Phintella bella sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: FAC45A26-26BF-4D7F-9B43-D70109E13A9B

Figs 56–57

Diagnosis

The species may be distinguished by a characteristic striped and silvery shinning abdomen (Fig. 56A, D). The palpal organ is thin with a thick embolus that is broader than in most other species in the genus. The presence of accessory glands connected to the copulatory ducts is characteristic of the female genitalia. Similar glands can only be found in Phintella lunda Wesołowska, 2010 and Phintella incerta Wesołowska & Russel-Smith, 2000, but these two species have longer copulatory ducts than Phintella bella sp. nov.

Etymology

The name of this species is Latin word, meaning ‘beautiful’, and refers to the silvery shining abdomen characteristic for both sexes.

Material examined

Holotype

UGANDA • ♂; Entebbe, Botanical Gardens; 0°03′ N, 32°27′ E; Jul. 1994; D. Penney leg.; NHM.

Paratypes

UGANDA • 8 ♀♀; Entebbe; Apr. 1999; FSCA • 2 ♀♀; same locality as for preceding; Jan. 1996; FSCA • 1 ♀; same locality as for preceding; Jun. 1996; FSCA • 4 ♀♀; same locality as for preceding; Apr.–Jul. 2001; FSCA • 1 ♀; Entebbe, Botanical Gardens; 2 Apr. 1995; NHM • 1 ♂; Masindi distr., Budongo Forest; 1°45′ N, 31°25′ E; dry season; 5–15 Jan. 1997; T. Wagner leg.; ZFMK 2997 • 1 ♂; same locality as for preceding; 15–25 Jan. 1997; ZFMK 3000 • 1 ♂; same collection data as for preceding; ZFMK 2881 .

Description

Male

General appearance as in Fig. 56A.

MEASUREMENTS. Cephalothorax length 3.2, width 2.8, height 1.3. Eye field length 1.5, anterior and posterior width 2.0. Abdomen length 4.3, width 2.4.

CARAPACE. Oval, dark brown, almost black marginally, eye field black, eyes encircled by fawn scales, numerous short white hairs on thoracic part. Mouthparts brown. Chelicerae long, unidentati (Fig. 57A). Sternum yellow.

ABDOMEN. Ovoid, dark brown with three longitudinal wide white streaks, mid streak at posterior twothirds of abdomen. Clothed in hairs matching dark background colour, among them some long bristles. Dorsal surface of abdomen with strong silvery sheen. Venter dark, greyish brown. Spinnerets grey.

LEGS. First pair biggest, dark brown, only basis of tibiae and distal segments lighter. Leg II light brown, III and IV dark yellow. Leg hairs and spines brown.

PALP. Light brown, its tibia and base of cymbium covered with white hairs. Palpal tibia long, with single short apophysis, embolus wide at base (Figs 56B–C, 57B–C).

Female

General appearance as in Fig. 56D. Similar to male, slightly lighter coloured.

MEASUREMENTS. Cephalothorax length 2.7, width 2.1, height 0.9. Eye field length 1.3, anterior and posterior width 1.6. Abdomen length 3.5, width 2.6.

CARAPACE. Light brown, eyes with black rings.

ABDOMEN. Pattern as in male, but all three light bands on full length of abdomen. Venter grey, similar as dorsum, shiny.

LEGS. Yellowish brown, palps yellow.

EPIGYNE. With shallow depression (Figs 56E, 57D). Copulatory ducts short, with accessory glands, spermathecae globular (Fig. 57E).

Remarks

The male and female are matched together based on their body shape and colouration. Both sexes have the same very shiny stripped pattern on their abdomen.