Stedocys leopoldi Giltay 1935
Creators: name: Labarque, Facundo M.
name: Grismado, Cristian J.
name: Ramírez, Martín J.
name: Yan, Hengmei
name: Griswold, Charles E.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2009
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Scytodidae
Stedocys
Stedocys leopoldi

description: Stedocys leopoldi (Giltay, 1935)
(Figs. 1–2, 5–6, 9–10, 12—13, 15–29, 31–42, 44, 46)
Scytodes leopoldi Giltay 1935: 6, fig. 3 (description ɞ; holotype ɞ, Malaysia, Fraser´s Hill). Platnick 2009.
Material examined. THAILAND: Chiang Mai: Doi Chiang Dao WS, Amphen Chiangdao, Mae Ta Man forest, field station, N 19°19’13.2”, E 98°49’47.0”, 1500 m, 1.X.2003, ATOL Expedition 2003, Martín Ramírez leg., 1Ƥ (MACN-Ar 23714; MR0486; ARAMR 000637; preparations FML 191–195, 217–218, 224–225, 240), 1Ƥ and 1 immature (MR0513; ZMUC), 1Ƥ and 6 immature (MR0515; SI USNM); same data, Gustavo Hormiga leg., 1Ƥ (GH0469; GWU); same locality, below guest house along road, 2.X.2003, Gustavo Hormiga leg, 7 immatures (GWU); Doi Inthanon National Park, nr. intersect. rd. to Mae Chaem and checkpoint, wet primary forest, N 18°31’33.2”, E 98°29’57.7”, ca. 1800 m, 3.X.2003, ATOL Expedition 2003, Martín Ramírez col., 13 (MACN- Ar 23713; MR0484; ARAMR 000199, preparations FML 226, 241–242), 2 immatures (MR0485), 1Ƥ and 1 immature (MACN-Ar 23712; MR0487); same locality, 1 hectare inventory, ca. 500 m from checkpoint at intersection of roads to summit and to Mae Chaem, wet primary forest, N 18°31'47.9", E 98°30'9.0", ca. 1800 m, 6–7.X.2003, Thai-Plot team 2003, 1Ƥ (MACN-Ar 23718; TP0979). Immatures were tentatively identified to species when collected at the same locality as adults and show similar color pattern.
Diagnosis. Males are distinguished from the congeneric species by having a palpal tibia and femur relatively large; tegulum longer than tarsus; spermatic duct retrolaterally coiled one and a half times; embolus implanted prolaterally, extending ventrally, apically acute (Figs. 10, 29). Females are distinguished by the slight separation between inner and outer spermathecae (Fig. 13) and by carapace chestnut brown with brown markings, and sternum reddish, chestnut brown next to coxae (Figs. 2, 6).
Redescription of male (MACN-Ar 23713; MR0484). Carapace pale yellow, color patterns brown. Eye area entirely dark. Thoracic area pattern forming a procurved “U”, united posteriorly with a procurved “V”; each arm of the “U” with three looping markings extending toward the margins and three longitudinal lines anteriorly prolonged (Fig. 1). Anterior margins darker than posterior. Chelicerae pale yellow, slightly darker anteriorly. Endites and labium brown, margins lighter. Sternum brown, pale yellow between coxae (Fig. 5). Legs pale yellow with longitudinal brown bands, except on tarsi. Abdomen dorsally yellowish, the first half with pale brown patterns and five chevrons at base. Total length 12.12. Cephalothorax 6.06 long, 4.77 wide, posteriorly bulging. Eye diameters: PME 0.24, ALE 0.26, PLE 0.28. Lateral eyes on a tubercle. Chelicerae follows generic pattern, with three large stridulatory ridges. Endites elongated, converging anteriorly, with membranous apical edge. Labium 1.26 long, 1.14 wide, fused to sternum. Sternum 3.32 long, 2.00 wide, with marked borders. Leg and palp measurements: total length (femur/patella/tibia/metatarsus/tarsus): I 62.17 (17.77/1.60/18.09/21.19/3.52), II 51.71 (15.16/1.68/14.51/17.28/3.08), III 37.7 (13.37/1.60/9.29/10.92/2.52), IV 43.97 (13.37/1.68/12.71/13.37/2.84), palp 8.50 (3.84/1.08/2.96/---/0.62). Legs and claws follow generic pattern. Palp with tegulum longer than tarsus; spermatic duct retrolaterally coiled one and a half times; embolus implanted prolaterally, extending ventrally, apically acute; embolus outlet towards retromargin (Figs. 10, 24). Opisthosoma oval, 6.06 long, 3.72 wide. Spinnerets follow generic pattern.
Description of female (MACN-Ar 23718; TP0979). Carapace chestnut brown, color patterns similar to male but procurved “U” arms fully coloured, separated from each other by a reddish middle line; margins dark (Fig. 2). Chelicerae as in male. Endites and labium chestnut brown, margins lighter. Sternum reddish, chestnut brown next to coxae (Fig. 6). Legs reddish with longitudinal brown bands, except on tarsi. Abdomen gray. Total length 13.74. Cephalothorax 6.14 long, 4.85 wide, posteriorly bulging. Eye diameters: PME 0.24, ALE 0.26, PLE 0.26. Lateral eyes on a tubercle. Chelicerae follow generic pattern, with four large stridulatory ridges. Endites and labium as in male. Labium 1.34 long, 1.20 wide, fused to sternum. Sternum 3.08 long, 1.96 wide with marked borders. Legs and palp measurements: total length (femur/patella/tibia/metatarsus/ tarsus): I 44.71 (12.39/1.52/12.39/15.45/2.96), II 36.42 (10.43/1.58/10.11/11.90/2.40), III 25.99 (7.68/1.46/ 6.71/8.16/1.98), IV 33.16 (9.78/1.54/9.45/10.11/2.28), palp 4.86 (1.78/0.66/1.12/---/1.30). Legs and claws follow generic pattern. Opisthosoma oval, 7.60 long, 4.56 wide. Tracheal system and spinnerets follow generic pattern. External genitalia with a epigynal pouch anterior to the epigastric furrow, without foveae and positioning ridges (Fig. 9, 39). Vulva with two pairs of rounded, thick spermathecae arising from the epigastric fold (Fig. 13, 37–41). Inner spermathecae twice as large as outer. Spermathecae with gland ductules well spaced or in patches of two to many glands (Fig. 41).
Variation. Six females. Total length 9.09–13.74. Carapace 4.69–6.14 long, 3.72–4.85 wide. Femur I: 9.78– 12.39.
Natural history. A male specimen was found under a log, hanging on its web (M. Ramírez, personal observation).
Distribution. Known from Thailand and Malaysia.
description: Published as part of Labarque, Facundo M., Grismado, Cristian J., Ramírez, Martín J., Yan, Hengmei & Griswold, Charles E., 2009, The Southeast Asian genus Stedocys Ono, 1995 (Araneae: Scytodidae): first descriptions of female genitalia and a new species from China, pp. 1-14 in Zootaxa 2297 on pages 3-5, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.191616