Research Article |
Corresponding author: Luís C. Crespo ( luiscarloscrespo@gmail.com ) Academic editor: Ingi Agnarsson
© 2022 Luís C. Crespo, Isamberto Silva, Alba Enguídanos, Pedro Cardoso, Miquel Arnedo.
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Citation:
Crespo LC, Silva I, Enguídanos A, Cardoso P, Arnedo M (2022) Island hoppers: Integrative taxonomic revision of Hogna wolf spiders (Araneae, Lycosidae) endemic to the Madeira islands with description of a new species. ZooKeys 1086: 84-135. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.1086.68015
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Because of their ability for aerial dispersal using silk and preference for open habitats, many wolf spiders are formidable colonisers. Pioneering arachnologists were already aware of the large and colourful wolf spiders in the Madeira archipelago, currently included in the genus Hogna Simon, 1885. The origins were investigated and species boundaries of Madeiran Hogna examined by integrating target-gene and morphological information. A multi-locus phylogenetic analysis of a thorough sampling across wolf-spider diversity suggested a single origin of Madeiran endemics, albeit with low support. Divergence time estimation traced back their origin to the late Miocene, a time of major global cooling that drove the expansion of grasslands and the associated fauna. Morphological examination of types and newly collected material revealed a new species, hereby described as H. isambertoi Crespo, sp. nov. Additionally, H. blackwalli is revalidated and three new synonymies are proposed, namely H. biscoitoi Wunderlich, 1992, junior synonym of H. insularum Kulczynski, 1899, H. schmitzi Wunderlich, 1992, junior synonym of H. maderiana (Walckenaer, 1837), and Arctosa maderana Roewer, 1960 junior synonym of H. ferox (Lucas, 1838). Species delimitation analyses of mitochondrial and nuclear markers provided additional support for morphological delineations. The species pair H. insularum and H. maderiana, however, constituted an exception: the lack of exclusive haplotypes in the examined markers, along with the discovery of intermediate forms, pointed to hybridisation between these two species as reported in other congeneric species on islands. Finally, the conservation status of the species is discussed and candidates for immediate conservation efforts are identified.
Endangered species, island radiation, Lycosinae, Macaronesia, morphological polymorphism, species delimitation
Most wolf spiders (Lycosidae) are ground-dwelling cursorial hunters, with only a small portion of its species displaying sheet-web building behaviour. They are one of the most abundant and ubiquitous spiders in open terrestrial habitats, such as grass- and shrublands. It has been suggested that lycosids underwent major global diversification concomitantly with grassland expansion during the Miocene (
Madeira is situated in the North Atlantic Ocean, approximately 500 km north of the Canary Islands, 900 km west from Morocco, and 1000 km southwest from the Iberian Peninsula (Fig.
Due to their large size, restricted distribution, and striking appearance of some species, either in size or distinctive leg coloration, local Hogna spiders were known to naturalists since the early 19th century. The largest and most colourful species were the first to be described, namely H. maderiana (Walckenaer, 1837) and H. ingens (Blackwall, 1857). By the end of the 19th century, two smaller species, H. heeri (Thorell, 1875) and H. insularum (Kulczynski, 1899), were added to the checklist. The report of new endemic Hogna species had to wait for almost a century, until the description of H. biscoitoi Wunderlich, 1992, H. schmitzi Wunderlich, 1992, and H. nonannulata Wunderlich, 1995.
Although no other taxonomic work on Madeiran Hogna has been published for more than 25 years, a number of taxonomic problems remained to be tackled, including nomenclatural issues and the interpretation of intraspecific variability in the context of intermediate forms (
Some of the Madeira Hogna species are of conservation concern. The Desertas giant wolf spider, H. ingens, is listed as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species due to its narrow distribution range and the fact that the native vegetation of the small valley it inhabits has been mostly displaced by an invasive grass (
In the present study, we integrate morphological and natural history information with molecular data to (1) test the monophyly of the Madeiran Hogna to resolve the number and timeline of colonisation events, (2) delimitate species boundaries and (3) conduct a taxonomic revision of these iconic endemic species.
The material studied here was made available through collections from expeditions to Madeira, Porto Santo and the Desertas in springs of 2017 and 2018. Additional specimens were provided by occasional collecting by one of us (IS). Sampling was done in a wide variety of habitats, especially in open areas surrounding native vegetation patches, by lifting stones and retrieving Hogna specimens manually. Each specimen was placed into a separate cryovial containing 96% molecular grade ethanol and stored in a freezer at -20 °C until further study. Specimens for morphological analyses were later transferred to glass vials containing 75% ethanol. The sampling coordinates, when available, are shown in decimal degrees format.
We extracted DNA from one leg III using commercial kits (Speedtools Tissue DNA Extraction Kit, Biotools; or DNeasy Blood & Tissue Kit, Qiagen) following the tissue protocol suggested by the respective manufacturer. We amplified partial fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI), i.e., the animal DNA barcode (
To test the monophyly and phylogenetic structure of Madeiran Hogna, we combined our newly generated sequences with the data matrix of
Parsimony analysis of the matrix was conducted with the program TNT v1.5 (
We used COI and ITS-2 sequences of a larger sample of Madeiran Hogna to explore species boundaries using single marker molecular based approaches. We investigated three alternative methods for species delineation using COI sequences, namely a distance based algorithmic method (Barcode identification number, BIN) (
In the absence of fossil evidence and to avoid using circular reasoning by using information on the island age, we estimated divergence time using published information on substitution rates in lycosids (
The genus Hogna, as shown by
Morphological observations were carried out using a stereomicroscope Leica MZ 16A equipped with a digital camera Leica DFC450. Individual raw photos were taken with the help of the software Leica Application Suite v4.4 and mounted with the software Helicon Focus (Helicon Soft, Ltd.). Further editions were done with Paint Shop Pro v21 (Corel Corporation). The epigyne was removed from female specimens with the aid of hypodermic needles and forceps. To clear the membranous tissues surrounding the spermathecae and copulatory ducts, we manually removed muscular and membranous tissue with forceps and a needle. This process accidentally led to the breakage of some copulatory ducts (usually delicate in the Lycosidae) and cracking of the median septum in some specimens (e.g., Figs
AW anterior eye row width;
Cl clypeus;
Fe femur;
LMP length between hind border of posterior eye and front border of median eye;
MOQ median ocular quadrangle;
Mt metatarsus;
MW median eye row width;
Pa Patella;
PW posterior eye row width;
Ti tibia;
TiIL/D Length to Diameter of Tibia I.
