Ischnocolus valentinus

Ischnocolus valentinus (Dufour, 1820)

(Figure 3)

Mygale valentina Dufour 1820:101 (Description of male).

Mygale valenciana, Walckenaer 1837: 228.

Ischnocolus valentinus; Ausserer 1871. New synonymy.

Ischnocolus holosericeus L. Koch, in Ausserer 1871: 186 (Description of juvenile); Simon 1892: 136, f. 119; Bacelar 1932: 171; Smith 1990: 129, f. 819–829 (Description of female). New synonymy.

I. triangulifer Ausserer 1871: 186 (Description of juvenile); Bacelar 1932: 171. New synonymy.

Avicularia andalusiaca Simon 1873: 197, pl. 1, f. 2 (Description of male and female); Bacelar 1932: 171, f. 3–5. New synonymy.

I. algericus Thorell 1875: 123 (Description of male). New synonymy.

I. fuscostriatus Simon 1885: 41 (Description of male). New synonymy.

I. maroccanus (Simon 1873): 199 (Description of male and female). New synonymy.

I. mogadorensis Simon 1909: 10 (Description of juvenile). New synonymy.

I. numidus Simon 1909: 9 (Description of male). New synonymy.

I. tripolitanus Caporiacco 1937: 57 (Description of juvenile). New synonymy.

Type material

Holotype female of I. holosericeus, Spain, presumably lost, not examined. Neotype female of I. holosericeus, Spain (BMNH 19.9.18.5696-97) Seidlitz leg., herein designated. Syntypes [5 males (m), 1 female (f) and 1 juvenile (j)] of I. triangulifer from Sicily, Italy (NMW 117), Grolnnann leg., examined; Syntypes (1m and 1f) of I. andalusicus from Andalusia, Spain (MNHN AR4603), examined; Holotype juvenile female of I. algericus (NRS 18) from Bona, Algeria, examined; Holotype female of I. tripolitanus (MZUF) from Homs, Libia, examined.

NOTES. (1) Bacelar (1932) had already suggested I. valentinus as senior synonym of I. holosericeus, I. andalusiacus and I. triangulifer, but did not formally propose this synonymy. Vol (1999a) agreed with Bacelar’s suggestion that all Spanish species are the same (I. valentinus, I. holosericeus, I. andalusiacus). However, neither Bacelar (1932) nor Vol (1999a) formalized the synonymy properly. Therefore, Platnick’s catalogue (2013) has not incorporated this synonymy and they are all herein treated as new synonymies. (2) The species I. holosericeus was described by Koch, and the description was posteriorly formalized by Ausserer (1871). The holotype was not found at the British Museum or at the Naturhistorisches Museum Wien, two collections that house much of the material described by Ausserer. Other German museums have been visited and the holotype of I. holosericeus was not found. Smith (1990) was also not able to find the type and considered it lost. (3) The types of the following species were not found at MNHN: I. fuscostriatus Simon 1885; I. maroccanus (Simon 1873); I. mogadorensis Simon 1909; I. numidus Simon 1909. As described below, extensive material was examined from several localities, including the type localities mentioned above and only I. valentinus, which seems to be a widespread species, was found. (4) Vol (1999b) provided new distribution data for I. valentinus, which are listed below: Istan, slopes of the lake La Conceptión, Málaga, Spain; near Puerto de Pescadores, Málaga, Spain. Additionally, Cardoso and Morano (2010) stated that the species I. valentinus occurs in Spain in the provinces of Málaga, Murcia, Sevilla and Valencia.

Additional material

ALGERIA: 1j and 1f (ZMB) Greanser leg.; Ain Sefra: 4m, 2f and 7j (MNHN 23620); Batna: 2m and 4f (MNHN 3793); 1f (MNHN 23818); Beni Znassene: 6j (MNHN 57); Biskra: 1j and 1f (BMNH); 1f (ZSM), King leg.; 1j and 1f (NMW 115); 1f (ZMB) J. Steinbach leg.; 1j (ZMUH) 22.IV.1901, K. Kraepelim leg.; 4f (MNHN 12205); Bona: 1f (BMNH 02.11.18.20-21); 1m, (ZMUC 628); Bou Saâda: 3f and 2j (MNHN 1594); Gabes: 3m and 4f (MNHN 22698); Laghouat: 1f (BMNH 1950.2.20.96-102); Matmata: 1m (MNHN 19576); Marnia: 5m, 3f and 2j (MNHN 1006); Mecheria: 23j, 1m and 7f (MNHN 6131); Ouarassene: 3f and 3j (MNHN 20419); Tanger: Cape Spartel, 1m (SMF 19414) 24 March 1954, Franz leg.; 1f (SMF 19415) 24 March 1954, Franz leg.; Teniet: 6j and 5f (MNHN 4646); Tlemcen: 1m, 5f and 3j (MNHN 8095); ITALY: Lampedusa, 1f (SMF RII / 12267); MOROCCO: Tanger: 1j (SMF 59141) Chefchaouene, 34 ◦ 59.419 ′ N, 4 ◦ 49.079 ′ W, 28 February 2003, mixed forest with clearings, under stones, wood, leaf litter, D.W. Wrase leg.; 1m (SMF 19414), 1f (SMF 19415) Cape Spartel, Franz leg. 24 March 1964; Oujda: 2j (SMF 63371); 1m (SMF 63369) Berkane; El Araich: 3j and 1f (ZMUC 627) 24 April 1936; 1f (ZMUC 8165); Rabat: 1m (SMF 59407) F. Sauer leg.; Tisni: 1m (MRAC 130699) February 1964, J. Lambert leg.; SPAIN: Granada: 1m (BMNH); 1f (NRS 19); Murcia: Sierra de Espuna, 1m (SMF 63343) 37.85581 ◦ N, 1.57147 ◦ W, 1235 m, Pinus forest, at open slopes, loam and limestone, S. Huber and A. Schönhofer leg. 4.VI.2010. TUNISIA: Zaghouan: Sidi Bou Gabrine, 2f (SMF 58798) 36 ◦ 22.423 ′ N, 10 ◦ 6.328 ′ E, 642 m, meadows, scattered trees, under stones, P. Stoev and N. Akkari leg. 29 March 2008.; Gabes: 1f (MZSP 28376) III.2003, Tobias Doerr Zeven leg; WESTERN SAHARA: El-Aaiún: 1f (SMF 63372).

