Phrynus pulchripes Pocock 1894
Creators: name: Joya, Daniel Chirivi
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2017
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Amblypygi
Phrynidae
Phrynus
Phrynus pulchripes

description: Phrynus pulchripes (Pocock, 1894)
Figures: 1B, 2A–D, 5–6, 7A, B, E, 8 A–B.; Table 2
Tarantula pulchripes Pocock, 1894: 283 –284, plate 7 figs 6, 6a.
Neophrynus palmatus (Herbst): Kraepelin 1895: 30 (in part).
Tarantula palmata (Herbst): Kraepelin 1899: 243 –244 (in part).
Phrynus pulchripes (Pocock): Mello-Leitão 1931: 43; Quintero 1981: 130 –132, Figs. 30–35, 117, 123–124, 126, 168, map 2; Weygoldt 1994: 245; Ávila-Calvo & Armas 1997: 32.
Hemiphrynus corderoi Mello-Leitão 1946: 1 –2, plate 1 figs 1–2 (synonymized by Quintero, 1981: 130).
Phrynus corderoi (Mello-Leitão): Mullinex 1975: 39.
Type locality: Of Tarantula pulchripes: Colombia (sic). of Hemiphrynus corderoi: near Caracas, Distrito Federal, Venezuela.
Examined material (4 females, 3 males, 1 no identifiable sex): Type specimens of Phrynus pulchripes, deposited in the British Museum, were reviewed by photography material: Holotype: Colombia: Mons. Groudot, 1846, Male (BMNH 1846-20). Paratype: Colombia: Mons. Grondot,1846, Female (BMNH 1846-20). Only six additional specimens from Colombia were found in other collections: Colombia, Santander, Villanueva, Vereda Aguafria, Cueva del Nitro (6.668055, -73.177777): Grupo de espeleología, manual collection, 13 June 2007, 1 female, and 1 deteriorated individual with no identifiable sex (ICN-AM 85). Colombia, Santander, Aratoca, Vereda Barinas (6.704444, -73.028611): manual collection, may 2011, Male (ICN-AM 86). Colombia, Santander, Zapatoca (6.815277, -73.267500): Chicamocha river, way to Mina de yeso de Platanito, 1675 masl, F. Elayo, Manual collection, 30 May 1979, Male (ICN-AM 13). Colombia, Santander, Los Santos, Vereda el Posochico (6.784497, -73.142014): Jairo A. Moreno and Natalia Herreño 7–10 August 2016, 2 females (MZUSP 70924).
Distribution. This species was recorded from Colombia by Quintero (1981), specifically from department of Cucuta, and later, was recorded from Santander, by Chirivi & Armas (2012). Quintero (1981) recorded P. pulchripes in Venezuela in the follow localities: Rio Pauguoza and Rio Toro, Caracas and Caripito. And the Islands of Bonaire, Curacao, Aruba and Trinidad and Tobago. Here, known distribution of P. pulchripes is provided (Fig. 8A, B), specific localities are known only for Colombia and Venezuela. Quintero (1981), lists several records from Trinidad and Tobago, however, it does not provide specific information about localities.
Diagnosis. Phrynus pulchripes present two teeth in the external line of the base of chelicerae, both with an acuminated apex, have a small spine on dorso-mesal surface of pedipalp tarsus. Phrynus pulchripes is different to P. araya because P. pulchripes presents just two spines between Fv3 and Fv5, Fv4 is conspicuous. Unlike P. araya and P. calypso, P. pulchripes does not present one spine between Pd1 and Pd2. Female genitalia of P. pulchripes have short sclerites that are very sclerotized, with a conical shape, and rounded apex, seminal receptacles are completely sclerotized (Fig. 1 B). These sclertites are different than more stylized, elongated and less sclerotized ones of P. calypso, P. panche and P. araya (Fig. 1 A, D). P. pulchripes is very similar to P. exsul, for this work the holotype of P. exsul was examined, finding the following differences: In P. exsul spine Fd4 is absent or at most like a small tubercle, unlike P. pulchripes, in which it is a conspicuous spine. Carapace of P. exsul has a group of setal tubercles on the anterior region and a line of tubercles over the frontal margin; these tubercles are longer than the other tubercles on the lateral margin of carapace. In P. pulchripes the carapace surface has at most a slight granulation, frontal margin does not have tubercles of major size. Sclerites of female genitalia in P. exsul are thinner, and seminal receptacles are not completely sclerotized (See Fig. 10 in Rahmadi & Harvey 2007). Additionally, the holotype of P. exsul presents a fifth spine present on the trochanter margin, however this condition is not recorded in females (Rahmadi & Harvey 2007).
Rescription. Female (ICN-AM85): Total length 20.8mm. Carapace, opisthosoma and legs are a dark brown coloration, pedipalps almost black with red tonalities. Measures of female are provided in Table. 2, exemplar 3.
