Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Three New Species of Pholcus (Araneae, Pholcidae) from the Canary Islands with Notes on
the Genus Pholcus in the Archipelago
Author(s): Dimitar Dimitrov and Carles Ribera
Source: The Journal of Arachnology, Vol. 34, No. 1 (2006), pp. 126-134
Published by: American Arachnological Society
Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/4489049
Accessed: 19-09-2016 20:38 UTC
JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted
digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about
JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.
Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at
http://about.jstor.org/terms
American Arachnological Society is collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to
The Journal of Arachnology
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:38:35 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
2006. The Journal of Arachnology 34:126-134
ABSTRACT. Over the last decade, numerous papers focusing on the fauna of
reported that many spectacular species radiations have taken place, leading to a
micity in this archipelago. The species of the genus Pholcus are a very good exam
process. The Canary Islands harbor the highest number of endemic species of t
order to obtain a detailed picture of the diversity and the phylogeny of the Can
taxonomic revision is required. The present work is the second contribution to
new species of Pholcus are described: Pholcus bimbache, P. anachoreta and P. co
species of Pholcus from El Hierro (P. bimbache) is reported; P. anachoreta is
found on the Montafia Clara Islet; and P. corniger is the second and most trogl
from Tenerife.
The Canary Islands are situated about 100 elevation combined with the trade winds (hu-
km off the northwestern coast of Africa. This mid from the northeast and dry from the
volcanic archipelago was formed during var- northwest), causes a thermic inversion that
ious volcanic episodes and is nowadays com-forms a cloud belt between 600 and 1000 m.
posed of seven main islands and several islets. These clouds are almost permanent on the
All of them are situated almost on a straight northern slopes, favoring the growth of a char
line with an east-west orientation, with the ageacteristic subtropical forest named laurel for-
of the islands decreasing towards the east. Theest.
estimated ages of the islands are: Fuerteven- Differences in humidity and elevation be-
tura 20-22 My, Lanzarote 15-19 My, Gran tween and within islands are the main reasons
Canaria 14-16 My, Tenerife 11.6-14 My, Lafor the development of a large variety of hab-
Gomera 10-12 My, La Palma 1.6-2 My and itats. The so-called hypogean environment
El Hierro 0.8-1 My (Anguita & Hernmin 1975; also contributes to changes in the diversity of
Ancochea et al. 1990; Coello et al. 1992). habitats. In the case of the Canaries it is
The older islands, Fuerteventura and Lan-
formed by lava tubes and the MSS (mes
zarote, are lower in elevation due to the ef-
ernous shallow stratum) (Oromi et al. 19
fects of erosion. As a result of their low height
Medina 1991). This high diversity of eco
they receive less moisture from the northeast
ical niches and the initial emptiness of hab
trade winds than the other, higher islands.
provide the best conditions for species r
This, and the proximity of the Sahara Desert,
tions.
renders them the driest islands in the archi-
The spider genus Pholcus Walckenaer 1805
pelago, with most of their habitats being dry
is a good example of this process. The 114
lowlands. The remainder of the Canary Is-
species that it comprises are distributed almost
lands have higher mountains, reaching an el-
all around the world. However, it is interesting
evation of 3717 m (Teide, Tenerife). This high
to note that there are no indigenous Pholcus
species in Central and South America and
' Current address: George Washington University,
Department of Biological Sciences, 2023 G. Street,only a few are known from North America.
NW, Washington, DC, 20052. E-mail: dimitard@ Before the present study, eighteen species
gww.edu of Pholcus had been reported from the Canary
126
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:38:35 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
DIMITROV & RIBERA-THREE NEW CANARIAN PHOLCUS SPECIES 127
incomplete, in P. corniger they are totally ab- Diagnosis.-Pholcus bimbache can be dis-
sent. This species, unfortunately, may be ex- tinguished from similar Canarian species (P.
tinct due to the destruction of its habitat in sveni and P. gomerae) by the less pronounced
Cueva de San Miguel, where residual waters
callosity of the procursus, the narrower base
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:38:35 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
128 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
of the uncus (Fig. 5), the longer claw-shaped junction and fovea. Ocular area elevated. Tho-
apophysis of the appendix and the long, al- rax with brown marking, wider than long,
most straight trochanteral apophysis (Fig. 6) which starts at the fovea and extends to the
of the male palp (Figs. 1-3); also, by the posterior margin of the prosoma. It has thre
shape of the apophyses of the male cheliceraelighter zones dividing it into four darker rad
(Fig. 4). The diagnostic characters of the fe-lobes. Sternum brown-yellowish with border
male are the shape of the epigynum and the slightly darker brown. Distance between AM
large oval pore plates of the vulva (Figs. 7- equal to their diameter. Distance AME-ALE
9). slightly more than two times the diameter o
Description.-Male (holotype): Prosoma AME; AME-PME three times the diameter of
yellowish with well marked cephalothoracic AME. Anterior eye line frontal view slightly
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:38:35 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
DIMITROV & RIBERA-THREE NEW CANARIAN PHOLCUS SPECIES 129
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:38:35 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
130 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
erae (Fig. 13) whitish; cheliceral apophyses chanter (Fig. 14) with long curved retrolater
darker with conical shape and group of 2-3 apophysis, femur with ventral bulge, procur
thick bristles placed near the base. The prox- sus very complex with many apical lamell
imolateral apophyses (proximal teeth) and the and with three distal dorsal spines. Uncus
frontal prominence show the same coloring as (Fig. 15) very characteristic with serrated
the rest of the chelicerae. The upper margin keel. Opisthosoma elongated and cylindrical
of the proximolateral apophyses is higher than with whitish color, dorsally darker. A longi-
the lower margin of the frontal prominence. tudinal zone with darker pigmentation starting
Distance between AME less than their diam- from the genital area and followed by two
eter. The rest of the eyes situated in two tear-shaped
ele- spots is observed ventrally.
vated triads. AME around 50% of the size of Female (paratype): Prosoma: all characters
the other eyes. Anterior eye line frontal as inview
male except for the cheliceral apophyses,
slightly recurved. Posterior eye line which dorsalare absent. Sizes and distribution of the
view recurved. Palps as in Figs. 10-12.eyes Tro-as in the male but the elevation of the
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:38:35 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
DIMITROV & RIBERA-THREE NEW CANARIAN PHOLCUS SPECIES 131
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:38:35 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
132 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
Figures 19-26.-Pholcus corniger new species: 19. Male prosoma, frontal view; 20. Male prosoma,
lateral view; 21. Female prosoma, frontal view; 22. Female prosoma, lateral view; 23. Male palp, frontal
view; 24. Male palp, prolateral view; 25. Male palp, retrolateral view; 26. Male chelicerae. Scale bar 0.2
mm.
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:38:35 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
DIMITROV & RIBERA-THREE NEW CANARIAN PHOLCUS SPECIES 133
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:38:35 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
134 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
This content downloaded from 128.111.121.42 on Mon, 19 Sep 2016 20:38:35 UTC
All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms