Pochytoides monticola Wesołowska 2018, sp. nov.

Pochytoides monticola sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:22EDF7B4-5660-41B0-BB80-794BDB27AF08

Figs 3–4

Etymology

The specific name is Latin, meaning a dweller among the mountains, it refers to the occurrence of the species in montane habitats.

Type material

Holotype

GUINEA: Ƌ, Mts Nimba, Nion, 7°36′ N, 8°28′ W, 16 Jun. 1942, M. Lamotte leg. (NHM).

Paratypes

GUINEA: 1 ♀, together with holotype (NHM); 1 ♀, Mts Nimba, 7°34′ N, 8°28′ W, grassy area, 1952– 1962, M. Lamotte leg. (NHM).

Differential diagnosis

The male differs from the other males of Pochytoides in having a uniquely shaped of the embolic division that is serrated at the tip (Fig. 3A). The female may be distinguished by the form of the epigyne, similar to that of P. perezi comb. nov. and P. obstipa sp. nov., all of which have a wide field occupied by atria. However, P. monticola sp. nov. can be distinguished from P. perezi comb. nov. by the shape of the epigynal depression, which is a narrow horizontal gap (V-shaped in P. perezi comb. nov., compare Fig. 4A–B, with Fig. 8B–C). Pochytoides monticola sp. nov. differs from P. obstipa sp. nov. by the position of the pockets (posterior to the spermathecae, Fig. 4A–B), whereas P. obstipa sp. nov. has pockets placed closer to the centre of the spermathecae (Fig. 6A–D).

Description

Male

DIMENSIONS. Cephalothorax: length 2.4, width 2.0, height 1.5. Eye field: length 1.5, anterior width 1.9, posterior width 1.7. Abdomen: length 2.0, width 1.5.

COLOUR AND BODY. Carapace and eyes as in genus description. Abdomen ovoid, beige greyish with white chevrons in posterior half. Body clothed in fine hairs, some longer bristles only at first row of eyes and on anterior edge of abdomen. Legs dark yellow, bearing light hairs.

GENITALIA. Palpal organ with short bulb, embolic division with characteristic tip, terminated by three teeth (Fig. 3A–D).

Female

DIMENSIONS. Cephalothorax: length 1.8, width 1.7, height 1.2. Eye field: length 1.2, anterior width 1.6, posterior width 1.4. Abdomen: 2.2, width 1.8.

COLOUR AND BODY. Morphologically similar to other species. Carapace dark, covered with fine brown hairs, light greyish white hairs only on slopes. Abdomen bleached, with traces of large butterfly-shaped pale patch on dorsum.

GENITALIA. Epigyne with wide but low depression anteriorly and posterior plate with two separated pockets (Fig. 4A–B). Atria deep, strongly sclerotized, copulatory canals relatively long (Fig. 4C).

Remarks

Matching of sexes uncertain.