AT apical point;
C cymbium;
E embolus;
P palea;
R Ridge;
TgA tegular apophysis;
T tegulum;
TmA terminal apophysis;
VS ventral spur.
AP anterior pocket;
MS median septum;
PTP posterior transverse part;
S spermatheca;
D diverticulum.
CRBA Centre de Recursos de Biodiversitat Animal, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain;
FMNH Finnish Museum of Natural History, Helsinki, Finland;
LCPC Luís Crespo’s personal collection;
MIZ Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland;
MNHNP French National Museum of Natural History, Paris, France;
SMF Senckenberg Research Institute, Frankfurt am Main, Germany;
AOO Area of occupancy;
EOO Extent of Occurrence.
The concatenated matrix included 2641 characters, 657 bp of the COI, 302 bp H3, and 554 bp of the nad1, and 300 and 828 aligned position for the 12S and 28S, respectively, and 173 terminals including outgroups (see
Best maximum likelihood tree of Lycosinae, inferred with IQTREE2 after selecting the best partition scheme and evolutionary models. Nodes are split in three sections, representing the different methods. Support on nodes should be read as follows: black: ML ultrafast bootstrap and BI posterior probability ≥ 0.95, MP Jackknife ≥ 0.7; grey: ML Ultrafast Bootstrap and BI posterior probability < 0.95, MP Jackknife < 0.7; white: unrecovered node.
The COI data matrix included 133 terminals, including a single sequence of the non-Madeiran Hogna radiata (Iberian Peninsula), corresponding to 62 haplotypes (one non-Madeiran) (Suppl. material
The number of base differences per site from averaging over all sequence pairs within each group are shown. This analysis involved 133 nucleotide sequences. All ambiguous positions were removed for each sequence pair (pairwise deletion option). There was a total of 676 positions in the final dataset. Evolutionary analyses were conducted in MEGA X (
radiata | heeri | ingens | nonannulata | blackwalli | isambertoi | maderiana | insularum | hx | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
radiata | |||||||||
heeri | 0.105 | 0.006 | |||||||
ingens | 0.111 | 0.065 | 0.004 | ||||||
nonnanulata | 0.106 | 0.059 | 0.064 | 0.009 | |||||
blackwalli | 0.098 | 0.074 | 0.073 | 0.043 | 0 | ||||
isambertoi | 0.107 | 0.07 | 0.082 | 0.075 | 0.084 | 0.003 | |||
maderiana | 0.103 | 0.106 | 0.105 | 0.103 | 0.105 | 0.095 | 0.007 | ||
insularum | 0.102 | 0.104 | 0.108 | 0.099 | 0.104 | 0.098 | 0.016 | 0.017 | |
hx | 0.103 | 0.106 | 0.108 | 0.103 | 0.105 | 0.098 | 0.01 | 0.016 | 0.01 |
Ultrametric tree for the COI obtained with BEAST using a coalescent (constant population growth) prior to apply the GMYC model. Only unique sequences included. Support on nodes should be read as follows: black: BI posterior probability ≥ 0.95; grey: BI posterior probability < 0.95. Species delimitations based on alternative approaches are indicated with boxes besides the terminal labels.
The mPTP analysis ran on the IQ-TREE inferred tree, recovered the same groupings with high support. The GMYC model delimited five groups, by merging H. nonannulata and H. blackwalli together, but the likelihood ratio test revealed that it did not provide a significantly better fit than the null model (one single species, p = 0.7764125).
The statistical parsimony analysis at 95% connection resulted in six independent networks that exactly matched the BIN and mPTP clusters (Fig.
COI haplotype (upper) and ITS-2 allele (lower) networks inferred under statistical parsimony (0.95 probability). Pie size proportional to number of individuals which exhibited the same haplotype/alleles. White circles represent missing haplotypes/alleles. Colours correspond to islands (colour codes in upper box). For the COI haplotypes only the network (3) including H. insularum / H. maderiana haplotypes showed (each remaining nominal species were resolved as independent networks). ITS-2 alleles boxed per species, except for H. insularum / H. maderiana. Haplotype/allele labels for H. insularum in bold and italics, H. maderiana in condensed bold and italics, not assigned in light italics (see lower box legend).
The inferred species tree suggested non-monophyly of Madeiran Hogna albeit with low support (Fig.
Hogna radiata (Latreille, 1817).
We follow the diagnosis presented by
Lycosa blackwalli Johnson, 1863: 152 (Dmf).
Trochosa maderiana Thorell, 1875: 167 (mf, misidentification).
Geolycosa blackwalli Roewer, 1955: 241.
Geolycosa blackwalli Roewer, 1960: 691, fig. 387a–d (mf).
Geolycosa ingens Denis, 1962: 96, f. 78 (f, misidentification).
Hogna maderiana Wunderlich, 1992: 461, fig. 720c–e (mf, S).
Hogna maderiana Wunderlich, 1995: 416, fig. 28 (f).
Syntypes
: Madeira • 2 ♀♀; Pico Ruivo, leg. Johnson, stored at
Madeira • between Pico do Areeiro and Poiso, 1 ♀ (SMF65685), leg. K. Groh; Caramujo, 32.77161°N, 17.06205°W, 1 ♂ (CRBALC0010: LC010), 23.VIII.2016 (collected as subadult, reared in captivity to adult on 7.X.2016), hand collecting, leg. L. Crespo; “Funchal” [probably north of it because “600 to 2000 ft.” is written in label], 1 ♀ (
Hogna blackwalli can be diagnosed from all other Madeiran Hogna by the aspect of its legs, with two small patches of yellow setae in the joints of anterior tibiae with metatarsi and of metatarsi with tarsi (Fig.
Hogna blackwalli A–C male (CRBALC0718): A left male pedipalp, ventral B detail of the median apophysis, anteroventral C SEM image, right male pedipalp, ventral D, E female (CRBALC0516): D epigyne, ventral (white arrow points to an indentation that may be helpful for diagnosis) E vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations, male pedipalp: AT – anterior point, C – cymbium, E – embolus, P – palea, R – ridge, T – tegulum, TA – terminal apophysis, TgA – tegular apophysis, VS – ventral spur. Abbreviations, female genitalia: D – diverticulum, H – epigynal hoods, MS – median septum, S – spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, D, E); 0.2 mm (B, C).
Male (CRBALC0718): (Fig.
