Aptostichus fisheri Bond 2012

Specimen preparation and condition. Specimen collected from pitfall trap, preserved in 80% EtOH. Coloration lightly faded. Pedipalp, leg I left side removed, stored in vial with specimen; leg II right side missing from specimen. General coloration. Carapace, chelicerae, legs dark reddish brown 5YR 3/4. Abdomen uniform light brown 7.5YR 6/3, light dorsal chevron markings (Fig. 316). Cephalothorax. Carapace 3.76 long, 3.08 wide, glabrous, stout black bristles along fringe; surface smooth, pars cephalica elevated. Fringe, posterior margin with black bristles. Foveal groove deep, strongly recurved. Eyes on low mound. AER slightly procurved, PER slightly recurved. PME, AME subequal diameter. Sternum moderately setose, STRl 2.04, STRw 1.88. Posterior sternal sigilla small, positioned away from margin but not in center, not contiguous, anterior sigilla pairs small, oval, marginal. Chelicerae with distinct anterior tooth row comprising 4 teeth, posterior margin with single row of small denticles. Palpal endites, labium, lacks cuspules, LBw 0.60, LBl 0.29. Rastellum consists of 12 stout spines not on prominent mound. Abdomen. Setose, heavy black setae intermingled with fine black setae. Legs. Leg I: 3.92, 3.44, 2.55, 1.71, 1.25; leg IV: 3.68, 2.17. Very light tarsal scopulae on legs I, II. Tarsus I with single, slightly staggered row of 9 trichobothria. Leg I spination pattern illustrated in Figures 317, 318, 320-322; TSp 13, TSr 10, TSrd 0; distinct short spines on ventral surface tarsus I. Pedipalp. Palpal tibia short, width more than half-length, with distinct patch of medial/distal retrolateral spines (Fig. 319). Palpal bulb short; embolus stout, dorsal-ventrally flattened with slight curvature at its midpoint, serrated distally (Fig. 322). PTw 0.77, PTl 1.30, Bl 0.65. Variation (3). Cl 3.72-4.12, 3.87±0.13; Cw 3.01-3.48, 3.19±0.15; STRl 2.00-2.18, 2.07±0.05; STRw 1.84-1.98, 1.90±0.04; LBw 0.56-0.68, 0.61±0.04; LBl 0.29-0.37, 0.32±0.03; leg I: 3.92-4.35, 4.06±0.14; 3.29-3.60, 3.44±0.09; 2.35-2.63, 2.51±0.08; 1.64-1.75, 1.70±0.03; 1.20-1.25, 1.23±0.02; leg IV: 3.56-4.08, 3.77±0.16; 2.17-2.36, 2.23±0.06; PTl 1.30-1.36, 1.32±0.02; PTw 0.71-0.77, 0.75±0.02; Bl 0.58-0.68, 0.64±0.03; TSp 13-21, 16.00±2.52; TSr 10-11, 10.33±0.33; TSrd 0-0, 0±0.

Aptostichus fisheri is narrowly restricted to high altitude Mojave Desert habitat in Kern County. Males appear to disperse during the fall months of September and October.