Pseudomicrommata vittigera ( Simon, 1897 ), 2015

Moradmand, Majid, 2015, Revision of the grass huntsman spider genus Pseudomicrommata Järvi, 1914 (Araneae: Sparassidae) in the Afrotropical Region, African Invertebrates 56 (2), pp. 425-425 : 433-436

Pseudomicrommata vittigera ( Simon, 1897) , stat. rev.

Figs 15–22

Micrommata vittigerum Simon, 1897 b: 65 , fig. 54 (two ♀ syntypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Transvaal , MNHN 17.031 – examined); Simon 1897 a: 490.

Micrommata ovambica Lawrence, 1927: 43 , fig. 30 (♀ holotype: NAMIBIA: Ovamboland, N of Ondungua , Mafa, 1923, leg. R.F. Lawrence, SAMC B6752 – examined) (synonymy by Lawrence 1942).

Pseudomicrommata vittigera ( Simon, 1897) : Levy 1989: 163 (emendation, unjustified synonymy with P. longipes ); Lawrence 1942: 168 (in part).

Pseudomicrommata longipes ( Bösenberg & Lenz, 1895) : JÄger & Kunz 2005: 168, figs 262–267 (♀ misidentified).

Diagnosis: Males with clearly distinguishable EA having two spoon-shaped projections ( Figs 15–17 ). Female vulva with sTL not extending laterally beyond fTL in dorsal view ( Fig. 21 ) otherwise similar to P. longipes .

Description: Male (ranges: n =2, single measurements: NCA 98/357).

Measurements: Small sized; total length 8.8, prosoma length 4.5, prosoma width 3.8, anterior width of prosoma 2.2, opisthosoma length 4.3, opisthosoma width 2.4. Eye diameters:AME 0.25, ALE 0.38, PME 0.31, PLE 0.35; eye interdistances:AME–AME 0.13, AME–ALE 0.04, PME–PME 0.32, PME–PLE 0.24, AME–PME 0.51, ALE–PLE 0.21, clypeus height at AME 0.28, clypeus height at ALE 0.32.

Chelicerae: With 2 anterior and 3 posterior teeth (two large and one smaller) ( Fig. 19 ). Legs: Leg formula: IV II III=I. Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 4.8 [1.5, 0.8, 0.7, 1.8], I 16.0 [4.6, 2.1, 3.8, 4.1, 1.4], II 17.9 [5.2, 2.2, 4.5, 4.6, 1.4], III 16.0 [4.8, 1.7, 4.0, 4.1, 1.4], IV 18.6 [5.5, 1.7, 4.7, 5.3, 1.4].

Spination: Palp 131, 101, 2121; Legs: Femur I–III 223/323, IV 323; Patella I–IV 101; Tibia I–IV 2126 /2226; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.

Palp: As in diagnosis, with cymbium two times longer than tibia; the transition part of tegulum to embolus with a clear process, an additional retrolateral hump-like process present on tegulum ( Fig. 15 ); vRTA much shorter than dRTA, both pointed distally ( Figs 15, 16 ).

Female (ranges: n=6, single measurements: syntype).

Measurements: Medium sized; total length 11.3–13.5, prosoma length 4.7–5.5, prosoma width 4.1–4.6, anterior width of prosoma 2.5–3.6, opisthosoma length 6.6–8.0, opisthosoma width 3.5–4.0. Eye diameters:AME 0.28,ALE 0.40, PME 0.33, PLE 0.34; eye interdistances: AME–AME 0.15, AME–ALE 0.05, PME–PME 0.41, PME–PLE 0.32, AME–PME 0.47, ALE–PLE 0.34, clypeus AME 0.31, clypeus ALE 0.36.

Chelicerae: As in males.

Legs: Leg formula: IV II III I. Measurements of palp and legs. Palp 6.1 [1.8, 0.9, 1.2, 2.2], I 16.1 [4.8, 2.3, 3.9, 3.8, 1.3], II 17.9 [5.7, 2.4, 4.1, 4.3, 1.4], III 16.3 [5.2, 2.3, 3.7, 3.8, 1.3], IV 18.8 [5.8, 2.3, 4.1, 5.2, 1.4].

Spination: Palp 131, 001/101, 2120/2120, 1013; Legs: Femur I–III 223/323, IV 321/322; Patella I–IV 000/101; Tibia I–IV 1016 /2026; Metatarsus I–III 0004/2024, IV 0006/3036. Epigyne/vulva: As in diagnosis, with sTL much smaller than fTL; GPO only present on fTL ( Figs 20–22 ) (for more details see the genus redescription).

Other material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Prov.: Letsitele Kraal, Nelspruit, 27.ii.1976, leg. A.S. Dippenaar, with egg sacs on grasses, 2♀ ( NCA 76 /125); Rietbokpan , Pafuri (near Kruger National Park ) [22.93°S 31.02°E], 13.i.1996, leg. A. Leroy, 1♂ ( NCA 98 /357); same data as previous, on plant, 1♂ ( NCA 2001 /100) . Mpumalanga Prov.: 2 D Ranch, Loskop Dam Nature Reserve , 27.ii.1994, leg. A. Leroy, 1♀ ( NCA 2001 /101) .

Remarks: P. vittigera stat. rev. was previously known only from females and the male is described here for the first time. The male characters confirm that P. vittigera stat. rev. must be considered a valid species and be withdrawn from the junior synonymy of P. longipes . Diagnosing species status solely on females is not an easy task, which is the reason why previous taxonomists decided to synonymise this species with the more widespread P. longipes . This conclusion might also be applied to P. ovambica ( Lawrence, 1927) from Namibia. However, until its potential male is discovered and described, this species should remain a junior synonym of P. vittigera .

Known geographical distribution: South Africa and Namibia, although latter records are unlikely to be conspecific ( Fig. 40 ).

Figures

Figs 15–19. Pseudomicrommata vittigera (Simon, 1897), male, Pafuri, South Africa (NCA): (15–17) left palp: (15) ventral view, (16) retrolateral view and (17) tip of embolus, embolic apophysis and conductor, ventral view; (18) eye arrangement; (19) left chelicera, ventral view.

Figs20–22.Pseudomicrommata vittigera (Simon,1897),female syntype,Transvaal,SouthAfrica (MNHN): (20) epigyne, ventral view; (21) vulva, dorsal view; (22) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral view.

Fig. 40. Currently known distribution of Pseudomicrommata species.