Colour : carapace brown, with short black setae except anteriorly and laterally, where short white setae and long black setae are present; median cream longitudinal band present, covered with short white setae, anteriorly broadened, with suffused greyish brown patches covered by yellow setae; two yellow marginal bands, suffused with greyish brown patches, covered with short white setae; four black striae well visible on each flank. Chelicerae black, covered mostly in black setae but with sparse yellow setae. Gnathocoxae very dark orange-brown, labium blackish; sternum black, with a faint, thin longitudinal stripe extending to less than half of sternum length. Legs grey to greyish brown, with seven or eight patches of white setae (anterior legs with eight, posterior legs seven) except the patches in anterior metatarsi, both yellow. Pedipalpal femur as legs, patella, tibia and proximal cymbium with yellow to orange setae, apical cymbium covered in black setae. Abdomen with a pair of anterolateral black patches, extending laterally into grey to black flanks, interspersed with white patches; a median orange lanceolate patch is bordered by the aforementioned pattern, posteriorly also by dark chevrons; venter with a wide longitudinal black band, bordered by a mesh of white and black patches.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.7 PW, MW = 1.1 LMP, MW = 1.1 AW; Cl = 0.5 DAME. Anterior eye row slightly procurved.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 27.3, Ti: 6.4; Leg IV: 29.7, Ti: 6.6; TiIL/D: 5.8. Spination of Leg I: Fe: d1.1.0, p0.0.2; Ti: p0.0.1, v2l.2l.2s; Mt: p0.0.1, r0.0.1, v2l.2l.1s. Mt with very dense scopulae.
Pedipalp
: cymbium with eight dark, stout, macrosetae at tip, Fe with two dorsal and an apical row of four spines, Pa with one prolateral spine, Ti with one dorsal, one dorsoprolateral, and one prolateral spines. Tegular apophysis with ventral spur long, sharp, with a concave ridge leading to a thin apical point (Fig.
Female (CRBALC0516): (Fig.
Colour : overall as in male, but darker. Sternum entirely black. Yellow setae in pedipalp restricted to the joints of tibia with tarsus and patella with tibia.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.7 PW, MW = 1.2 LMP, MW = 1.1 AW; Cl = 0.7 DAME. Anterior eye row slightly procurved.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 27.7, TiI: 6.3; Leg IV: 31.8, TiIV: 6.8; TiIL/D: 3.8. Spination of Leg I: FeI: d1.1.0, p0.0.2; TiI: p0.0.1, v2l.2l.2s; MtI: p0.0.1, r0.0.1, v2l.2l.1s. MtI with very dense scopulae.
Epigyne
: anterior pockets almost touching, short, with lateral borders anteriorly parallel, medially slightly divergent after a small sinuosity (white arrow in Fig.
Carapace length, males: 7.4–9.1, females: 8.9–10.4. Suffused greyish brown patches in median yellow longitudinal band not necessarily covered with yellow setae. Epigyne can present two small depressions in the base of median septum, which can be of variable length, position and concavity of inflexion of the lateral hood walls can also be variable, either placed near hoods or medially, median septum can be swollen medially.
Hogna blackwalli can be found in montane grasslands surrounding laurel forest areas or Erica shrubland. Surprisingly, it can also be found in closed canopy laurel forest, where, at night, specimens can be found climbing tree trunks.
Hogna blackwalli was assessed according to the IUCN Red List criteria as H. maderiana, with the status of Least Concern (
There has been a great deal of confusion surrounding H. blackwalli and H. maderiana. Walckenaer’s original description of H. maderiana (
The next author to make a taxonomic contribution on these spiders was
Arctosa maderana Roewer, 1960: 604–605, fig. 334a (f), fig. 334 b (m). Syn. nov. (see WSC 2021 for a complete list of synonymies)
Holotype : 1 ♀ (with 1 paratype ♂ in vial), leg. Roewer, stored at SMF, collection number 9903912. Examined.
Gran Canaria • Gando, 1 ♂ (SMF25851), X.1961, leg. G. Shmidt; La Rosetas, 28.12196°N, 15.68662°W, 4 ♀♀ (CRBALC0586, CRBALC0602: LC329, CRBALC0706, CRBALC0719), 21.IV.2018, leg. L. Crespo & A. Bellvert; Playa del Inglés, 1 ♀ (SMF25422), 1970, leg. G. Schmidt; San Sebastian, 1 ♀ (SMF29107), IV.1974, leg. G. Schmidt. La Gomera • Lomada near San Sebastian, 1 ♀ (SMF29134), IV.1974, leg. Wild. Tenerife • La Orotava, 28.36666°N, 16.51666°W, 1 ♂ (SMF2234), 1871, leg. Grenacher & Noll. Tunisia • Jendouba, 1 ♀ (SMF63576), X.1995, leg. G. Eichler; (no sampling information), 1 ♀ (SMF37118). (No country or sampling information) • 2 ♂♂, 1 ♀ and 1 juvenile (SMF67996).
After its original description, the endemic species Arctosa maderana Roewer, 1960 was never again recorded in the archipelago of Madeira, despite extensive sampling through several biodiversity inventory projects (
Trochosa herii Thorell, 1875: 166 (Df).
Trochosa herii Kulczynski, 1899: 433, pl. 9, fig. 188 (f).
Hogna heeri Roewer, 1955: 248.
Hogna herii Roewer, 1959: 411, fig. 221a–d (f, Dm).
Hogna heeri Wunderlich, 1992: 459, fig. 720, 720a (mf).
Syntypes
: Madeira • 2 ♀♀, leg. O. Heer, stored at
Bugio • Planalto Sul, 32.41228°N, 16.47466°W, 1 ♀ (LCPC), 3.XII.2012, hand collecting, leg. I. Silva. Madeira • between Eira do Serrado and Curral das Freiras, 1 ♀ (SMF69107); Paúl da Serra, 2 ♀♀ (
Hogna heeri can be diagnosed by the genitalia: the males, according to literature, by a straight embolus (
Male: We could not examine any male specimens.
Female (CRBALC0500): (Fig.
Colour : carapace greyish brown, covered with short black setae, with a median cream longitudinal band, anteriorly broadened, covered with short white setae, with suffused greyish brown patches; two yellow marginal bands, with roughly round grey patches, covered with short white setae; four black striae well visible on each flank. Chelicerae dark brown, covered in black and yellow setae. Gnathocoxae and labium overall brown, with posterior margin blackish; sternum yellow, with a faint V-shaped grey patch and grey lateral borders. Legs yellow, with irregular grey suffused patches, except metatarsi and tarsi, brown. Pedipalps yellow except tibia, brown, tarsus, blackish brown. Abdomen with a pair of anterolateral black patches, extending laterally into grey flanks, mottled with yellowish patches covered with white setae; a median dark lanceolate patch is bordered by two yellowish longitudinal bands interconnected in anterior half, posteriorly by means of dark chevrons; venter yellowish, with a median dark grey longitudinal band, bordered by yellowish and grey small patches.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.7 PW, MW = 1.1 LMP, MW = 1.1 AW; Cl = 0.9 DAME. Anterior eye row straight.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 13.0, TiI: 2.8; Leg IV: 16.10, TiIV: 3.22; TiIL/D: 3.7. Spination of Leg I: FeI: d1.1.1, p0.0.1; TiI: v2l.2l.2s; MtI: p0.0.1, r0.0.1, v2l.2l.1s. MtI with sparse scopulae in basal half and dense scopulae on distal half.
