Micropholcus ghar Huber & Meng 2024, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Huber, Bernhard A.
name: Meng, Guanliang
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2024
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Pholcidae
Micropholcus
Micropholcus ghar

description: Micropholcus ghar Huber sp. nov.
Figs 4 F, 5 C, D, H, 6 F, G, 8 D – F, 9 D, H, I, 10 E, F, 11 C, I, 12 E – G, 64, 65, 66, 67
Type material.
Holotype. Morocco – Fès-Meknès • ♂; Kef el Ghar (= Rhar); 34.4788 ° N, 4.2766 ° W; 620 m a. s. l.; 22 Sep. 2018; B. A. Huber leg.; ZFMK Ar 24684.
Other material examined.
Morocco – Fès-Meknès • 14 ♂♂, 12 ♀♀ (1 ♂, 1 ♀ used for SEM); same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK Ar 24685 to 24686 • 2 ♂♂, 2 ♀♀, 1 juv., in pure ethanol; same collection data as for holotype; ZFMK Mor 100 • 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀; same locality as for holotype, 2 Jun. 1978; P. Strinati leg.; MHNG • 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀, 6 juvs; same locality as for holotype, 2 Jun. 1978; B. Hauser leg.; MHNG.
Diagnosis.
Distinguished from similar congeners (M. agadir, M. tegulifer) by unique shape of uncus (Fig. 65 D, E; with sickle-shaped process and series of pointed processes along edge), by unique shape of appendix (Fig. 65 D, E; two small pointed processes proximally, larger process distally, and membranous distal area), and by large sclerotised triangular plate on epigynum with whitish median area (Fig. 67 A); also by pair of distinctive membranous structures laterally in female internal genitalia (arrows in Fig. 66 C); from M. tegulifer also by presence of two pairs of processes proximally on male chelicerae (Fig. 66 A, B; absent in M. tegulifer), by lateral marks on carapace (Fig. 4 F; absent in M. tegulifer), and by roundish rather than elongate pore plates (Fig. 66 C).
Description.
Male (holotype). Measurements. Total body length 3.6, carapace width 1.2. Distance PME - PME 200 µm; diameter PME 85 µm; distance PME - ALE 25 µm; distance AME - AME 20 µm; diameter AME 45 µm. Leg 1: 37.6 (9.7 + 0.6 + 9.7 + 15.9 + 1.7), tibia 2: 6.8, tibia 3: 4.2, tibia 4: 5.7; tibia 1 L / d: 84; diameters of leg femora (at half length) ~ 0.13; of leg tibiae 0.11–0.12.
Colour (in ethanol). Prosoma and legs mostly pale ochre-yellow, carapace with light brown marks, ocular area and clypeus without darker pattern, sternum with brown margins and three light brown marks posteriorly; legs with slightly darkened patellae, tibia-metatarsus joints not darkened; abdomen monochromous pale grey to whitish.
Body. Habitus as in Fig. 4 F. Ocular area raised (distinct in frontal view; Fig. 5 C). Carapace without thoracic groove. Clypeus unmodified. Sternum wider than long (0.80 / 0.60), unmodified. Abdomen oval, approximately twice as long as wide. Gonopore with four epiandrous spigots (Fig. 10 E). Spinnerets as in Fig. 9 H, I.
Chelicerae. As in Fig. 66 A, B; with pair of long distal frontal apophyses, each with two cone-shaped hairs (Fig. 6 F, G); and two pairs of smaller proximal processes.
Palps. As in Fig. 64; coxa unmodified; trochanter with retrolateral-ventral apophysis provided with terminal modified hair (Fig. 9 D); femur cylindrical with distinct ventral process proximally; femur-patella joints shifted toward prolateral side; tibia-tarsus joints slightly shifted toward retrolateral side. Procursus (Figs 8 D, 65 A – C) proximally with sclerotised prolateral ridge; at half length with strong prolateral-ventral sclerotised ridge or process; distally with dorsal hinged process; tip of procursus partly sclerotised and apparently also hinged against proximal part. Genital bulb (Figs 8 E, F, 65 D, E) with strong proximal sclerite; putative appendix with three pointed processes directed towards bulbous part, distally widened and membranous, with fringed membrane; putative uncus flat with series of pointed processes and one long curved process; and mostly semi-transparent embolus.
Legs. Without spines, without curved hairs, without sexually dimorphic short vertical hairs (many hairs missing in holotype but confirmed in other males); retrolateral trichobothrium of tibia 1 at 5 %; prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1; tarsus 1 with> 20 pseudosegments, distally distinct.
Variation (male). Tibia 1 in 18 males (incl. holotype): 6.2–10.2 (mean 8.1). While most elements of the bulbal processes (and procursus) appear to be very consistent, there is substantial variation in the row of pointed processes on the uncus. The number of larger processes ranges from two to four; the smaller processes may be absent or replaced by a single (sometimes larger) process; several males were asymmetric in this respect.
Female. In general very similar to male but abdomen often much wider. Tibia 1 in 14 females: 6.0–9.1 (mean 7.3). Epigynum (Figs 10 F, 67 A) anterior plate divided into two sections, anterior section weakly sclerotised, with curved ridges and hairs; posterior section smooth, medially whitish, laterally brown to black, i. e., heavily sclerotised; small knob-shaped process (Fig. 11 C) between posterior and anterior parts; posterior epigynal plate short and very indistinct. Internal genitalia (Figs 66 C, 67 B, C) with pair of small oval pore plates, distinctive median sclerite, and pair of large membranous structures laterally.
Etymology.
The species name is derived from the type locality; noun in apposition.
Distribution.
Known from two localities in Morocco, both in Fès-Meknès Region (Fig. 13 D). We could not examine the single male specimen mentioned in Lecigne et al. (2023: 71), originating from Tazekka National Park, Ghar Admam, 34.0278 ° N, 4.1509 ° W. However, photographs of the male palp kindly provided by S. Lecigne leave little doubt that this is the same species.
Natural history.
The spiders were very abundant within the first ~ 100 m of the cave; no specimens were seen outside the cave or in deeper sections. They built their fine and slightly domed webs close to the floor, often under small rock overhangs. They were hanging in the apex of the dome rather than sitting on the rock. At disturbance, they bounced slightly and walked towards the rock.
description: Published as part of Huber, Bernhard A. & Meng, Guanliang, 2024, Old World Micropholcus spiders, with first records of acrocerid parasitoids in Pholcidae (Araneae), pp. 95-182 in ZooKeys 1213 on pages 95-182, DOI: 10.3897/zookeys.1213.133178