Eriauchenius ranavalona, 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 ranavalona sp. n. Figs 6, 30

Type material.

Male holotype: Madagascar, Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana, Vohiparara, Piste Touristique, 21°13.6'S, 47°24.0'E, 1000 m., 26-27 Apr 1998, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, N. Penny, M. Raherilalao, E. Rajeriarison, J. Ranorianarisoa, J. Schweikert, D. Ubick (deposited in CAS; CASENT9010047).

Other material examined.

MADAGASCAR, Fianarantsoa, Parc National Ranomafana: Female paratype, Vatoharanana River, 4.1 km 231° SW Ranomafana, 21°17'24"S, 47°26'00"E, 1100 m., 27-31 Mar 2003, Griswold, Fisher et al., montane rainforest, EB17 beating low vegetation (CASENT9018917); 2M,1F,1Juv, 2.3 km N Vohiparara village, 21°12.8'S, 47°23.0'E, 1100 m., 24-25 Apr 1998, C. Griswold, D. Kavanaugh, N. Penny, M. Raherilalao, E. Rajeriarison, J. Ranorianarisoa, J. Schweikert, D. Ubick (CASENT9010042); 5M,1Juv, Vohiparara, 3.6 km W Ranomafana, 21°14.243'S, 47°23.842'E, 1150 m., 13-14 Jan 2009, primary montane rainforest, general collecting day and night, C. Griswold, A. Saucedo and H. Wood (USNMENT01377245, USNMENT01377246, USNMENT01377247, USNMENT01377254); 1F, Vatoharanana, 4 km S Ranomafana, 21°17'15.0"S, 47°25'38.5"E, 1100 m, 12 Jan 2009, primary montane rainforest, general collecting day, beating vegetation, A. Saucedo & H. Wood (USNMENT01377248); 2M,3F,2Juv, Vohiparara, Sahamalaotra forest, 41.1 km 54° NE Fianarantsoa, 21°14'19.9"S, 47°23'39.2"E, 1200 m, 26 Dec 2005-14 Jan 2006, montane rainforest, beating vegetation: in clumps of dead dry foliage, H. Wood, J. Miller, J.J. Rafonomezantsoa, E. Rajeriarison, V. Andriamananony (USNMENT01377249, USNMENT01377240); 1M, Vohiparara, 3.62 km ENE Ranomafana, 21°14'28.7"S, 47°23'65.3"E, 1137 m, 13 Jan 2009, evergreen secondary rainforest, general collecting, D. Andriamalala, C. Griswold, G. Hormiga, A. Saucedo, N. Scharff and H. Wood (CASENT9048515); 1F, 7 km SW Ranomafana, 1200 m, 23 Oct 1988, W. Steiner, C. Kremen, R. Van Epps (USNMENT00879986).

Etymology.

The specific name is a noun in apposition and commemorates Queen Ranavalona III, the last sovereign of the Kingdom of Madagascar before it became a French colony.

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. 6A). Males and females are distinguished from all other species in the " workmani group" by the lime-green abdomen markings in living specimens (Fig. 6 C–D), which is sometimes faded in alcohol preserved specimens, and in males, by the non-bifurcating MA that is broad and tapers to a point (Fig. 6 H–I), rather than being hook shaped as seen in E. andriamanelo (Fig. 3C).

Description.

Male holotype (CALENT9010047, from Parc Nationale Ranomafana, Madagascar). Total length 3.53, carapace 1.48 long, 1.28 wide. Abdomen 1.93 long, 2.23 high, with a dorsal hump. Carapace tilt angle 75.1°, tilt height (CtH) 3.25, constriction 0.44, head length 1.03, neck length 1.83 (Fig. 2). CtH divided by carapace length 2.20. Cephalon with AME on a large bulge and 4 post-ocular protrusions on the apex of the cephalon (Fig. 6A), each provided with a short modified spine at the tip. Chelicerae 3.28 long, and with spine 0.42 from base of chelicerae (Fig. 6A). Femur I 5.76 long. Sternum 0.92 long, 0.55 wide. Carapace, chelicerae, sternum and femora I & II reddish dark brown with many white setae, and lighter brown areas on head, neck and chelicerae. All coxae yellowish brown and legs III & IV yellowish brown, with darker annulations on femora, tibiae and metatarsi. Abdomen mostly mottled brown with tufts of white setae, white book-lungs, and characteristic lime-green posterior-dorsal area in living species (Fig. 6 C–D; often faded to yellowish-white in ethanol preserved material). Pedipalpal tegulum of the " workmani group" form, with apical conductor encircling a pit-like cavity (Fig. 6 E–J). Conductor tip is a broad triangular point similar to other " workmani group" species except E. andriamanelo (Fig. 3K), where the conductor is divided. MA without a bifurcation, broad, and tapering toward the tip (Fig. 6 E–F, H–I). 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.

Female paratype (CASENT9018917). Total length 3.86, carapace 1.24 long, 1.15 wide. Abdomen 2.20 long, 2.24 wide, with dorsal hump. Carapace tilt angle 67.6°, tilt height (CtH) 2.71, constriction 0.42, head length 1.05, neck length 1.39. CtH divided by carapace length 2.19. Cephalon as in male. Chelicerae 2.62 long, and with spine 0.48 from base of chelicerae. Femur I 4.52 long. Sternum 0.79 long, 0.53 wide. Colors as in male, but abdomen mottled brown and beige instead of just mottled brown. Female abdomen also with posterior-dorsal lemon-green area. Female internal genitalia indistinguishable from other " workmani group" species (Fig. 6B).

Variation.

Total length 3.49-3.68 (males; n=5), 3.34-3.86 (females; n=4); Carapace length 1.35-1.43 (males; n=5), 1.24-1.49 (females; n=4); Femur I 5.25-5.65 times the length of carapace in males (n=5) and 3.53-4.10 times the length of carapace in females (n=4). CtH divided by carapace length 2.16-2.26 in males (n=5), 2.01-2.28 in females (n=4). Average femur I length 7.65 (males; n=5), 5.23 (females; n=4).

Natural history.

Specimens have been collected in montane rainforest and evergreen secondary rainforest through beating vegetation, including clumps of dead, dry foliage, by beating low vegetation, and general collecting day and night. Specimens were collected from 900-1200 m above sea level.

Distribution.

Known only from Ranomafana National Park in southwestern Madagascar (Fig. 30).