Epigyne
: anterior pockets touching, short, with lateral borders widely divergent, converging solely at its posterior end (Fig.
Carapace length, females: 5.6–5.8. In females, the ventral abdominal dark band may be entirely absent; the relative position of female epigynal anterior pockets may vary from touching to almost touching.
This species is known from two distinct regions: high altitude localities in Madeira, always above 800 m, and the island of Bugio (Fig.
Hogna heeri occurs in montane grasslands or Erica shrubland in Madeira and the steep, semi-arid summit of Bugio.
Hogna heeri was assessed according to the IUCN Red List criteria, with the status of Least Concern (
The specific epithet of H. heeri has been one of the names renamed by
Lycosa ingens Blackwall, 1857: 284 (Df).
Lycosa ingens Blackwalli, 1867: 203 (Dm).
Trochosa ingens Kulczynski, 1899: 423, pl. 9, fig. 121 (mf).
Geolycosa ingens Roewer, 1955: 241.
Geolycosa ingens Roewer, 1960: 689, fig. 387e (f).
Hogna ingens Wunderlich, 1992: 459, fig. 720b, fig. 724a.
Holotype
: no type materials from the Blackwall collection were found neither at the
Deserta Grande • Vale da Castanheira (N), 1 ♀ (SMF21994), 26.III.1967, 1 ♀ (CRBALC0591) and 4 juveniles (CRBALC0593, CRBALC0594, CRBALC0595, CRBALC0592), 32.56685°N, 16.53694°W, 25.III.2017, hand collecting, leg. L. Crespo; (unknown location), 3 ♀♀ (MNHNP AR16186).
Hogna ingens can be diagnosed from all other Madeiran Hogna by the aspect of its legs, blackish with white patches (Figs
Male: We could not examine any male specimens.
Female (CRBALC0591): (Fig.
Colour : carapace greyish brown, densely covered with short black setae, with a cream longitudinal band present from fovea to posterior margin of carapace; with two faint light grey marginal bands suffused with black patches, covered with white setae; four striae well visible on each flank. Chelicerae black except apically, reddish brown, covered in black setae. Gnathocoxae and labium overall orange-brown, densely covered with black setae; sternum greyish brown, densely covered with black setae. Legs greyish, with a variable number (6–8) of lightly coloured patches covered by white setae. Pedipalps greyish, densely covered in black setae. Abdomen densely covered in black setae, with only four very small white patches dorsally and a small anterolateral band of white setae; venter densely covered in black setae, with only two faint median bands of small white patches.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.7 PW, MW = 1.2 LMP, MW = 1.1 AW; Cl = 0.5 DAME. Anterior eye row slightly procurved.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 37.7, TiI: 8.9; Leg IV: 35.9, TiIV: 8.4; TiIL/D: 2.3. Spination of Leg I: FeI: d1.1.0, p0.0.2; TiI: p0.0.0, v2s.2s.2s; MtI: p0.0.1, r0.0.1, v2s.2s.1s. MtI an TiI with dense scopulae.
Epigyne
: anterior pockets far apart, short, with lateral borders anteriorly convergent, then becoming divergent (Fig.
Vale da Castanheira is a semi-arid grassland area.
Hogna ingens was declared Critically Endangered in previous works (
Trochosa insularum Kulczynski, 1899: 429, pl. 9, f. 122, 126 (Dmf).
Hogna insularum Roewer, 1959: 517, fig. 291c, d.
Hogna biscoitoi Wunderlich, 1992: 457, figs 708–709. Syn. nov.
Hogna insularum Wunderlich, 1995: 415, fig. 27 (m).
Hogna biscoitoi Holotype ♂ without exact locality, Porto Santo; leg. Winkelmayer, stored at
Syntypes : Madeira • 7 ♀♀ (MIZ217320–217326). Porto Santo • 2 ♂♂ and 14 ♀♀ and 1 juvenile (MIZ217327–217343), leg. Kulczynski, stored at MIZ, collection numbers indicated above. Examined 2 ♂♂ from Porto Santo, 1 ♀ from Madeira.
Bugio • Planalto Sul, 32.41228°N, 16.47466°W, 1 ♂ (CRBALC0015) and 1 ♀ (CRBALC0017), 28.VI.2012, hand collecting, leg. I. Silva, 1 ♂ (CRBALC0316: LC229), 1 ♀ (CRBALC0301: LC190) and 2 juveniles (CRBALC0315: LC228, CRBALC0318: LC231), 13.IV.2017, hand collecting, leg. L. Crespo. Deserta Grande • Eira, 32.50993°N, 16.50240°W, 2 juveniles (CRBALC0312: LC282), CRBALC0319: LC232), 11.IV.2017, 1 ♀ (FMNH http://id.luomus.fi/HLA.148894), 17.IV.2011, hand collecting, leg. I. Silva; North end, 1 ♂ (
Hogna insularum can be diagnosed from all other Madeiran Hogna by a combination of the following characters: the small to medium size (prosoma length < 10 mm), the aspect of its legs, brown, with black patches (Fig.
Hogna insularum, male pedipalps A male from Porto Santo (CRBALC0310), left pedipalp, ventral B male from Deserta Grande (CRBALC0305), left pedipalp, ventral C male from Bugio (CRBALC0015), left pedipalp, ventral D detail of the median apophysis of male from Deserta Grande (CRBALC0305), anteroventral E SEM image, right male pedipalp, male from Porto Santo (CRBALC0310), ventral F idem, retroventral. Abbreviations, male pedipalp: AT – anterior point, C – cymbium, E – embolus, P – palea, R – ridge, T – tegulum, TA – terminal apophysis, TgA – tegular apophysis, VS – ventral spur. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B, C); 0.2 mm (D).
