Stenaelurillus hirsutus Lessert, 1927

Figs 3, 239–263, 513

Stenaelurillus hirsutus Lessert, 1927: 433, fig. 18 (D♂); ♂ holotype in AMNH and MHNG, examined.

Stenaelurillus cristatus Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2000: 96, figs 261–268 (D♂ ♀); ♂ holotype in

MRAC, examined.

Diagnosis

By the conformation of the copulatory organs (Figs 239–242, 246–251), the males of S. hirsutus are almost identical to those of S. glaber (Figs 156–160), S. pilosus (Figs 406–410), and S. striolatus (Figs 463–467). Males of all these species can easily be distinguished by the clypeal colour pattern: black with three vertical white stripes in S. hirsutus (Figs 245, 253, 255), yellow clypeus with long sparse white hairs in S. glaber (Fig. 161), with a transverse dark brown band in S. pilosus (Fig. 413), and entirely dark brown/black in S. striolatus (Fig. 468). The shape of the distal projection (DP) of the functional tegulum also seems to be diagnostic (cf. Figs 239, 246 with Figs 156, 406, 463). Besides, the eye field of S. hirsutus bears a dense bunch (like a mane) of dark brown and transparent hairs (Figs 243, 252); of the related species only S. pilosus has a similar but much less developed “mane” on the eye field (Fig. 416). The females of S. hirsutus (Figs 262–263) are most similar to and are poorly separable from those of S. pilosus (Figs 411–412); the shape of the primary spermathecae seems to be diagnostic: elongated, sac-shaped in S. hirsutus and round in S. pilosus .

Material examined

Holotype

CONGO: ♂, holotype of Stenaelurillus hirsutus, “ Faradje, 3°43′ N, 29°43′ E, American Museum Congo Expedition, det. R. de Lessert ” (AMNH: carapace without legs on its left side, detached abdomen and detached right palp; MHNG: the left palp broken in two parts).

Other types

TANZANIA: ♂, holotype of Stenaelurillis cristatus, Mkomazi GR, between Ndeya [= Ndea] and Mbula Hills, ca 03°53′ S, 37°53′ E, grassland, 24 Nov. 1994, A. Russell-Smith leg. (MRAC 208.011); 1 ♀, paratype of Stenaelurillis cristatus, same collecting data as for the holotype of Stenaelurillis cristatus (MRAC 208.012).

Other material

UGANDA: 1 ♀, Murchison falls, 2°17′ N, 31°41′ E, 10 Nov. 1963, J.L. Cloudsley-Thompson leg. (MRAC 125.917).

KENYA: 1 ♂, 4 ♀♀, Rift Val. [Great Rift Valley], ca 0°26′33″ N, 36°14′24″ E, Baringo [Lake], C.I., 1100 m a.s.l., shrubs, stones, etc., 27 Jul. 1974, J. Murphy leg. (MMUE G7572.1); 3 ♂♂, same valley, Mtemberr, 1400 m a.s.l., grassy scrub, 19 Aug. 1972, J. Murphy leg. (MMUE G7572.2); 1 ♀, same valley, Kongelai, 1400 m a.s.l., dry scrub, 17 Aug. 1972, J. Murphy leg. (MMUE G7572.3); 2 ♂♂, same valley, Kacheliba, ca 1°17′24.6″ N, 35°04′47.0″ E, 1400 m a.s.l., hot dry area, 1 Aug. 1972, J. Murphy leg. (MMUE G7572.4); 4 ♀♀, same valley, Keringet Dam, 2000 m a.s.l., shrubs, litter, etc., 23 Jul. 1974, J. Murphy leg. (MMUE G7572.5); 1 ♂, 1 ♀, same valley, Keekorok, ca 1°35′15.5″ S, 35°14′10.1″ E, 1500 m a.s.l., hotel ground, 24 Jul. 1972, J. Murphy leg. (MMUE G7572.8); 1 ♂, Lambwe, Homabay Farmers Training Centre, ca 00°40′ S, 34°15′ E, beating maize, 13 Mar. 2003, C. Mibega leg. (NCA 2005/2130).

Remarks

Parts of the male holotype of Stenaelurillus hirsutus are kept in two museums: AMNH and MHNG. The former holds the body (the carapace detached from the abdomen and without legs on its left side) and the

detached right palp, the latter holds the left male palp broken in two parts (the cymbium with the bulbus and the remaining segments of the palp).

Description

Male (holotype of S. cristatus, MRAC 208.011)

