Bioacoustics of Maghreba

Relationships Together with Holocnemus , Stygopholcus , and Crossopriza , Maghreba gen. nov. is clearly a representative of the spotted-leg clade ( Fig. 1 ) but beyond that relationships remain obscure. The sister-group relationship with Stygopholcus suggested by the cladistic analyses using equal character weights and successive character weighting is supported by a single homoplastic character and is thus unconvincing. Geographically, the genus is closer to Crossopriza with which it also shares a greater general similarity than with Stygopholcus . In fact, implied character weighting with conc =1 and conc = 2 suggested a trichotomy including Maghreba gen. nov. , Holocnemus hispanicus , and Crossopriza . However, no synapomorphy has been found to support a sister-group relationship between Maghreba gen. nov. and Crossopriza , or between Maghreba gen. nov. and H. hispanicus . Composition The genus currently includes eight named species, all of which are treated below: seven new species plus M. aurouxi gen. nov. that is newly transferred from Holocnemus . In the examined collections, only one further species was seen, represented by a single male specimen from Algeria deposited in CRB (see Distribution above). The palp of this species strongly resembles the Moroccan species described below; it is easily distinguished from all Moroccan species by the presence of two pairs of proximal processes on the male chelicerae; it further differs by a distinct subdistal dorsal process on the procursus and by strongly developed cheliceral stridulatory ridges. Natural history Different species seem to prefer different microhabitats: some appear restricted to caves (twilight area and slightly beyond), others occupy sheltered spaces among and under rocks and small cavities in the ground, and some live quite exposed among the leaves of palms and other objects close to the ground. Webs usually consist of a domed sheet and are often modified at the center to include a further bellshaped dome that is provided with silk puffs ( Figs 11–12 ). At disturbance the spiders vibrate or run towards the back; whether this behavior is species-specific or not is unknown. For further details on individual species, see natural history sections below.

Description Male BODY. Total body length ~3.0–4.5; carapace width ~1.2–1.7. Carapace with deep central pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging from posterior side of pit toward posterior rim (cf. Figs 305 , 319 ); ocular area slightly raised, eye triads relatively far apart (distance PME–PME usually 1.1–1.5 × PME diameter, in the slightly troglomorphic M. kahfa gen. et sp. nov. 2.1), each secondary eye (especially PME) accompanied by indistinct elevation (“pseudo-eyes”; cf. Huber 2009a ), PME oval, AME large (~60–105% of PME small diameter). Clypeus high, unmodified. Abdomen oval, dorsally posteriorly usually slightly angular (e.g., Figs 9 , 196 , 258 ). Male gonopore with 4–6 epiandrous spigots (sometimes asymmetric: 2+3; Figs 316, 320–321 ), ALS with only two spigots each: one large widened spigot and one pointed spigot (cf. Figs 317 , 329 ); PMS with two spigots each; PLS without spigots. COLOR. In general ochre-yellow to light brown. Carapace mostly pale, with darker median mark, without lateral marks ( Figs 195–202 ); sternum light to dark brown, with darker radial marks. Legs without or with indistinct darker rings, with oval to short longitudinal line-shaped dark marks on femora and tibiae, sometimes also a few on metatarsi ( Figs 188–189 , 206–207 ). Abdomen usually with distinct dorsal and ventral patterns: dark heart-mark and further dark and whitish marks dorsally and laterally, ventral median band variably distinct. CHELICERAE. Chelicerae with one large modified (cone-shaped) hair on each cheliceral apophysis ( Figs 170 , 306 , 323 ); usually with fine stridulatory ridges ( Figs 307 , 324 ), distances between ridges in M. amezyan gen. et sp. nov. and M. aurouxi gen. nov. ~3.5 µm; with more distinct ridges in M. kahfa gen. et sp. nov. , apparently without ridges in M. gharbija gen. et sp. nov. PALPS. In general as in Figs 203–205 ; coxa with distinct retrolateral-ventral process; trochanter barely modified, slightly protruding ventrally; femur widened distally, dorsal line straight except for small dorsal apophysis, with proximal retrolateral process, without or with very indistinct transversal dark line on retrolateral side, with stridulatory pick (modified hair) on prolateral side; femur-patella joints shifted toward prolateral side (arrows # 3 in Fig. 203 ); tibia-tarsus joints shifted toward retrolateral side (arrows # 4 in Fig. 205 ); palpal tarsus without dorsal macrotrichia, palpal tarsal organ capsulate ( Figs 311 , 327 ); procursus dorsally with straight or weakly curved hairs; procursus (e.g., Figs 164–166 , 309 ) with hairless prolateral process, without ventral ‘knee’, distally with ventral sclerite accompanied by membranous transparent to semitransparent process, procursus tip curved towards dorsal, with one or few transparent hair-like processes on retrolateral side (barely visible in light microscope); genital bulb (e.g., Figs 167– 169 , 310 ) with basal sclerite (bs in Fig. 169 ) connecting to tarsus; basal sclerite sometimes with distinct dorsal (slightly retrolateral) apophysis (e.g., Fig. 212 ); distal (main) bulbal sclerite with strong dorsal process, variable number of ventral teeth, and large retrolateral pocket (arrow in Fig. 169 ); sperm duct opening in membranous area on prolateral side of distal bulbal sclerite (arrow in Fig. 310 ). LEGS. Legs long and relatively thin, leg 1 length ~20–45, tibia 1 length ~6–12, tibia 2 longer than tibia 4 (~1.1–1.2 ×). Tibia 1 L/d usually ~50–65, 80 in the slightly troglomorphic M. kahfa gen. et sp. nov. Femur 1 usually thicker than other femora; femur 1 with one row of ventral spines ( Fig. 206 ), rarely (in very small males) without spines; spines proximally gradually transforming into regular setae; spines never present on femur 2 or on tibia 1; legs without curved hairs; in most species with slightly higher than usual density of short vertical hairs prolaterally-dorsally on one or more tibiae; retrolateral trichobothrium in proximal position (at 2–4% of tibia length in tibia 1), prolateral trichobothrium absent on tibia 1, present on other tibiae. Tarsal pseudosegments very indistinct except ~2–5 distally, proximally with indistinct irregular platelets rather than distinct rings. Tarsal organs of legs capsulate, with round or weakly undulating rim ( Figs 313–315 , 328 ). Female In general very similar to male; chelicerae with even less distinct and smaller stridulatory files or without stridulatory files ( Figs 308 , 325 ); legs slightly shorter than in male, without spines. Usually with pair of indistinct processes posteriorly on carapace (arrows in Figs 305 , 319 ) acting against pair of poorly visible plates on abdomen. Epigynum usually consisting of large, simple anterior plate and short but wide posterior plate (e.g., Figs 175–178 ); anterior plate with pair of low pockets (pits) ( Figs 318 , 330 ), in some species with pair of variably distinct processes (e.g., Fig. 238 ); without bulging areas in front of anterior plate. Internal genitalia (e.g., Figs 179–181 ) with sclerotized arc that consists of dorsal and ventral parts (da and va in Fig. 179 ) and is variably visible in uncleared specimens; uterus externus sometimes with small median ventral structure (pouch or pocket?), sometimes visible as round structure in untreated specimens (e.g., Figs 178 , 220 ); pore plates large, flat, widening towards median line, left and right plates usually clearly separated except in M. kahfa gen. et sp. nov. ( Fig. 187 ); pores usually in groups rather than homogeneously distributed.