Hogna insularum, female genitalia A, B female from Bugio (CRBALC0301): A epigynum, ventral B vulva, dorsal C, D female from Deserta Grande (CRBALC0308): C epigynum, ventral D vulva, dorsal E, F female from Madeira (CRBALC0597): E epigynum, ventral F vulva, dorsal G, H female from Porto Santo (CRBALC0300): G epigynum, ventral H vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations, female genitalia: D – diverticulum, H – epigynal hoods, MS – median septum, S – spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.
Male (CRBALC0310): (Fig.
Colour : carapace greyish brown, covered with short black setae, with a median cream longitudinal band, anteriorly broadened, covered with short white setae, with suffused greyish brown patches; two yellow marginal bands, with roughly round grey patches, covered with short white setae; four black striae well visible on each flank. Chelicerae brownish orange, with blackish patches, covered in black and white setae. Gnathocoxae greyish yellow, labium overall blackish, with anterior margin greyish yellow; sternum yellow, with a V-shaped grey patch and suffused patches at lateral borders. Legs pale yellow to orange from femora to tibia, with irregular grey suffused patches, metatarsi and tarsi brown. Pedipalps pale yellow except tarsus, brown. Abdomen with a pair of anterolateral black patches, extending laterally into grey flanks, mottled with yellowish patches covered with white setae; a median dark lanceolate patch is bordered by two yellowish longitudinal bands interconnected in anterior half, posteriorly by means of dark chevrons; venter yellowish, with a median dark grey longitudinal band, bordered by small yellowish and grey patches.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.8 PW, MW = 1.1 LMP, MW = 1.2 AW; Cl = 0.3 DAME. Anterior eye row slightly procurved.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 13.6, TiI: 3.1; Leg IV: 14.9, TiIV: 3.1; TiIL/D: 5.5. Spination of Leg I: FeI: d1.1.0, p0.0.1–2; TiI: p1s.0.1s, r1s.0.1s, v2l.2l.2s; MtI: p0.1.1, r0.0.1, v2l.2l.1s. MtI with sparse scopulae in basal half and dense scopulae on distal half.
Pedipalp
: cymbium with five dark, stout, macrosetae at tip, Fe with two dorsal and an apical row of four spines, Pa with one prolateral spine, Ti with one dorsal and one prolateral spines. Tegular apophysis with ventral spur short, blunt, with a straight ridge leading to a wide apical point (Fig.
Female (CRBALC0308): (Fig.
Colour : overall as in male, but darker in legs, chelicera and prosoma. Sternum with a faint V-shaped grey patch. Abdomen is lighter, with central chevrons and ventral longitudinal dark band faded.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.8 PW, MW = 1.2 LMP, MW = 1.2 AW; Cl = 0.6 DAME. Anterior eye row slightly procurved.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 13.8, TiI: 3.1; Leg IV: 16.0, TiIV: 3.3; TiIL/D: 3.7. Spination of Leg I: FeI: d1.1.0, p0.0.2; TiI: p0.1s.0, v2l.2l.2s; MtI: p0.0.1, r0.0.1, v2l.2l.1s. MtI with sparse scopulae in basal half and dense scopulae on distal half.
Epigyne
: anterior pockets almost touching, short, with lateral borders parallel (Fig.
Carapace length, males: 4.6–6.4, females: 5.1–7.4. Length of cymbium tip of male pedipalp can vary from shorter to longer than the bulbus. In the single available adult female from Madeira, the anterior pockets of the epigyne show slightly divergent lateral borders (posteriorly) (Fig.
This species is known from many locations on all islands of the archipelago except Madeira island, where it is only present at the southeast coastal region (Fig.
Hogna insularum occurs in a wide variety of habitats, from grasslands, Erica shrubland, to secondary forests (in the latter two cases, only in Porto Santo).
Hogna insularum was assessed according to the IUCN Red List criteria, with the status of Least Concern (
Hogna insularum displays remarkable intraspecific variation. In males, both the length of the cymbium tip and the position of the terminal apophysis relative to the embolus are variable (Fig.
Hogna heeri
Holotype : Deserta Grande • 1 ♂, Ponta Sul, 32.49562°N, 16.49562°W, coll. 4.XI.2017, leg. I. Silva, stored at SMF, collection number to be set after publication. Paratypes: Bugio • 1 ♂ (SMF), Planalto Sul, 3.XII.2012, hand collecting, leg. I. Silva. Deserta Grande • Planalto Sul, 1 ♀ (SMF), 12.XI.2017, hand collecting, leg. I. Silva.
Deserta Grande • Planalto Sul, 1 juvenile (CRBALC0610: LC330), 12.XI.2017, hand collecting, leg. I. Silva.
Hogna isambertoi sp. nov. can be distinguished from all other Madeiran Hogna by its genitalia. In males, the embolus is thick and tilted anteriorly at the tip and a tegular apophysis with a very short ventral spur (Fig.
Hogna isambertoi sp. nov. A–C male (SMF): A left male palp, ventral B detail of the median apophysis, anteroventral C SEM image, right male palp, ventral D, E female (SMF): D epigynum, ventral E vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations, male palp: C – cymbium, E – embolus, MA – median apophysis, P – palea, T – tegulum, TA – terminal apophysis. Abbreviations, female genitalia: D – diverticulum, H – epigynal hoods, MS – median septum, S – spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A); 0.2 mm (B–E).
Male holotype: (Figs
Colour : carapace greyish brown, covered with short black setae, with a median yellow longitudinal band, anteriorly broadened, covered with short white setae; two yellow marginal bands, suffused with grey patches, covered with short white setae; four black striae well visible on each flank. Chelicerae yellow, with grey suffused patches, covered in black and white setae. Gnathocoxae and labium overall pale yellow, with posterior margin with suffused grey patch; sternum pale yellow, with V-shaped grey patch. Legs pale yellow, with irregular grey suffused patches, except anterior metatarsi and tarsi, yellowish orange. Pedipalps yellow. Abdomen with a pair of anterolateral black patches, extending laterally into grey to black flanks; a median faint dark lanceolate patch is bordered by two yellowish longitudinal bands interconnected in anterior half, posteriorly by means of dark chevrons; venter yellowish, with large blackish patches near spinnerets and small patches medially.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.8 PW, MW = 1.1 LMP, MW = 1.1 AW; Cl = 0.5 DAME. Anterior eye row slightly procurved.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 11.7, TiI: 2.6; Leg IV: 13.8, TiIV: 2.8; TiIL/D: 6.6. Spination of Leg I: FeI: d1.1.1, p0.0.1; TiI: p1.0.1, v2l.2l.2s; MtI: p0.0.1, r0.0.1, v2l.2l.1s. MtI with sparse scopulae in basal half and dense scopulae on distal half.
