Bowie beruang Omelko & Fomichev 2023, sp. nov.
Creators: name: Omelko, Mikhail M.
name: Fomichev, Alexander A.
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2023
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Animalia
Arthropoda
Arachnida
Araneae
Ctenidae
Bowie
Bowie beruang

description: Bowie beruang sp. nov.
(Figs 1–18, 55–57)
Type material. INDONESIA: Sumatra: Aceh Prov.: Holotype: ♁ (ZMMU) Ketambe Vil[lage]. [03°41′N, 97°39′E], 400–500 m, 1988 (precise date unknown), unknown collector. Paratypes: 3♁ 1♀ (ZMMU), 3♁ (ISEA) together with the holotype.
Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Indonesian name for the sun bear, “beruang” [Helarctos malayanus (Raffles)], reflecting the fact that the new species also occurs in the jungles of Sumatra Island.
Diagnosis. Males of B. beruang sp. nov. are similar to those of B. argentipes (van Hasselt), B. angigitanus (Roewer), B. palembangensis (Strand), B. tonight Jäger, 2022 and B. dhole sp. nov. in having a strong cymbial spur (CS) and a similar embolic tip with prolateral (PP) and retrolateral (RP) parts developed (Figs 12–13, 30–31). The new species can be distinguished from B. argentipes by 1) RTA long and strongly curved in ventral view (vs. short, slightly curved; cf. Fig. 6 and Jäger 2022: fig. 517); 2) cymbium with a large retrolatero-proximal outgrowth (RO) (vs. small outgrowth; cf. Fig. 6 and Jäger 2022: fig. 517); 3) cymbial spur (CS) long and thin (vs. short and thick; cf. Fig. 7 and Jäger 2022: fig. 518); and 4) retrolateral part of embolus tip (RP) blunt (vs. sharply pointed; cf. Fig. 13 and Jäger 2022: figs 519, 522, 525). The new species differs from B. angigitanus by 1) cymbial spur pointed in ventral view (vs. abrupt; cf. Fig. 6 and Jäger 2022: fig. 542); and 2) tip of cymbial spur not reaching RTA in retrolateral view (vs. reaching RTA; cf. Fig. 14 and Jäger 2022: fig. 543). The new species can be differentiated from B. palembangensis by the pointed RTA (vs. slightly bifid; cf. Fig. 6 and Jäger 2012: fig. 171). It differs from B. tonight by cymbium with large retrolatero-proximal outgrowth (RO) (vs. small outgrowth; cf. Fig. 6 and Jäger 2022: figs 545–546). Lastly, it differs from B. dhole sp. nov. by 1) pointed RTA in dorsal view (vs. RTA bifurcated); 2) cymbium with large retrolatero-proximal outgrowth (RO) (vs. small outgowth); and 3) retrolateral part of embolic tip (RP) blunt (vs. sharp).
Species of the argentipes -group usually exhibit variable epigynes (cf. Jäger 2022: figs 527–541, 550–555). However, the epigyne of B. beruang sp. nov. is similar to that of B. argentipes and B. tonight in having the pronounced angular median plate projections (Pr) and simple kidney-shaped spermathecae (Sp). The new species can be distinguished from above-mentioned species only by the spermathecae sharply narrowed posteriorly (vs. spermathecae with nearly equal width throughout; cf. Fig. 17 and Jäger 2022: figs 537, 552).
Description. Male (Figs 1–2, 37). Total length 18.0. Carapace 10.25 long, 7.7 wide. Opisthosoma 8.05 long, 5.05 wide. Carapace dark brown, almost black with broad, diamond-shaped, silver median band, and having two drop-shaped black spots in ocular area. Lateral bands absent. Fovea thin, black. Chelicerae dark brown, almost black, with two promarginal and four retromarginal teeth, denticles absent. Sternum light brown without pattern. Labium dark brown. Endites brown with yellow inner distal edge. Dorsal part of opisthosoma greenish gray with distinct yellowish serrated band covered with white setae. Ventral part of opisthosoma dark gray with yellowish spots forming two V-marks. Spinnerets yellowish, gray ectally.
Eye diameters: AME 0.45, ALE 0.30, PME 0.55, PLE 0.46; interdistances: AME–AME 0.19, AME–ALE 0.50, PME–PME 0.27, PME–PLE 0.46, AME–PME 0.10, ALE–PLE 0.23. Clypeus height at AME 0.29.
