Fuchiba venteri, Haddad & Lyle, 2008

Haddad, Charles R. & Lyle, Robin, 2008, Three new genera of tracheline sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Corinnidae), African Invertebrates 49 (2), pp. 37-37 : 54-57

Fuchiba venteri sp. n.

Figs 3 , 13, 14 , 45–49

Etymology: This species is named for our friend Jonathan Venter, in or near whose residence the entire type series was collected.

Diagnosis: Males can be recognised by the narrowly coiled embolus with its tip near the cymbial tip, and females by the broad copulatory openings in the epigyne.

Description:

Male.

Measurements: CL 1.57–2.10, CW 1.33–1.90, AL 1.53–2.17, AW 1.30–1.63, TL 2.80– 4.18, FL 0.09–0.15, SL 0.80–1.10, SW 0.75–0.98, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.06, ALE–ALE 0.44, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.19, PLE–PLE 0.78. Length of leg segments: I 1.52+0.77+1.28+0.78+0.52=4.87; II 1.32+0.67+1.01+0.78+0.51=4.29; III 0.92+0.50+0.63+0.73+0.33=3.11; IV 1.30+0.61+1.07+1.23+0.42=4.63.

Carapace, including eye region, appearing black in live specimens ( Fig. 3 ), in ethanol dark orange-brown, dark grey-brown laterally ( Fig. 13 ); carapace gradually rounded with highest point at 1/3 its length, sloping gradually to 2/3 its length, last quarter with steep decline; surface finely granular, covered in dense, short fine setae; fovea short, distinct, slightly thickened, at 2/3 carapace length. Eyes surrounded by black rings; AER procurved, lateral eyes slightly larger than medians; clypeus height slightly larger than AME diameter; AME separated by approx. 0.75× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.5× AME diameter; PER strongly recurved, median eyes larger than laterals; PME separated by distance equal to their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 1.33× PME diameter. Chelicerae dark brown; anterior surface with scattered short and long fine setae; promargin with three closely spaced teeth, median tooth largest, proximal and distal teeth subequal; retromargin with three closely spaced teeth, proximal and median teeth subequal, distal tooth smallest; endites with anterolateral spur. Sternum dark brown with dark grey markings radiating from centre; surface smooth, with scattered short fine setae. Abdomen: pale grey with distinct dark grey dorsal chevron marking, branches extending laterally ( Fig. 13 ); dark grey laterally and ventrally, venter with pale grey mottling; shield-shaped, tapering posteriorly, broadest at half its length, longer than wide; dorsal scutum covering entire dorsum, yellow-brown; surface covered in short fine setae; three pairs of dorsal sigilla present, first pair elongate, at 1/3 abdomen length, remaining pairs smaller, near midpoint; venter with small oval sclerites running in two paired lines from epigastric fold to spinnerets. Legs appearing black in live specimens ( Fig. 3 ); legs I and II darker yellow-brown than legs III and IV in ethanol; all tibiae and metatarsi darker than other segments; moderately dense scopulae on metatarsi and tarsi, remaining leg segments covered in fine, less dense setae; leg spines and cusps absent. Palp with small, triangular RTA with bent tip; embolus distal on tegulum, forming broad coil with tip directed towards cymbial tip ( Figs 45, 46 ).

Female.

Measurements: CL 1.44–1.57, CW 1.25–1.36, AL 1.63–1.87, AW 1.18–1.37, TL 3.20– 3.60, FL 0.08–0.10, SL 0.87–0.90, SW 0.77–0.80, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.05, ALE–ALE 0.31, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.13, PLE–PLE 0.54. Length of leg segments: I 1.10+0.58+0.87+0.66+0.50=3.71; II 1.05+0.53+0.93+0.62+0.45=3.58; III 0.80+0.45+0.53+0.63+0.30=2.71; IV 1.20+0.53+0.95+1.07+0.37=4.12.

