Hortipes robertus, BOSSELAERS & JOCQUÉ, 2000

BOSSELAERS, JAN & JOCQUÉ, RUDY, 2000, Hortipes, A Huge Genus Of Tiny Afrotropical Spiders (Araneae, Liocranidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2000 (256), pp. 4-4 : 4-

Hortipes robertus , new species Figures 28d–f , 29c ; Map 5

TYPES: Male holotype in pitfall trap in rain forest, 900 m, Mt. Koupe´ , Cameroon (8 February 1983; R. Bosmans) ( MRAC 207.359 ). Paratypes: 16, 1♀ in forest, 800–1200 m, Mt. Koupé above Nyassosso, Cameroon N04°50', E09°41' (16–19 February 1992; Griswold, Scharff, Wanzie, Larcher and Masongo) ( CAS) ; 1♀ in rough grassland with low shrubs, 1200 m, Mt. Cameroon, Cameroon (March, 1981; R. Bosmans) ( MRAC) ; 26 in pitfall trap in rain forest, 1300 m, Mt. Koupe´ , Cameroon (31 January 1983; R. Bosmans) ( MRAC; 16 in AMNH) .

ETYMOLOGY: The species’ epithet robertus is a noun in apposition. The name is given in honor of Dr. Rop Bosmans, who collected the holotype. In addition to that, the species’ name is a reminiscence to the theridiid genus Robertus, which also consists of small, litterdwelling species.

DIAGNOSIS: Males of H. robertus are easily recognized by a row of denticles on the embolus. Females can be recognized by the very large, heavily sclerotized and thickwalled first stretch of ID and by the circular ID loops covering the posterior ventral side ofST1

MALE: Measurements. Total length 2.75; carapace 1.19 long, 0.97 wide; length of fe: I 1.00, II 1.08, III 0.81, IV 1.13. Leg spination. Fe: I rv 2; IV plt 1 rlt 1; ti: I, II vsp 6; mt: III plt 1 vt 1 rlt 1; IV plt 1 vt 2 rlt 1. Coloration. Carapace and legs yellow brown, chelicerae and sternum pale yellowish brown. Abdomen yellowish white, no pattern. Palp. No femoral apophysis. Tibia with short, broad RTA, prolaterally concave and with sharp, outward­curved tip; cymbium with large retrolateral bend with regular series of long setae; tegulum with retrolateral swelling at base of embolus; sperm duct with wide basal part and thin distal part with sharp, deep turn; MA with long, thick proximal part and knob­shaped base, distal part fairly short, relatively thick with tiny denticle on inner margin, tip slightly widened, strongly curved in anticlockwise direc­ ticles on inner side of prolateral part (fig. 28d, e).

FEMALE: Measurements. Total length 3.83; carapace 1.59 long, 1.24 wide; length of fe: I 1.38, II 1.43, III 1.16, IV 1.65. Leg spination. Fe: I rv 3–4; IV plt 1 rlt 1; ti: I, II vsp 6; mt: III plt 1 vt 1 rlt 1; IV plt 1 vt 2 rlt 1. Coloration. Carapace dull brown, with radiating striae. Chelicerae, sternum, and legs yellow brown. Abdomen yellow ochre, no pattern, sparsely covered with light grey feathery hairs. Genitalia. Epigyne a short, straight slit, opening toward anterior side. Heavily sclerotized entrances of IDs clearly visible through tegument (fig. 28f). Vulva: first stretch of ID very large, heavily sclerotized and thick walled, associated with gland and followed by triangular loop and diagonal, inward­running stretch, looped before entering ST1 (fig. 29c). Spermathecae 1 with internal spikes.

OTHER MATERIAL EXAMINED: Cameroon: 1♀, Mabete, Victoria Division (24 May–7 June 1949; B. Malkin) (CAS); 16, Mt. Koupe´, no further data (1983; R. Bosmans) (MRAC); 16; hand captured in mountain rain forest alongside track to super high frequencies (SHF) radio mast, elev. 1600 m, Mt. Cameroon (March 1981; R. Bosmans) (MRAC); 16 hand captured in mountain rain forest alongside track to SHF radio mast, elev. 1500 m, Mt. Cameroon (March 1981; R. Bosmans) (MRAC); 16 hand captured in mountain rain forest with tree ferns, alongside track to SHF radio mast, NE slope, elev. 1400 m, Mt. Cameroon (March 1981; R. Bosmans) (MRAC); 1♀ hand captured under dead vegetation on the slope of a stream valley, elev. 1200 m, Mt. Cameroon (March 1981; R. Bosmans) (MRAC); 1♀ hand captured in Eucalyptus plantation with Juniperus sp. , elev. 1200 m, close to Buea, Mt. Cameroon (March 1981; R. Bosmans) (MRAC).

DISTRIBUTION: From Victoria, S of Mt. Cameroon, to Mt. Koupe´, Cameroon, 0– 1600 m.

Figures

Map 5. Distribution of Hortipes species in Cameroon. Hortipes abucoletus *, H. alderweireldti, H. anansiodatus •, H. architelones Δ, H. bosmansi v, H. calliblepharus ^, H. chrysothemis n, H. depravator, H. fortipes., H. hormigricola V, H. puylaerti D, H. robertus h, and H. sceptrum O.

Fig. 28. a, b. Hortipes baerti, new species, male left palp, ventral and retrolateral views. c. Hortipes abucoletus, new species, epigyne. d–f. Hortipes robertus, new species. d, e. Male left palp, ventral and retrolateral views. f. Epigyne. Scale line: 0.25 mm.

Fig. 29. a, b. Hortipes centralis, new species. a. Vulva, ventral view. b. Vulva, schematic representation. c. Hortipes robertus, new species, vulva, ventral view. Arrow indicates gland associated with widened portion of ID. d. Hortipes abucoletus, new species, vulva, ventral view. Arrow indicates gland associated with widened portion of ID. e–g. Hortipes tarachodes, new species. e, f. Vulva, left half, ventral and dorsal views. g. Vulva, left half, schematic representation. Scale line: 0.1 mm.