Diagnosis

Representatives of this species differ from congeners by the labium twice as wide as long with few cuspules (fewer than 15) (Figure 3A). Female representatives can be distinguished by the spermathecae receptacula as wide as long with several apical lobes (Figure 3D). Male representatives can be distinguished by the curved embolus of the palpal bulb (Figure 3B, C).

Description

Female (BMNH 19.9.18.5696-97). Total length 14.8. Carapace: length 5.8; width 4.7. Eye tubercle: length 0.8; width 1.1. Labium: length 0.6; width 1.1. Sternum: length 2.9. Cheliceral basal article with 8–9 teeth. Labium twice as wide as long with 4 cuspules. Maxillae with more than 60 cuspules. Sternum oval, posterior sigilla marginal. Thoracic fovea straight. Palp: femur 3.2 / patella 2.2 / tibia 2.1 / tarsus 2.1 / total 9.6. Legs I: femur 4.1 / patella 3 / tibia 3.1 / metatarsus 2.5 / tarsus 1.8 / total 14.5. II: 3.7 / 2.5 / 2.6 / 2.4 / 1.7 / 12.9. III: 3.5 / 2.1 / 2.2 / 3.1 / 1.9 / 12.8. IV: 4.7 / 2.6 / 3.8 / 4.5 / 2.3 / 17.9. Spines: Tarsi without spines. Palp: femur (d) 0-0-p1, tibia (v) 1-2-ap3, (p) 0-1-0. Legs: I: femur (d) 0-0-p1, tibia (v) 1-1-ap3, (p) 0-1-0, metatarsus (v) 0-1-ap1. II: femur (d) 0-0-p1, tibia (v) 1-1-ap3, (p) 0-1-0, metatarsus (v) 0-1-ap1. III: femur (d) 0-0-2, patella (p) 1, tibia (v) 2-1-ap3, (p) 1-2-0, (r) 1-1-0, metatarsus (v) 2-3-ap3, (p) 1-1-1, (r) 0-1-1. IV: femur (d) 0-0-2, patella (p) 1, tibia (v) 2-2-ap3, (p) 1-0-0, (r) 1-2-1, metatarsus (v) 2-4-ap3, (p) 2-1-1, (r) 0-1-1. Scopula on metatarsi: I and II nearly totally occupied, III more than half occupied, IV half occupied by sparse setae. Scopula on tarsi: I–IV divided by a longitudinal band of thick setae. Tarsus IV pseudosegmented, superior tarsal claws without teeth. Eyes: anterior row procurved, posterior slightly recurved, clypeus narrower than the diameter of anterior median eyes. Posterior lateral spinnerets three-segmented, apical article digitiform. Abdomen with a dorsal striped pattern.

Male (MRAC 130699). Total length 16.9. Carapace: length 6.9; width 5.4. Eye tubercle: length 0.9; width 1.2. Labium: length 0.5; width 1. Sternum: length 3.1; width 2.5. Cheliceral basal article with nine teeth. Labium twice as wide as long with eight cuspules. Maxillae with more than 60 cuspules. Sternum oval, posterior sigilla marginal. Thoracic fovea straight. Palp: femur 4.1 / patella 2.8 / tibia 3.3 / cymbium 1.5 / total 11.7. Legs I: femur 5.3 / patella 3.6 / tibia 4.3 / metatarsus 4 / tarsus 2.3 / total 19.5. II: 5 / 3.1 / 3.8 / 3.8 / 2.3 / 18. III: 4.6 / 2.5 / 3.4 / 4.5 / 2.7 / 17.7. IV: 6.1 / 3.2 / 5 / 6.2 / 3.2 / 23.7. Spines: Tarsi without spines. Palp: femur (d) 0-0-p1, tibia (p) 1-1-0. Legs: I: femur (d) 0-0-p1, tibia (p) 3-1-0, (v) 2-3-2, metatarsus (v) 0-1-1. II: femur (d) 0-0-p1, patella (p) 1, tibia (p) 1-1-0, (v) 2-2-ap3, metatarsus (p) 1-0-0, (v) 0-1-1. III: femur (d) 0-0-2, patella (p) 2, tibia (p) 1-2-0, (r) 1-1-0, (v) 3-2-ap3, metatarsus (p) 2-1-1, (r) 1-1-1, (v) 3-3-ap3. IV: femur (d) 0-0-2, patella (p) 2, tibia (p) 0-1-0, (r) 1-1-1, (v) 3-4-ap3, metatarsus (p) 3-1-1, (r) 1-1-1, (v) 2-3-ap3. Palpal bulb with globose tegulum and slightly curved short embolus (Figure 3B, C). Scopula on metatarsi: I, II nearly totally occupied, III three-quarters occupied, IV half occupied. Scopula on tarsi: I–IV divided by a longitudinal band of thick setae. All tarsi cracked (short transverse ring in the tarsi with weak and soft cuticle, similar to pseudosegmentation – Figure 2G). Eyes: anterior row slightly procurved, posterior recurved, clypeus narrower than the diameter of anterior median eyes. Posterior lateral spinnerets three-segmented, apical article digitiform. Abdomen with a dorsal striped pattern.