Aptostichus chemehuevi Bond 2012

Specimen preparation and condition. Specimen collected from pitfall, preserved in 70% EtOH. Coloration faded. Pedipalp, leg I left side removed, stored in vial with specimen. General coloration. Carapace, chelicerae, legs strong brown 7.5YR 4/6. Abdomen uniform pale brown 10YR 7/4, light markings dorsally (Fig. 228). Cephalothorax. Carapace 4.75 long, 4.15 wide, glabrous, stout black bristles along fringe; surface smooth, pars cephalica elevated. Fringe, posterior margin with black bristles. Foveal groove deep, moderately recurved. Eyes on low mound. AER slightly procurved, PER slightly recurved. PME, AME subequal diameter. Sternum moderately setose, STRl 2.91, STRw 2.33. Posterior sternal sigilla moderate in size, positioned toward center, not contiguous, anterior sigilla pairs small, oval, marginal. Chelicerae with distinct anterior tooth row comprising 6 teeth, posterior margin with single row of small denticles. Palpal endites with patch of small cuspules on proximal, inner margin, labium with 1 cuspule, LBw 0.80, LBl 0.44. Rastellum consists of 5 very stout spines arranged along anterior cheliceral margin, not on mound. Abdomen. Setose, heavy black setae intermingled with fine black setae. Legs. Leg I: 4.80, 3.40, 3.20, 1.98, 1.65; leg IV: 4.78, 2.17. Light tarsal scopulae on tarsus, metatarsus legs I, tarsus leg II. Tarsus I with single, slightly staggered row of 13 trichobothria. Leg I spination pattern illustrated in Figures 230, 231; TSp 6, TSr 4, TSrd 7. Pedipalp. Articles stout, lacking distinct spines (Fig. 229). PTw 1.02, PTl 2.17, Bl 1.04. Embolus slender, tapering sharply toward tip, without serrations (Fig. 229). Variation (10). Cl 4.06-5.63, 4.77±0.13; Cw 3.38-4.75, 4.04±0.11; STRl 2.46-2.91, 2.69±0.05; STRw 1.77-2.49, 2.13±0.06; LBw 0.68-0.83, 0.75±0.02; LBl 0.44-0.56, 0.47±0.01; leg I: 4.19-5.44, 4.74±0.12; 2.81-3.81, 3.30±0.1; 2.79-3.50, 3.14±0.07; 1.65-2.10, 1.86±0.05; 1.53-1.86, 1.66±0.03; leg IV: 4.00-4.88, 4.53±0.09; 1.88-2.25, 2.12±0.04; PTl 1.89-2.37, 2.07±0.05; PTw 0.87-1.08, 0.96±0.02; Bl 0.98-1.20, 1.07±0.02; TSp 5-8, 6.20±0.29; TSr 4-8, 5.20±0.49; TSrd 6-9, 7.70±0.4.

Aptostichus chemehuevi is known from only three Mojave Desert localities in San Bernardino County (Map 25); despite extensive collecting efforts at the type locality females have never been collected thus little is known of this species natural history. Males appear to disperse during the winter months, November-February. This species is considered to be syntopic with Aptostichus elisabethae.