Dicranopalpus insignipalpis

Dicranopalpus insignipalpis (Simon, 1879)

Figs 4A, 5A, 6A, F, 7–8, 9B, 10

Prosalpia insignipalpis Simon, 1879: 190–192. Type locality: Corsica (‘In the high central mountains of the island’).

Diagnosis

Medium-sized species, in both sexes pedipalp patella, tibia and tarsus with dense cover of trichomes. Coxae apically with dark spot.

Material examined

FRANCE – Corsica • 3 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Corsica Natural Regional Parc, Col de Vizzavona, Vivario; 42.1125° N, 9.1136° E; 1185 m a.s.l.; 6 May 2015; E. Delfosse leg.; under pieces of moist wood; CHW 474 • 4 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 2 juv.; Col de Vizzavona; 1000–1200 m a.s.l.; 8 Sep. 2012; J. Martens leg.; CJM 7258 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Département Haute-Corse, Le Haut-Asco; 42.40° N, 8.92° E; 1500–1600 m a.s.l.; 29 Aug. 1980; W. Schawaller leg.; under stones; CJM 3061 • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀; 14 km NE of Col de Vizzavona; 42.17° N, 9.20° E; 1100 m a.s.l.; 6 Jun.1982; J. Martens leg.; beech forest; CJM 3062.

Other material

FRANCE – Corsica • 1 ♂, 2 juv.; Prunelli reservoir; 500 m a.s.l.; 31 Jul. 1980; W. Schawaller leg.; litter, chestnut; CJM 3067 • 2 ♂♂, 1 juv.; Département Corse-du-Sud, Ajaccio-Corte, Col de Vizzavona; 42.08° N, 9.10° E; 1100 m. a.s.l.; 3 Oct. 1974; K. and E. Thaler leg.; beech forest, stream ditch with rubble; CJM 3323 • 1 juv.; Département Corse-du-Sud, Ajaccio-Corte, Col de Vizzavona; 42.08° N, 9.10° E; 1100 m a.s.l.; 3 Oct. 1974; K. and E. Thaler leg.; beech and pine forest, under stones, at tree trunks; CJM 3326 • 1 juv.; Département Haute-Corse; 42.35° N, 9.28° E; 800 m a.s.l.; 6 Aug. 1980; W. Schawaller leg.; litter, small beech forest near stream; CJM 3348 • 1 ♀; Département Corse-du-Sud; 41.67° N, 9.03° E; 300 m a.s.l.; 1 Aug. 1980; W. Schawaller leg.; holm oak, blackberry, holly, ivy; CJM 3361 • 4 juv.; Département Corse-du-Sud, Forêt d’Ospedale; 41.63° N, 9.22° E; 1000 m a.s.l.; Aug. 1982; B. Schroeter and K. Pfau leg.; CJM 3370 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 2 juv.; Haute-Corse, 10 km SW of Calacuccia; 42.28° N, 8.92° E; 1080 m a.s.l.; 3 Jun. 1982; B. Daams and J. Martens leg.; floodplain of small stream; CJM 4022 • 1 ♀; Département Corse-du-Sud, W of Col de Verghio; 42.28° N, 8.83° E; 1300 m a.s.l.; 4 Jun. 1982; B. Daams and J. Martens leg.; beech and pine forest; CJM 4025 • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀; Département Corse-du-Sud, west of Col de Verghio; 42.28° N, 8.83° E; 1300 m a.s.l.; 4 Jun. 1982; B. Daams and J. Martens leg.; beech and pine forest; CJM 4026 • 1 ♂, 1 juv.; Département Corse-du-Sud, 14 km NE of Col de Vizzavona; 42.08° N, 9.10° E; 1100 m a.s.l.; 6 Jun. 1982; B. Daams and J. Martens leg.; beech forest; CJM 4027 • 3 ♂♂; Département Haute-Corse, 10 km S of Col de Verde; 41.98° N, 9.18° E; 1060 m a.s.l.; 10 Jun. 1982; B. Daams and J. Martens leg.; mixed forest; CJM 4030 • 7 ♀♀; Département Haute-Corse, 10 km S of Col de Verde; 41.98° N, 9.18° E; 1060 m a.s.l.; 10 Jun.1982; B. Daams and J. Martens leg.; mixed forest; CJM 4031 • 1 ♂, 1 ♀; Département Haute-Corse, Forêt de Valdo-Niello; 42.28° N, 8.90° E; 1250 m a.s.l.; 28 Sep. 1994; J. Spelda leg.; CJM 5447 • 3 ♀♀, 5 juv.; Département Haute-Corse, Forêt de Valdo-Niello; 42.28° N, 8.88° E; 1250 m a.s.l.; 23 Sep. 1994; J. Spelda leg.; CJM 5572 • 1 ♀; Département Haute-Corse, 3 km SE of Monte d'Oro; 42.12° N, 9.13° E; 900 m a.s.l.; 28 Sep. 1994; J. Spelda leg.; CJM 5577 • 41 juv.; N of Col de Vizzavona; 1000–1050 m a.s.l.; 11 Sep. 2012; J. Martens leg.; CJM 7263 • 9 juv.; Col de Verde; 1200 m a.s.l.; 26 Aug. 2012; J. Martens leg.; CJM 7268.

Redescription

Male (Col de Vizzavona, CJM 7258) LENGTH. 3.4, width of prosoma 2.5, BLI 1.9.