Pedipalp
: cymbium with one spine along prolateral rim and five dark, stout, macrosetae at tip, Fe with two dorsal and an apical row of four spines. Tegular apophysis with ventral spur very short, blunt, with a concave ridge leading to a thin apical point (Fig.
Female paratype: (Figs
Colour : overall as in male, but darker in legs, chelicera and prosoma, where additional faint striae are present. Abdomen is lighter, with central chevrons faded, possibly due to pregnancy and correspondent tegument extension.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.8 PW, MW = 1.2 LMP, MW = 1.8 AW; Cl = 0.4 DAME. Anterior eye row slightly procurved.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 9.9, TiI: 1.7; Leg IV: 13.0, TiIV: 2.6; TiIL/D: 3.2. Spination of Leg I: FeI: d1.1.0, p0.0.1–2; TiI: p0.0.0–1, v2l.2l.2s; MtI: p0.0.1, r0.0.1, v2l.2l.1s. MtI with sparse scopulae in basal half and dense scopulae on distal half.
Epigyne
: anterior pockets touching, short, with lateral borders parallel (Fig.
the specific epithet is a patronym in honour of Isamberto Silva, who not only collected the only known specimens of this species, but has provided invaluable support during field work.
Carapace length, males: 4.1–4.3.
Hogna isambertoi sp. nov. occurs in arid, coastal scarps, with reduced vegetation cover.
the species seems to be restricted to a very small area, equivalent to an Extent of Occurrence and Area of Occupancy of 8 km2 in two locations, both threatened by the effects of increasing aridification. The trends are unknown, but it is uncertain if the scarcity of specimens is due to rarity, or the fact that it seems to be a late autumn / early winter species, when collecting effort has been low. If the decline is confirmed the status might be Endangered, if not it might be Near Threatened.
Lycosa tarentuloides maderiana Walckenaer, 1837: 291 (Df).
Lycosa tarentuloides maderiana Blackwall, 1857a: 282 (Dm).
Tarentula maderiana Simon, 1864: 350.
Lycosa maderiana Simon, 1898: 346.
Trochosa maderiana Kulczynski, 1899: 426, pl. 9, fig. 119–120 (mf).
Isohogna maderiana Roewer, 1955: 241.
Isohogna maderiana Roewer, 1960: 569, fig. 319a–c (mf).
Hogna schmitzi Wunderlich, 1992: 462, fig. 721–723 (Dmf). Holotype ♂ examined, Porto Santo, 8–11.VII.1983; leg. K. Groh, stored at SMF, collection number 37639. New synonymy.
Holotype : Not examined, supposed lost.
Ilhéu de Ferro • 1 ♂ and 1 ♀ (SMF37637), 3.VII.1983, leg. K. Groh., 1 ♂ (CRBALC0013), 33.03698°N, 16.40814°W, 6.IV.2011, hand collecting, leg. I. Silva. Porto Santo • Pico Branco, 33.09366°N, 16.30776°W, 1 ♂ (CRBALC0734) and 2 ♀♀ (CRBALC0704, CRBALC0717), 10.IV.2018, hand collecting, leg. L. Crespo & A. Bellvert; Pico do Facho, 1 ♂ (SMF63869), 31.X.1972; (unknown location), 1 ♀ (MNHNP AR16184), 27.III.1959, leg. A. Vandel, 2 ♀♀ and 2 juveniles (FMNH http://id.luomus.fi/KN.23945), 4.X.1959, 1 ♀ (SMF34482), VII.1983, 1 ♀ (SMF36760), 26.X.1985, leg. G. Schmidt, 1 ♀ (SMF37636) and 2 juveniles (SMF37638), leg. K. Groh, 8 ♂♂ and 11 ♀♀ (
Hogna maderiana can be distinguished from all other Madeiran Hogna by a combination of the following characters: the large size (prosoma length > 10 mm), the presence of conspicuous orange setae (Fig.
Hogna maderiana A–D male (CRBALC0734): A left male palp, ventral (white arrow points to a tegular concavity that may be helpful for diagnosis) B detail of the median apophysis, anteroventral C SEM image, right male palp, ventral D idem, retroventral E, F female (CRBALC0717): E epigynum, ventral F vulva, dorsal. Abbreviations, male pedipalp: AT – apical point, C – cymbium, E – embolus, P – palea, R – ridge, T – tegulum, TA – terminal apophysis, TgA – tegular apophysis, VS – ventral spur. Abbreviations, female genitalia: D – diverticulum, H – epigynal hoods, MS – median septum, S – spermatheca. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A, B, E, F); 0.2 mm (C, D).
Male (CRBALC0734): (Fig.
Colour : carapace brown, with short black setae covering flanks, short white setae present posteriorly, anteriorly and laterally, long black setae are present anteriorly or scattered around median band; median yellow longitudinal band present but faint, covered with short white setae and scattered long black setae, anteriorly broadened; marginal bands indistinct, made apparent only by the cover of short white setae, long black setae also present laterally; four darker lateral bands visible, but without striae. Chelicerae black, apically dark brown, covered in black and yellow setae. Gnathocoxae very dark orange-brown, labium blackish; sternum brown, medially lighter, but without any stripe. Legs yellow to orange-brown, without annulations, with anterior tibiae, all metatarsi and tarsi dark brown, and covered dorsally with yellow setae (probably orange in living or fresh specimen). Pedipalpal femur, patella, and tibia as legs, cymbium darker, yellow setae present in all segments except femur. Abdomen with a pair of anterolateral black patches, extending laterally into grey flanks; a median yellow lanceolate patch is bordered by few whitish patches; venter greyish, darker near spinnerets.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.7 PW, MW = 1.2 LMP, MW = 1.2 AW; Cl = 0.5 DAME. Anterior eye row slightly procurved.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 36.7, TiI: 8.85; Leg IV: 37.3, TiIV: 8.1; TiIL/D: 4.4. Spination of Leg I: FeI: d1.1.0, p0.0.2; TiI: p1.0.1, r1.0.0, v2s.2s.2s; MtI: p0.0.1, r0.0.1, v2s.2s.1s. MtI with very dense scopulae.
Pedipalp
: cymbium with one prolateral spine and six dark, stout, macrosetae at tip, Fe with two dorsal and an apical row of four spines, Pa with one prolateral spine, Ti with one dorsoprolateral and one prolateral spines. Tegular apophysis with ventral spur long, blunt, with a straight ridge leading to a wide apical point (Fig.
