Eremobates gracilidens
Muma
Figures
72 to 76
Eremobates gracilidens
Muma,
1951,
p.
66; Muma,
1970,
p.
17
(male)
TYPES:
Male holotype
from
Twentynine
Palms,
California,
March-April,
1945
Jefferson
H. Branch),
in AMNH.
Female
allotype
from 9 mi.
w. Lone
Pine,
Inyo
Co., CA,
VII -19-61
, at light,
by
P.
D. Hurd and ]. Powell
, also
in AMNH.
DIAGNOSIS:
Males distinguished
by blade-like
to
subtriangular
process
peaked
distad
of fondal
notch
of fixed
cheliceral
finger,
the
rounded
anterior
process
on movable
cheliceral
finger,
and at
least
6 long
ctenidia on the first
post-stigmatic
abdominal
sternite.
Female
allotype
described
here distinguished
by
pale
coloration;
elongate
anterior
lobes of opercula;
undulate
mesal
margins
of opercular
notch;
and wide
bowed,
vulvular
ope
ning
extending
to poste
r ior
ends
of posterior
opercular
lobes.
DESCRIPTION : Species pale yellow
in color
with
dusky
purplish
markings.
Palpi and
legs pale
on
all
segments.
Propeltidia
narrowly
dusky
along
anterior
margin
and faintly dusky
laterally
(fig. 76). Mesopeltidia,
metapeltidia,
and
abdominal
terga
pale to
faintly
dusky
with pleura
pale.
Sterna pale.
Males
(7) remarkably
uniform in size;
CP varies
from 8.2-9.5
(mean
8.9). Legs
long; A/CP varies
from 7.1-7.7
(mean 7.3). Fondal notches
slightly
narrower
than
base
of fixed
finger
and
almost
as long
as wide;
length/width
ratio
varies
from
0.8- 1.00
(mean 0.9)
(fig. 72).
No mesal
tooth
on movable
cheliceral
finger.
Two males
have
slight indentation
on
rounded
anterior
lobe
of movable
cheliceral
finger.
Minimal number of ctenidia
6 (fig. 73),
maximum
8 (mean
7);
2 or 3 specimens
have spurious ctenidia.
Female
allotype
has
CP
of 10.8;
legs
short,
A/CP 5.7. Mesal
tooth of movable
cheliceral finger
is
missing.
Opercula
2.1 times
wider than
long;
anterior
lobes
elongate
but not enlarged
distally; posterior
opercular notch
sinuate
laterally
and occupying
33%
of opercula
(fig
s. 74-75).
DISTRIBUTION:
This species
was
described
from
Twentynine
Palms,
California and recorded
from the Argus
Mountains
of Inyo
County,
Califomia
by
Muma (1951). The
female
allotype
is
from
Lone Pine,
Inyo
County,
California.
We have
also
examined 6 males
and 1 female
from Riverside
County,
9 males
and
2 females
from
San
Bernardino County,
and 1 female
from Kern
County
in California.
To date
this
species is known
only
from southern
California.
Our
collection
records
indicate
a long
period of maturity,
from
March
through
July.
See Plate XX. Muma (1951)
erroneously
referred
the
Argus Mountains
to Arizona.
REMARKS: The relationship of this
species
to
others of the series must
remain obscure until more females of other
species are collected.
It should
be pointed
out, however,
that the opercula of this species
are very similar
to those of
spissus
new species, an
apparently
distantly related form.
