Tennesseellum formicum Emerton 1882

Tennesseellum formicum (Emerton 1882)

Figs 15–20, 33, 42, 43, 570–579, map 39

Bathyphantes formicum Emerton 1882: 71, pl. 22, f. 7. (Description 3). Erigone formicum Keyserling 1886: 185, pl. 17, f. 245.

Prosopotheca transversa Crosby 1905: 333, pl. 29, f. 5. (Description Ƥ). Tennesseellum minutum Petrunkevitch 1925: 173, pl. 8, f. 5.

Meioneta formica Chamberlin & Ivie 1944: 85. (Transferred 3 from Bathyphantes).

Type material: Bathyphantes formicum Emerton 1882, 3 HOLOTYPE from Connecticut, New Haven, 25 May, on fences, J.H. Emerton. (unique number 21357). MCZ, NOT EXAMINED.

Diagnosis: Males are easily distinguished from T. gollum by their more elongated carapace, smaller anterior median eyes (Figs 15, 16) and the large prongs on the palpal femur (Fig. 570 arrows). Females are distinguished from T. gollum by their inflated palpal tarsus, not swollen in the latter, by the genital pores situated in the lateral lobe pockets (Fig. 579) whereas it is situated in the median part of scape for T. gollum (Fig. 587).

Description: Male: Total length 1.53; carapace length 0.71, width 0.51.

MAP. 39. Localities of Tennesseellum formicum (Emerton 1882), distribution based on material examined, distribution based on Paquin et al. 2010, distribution based on Crawford & Edwards 1989, and Tennesseellum gollum n. sp.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace elongated-oval, light yellow-orange, shiny, strongly granulate (Fig. 16); suffused with dark gray along margin and radiating lines; fovea present. Eyes; anterior median eye rounded, smaller than other eyes (Fig. 15). Sternum smooth, light yellow-orange lightly suffused with dark gray, slightly longer than wide. Clypeus height 3. Chelicerae light yellow, slightly excavated; seta-tipped tubercles absent; promargin three teeth, retromargin three denticles, promargin with large rounded projection near base of fang. Cheliceral stridulatory organ with ~46 striae, widely spaced apically, gradually getting closer, basally very close (Fig. 20). Endites without seta-tipped tubercles. ABDOMEN: Cylindrical, elongated, uniformly gray or gray with dark apical and basal bands, the basal band can be complete or broken (Fig. 574). LEGS: Light yellow-orange, femur a shade darker; leg I total length: 1.90; leg III total length: 1.46; Tm I: 0.29, Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Palpal femur with large prongs (Figs 17, 570 arrows). Palpal tibia with retrolateral tibial apophysis rugose extending dorsally into a large, pointed apophysis; one retrolateral trichobothria and one dorsal (Figs 17, 570). Cymbium triangular; glabrous depression present with curved ridge (Figs 17, 570); dorsal and ventral cymbial tubercles absent; prolateral notch absent (Figs 18, 571). Paracymbium apical pocket long, anterior pocket rugose, extremely long and curved, posterior pocket absent (Fig. 570). Embolus tip pointed, rugose; Fickert’s gland absent; ventral lamella absent; thumb short, reaching below the embolus proper (Fig. 572). Embolus proper set apically, dorsal part slightly larger (Fig. 572). Anterior terminal apophysis large, striate with numerous, long protrusions; posterior terminal apophysis pointed, not well sclerotized; lamella characteristica small, blunt (Fig. 573).

Female: Total length 2.34; carapace length 0.64, width 0.52.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace oval, coloration as in male. Clypeus height 1.5. Anterior median eye rounded, equal to other eyes. Sternum as long as wide. Chelicerae yellow, not excavated; promargin three teeth, retromargin two teeth. Cheliceral stridulatory organ ~47 striae, well spaced apically, gradually getting closer, basally very close. ABDOMEN: Oval, uniformly gray or gray with dark marks apically and latero-basally (Fig. 575). LEGS: Same as male, palpal segments orange, palpal tarsus inflated, palpal claw absent; leg I total length: 2.30; leg III total length: 1.83; Tm I: 0.35, Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Epigynum with wide, triangular proximal part of scape; epigynal slits indistinguishable (Fig. 576); lateral lobes short; stretcher small; pit deep (Fig. 577). Median part of scape narrow slightly narrowing apically (Fig. 578); genital pores situated at lateral lobes pockets (Fig. 579). Internal genitalia with elongated, curved ventral receptacula and a small, rounded dorsal one (Figs 577, 578).