Female (CRBALC0717): (Fig.
Colour : overall as in male, with the following differences: median yellow longitudinal band in prosoma clear. Cheliceral setae black. Legs with few faint greyish patches in femora. Abdominal pattern overall greyish, darker near spinnerets, with patches unapparent.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.7 PW, MW = 1.1 LMP, MW = 1.2 AW; Cl = 0.4 DAME. Anterior eye row slightly procurved.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 30.3, TiI: 7.2; Leg IV: 33.9, TiIV: 7.4; TiIL/D: 3.5. Spination of Leg I: FeI: d1.1.0, p0.0.2; TiI: 0.1s.0, v2s.2s.2s; MtI: p0.0.1, r0.0.1, v2l.2s.1s. MtI with very dense scopulae.
Epigyne
: anterior pockets touching, short, with lateral borders parallel (Fig.
Carapace length, males: 11.9–14.4, females: 11.0–11.5.
This species is known from the island of Porto Santo and one of its surrounding islets, Ilhéu de Ferro (Fig.
Hogna maderiana can be found in open habitats, such as grasslands, shrubland or sand banks. Very common even in relatively disturbed habitats across Porto Santo.
Hogna maderiana was assessed according to the IUCN Red List criteria as H. schmitzi (
As mentioned above (see remarks on H. blackwalli), the large specimens with striking orange coloration in legs from Porto Santo island and its neighbouring islet Ilhéu de Ferro were known to pioneer arachnologists. The original, somewhat obscure, description by Walckenaer described a 2.5 cm spider (“1 pouce”) with reddish brown legs (“Pattes rouges, lavées de brun en dessus (…)”), from the island of Madeira (“Ile de Madère”). After this, Blackwall was the first to provide a clear description of this taxon, while at the same time stating that it was collected in the island of Porto Santo, not Madeira. Subsequent authors reported additional material from either Porto Santo or Ilhéu de Ferro (
Holotype : Madeira • 1 ♂, coll. 25–30.IV.1957, leg. Roewer, stored at SMF, collection number 10754. Examined.
Madeira • Câmara de Lobos, 32.6525°N, 16.96683°W, 1 ♂ (CRBALC0703: LC326), 27.V.2018, hand collecting, leg. É. Pereira, 1 ♂ (CRBALC0701: LC325, CRBALC0702: LC324), 29.V.2018, hand collecting, leg. I. Silva & É. Pereira, 1 ♂ (CRBALC0608: LC328), 21.VI.2017, hand collecting, leg. I. Silva, 1 ♂ (CRBALC0607: LC327), 11.VIII.2017, hand collecting, leg. I. Silva.
Hogna nonannulata can be distinguished from all other Madeiran Hogna by the aspect of its legs, without annulations or bright yellow or orange setae (Fig.
Hogna nonannulata male (CRBALC0701): A left male pedipalp, ventral B detail of the median apophysis, anteroventral C SEM image, right male pedipalp, ventral. Abbreviations, male pedipalp: AT – apical point, C – cymbium, E – embolus, P – palea, R – ridge, T – tegulum, TA – terminal apophysis, TgA – tegular apophysis, VS – ventral spur. Scale bars: 0.5 mm (A); 0.2 mm (B, C).
Male (CRBALC0701): (Fig.
Colour : carapace greyish brown with transverse yellowish bands, generally covered with short black setae, except anteriorly and laterally, provided with short white setae and long black setae; median yellow longitudinal band present, anteriorly broadened, with suffused greyish brown patches; two yellow marginal bands, suffused with greyish brown patches; ca. seven faint blackish striae on each flank. Chelicerae blackish to dark brown, mostly covered with black and white setae. Gnathocoxae very dark orange-brown, labium blackish; sternum yellowish grey, with a faint, longitudinal yellow stripe extending to less than half of sternum length. Legs yellow to brown, without any clearly coloured patch, just scattered areas suffused with grey, grey setae present in tibia, metatarsus and tarsus. Pedipalpal femur, patella, and tibia yellow, except cymbium, brown. Abdomen with both short and long black setae, additionally with short greyish white setae; with a pair of anterolateral faint blackish patches, extending laterally into grey flanks, interspersed with greyish white patches; a median greyish lanceolate patch is bordered by two yellowish longitudinal bands interconnected in anterior half, posteriorly by means of faint dark chevrons; venter yellowish except around spinnerets, dark grey, with small blackish patches scattered laterally.
Eyes : MOQ: MW = 0.8 PW, MW = 1.2 LMP, MW = 1.3 AW; Cl = 0.7 DAME. Anterior eye row slightly procurved.
Legs : Measurements: Leg I: 40.9, TiI: 10.8; Leg IV: 43.0, TiIV: 9.8; TiIL/D: 8.8. Spination of Leg I: FeI: d1.1.0, p0.0.2; TiI: p1.0.1, v2s.2s.2s; MtI: p1.0.1, r1.0.1, v2s.2s.1s. MtI with very dense scopulae.
Pedipalp : cymbium with two prolateral spines, one basal, the other at rim, apically with four dark macrosetae, Fe with two dorsal and an apical row of four spines, Pa with one prolateral spine, Ti with one dorsal, one dorsoprolateral, and one prolateral spines. Tegular apophysis with ventral spur short, blunt, with a short straight ridge leading to a wide apical point; terminal apophysis separated from subterminal apophysis due to a clearly visible excavation, blade-shaped with sharp end; embolus moderately elongated, with tip directed anteriorly; palea small.
Female: We could not revise any female material.
Carapace length, males: 7.2–11.3. Smaller males have proportionally longer tibial spines than longer males.
Hogna nonannulata can be found in coastal shrub- or grassland and rocky areas.
