The lace web spiders (Araneae, Phyxelididae) of Madagascar: phylogeny, biogeography and taxonomy
Author
Griswold, Charles E.
Author
Wood, Hannah Marie
Author
Carmichael, Anthea D.
text
Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society
2012
2012-03-20
164
4
728
810
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00779.x
journal article
10.1111/j.1096-3642.2011.00779.x
0024-4082
5407022
AMBOHIMA ZOKY
SP. NOV.
(
FIGS 6D
,
7G
,
16A–E
,
25A–F
,
33D–F
,
36A, E
,
37A, E
,
43M–O
,
57
)
Types:
Holotype
male (
CASENT9017018
) from
7 km
SE
Antsiranana
,
Antsiranana Province
,
Madagascar
, collected
17 August 1992
by
Vince
and
Barbara Roth
, deposited in
CASC
.
Etymology:
The specific name is from the Malagasy word for big one; a noun in apposition.
Diagnosis:
Male with palp as in
Figures 16A–C
and
25A–F
, embolic base convex, reservoir course across embolic base sinuate, embolus base narrow, width about equal to embolic loop, narrower than width of exposed conductor between embolic base and proximal turn of embolus. Female vulva as in
Figures 16E
,
33E
and
37A, E
, spermathecal base simple, apex a tight corkscrew coil.
Male (
Holotype
):
Total length 8.13. Markings as in
Figure 6D
. Cephalothorax and legs pale yellowbrown, abdomen grey-brown, dorsum with anterior light longitudinal mark. Carapace 3.36 long, 2.54 wide; thoracic fovea 0.53 long, length 0.15 times that of carapace; clypeus 0.17 high; ocular area 0.50 long, 1.03 wide; ratio of eyes AM/AL/PM/PL, 1.10:1.40:1.00:1.10, diameter of PM 0.20. Chelicerae 1.33 long, slender, smooth, pro- and retromargins of fang furrow with five teeth. Sternum 1.84 long, 1.53 wide; labium 0.74 long, 0.58 wide; palpal coxa 1.19 long, 0.47 wide. Legs elongate, femur I length 2.42 times carapace length; metatarsi I and II prolateral concavity and clasping spines as in
Figure 43M–O
, segments cylindrical basad of concavity. Leg measurements (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = [total]): I: 8.11 + 1.69 + 8.44 + 7.88 + 3.19 = [29.31]; II: 6.50 + 1.56 + 6.25 + 5.94 + 2.50 = [22.75]; III: 5.50 + 1.25 + 4.56 + 5.00 + 2.13 = [18.44]; IV: 7.19 + 1.56 + 6.50 + 7.06 + 2.50 = [24.81]; palp: 1.69 + 0.56 + 0.81 + (absent) + 1.44 = [4.50]. Palp as in
Figures 16A–C
and
25A–F
; femur with probasal row of five thorn-like setae; tibia with dorsal blade (DTA) broad apically, prolateral hook (PTA) long, tapering to acute point; cymbium length 1.40 times width; palpal bulb length 1.45 times width, embolic base convex, reservoir course across embolic base sinuate, embolus base narrow, width about equal to embolic loop, narrower than width of exposed conductor between embolic base and proximal turn of embolus.
Female (Montagne d’Ambre, CASENT9020320):
Total length 9.70. Markings as in
Figure 7G
. Carapace 4.30 long, 2.90 wide; thoracic fovea length 0.14 times that of carapace; clypeus 0.32 high; ocular area 0.53 long, 1.36 wide; ratio of eyes AM/AL/PM/PL, 1.40:3.40:1.06:1.00, diameter of PM 0.16. Chelicerae 1.82 long, robust, smooth, pro- and retromargins of fang furrow with seven teeth. Sternum 2.16 long, 1.76 wide; labium 0.86 long, 0.76 wide; palpal coxa 1.40 long, 0.68 wide. Femur I length 1.40 times carapace length. Palpal femur with row of three anterobasal thorns. Calamistrum origin at 0.45 from metatarsus base, length 0.45 that of segment. Leg measurements (femur + patella + tibia + metatarsus + tarsus = [total]): I: 6.00 + 1.65 + 5.45 + 5.10 + 2.50 = [20.70]; II: 4.90 + 1.50 + 3.90 + 3.75 + 1.95 = [16.00]; III: 4.00 + 1.25 + 2.90 + 3.20 + 1.60 = [12.95]; IV: 5.15 + 1.45 + 4.40 + 4.30 + 1.85 = [17.15]; palp: 1.70 + 0.70 + 1.00 + (absent) + 1.90 = [5.30]. Epigynum as in
Figure 36A
; vulva as in
Figure 37A
, spermathecal base simple, apical coil of spermatheca makes two open spirals.
Variation (N = 5):
Total length 8.00–10.80; carapace length 1.38–1.48 times width, height 0.30–0.45 times width; PER width 2.41–2.62 times OAL; OQP 1.08– 1.15 times OQA; clypeal height 1.53–2.13 times AM diameter; cheliceral length 5.41–6.77 times clypeal height; promargin of fang furrow with 6–7 teeth, retromargin of fang furrow with 5–7 teeth; sternum length 1.21–1.26 times width; femur I length 1.40– 1.51 times carapace length; metatarsus I length 1.19–1.33 times carapace length; epigyna as in
Figures 16D
,
33D
and
36A, E
, vulvae is in
Figures 16E
,
33E, F
and
37A, E
.
Natural history:
Unknown.
Distribution:
Known only from far northern
Madagascar
(
Fig. 57
).
Material examined:
MADAGASCAR
:
Antsiranana Prov.
Montagne d’Ambre
,
12°30′57.6″S
,
49°11′04.8″E
,