Other material examined: CANADA: Ontario: South Tea Lake, Algonquin Park, 03.vii.1945, 1Ƥ, W. Ivie, T. Kurata (AMNH). USA: Alaska: no specific locality, 21.iv.1965, 1Ƥ, Dumas (DBC). Arizona: Chiricahua Mountains, Cave Canyon Creek, 03.ix.1960, sweeping grass, 13, V. Roth (AMNH); Chiricahua Mountains, 1645m, 20–30. ix.1964, 1 Ƥ, 17.x.1970, 1Ƥ, V. Roth (AMNH); Junction Verde and Salt Rivers, 09.iv.1935, 1Ƥ, W. Ivie (AMNH); Portal, 15.iii.1972, 1Ƥ, V. Roth (AMNH); SE Yuma county, near Sierra Pinta, 21.ii.1958, 1Ƥ, V. Roth (AMNH); Tuscon, ii–iv.1940, 13, A. Phillips (AMNH); Willcox Plaza, Willcox, 22.viii.1968, 13, V. Roth (AMNH). California: Canyon, 22.v.1981, 13, D. Denning (AMNH); Soledad Camp, 19.iv.1957, riparian woodland, 13, Schick (AMNH). District of Columbia: Washington, vi.1888, 13, W. Fox (AMNH); Washington, 01.v.1924, 1Ƥ (AMNH). Florida: 3. 2km SE Marathon, 15.xiii.1962, 4Ƥ, W. Ivie (AMNH); Little Duck Key, 28.xii.1963, 1Ƥ, J., W. Ivie (AMNH); Pensacola, Saufley, 01.viii.1944, 13, D. Lowrie (AMNH); St. Augustine, 31.xii.1941, 131Ƥ, A. Archer (AMNH). Iowa: Sioux City, 131Ƥ (AMNH). Illinois: Urbana, 19.vii.1926, 2Ƥ, Smith (AMNH); Volo bog, 08.vi.1941, sweeping, 13, D. Lowrie (AMNH). Minnesota: Lauderdale 27.vi.1967, 13, 25.viii.1967, 13, B. Cutler (AMNH). Missouri: Columbia, v.1905, 23, vi.1905, 23, vii.1905, 23, 20.ix.1905, 13, C. Crosby (AMNH). North Carolina: Franklinton, 22.viii.1933, 13, W. Ivie (AMNH); Grandfather Mountain, 12.x.1933, 13, C. Crosby, Bishop (AMNH); Waynesville, 14.ix.1926, 1Ƥ, C. Crosby, Bishop (AMNH). North Dakota: no specific locality, 1937, 2Ƥ, J. Davis (AMNH). New Mexico: 20km S Taos, 1Ƥ, C. Hoff (AMNH); NE Santa Fe, 1Ƥ, C. Hoff (AMNH); W of Mountainair, 1Ƥ, C. Hoff (AMNH). New York: Chapel Pond, 24.viii.1930, 13, C. Crosby (AMNH); Honeoye Falls, vii.1912, 13, C. Crosby (AMNH); Hyde Park, 25.vi.1915, 13 (AMNH); Ithaca, viii.1912, 131Ƥ, 06.viii.1923, 13, viii.1957, 131Ƥ, C. Crosby (AMNH); Ithaca, viii.1957, 1 Ƥ, A. Archer (AMNH); Locust Valley, Long Island, 28.vii.1938, 2Ƥ, Maxwall (AMNH); Orient, 21.v.1934, 13, C. Crosby (AMNH); Penn Yan, 12.vii.1952, lake shore, 13 (AMNH); Sea Cliff, 1Ƥ, N. Banks (AMNH). Pennsylvania: NE Jamison, Horseshoe Bend, Neshaminy Creek, vi.1954, 1 Ƥ, v.1955, 13, v.1958, 1 Ƥ, vi.1956, 12312Ƥ, vii.1956, 13, 21.vi.1964, 331Ƥ, J., W. Ivie (AMNH); Pittsburg, 11.iv.1968, 13, B. Vogel (AMNH). Rhode Island: Newport, 16.vii.1912, 13 (AMNH). South Carolina: Savannah River site, 24-29.v.1995, roadside, 13, M. Draney (AMNH). Texas: no specific locality, 09.xii.1951, 131Ƥ, W. Creighton (AMNH); 12km NE Sinton, 05.iv.1960, 13, ix.1960, 23, H. Laughlin (AMNH); Edinburg, 16.x.1935, 131Ƥ, 15.xi.1935, 13, 25.xi.1936, 1Ƥ, 28.ix.1938, 131Ƥ, 15.i.1939, 13, 02.vi.1953, 1Ƥ, S. Mulaik (AMNH); Hemphill, Panhandle National Grasslands Park, 12.vi.1979, 13, L. Sorkin (AMNH); SW Progresso, iii.1936, 1 Ƥ, I. Davis (AMNH); Texline, 14.vii.1939, 234Ƥ, L. Davis (AMNH); Uvalde, 13, C. Rae (AMNH). West Virginia: W of Krause Bottom, 225m, 04.iv.2008, sweeping river bank grass, 1Ƥ, T. Anderson (UWBM).