DORSUM (Fig. 4A). Ground colour pale yellowish. Prosoma with groups of small, black spots lateroanteriorly and posteriorly of eye tubercle; dark spots near ozopores. Ozopores small, round. Prosomal tergites V–VI and opisthosomal tergites III–IV pale yellowish brown, darker laterally, following abdominal tergites brown, with paramedian pairs of dark brown triangular patches and light spots, and transverse rows of small dark spots.

EYE TUBERCLE. Glossy black, wider than long, positioned at less than its length from anterior margin of carapace. Dorsally with small setae.

VENTER AND COXAE. Yellowish, distal coxal margins black, with indistinct central stripe; genital operculum with brown central band; genital operculum, coxae and coxapophyses with long black setae; sternites with small black setae, margins of sternites with dark brown, transverse rows of brown spots.

CHELICERAE. Pale yellowish, second segment dorsally smoked with brown; segment I with ventral spur; segment I dorsally, and segment II dorsally and medially near cheliceral claw with black setae (Fig. 5A).

PEDIPALPS. Robust compared to other species treated herein (Figs 6A, F, 7A–B); femoral apophysis conspicuous, slightly more than half as long as femur width at its base, pale yellowish, covered with black setae; femur dark, central region lighter, distal part darker. Patella and tibia brown, patella robust, covered with sensory setae as well as trichomes (Fig. 6A); solenidia typically occur grouped or in a row on dorsal side of pedipalp patella (Fig. 7B); patellar apophysis about as long as patella; also tibia with dense cover of trichomes, and with black sensory setae; mediodistal apophysis an indistinct hump (Figs 6A, 7B). Tarsus slightly bent ventrally in distal quarter section; claw with comb-like row of five minute denticles.

LEGS. Leg lengths I–IV (in parentheses femur lengths): 26 (4.3); 45 (7.3); 27 (4.7)27 (5.8). Legs brown, near joints, segments annulated pale yellow. No trichomes on femora. Tibia II with five pseudo- articulations; metatarsi I–IV with 3, 5, 3 and 4 pseudo-articulations, respectively. Numerous bipterate setae on prolateral side of metatarsus III, distally on metatarsus IV, and in decreasing numbers on proximal tarsomeres 1–13 of leg III and 1–13 of leg IV.

PENIS (Fig. 8). Long and slender, length 2.17 (CJM 7258). Base with sclerotized extensions (mostly broken off during preparation; Fig. 8B). Truncus widest in basal 1/5, narrowest near distal 4/5, slightly widening to glans. Intrinsic penial muscle in about basal 2 /5 of truncus, tendon robust. Glans robust, heavily sclerotized and provided with canaliculi; ventral glans margin straight to slightly convex, with depression proximally of horns. Stylus short and robust, S-curved, shorter than half length of glans (Fig. 8F–I). Glans dorsally with two sclerotized ridges widely spaced near horns; cavity in the distal half of glans. Glans laterally with two pairs of minute sensory setae, poorly discernible in lateral view.

Female (CJM 7258)

LENGTH. 4.6, width of prosoma 2.7, BLI 1.3.

DORSUM. Eye tubercle, venter and coxae as in male. Dorsum with paramedian pairs of dark-brown patches.

PEDIPALPS. Robust, pale yellowish, femoral apophysis conspicuous, rounded, more than half as long as femur width (Fig. 7C–E); apophysis and femur ventrally with long black setae. Patella and its apophysis robust, covered with sensory setae as well as trichomes; patellar apophysis as wide as base of tibia, twothird its length; tibia with dense cover of trichomes, ventrally with black sensory setae that are longer than on other parts of tibia; mediodistal apophysis stout (Fig. 7E). Pedipalp tarsus straight, slightly bent ventrally in distal quarter section; pedipalp claw with five minute denticles (Fig. 7E).

LEGS. Leg lengths I–IV (in parentheses femur lengths): 20 (3.4); 36 (6.0); 24 (3.7); 25 (4.8) (CJM 7258); 23 (4.2); 37 (7.8); 26 (4.5); 33 (6.0) (CHW 474). Legs brown, pale yellow annulated. Tibia II with 5 pseudo-articulations; metatarsi I–IV have 2, 5, 2 and 3 pseudo-articulations, respectively.

SEMINAL RECEPTACLES. Ovipositor has 24 segments, seminal receptacles located in distal segments 6–7; two long tubes, each proximally with a small lateral pocket (Fig. 9B).

Distribution and ecology

Dicranopalpus insignipalpis is endemic to Corsica, France (Fig. 10). It is a common mountainous species. According to recent data (JM), its elevational distribution ranges from 300 to 1500 m (13 records), with the majority between 800 m and 1300 m. The upper range may be higher so long running water and adjoining forest cover are present. Generally, D. insignipalpis is a forest-dwelling species, confined to forest types offering a minimum of the required air humidity. Consequently, highest population density is found in its upper areas with more abundant precipitation, locally occurring in considerable numbers on the banks along mountain streams and rivers, under stones, pebbles and dead wood, often close to the waterline. D. insignipalpis lives at ground level; it was never found on rock faces or tree trunks.

Phenology: according to the known records from June to October, adults and juveniles were collected together. Thus, D. insignipalpis assumingly is eurychronous. The maturity period also cannot be defined by altitude. In June and July adults and juveniles were collected syntopically at altitudes of 500–1100 m, while in June and August, only adults were present in localities at altitudes of over 1300 m.