It was not previously possible to assess H. nonannulata according to the IUCN Red List criteria given the scarcity of past information, hence a status of Data Deficient was suggested (
1 | Species from Porto Santo. | 2 |
– | Species from Madeira or Desertas. | 3 |
2 | Large species (prosoma length > 10 mm), legs furnished with orange setae (Fig. |
H. maderiana |
– | Small to medium species (prosoma length < 10 mm), legs with whitish setae (Fig. |
H. insularum |
3 | Species from Madeira. | 4 |
– | Species from Desertas. | 7 |
4 | Legs with a small, bright yellow patch of setae at joints of anterior metatarsus and pedipalp (Fig. |
H. blackwalli |
– | Species without bright yellow patches of setae in anterior legs. | 5 |
5 | Legs without any reticulated or annulated pattern (Fig. |
H. nonannulata |
– | Legs with reticulated or annulated pattern. | 6 |
6 | Male with straight embolus ( |
H. heeri |
– | Male with embolus smoothly curved (Fig. |
H. insularum |
7 | Very large species (prosoma length > 14 mm). Black legs with white patches (Fig. |
H. ingens |
– | Smaller species (prosoma length < 10 mm). | 8 |
8 | Male pedipalp with embolus smoothly curved (Fig. |
H. insularum |
– | Male pedipalp with embolus straight or with only tilted tip. Female epigyne with median septum almost as wide (at posterior transverse part) as long (Figs |
9 |
9 | Male pedipalp with embolus with tip tilted anteriorly (Fig. |
H. isambertoi sp. nov. |
– | Male pedipalp with straight embolus ( |
H. heeri |
Our analyses support the long-standing view that the genus Hogna is a paraphyletic assemblage in much need of a thorough taxonomic revision that could establish its limits and diagnosis. Unfortunately, only 18 species of Hogna were represented by at least one DNA sequence in public repositories, out of the 228 currently valid species and subspecies, excluding Madeiran ones (
Our time estimates suggest a colonisation of the archipelago by the late Miocene (but note the large confidence intervals recovered). Interestingly, this sub-epoch coincides with an episode of major global cooling that brought about dramatic changes in the ecosystems, which included the expansion of grasslands and the associated fauna (see
Model-based analyses recovered the monophyly of all Madeiran endemics, which would suggest a single colonisation event of the archipelago. This result was disputed by parsimony analysis, which suggested at least two different events by placing the Iberian H. radiata as sister to the ingens clade. None of these alternative arrangements, however, received high support. Conversely, the existence of two well-defined lineages, the ingens and maderiana clades, were supported in all analyses. Interestingly, our analyses also signalled multiple colonisations of another volcanic archipelago, the Galapagos Islands. Up to seven endemics species are known from this Pacific archipelago, which include species adapted to habitats at different altitudes (
Regardless of the actual number of colonisations, Hogna underwent processes of local diversification, as illustrated by the ingens clade. Similarly, to what has been observed in endemic Hogna from the Galapagos (
Within the ingens clade, the only well-supported sister group relationship is between H. blackwalli and H. nonannulata, which can represent an example of ecological shift within the same island, from the ancestral open habitat represented by the coastal species H. nonannulata, to the laurel forest habitats inhabited by H. blackwalli This is a more plausible scenario than its opposite, but more detailed natural history and ecological information will be required to rigorously test the role of habitat shifts in the diversification of Hogna in Madeira, as well as to determine instances of parallel evolution in habitat and functional traits, as has been reported in Hogna in the Galapagos Is. (
The species pair H. insularum and H. maderiana poses a taxonomic and evolutionary conundrum. Our molecular data were unable to establish boundaries between the large specimens of Hogna from the island of Porto Santo showing orange pilosity, identified using traditional diagnoses as H. maderiana, and the smaller specimens, without such pilosity, identified as H. insularum. Re-examination of morphological data suggested the existence of a continuum of phenotypic traits between the two extremes represented by specimens univocally referred to as either H. maderiana or H. insularum. Several specimens of intermediate size in Porto Santo (Figs
With the data at hand, it may seem advisable to merge both names into the same species. However, by doing so we might be concealing some interesting biological processes. For instance, hybridisation among close relatives have been uncovered between closely related Hogna species from the Galapagos islands (
As for other taxa in the archipelago (Crespo et al. 2014,
Hogna ingens, the Desertas wolf spider, is limited to a single valley in the northern tip of Deserta Grande and was recently subjected to a reduction of 80% of its range in a few years (
Hogna nonannulata seems to be restricted to a small range in the south coast of the island of Madeira. With increasing urban pressure, it is possible that the status of Critically Endangered is warranted for the species. More information should be collected however, as contrary to most other regions in the archipelago, the area was never subject to extensive sampling.
Hogna isambertoi sp. nov. is the third species of conservation concern, given its small range and possible threat from aridification of the two locations from where it is known. The scarce available data of its life cycle, with adults emerging during November and December, warrant a monitoring program to confirm a possible status of Endangered.
We strongly recommend the rapid collection of data that can confirm or not the status of H. nonannulata and H. isambertoi, by focusing on monitoring programs of the southern coast of the Island of Madeira and overwintering in the southern tip of Deserta Grande and Bugio. If confirmed, these species would benefit from both habitat recovery programs and ex-situ conservation as is proving successful for H. ingens.
Our study underlines the importance of the integration of different lines of evidence to fully understand the origin and diversification of species endemic to oceanic islands. Madeiran Hogna colonised the archipelago at a time of global expansion of grasslands and subsequently diversified throughout the archipelago into a variety of forms and sizes. Yet, the boundaries of some species are ill-defined and there are cases where both morphological and molecular suggest complex underlying evolutionary processes.
We tackled nomenclatural issues by revising old types and descriptions, describing a new species, and providing the first molecular data for Madeiran Hogna. The newly collected data confirmed the localised distribution and narrow range of some species. Our study sets the stage for the urgent implementation of conservation measures for the protection of these remarkable endemic species.
We thank the IFCN of the Madeira Regional Secretariat of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change for coordinating the logistical arrangements, providing collection and transport permits, and field work support at Desertas, namely to C. Santos, D. Menezes, and the team of rangers, respectively. Additional field work support was provided by A. Bellvert and M. Domènech. The museum curators that loaned or sent photographs of material are hereby acknowledged: J. Beccaloni (MNH), B. Caballero (MZB), R. Crowther (
LC was funded by an individual PhD grant SFRH/BD/110280/2015 from the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT, Portugal). This work was supported by project CGL2016-80651-P from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitivity (MA). Additional funds were provided by the project 2017SGR83 from the Catalan Government (MA).
Table S1. Primers used for amplification
Data type: docx. file
Explanation note: Primers used for amplification.
Tables S2, S3
Data type: Materials
Explanation note: Spreadsheet containing all the studied specimens, their collection data and the checklist of amplified genes, as well as the outgroup taxa accession numbers.
Figure S1
Data type: Phylogenetic (tiff. image)
Explanation note: Full best Maximum Likelihood tree of Lycosoidea, inferred with IQTREE2 after selecting the best partition scheme and evolutionary models. Nodes are split in three sections, representing the different methods. Support on nodes should be read as follows: black: ML ultrafast boostrap and BI posterior probability ≥ 0.95, MP Jackknife ≥ 0.7; grey: ML Ultrafast Bootstrap and BI posterior probability < 0.95, MP Jackknife < 0.7; white: unrecovered node.