Carapace. Frontal margin concave without evident lobes, carapace surface with a slight granulation that is widely spaced, inferior margin of carapace presents white regions. Lateral and anteromedial eyes clearly visible, anteromedial ocular tubercle with black coloration (Fig. 5 A).
Sternum. Tri-segmented, segments are all clearly sclerotized, area around segments are also sclerotized. Tritosternum projected anteriorly, elongated, conical, with six setae in basal region, one in medial region and two more in the apex.
Second segment (tetrasternum) has six setae; one on each side of apical region, one on each side o basal region, and one in each side of medial region. Third segment (pentasternum) rhomboidal, slightly larger than the second segment, with one setae on each corner of the basal region. Metasternum longitudinally divided (Fig. 5 B).
Abdomen. Oblong, color dark brown, with soft punctuations. Presents patches of light coloration at both sides of each tergite. Carapace wider than the Abdomen (Fig. 5 C).
Female genitalia. Genital operculum pentagonal, reaching the second segment of opisthosoma, seminal receptacles with an inverse bell shape, dorsal surface completely sclerotized, with all over brown coloration. Cone shaped gonopod sclerites with rounded apex, short size, covering just half the width of seminal receptacle, apex with a strong inward curvature. There are spots of brown coloration around the insertion area of sclerites over the seminal receptacle, that can be confused with the sclerite, altering the perception of the length of sclerite (Fig. 1 B, 2 A–D).
Holotype 1 2 3 4 5 6 Sex Male Male Male Female Female Female Total length 16.8 23.4 22.9 20.8 22.5 19.5 with chelicerae)
Prosoma
Maximum wiđth 11.1 12.7 12.2 10.2 13 11 Maximum length 6.6 8.6 9 8 8.5 7.8 Opisthosoma
Maximum wiđth 10.2 8.4 7.3 8.3 8.3 Maximum length 11.8 13.5 13 12.8 12.4 12.4
Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Left Right Left
Peđipalp lengths
Trochanter 3.7 3.7 3 3 2.6 2.4 2.7 2.7 3 3 3.1 3.1 Femur 7 7 7.3 7.2 8.6 8.7 6.1 6.1 6.8 7.1 7.4 7.2 6.3 6.3 Patella 7.9 7.9 9.5 9.8 9.2 9.2 7.2 7.2 9.1 9.1 8.3 8.7 6.9 7.1 Tibia 3.7 3.7 4.8 4.1 4.5 4.7 3.3 3.3 4.9 4.9 3.9 4 3.4 3.4 Tarsus+apotele 3.7 3.7 4.3 3.1 4.2 4.4 3.8 4.7 3.9 3.7 4.3 4.7 3.3 3.5 Femur length
Leg I 17.5 17.5 19.9 23 21.9 21.9 15.5 18 22.2 18.9 19.2 15.7 16.4 Leg II 13.8 13.8 15.3 14.7 15.4 15.8 11.9 11.9 13.7 13.8 11.4 11.4 Leg III 14.4 14.4 15.9 15.9 17.4 16.8 13.7 13.7 15 15.2 12.9 12.9 Leg IV 12 12 13.2 13 14.4 14.9 11.7 11.7 12.5 13.3 10.6 10.6. segments tibia I 31 31 31 31 31 28 33. segments tarsus I 70 68 67>25 66>14 74. segments basitibia 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 Chelicera. Mesal row of three teeth on the basal segment of chelicerae with the first in the proximal region, bilobed follow by one tooth shorter in medial portion, and the third bigger than others placed in the distal region (Fig. 5 D). Ectal row of the basal segment of chelicerae have two teeth of similar sizes, both with acuminated apex, placed in the more proximal region, and tooth 2 placed on the medial region, and a small keel on the distal region (Fig. 5 F). Mobile finger of chelicerae with four teeth.