Distribution: Alaska to Newfoundland south to Florida and west to California.

Notes: This species, especially the males, exhibit morphological ant mimicry, an elongated cephalothorax, a cylindrical abdomen with pale middle band and sigilla, creating a somewhat constricted abdomen that resembles an ant petiole but no interactions with ants or ant-like behaviour has been reported so far.

Tennesseellum gollum new species Figs 580–587, map 39

Type material: Male holotype from California, San Diego County, Anza-Borrego State Park, Palm Spring Canyon, 14 Apr. 1981, palm thatch, D. Ubick (CAS). EXAMINED.

Etymology: The specific name is a noun in apposition taken from J.R.R. Tolkien books, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, in reference to the evil persona Gollum, given the “evil look” of the male of this species due to the large cheliceral tubercles.

Diagnosis: Males are easily distinguished from T. formicum by the presence of a row of tubercles on the anterior surface of the chelicerae, the apical one being greatly enlarged (Fig. 584). Females are distinguished from T. formicum by their slender palpal tarsus, their wide median part of scape, narrow in T. formicum (Fig. 587) and the genital pores situated in the median part of scape (Fig. 587).

Description: Male: Total length 1.62; carapace length 0.76, width 0.59.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Carapace oval, light yellow, shiny, finely reticulate; suffused with dark gray along margin and radiating lines; trident mark present; fovea present. Eyes, all rounded and equal in size. Sternum smooth, light yellow suffused with dark gray, as long as wide. Clypeus height 2. Chelicerae light yellow, excavated; ~3 seta-tipped tubercles, last one very large (Fig. 584); promargin one denticle, retromargin one tiny denticle, without projection near base of fang. Cheliceral stridulatory organ ~105 striae, widely spaced apically, gradually getting closer, basally very close. Endites with 4-5 large seta-tipped tubercles. ABDOMEN: Elongated, uniformly gray or gray with dark apical and basal bands. LEGS: Light yellow; leg I total length: 2.78; leg III total length: 1.96; Tm I: 0.31, Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Palpal femur without prongs. Palpal tibia with retrolateral tibial apophysis rugose, extending dorsally into a large, squared apophysis; one retrolateral trichobothria and one dorsal (Fig. 580). Cymbium triangular; glabrous depression present with two curved ridges (Fig. 580); dorsal and ventral cymbial tubercles absent; prolateral notch absent (Fig. 581). Paracymbium apical pocket medium, anterior pocket rugose, extremely long and curved, posterior pocket absent (Fig. 580). Embolus tip pointed, rugose apically; Fickert’s gland absent; ventral lamella absent; thumb short, reaching below the embolus proper (Fig. 582). Embolus proper set apically, dorsal part greatly enlarged (Fig. 582). Anterior terminal apophysis large with numerous, long protrusions; posterior terminal apophysis pointed, not well sclerotized; lamella characteristica small, tip bifid (Fig. 583).

Female: Total length: 1.56; carapace length: 0.71; carapace width: 0.52.

CEPHALOTHORAX: Coloration as in male. Clypeus height 1. Chelicerae yellow with dark transverse band, not excavated; promargin three teeth, retromargin one tooth. Cheliceral stridulatory organ ~43 striae, well spaced apically, gradually getting closer, basally very close. ABDOMEN: Oval, uniformly gray. LEGS: Same as male; palpal segments suffused with dark gray, palpal tarsus not inflated, palpal claw absent; leg I total length: 2.38; leg III total length: 1.74; Tm I: 0.30, Tm IV: absent. GENITALIA: Epigynum with wide proximal part of scape; epigynal slits elongated, oval; pit hook depression absent (Fig. 585); lateral lobes very small; stretcher medium; pit deep (Fig. 586). Median part of scape wide, slightly wider apically; genital pores situated in the middle of the median part of scape (Fig. 587). Internal genitalia with one small, rounded ventral receptacula and a larger, oval dorsal one (Figs 586, 587).

Other material examined: USA: California: 27km N Ogilby, Jan. 13, 1977, 131Ƥ, V. Roth, Schroepfer (AMNH).

Distribution: Southwestern USA, California.