-IV light to medium yellowish orange; sternum, labium, maxillae and ventral abdominal scutum reddish brown; abdomen dorsally dark brown with numerous light yellowish brown spots, ventrally uniformly medium yellowish brown. Measurements: TL 4.50, CL 2.10, CW 1.45, CH 0.95, CyL 0.29, Femur I L/W 1.88 (1.50/0.80). Carapace: with rather coarse granulations (Fig. 2A ). Eyes: AME 0.14, ALE 0.09, PME 0.13, PLE 0.07, AME-AME 0.04, AME-ALE 0.07, PLE-PME 0.14, PME-PME 0.01.

Copulatory organs. Palp as shown in Figs 4A-C , 5A-B , 6A . Femur 2.6 times longer than wide, 1.2 times longer than cymbium; patella globular, thinner than femur; tibia swollen, as long as wide, 1.4 times wider than femur. Cymbium antero-retrolaterally with tight bunch of strong spines, retrolaterally with dense brush of thick setae. Bulb globular, partly embedded into tibia, with two long (longer than tegulum) extensions: tegular apophysis and embolus. Tegular apophysis with two arms, pro- and retrolateral; prolateral arm with kind of comb on inner side; both arms bent on tip. Embolus located prolaterally, flat and long, almost as long as tegular apophysis.

Leg measurements: male RMCA ARA 201275 (female RMCA ARA 201275 in brackets):

	Femur	Patella	Tibia	Metatarsus	Tarsus	Total
Palp	0.53 (0.63)	0.16 (0.27)	0.34 (0.35)	-	0.44 (0.42)	1.47 (1.67)
I	1.50 (1.63)	1.05 (1.25)	0.93 (1.05)	0.33 (0.40)	0.43 (0.45)	4.24 (4.78)
II	1.05 (1.25)	0.63 (0.63)	0.70 (0.88)	0.50 (0.58)	0.38 (0.40)	3.26 (3.74)
III	0.90 (1.00)	0.50 (0.58)	0.65 (0.70)	0.55 (0.63)	0.38 (0.35)	2.98 (3.26)
IV	1.25 (1.50)	0.70 (0.88)	1.00 (1.25)	0.88 (1.05)	0.45 (0.43)	4.28 (5.11)

Female RMCA ARA 201275 (paratype).

Habitus: as in Figs 1C-D . Colour in alcohol: as in male, but legs II-IV and abdomen paler. Measurements: TL 6.50, CL 2.25, CW 1.55, CH 0.85, CyL 0.31, Femur I L/W 1.85 (1.63/0.88). Carapace: longer, with less coarse granulations than in male (Fig. 2B ). Eyes: AME 0.12, ALE 0.07, PLE 0.07, PME 0.13, AME-AME 0.04, AME-ALE 0.07, PME-PLE 0.14, PME-PME 0.01. Epigastral scutum entire (fused dorsally), with a pair of round plaque-like structures dorsally, book lung operculum large, extends above petiolar orifice.

Copulatory organs: as in Figs 3B , 7A-D , 8A . Epigastral plate in intact specimen accompanied by 2 pairs of sclerites lying on postgastrum (posterior from epigastral furrow): two small dot-like median sclerites and pair of longitudinal sclerites. Endogyne formed by pair of complex receptacles. Receptacle (Re) consists of complex sclerotised base and transparent, membranous cylindric sac (Figs 7A-D ). Each receptacle accompanied by brushes of fine threads and 3 grape-shaped glands attached to receptacles by long thread-like stems.

Note.

Following maceration of the epigastral scutum, two additional pairs of dot-like sclerites were revealed (Fig. 7C ).

Habitat.

According to the collecting data, the specimens were found near a natural pool in a rocky massif.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 9 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Habitus of Diaphorocellus isalo sp. n (A-D) and D. jocquei sp. n. (E-H). A, E male, dorsal B, F male, lateral C, H female, lateral D, G female, dorsal. Scale bar: 1.0 mm.

Figure 2. Prosoma, dorsal of Diaphorocellus isalo sp. nov. (A-B) and D. jocquei sp. nov. (C-D). A, C male B, D female. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 3. Prosoma, ventral of Diaphorocellus isalo sp. nov. (A-B) and D. jocquei sp. nov. (C-D). A, C male B, D female. Scale bar: 0.5 mm.

Figure 4. Male palp of Diaphorocellus isalo sp. nov. (A-C) and D. jocquei sp. nov. (D-F). A, D entire palp, prolateral B, E terminal part, prolateral C, F terminal part, ventro-retrolateral. Abbreviations: Cs cymbial spines; Sc brush of thick setae on cymbium; Tc comb of prolateral arm of tegular apophysis. Scale bar: 0.2 mm.

Figure 5. SEM micrograph of the male palp of Diaphorocellus isalo sp. nov. (A-B) and D. jocquei sp. nov. (C-D). A, C entire palp, ventral B, C terminal part, prolateral. Abbreviations: Cs cymbial spines; Em embolus; Pa prolateral arm of tegular apophysis; Ta tegular apophysis; Tc comb of prolateral arm of tegular apophysis; Te tegulum.

Figure 6. SEM micrograph of the male palp of Diaphorocellus isalo sp. nov. (A) and D. jocquei sp. nov. (B-C). A, C anterior B ventro-retrolateral. Abbreviations: Cs cymbial spines; Pa prolateral arm of tegular apophysis; Tc comb of prolateral arm of tegular apophysis; Tr retrolateral arm of tegular apophysis. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Figure 7. Female copulatory organs of Diaphorocellus isalo sp. nov. (A-D) and D. jocquei sp. nov. (E-F). A, D, E endogyne, ventral B-C epigastral scutum and anterior part of postgaster, ventral E - entire epigastral scutum and terminal part of postgaster showing 4 pairs of postgastral sclerites F epigastral sclerite and part of postgaster, postero-lateral, showing atrium and corresponding postgastral stopper. Abbreviations: At atrium; Bl book lung operculum; Ft fine threads; Gg grape-shaped glands; Ls longitudinal sclerites; Ms median sclerites; Pp postgastral plug; Re receptacle; Rs membranous cylindrical sac of receptacle; Sb sclerotised base. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 8. Anterior part of abdomen of Diaphorocellus isalo sp. nov. (A) and D. jocquei sp. nov. (B). A entire scutum, antero-lateral, showing large book-lungs (Bl) and round structures (Rs) B epigastral scutum and part of postgaster, postero-ventral. Abbreviations: At atrium; Bl book lung operculum; Ls longitudinal sclerite; Ms median sclerite; Pr ridges on the petiolar tube; Rr round rear structure. Scale bars: 1.0 mm.

Figure 9. Records of Diaphorocellus isalo sp. nov. (square) and D. jocquei sp. nov. (circle).