For palp and legs measurements see Table 1. Femora and patellae I–IV dark brown dorsally, light brown laterally and ventrally. Tibiae I–IV dark brown proximally and distally, light brown medially with silver setae. Metatarsi I–III brown, IV brown with silver setae. Tarsi I–IV brown. For palp and leg spination see Table 2.
Palp as shown in Figs 5–14. RTA long, strongly curved in ventral view. Cymbium with long, curved retro-dorsal spur (CS) with sharp tip and large retrolatero-proximal outgrowth (RO). Tegular apophysis (TA) large, with slightly curved prolatero-proximad outgrowth (TO). Conductor (C) large, membranous. Embolus (Em) with blunt retrolateral (RP) and long, sharp prolateral (PP) parts of its tip in ventral view and basal embolus hook (EH).
Female (Figs 3–4, 38). Total length 18.65. Carapace 9.1 long, 7.2 wide. Opisthosoma 9.5 long, 6.25 wide. Carapace dark brown (somewhat lighter than in males) with broad yellowish median band, diamond-shaped in ocular area. Lateral bands thin, divided into several stripes. Fovea thin, black. Chelicerae dark brown, almost black with one promarginal and four retromarginal teeth, denticles absent. Sternum light brown without pattern. Labium dark brown, almost black. Endites brown with yellow outer edge. Dorsal part of opisthosoma brown with distinct yellowish cardiac mark and a series of poorly visible gray spots. Ventral part of opisthosoma brown with yellowish spots forming two V-marks. Spinnerets light brown.
Eye diameters: AME 0.43, ALE 0.31, PME 0.47, PLE 0.44; interdistances: AME–AME 0.21, AME–ALE 0.61, PME–PME 0.30, PME–PLE 0.65, AME–PME 0.15, ALE–PLE 0.30. Clypeus height at AME 0.23.
For palp and legs measurements see Table 3. All leg segments brown with poorly visible annulation. For palp and leg spination see Table 4.
Female genitalia as shown in Figs 15–18. Epigyne 1.1 times wider than long. Median plate (MP) with two rounded projections (Pr) medially. Lateral teeth (LT) well developed, slightly curved in ventral view, with rounded tips. Spermathecae (Sp) large, kidney-shaped.
Notes. According to the structure of the male copulatory organs, including the distinct retro-proximal spur-like cymbial outgrowth and barb-shaped tip of embolus, B. beruang sp. nov. belongs to the argentipes species-group (Jäger 2022). Thus, with the description of the new species, this group now consists of 12 species: B. angigitanus, B. argentipes, B. beruang sp. nov. B. catpeople Jäger, 2022, B. corniger (F. O. Pickard-Cambridge), B. crystaljapan Jäger, 2022, B. dhole sp. nov., B. hosei (F.O. Pickard-Cambridge), B. palembangensis, B. pulvinatus (Thorell), B. ricochet Jäger, 2022 and B. tonight. Almost all species in this species group are limited in distribution to Southeast Asia (southern Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo/Kalimantan). The exceptions are two species: B. angigitanus and B. corniger. Bowie angigitanus is known from New Ireland (New Guinea), which is ca. 4000 kilometers away from the nearest habitats of other species in the argentipes group. However, it is highly likely that this disjunction is the result of mislabeling by Roewer in the species’ collection data or accidental transportation on ships (Jäger 2022). Bowie corniger was described supposedly from South Africa. According to Jäger (2022) this disjunction, as in the previous example, is the result of mislabeling or accidental introduction.
It is important to note that one female of B. argentipes is known (Jäger 2022) from the vicinity of Ketambe Village, where B. beruang sp. nov. was collected. Since the females in this group are similar, and a reliable species identification is difficult without a male, it can be assumed with high probability that the mentioned female actually belongs to B. beruang sp. nov.
Distribution. Type locality only (Figs 55–57).
description: Published as part of Omelko, Mikhail M. & Fomichev, Alexander A., 2023, A survey of Sumatran Ctenidae (Araneae). 2. Three new species of Bowie Jäger, 2022, pp. 101-116 in Zootaxa 5353 (2) on pages 102-107, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5353.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/8427078