Japanese spiders of the genus Pseudopoda (Araneae: Sparassidae)

Abstract

Three new species of Pseudopoda, P. tatsumii n. sp. (♂♀), P. kenmun n. sp. (♂♀), and P. tokunoshimana n. sp. (♂♀), are described from Amami-oshima Is. and Tokunoshima Is., Japan, and a synopsis of Japanese species of the genus is provided. Four of the Japanese species cannot be distinguished based solely on general appearance, although can be separated by male palpal morphology, particularly the embolus. The epigynes are somewhat variable and insufficiently distinct to enable reliable species discrimination. The three species on Amami-oshima Island are parapatric, with unexpectedly narrow distribution ranges.