Pedipalp. Trochanter: Prolateral face with four spines; spines Tr1 and Tr3 placed in medial region, Tr2 placed near to ventral margin. Tr3 and Tr4 with subequal lengths. Spines lengths: Tr2>Tr1>Tr4ŻTr3. Dorsal oblique series of six setal tubercles. Dorsomedial area with one spine slightly shorter than Tr3 (Fig. 5 E). Femur: Dorsal face with eight major spines, spine Fd4 is shorter than others, there are two small spines of subequal size, one between Fd5 and Fd6 here named Fd5b, and the other more distal than Fd6 named Fd7, Fd1 and Fd2 are joined at the base, Fd3 is adjacent to Fd2. Spine lengths: Fd3>Fd2>Fd5>Fd6>Fd1>Fd4=Fd7=Fd5b (Fig. 6 D). Ventral face with seven major spines, Fv4 is shorter than others, and there is an additional small spine between Fv3 and Fv5 here named Fv4b. More distal than Fv6, there is a tubercle and a seventh spine, found on both pedipalps. Spine lengths: Fv1>Fv2>Fv5>Fv3>Fv6>Fv4>Fv7>Fv4b (Fig. 6 C). Patella: Dorsal face with eight major spines, lengths: Pd5>Pd3>Pd2>Pd4>Pd6>Pd7>Pd1>Pd8 (Fig. 6 B). Ventral face with seven major spines, three tubercles between major spines, one between Pv1 and Pv2, Pv4 and Pv5, and Pv5 and Pv6. Spine lengths: Pv2>Pv5>Pv1>Pv4=Pv6>Pv3>Pv7 (Fig. 6 A). Tibia: Dorsal face with three major spines, over Td3 there are three small spines, more distal than Td3 there are two small spines and one third one longer named here Td4. Spine lengths: Td2>Td3>Td1>Td4 (Fig. 6 F). Td1 has half size of Td3. Ventral face with three major spines. Spine lengths: Tv2>Tv1>Tv3 (Fig. 6 E). Tv1 length is almost equal to Tv3. Tarsus+Apotele: Internal face with two lines of dorsomedial bristles, suture between tarsus and apotele is not visible. Tarsus with an inconspicuous spine on proximal end of dorso-mesal surface.
Legs. Femora brown. Femora lengths: I>III>II>IV (Table 2). Leg I: Tibia with 31 segments and tarsus with 66 segments in right leg; in left leg tibia is missing, and tarsus is broken, is possible to count at least 14 segments. Leg IV: Basitibia with three segments. Basitibia-distitibia lengths: BT1>DT>BT3>BT2. Basitarsus shorter than telotarsus. Tarsus tetramerous.
Variation. Variation in measures and segments of basitibia IV, Tibia I and tarsus I, are provided in Table 2. Sternum. Number of setae over all segments of sternum was variable. Pedipalp. Femur: Dorsal face: between Fv5 and Fv6 there can be one tubercle. Ventral face: The Fv4b can be more conspicuous; in one male (ICN-AM13) left spine Fv6 is bifid. Patella. Dorsal face: in some specimens there can be present a tubercle more basal than spine Pd1 and another between Pd1 and Pd2, it is not as conspicuous a spine as in P. araya. A small spine can also be present more distal than Pd8. Tibia. Ventral face: in some individuals there are two tubercles between Tv2 and Tv3. Legs. Number of segments of tibia and tarsus of leg I is variable in all examples, in left basitibia IV of male specimen (ICN-AM86) there are two segments (Table. 2).
Male. Observed Males were bigger than females (Table. 2), Spination pattern same as females. Genital operculum has an oval inferior margin, expanded to the third segment of the opisthosoma.
Male genitalia. (ICN-AM 86): LaM longer than Pi. LoL 1 and LoL 2 subequal in length, both densely covered with minute projections; on LoL 1, projections are tubular, thin and elongated, placed close together; on LoL 2, they are laminar and short, with elongated apex, placed close together, base not visible. In dorsal view the LoD are rounded and shorter than LoL1 (Fig. 7 A, B, E).
Other exanimated material. Phrynus araya Colmenares & Villarreal, 2008: Colombia, Santander, Municipio de Tona: El Brasil, 1780 masl, J. Garzón, 21 June 2004, manual collection, Female (ICN-AM 62). Phrynus barbadensis (Pocock, 1894): Colombia, Cundinamarca, Mesitas del Colegio, Vereda Pradilla: J. Rodriguez, 25 April 2009, manual collection, male (ICN-AM 68); Colombia, Norte de Santander, Cúcuta: 320 masl, J. Florez, 9 March 2009, manual collection, male (MUD-AM 9); Colombia, Cundinamarca, La Vega: 1230 masl, Morales, Perez, Riveros, 11 november 2007, manual collection, female (MUD-AM 403). Phrynus exsul Harvey, 2002: Indonesia, West Flores, in Gua Chermin, near to Labuan bajo, male (WAM 98 /1591). Phrynus panche Armas & Angarita, 2008: Colombia, Cundinamarca, Chinauta: 1728 masl, L. Medina, 4 november 2006, manual collection, male (MUD-AM 31); Colombia, Boyacá, Puerto Romero, Serrania Quinches: 320 masl, G. Amat, 20 April 1997, manual collection, female (ICN-AM 64).
description: Published as part of Joya, Daniel Chirivi, 2017, A new species of Phrynus Lamarck, 1801 (Arachnida: Amblypygi), from Trinidad and Tobago, and Venezuela, with a redescription of Phrynus pulchripes (Pocock, 1894), pp. 357-374 in Zootaxa 4254 (3) on pages 365-370, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4254.3.4, http://zenodo.org/record/546840