Measurements: carapace: 2.50 long, 1.80 wide, 1.40 high. Abdomen: 2.30 long, 1.65 wide. Ocular area: 0.90 long, 1.45 wide anteriorly, 1.40 wide posteriorly. Cheliceral length 0.60. Clypeal height 0.35. Diameter of AME 0.40. Length of leg segments: I 1.00 + 0.65 + 0.80 + 0.50 + 0.50 (3.45); II 1.15 + 0.65 + 0.70 + 0.55 + 0.50 (3.55); III 1.80 + 0.90 + 1.20 + 1.40 + 0.60 (5.90); IV 1.50 + 0.75 + 1.10 + 1.40 + 0.70 (5.45). Leg formula III,IV,II,I. Leg spination: I: Fm d 0-1-1-5; Pt pr 1; Tb pr 1-1, v 1-2-2ap; Mt pr and rt 0-1ap, v 2-2ap. II: Fm d 0-1-2-5; Pt pr 1; Tb pr 1-1, rt 0-1, v 1-1-2ap; Mt pr and rt 1-1ap, v 2-2ap. III: Fm d 1-0-2-5; Pt pr and rt 1; Tb d 1-0-0, pr and rt 1-1-1-1, v 1-0-2ap; Mt d 1-1-0, pr and rt 1-0-2ap, v 0-2-2ap. IV: Fm d 1-0-1-5; Pt pr and rt 1; Tb d 1-0-0, pr and rt 1-1-1-1, v 1-0-2ap; Mt d 1-1-0, pr 1-1-2ap, rt 1-0-2ap, v 0-2-2ap. Coloration (in alcohol; Figs 243–245, 252–257). Carapace dark brown, covered with dark brown recumbent scales, dorsally with two wide white stripes of scales running from PLEs to ¾ of the carapace length; laterally carapace with wide white bands of scales on its thorax and with dense and long brown hairs on its head; eye field densely covered with hairs that are shorter at the first eye row and become higher at PLEs; clypeus striped, with two wide vertical bands of short dark brown hairs below AMEs and three narrow stripes of white iridescent hairs (between AMEs and on cheeks) running up to the eye field. Sternum dark brown. Endites and labium light brown. Chelicerae brown, covered with brown hairs. Abdomen: dorsum dark brown, with two longitudinal narrow lines of white hairs on its anterior half and three white dots (smaller paired ones and a larger caudal one) on its rear.

half; venter yellow, with two small round spots on its caudal part. Book-lung covers yellow. Spinnerets dark brown. Legs brownish yellow. Fm I–II dorsally and ventrally with dense yellow hairs; Fm I basally with a prolatero-ventral dark brown transverse spot. Legs III–IV covered with dark brown hairs. Palps yellow, their Fm covered with yellow transparent iridescent hairs, dorsally dark brown; Pt, Tb and basal part of the cymbium prolaterally-dorsally densely covered with dark brown hairs, their remaining sides covered with white hairs. Palpal structure as in Figs 239–242, 246–251: VTA bulge-shaped; RTA thorn-shaped, directed anteriad; the cymbium without cymbial lateral process; the tegulum is relatively small, with poorly-developed, obtuse tegular process (TP); the functional tegulum elongated, with welldeveloped narrow proximal (PP) and wide distal (DP) projections; the embolus short ribbon-shaped, with a wide, round base.

Female (the allotype of S. cristatus, MRAC 208.012)

Measurements: carapace: 2.60 long, 2.05 wide, 1.60 high. Abdomen: 2.40 long, 2.05 wide. Ocular area: 1.10 long, 1.55 wide anteriorly, 1.50 wide posteriorly. Cheliceral length 0.80. Clypeal height 0.35. Diameter of AME 0.45. Length of leg segments: I 1.30 + 0.70 + 0.85 + 0.60 + 0.50 (3.95); II 1.30 + 0.70 + 0.70 + 0.55 + 0.50 (3.75); III 2.10 + 1.00 + 1.30 + 1.50 + 0.65 (6.55); IV 1.75 + 0.90 + 1.10 + 1.50 + 0.80 (6.06). Leg formula III,IV,I,II. Leg spination: I: Fm d 0-1-1-5; Pt pr 1; Tb pr 1-1, v 1-1-2ap; Mt pr 0-1ap, v 2-2ap. II: Fm d 0-1-2-5; Pt pr 1; Tb pr 1-1, v 1-1-2ap; Mt pr 1-1ap, rt 0-1ap, v 2-2ap. III: Fm d 0-0-2-5; Pt pr and rt 1; Tb d 1-0-0, pr and rt 1-1-1-1, v 1-0-2ap; Mt d 1-1-0, pr and rt 1-0-2ap, v 0-2- 2ap. IV: Fm d 0-1-1-4; Pt pr and rt 1; Tb d 1-0-0, pr and rt 1-1-1-1, v 1-0-2ap; Mt d 1-1-0, pr 1-1-2ap, rt 1-0-2ap, v 0-2-2ap. Coloration (in alcohol; Figs 258–261). Carapace brown, covered with dark brown recumbent scales, dorsally with two longitudinal yellow stripes covered with white recumbent scales and with wide lateral bands of white scale on sides. Sternum yellow. Endites and labium brown-yellow. Chelicerae brown-yellow. Clypeus and cheeks yellow, sparsely covered with brown hairs. Abdomen: dorsum dark brown, with a poorly marked leaf-shaped pattern along the middle line and with three dots: two smaller ones and a larger spot situated on the caudal part of the dorsum; venter yellow, with four rows of small brown dots. Book-lung covers yellow. Spinnerets brown. Legs yellow, covered with dark brown hairs. All Fm apically and Tb and Mt III–IV basally and apically with dark brown semi-rings. Epigyne and spermathecae as in Figs 252, 262: the epigynal plate flat; the copulatory openings beanshaped, widely separated; epigynal pocket present, narrow and deep; the insemination ducts very short, invisible in dorsal view; the primary spermathecae large, resembling C-shaped sacs.

Distribution

Central and west Africa, roughly along the zone between 10° N and 10° S (Fig. 513).