Carapace, including eye region, yellow-brown ( Fig. 14 ), with grey striae radiating from fovea, fusing laterally; carapace gradually rounded with highest point at 2/3 its length, last quarter with steep decline; surface granular, covered in dense, short fine setae; fovea short, distinct, slightly thickened, at 2/3 carapace length. Eyes surrounded by black rings; AER procurved, eyes subequal; clypeus height equal to AME diameter; AME separated by approx. 0.66× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by approx. 0.5× AME diameter; PER strongly recurved, median eyes larger than laterals; PME separated by distance slightly less than their diameter; PME separated from PLE by approx. 1.33× PME diameter. Chelicerae yellow-brown with faint grey mottling; anterior surface with scattered short and long fine setae; promargin with three widely spaced teeth, median and distal teeth subequal, proximal tooth smaller; retromargin with three teeth sharing single base, distal tooth slightly smaller than proximal and median teeth. Sternum pale yellow-brown with grey mottling and darker grey striae radiating from centre; grey along border; surface smooth, covered in short fine setae.Abdomen: yellowgrey dorsally with dark grey chevron markings ( Fig. 14 ); dark grey laterally and ventrally with yellow-grey mottling; oval, tapering posteriorly, broadest at half its length, longer than wide; dorsal scutum absent; surface covered in short fine setae; dorsum with three pairs of sigilla present, first at 1/3 abdomen length, posterior pairs smaller and less distinct, close together at midpoint; venter with small oval sclerites, running in two paired lines from epigastric fold to spinnerets. Legs I to IV with similar colouration; femora and patellae pale yellow-grey, darker distally; tibiae and metatarsi darker grey; moderately dense scopulae on metatarsi and tarsi, remaining leg segments covered in fine, less dense setae; leg spines and cusps absent. Epigyne with copulatory openings situated laterally in circular ridges ( Fig. 47 ); entrance ducts directed anteriorly before entering ST I and ST II; ST II initially with small oval lateral receptacle, then looping medially then anteriorly before entering oval anteromedian receptacles; ST I laterally located, small and globose, linked to fertilisation ducts by short duct ( Fig. 48 ).

Holotype: ♂ SOUTH AFRICA: “R.S.A., Western Cape Prov. / Jakobsbaai / 32°57.734'S, 17°53.520'E / 2.x.2007, C. Haddad & R. Lyle / Night collecting //” ( NCA, 2008/221).

Paratypes: 7 ♂ 3♀same locality as holotype, 2.x.2007, C. Haddad & R. Lyle, leaf litter, coastal fynbos ( NCA, 2008/223) .

Biology:This species was found at the base of dense fynbos shrubs, where it was common together with a new Thysanina species. The holotype male was collected at night inside a house.

Figures

Figs 1–4. General habitus of Fuchiba gen. n. and Poachelas gen. n. from southern Africa: (1) F. aquilonia sp. n., female, Marracuene, Mozambique; (2) F. capensis sp. n., male, De Hoop Nat. Res., South Africa; (3) F. venteri sp. n., male, Jakobsbaai, South Africa; (4) P. striatus sp. n., male, Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Figs 5–14. General habitus of Fuchiba gen. n. species: (5, 6) F. aquilonia sp. n., male, Ndumo Game Reserve, and female, Marracuene; (7, 8) F. capensis sp. n., De Hoop Nat. Res., male and female; (9, 10) F. montana sp. n., male, Mohale Lodge, and female, Mohale Dam; (11) F. similis sp. n., female, Ngome State Forest; (12) F. tortilis sp. n., female, Fisherhaven; (13, 14) F. venteri sp. n., Jakobsbaai, male and female. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Figs 45–48. Fuchiba venteri sp. n.: (45, 46) male palp, ventral and retrolateral views; (47, 48) female epigyne, ventral and dorsal views. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 49. Distribution of Fuchiba similis sp. n., F. tortilis sp. n. and F. venteri sp. n.