Parabomis elsae, Dippenaar-Schoeman & Foord, 2020

Dippenaar-Schoeman, Anna S. & Foord, Stefan H., 2020, Revision of the Afrotropical crab-spider genus Parabomis Kulczyński, 1901 (Araneae: Thomisidae), Zootaxa 4899 (1), pp. 161-174 : 164

Parabomis elsae sp. nov.

Figures 4–7

Etymology. Named after Elsa van Niekerk (Pretoria South Africa), the graphic artist at Agricultural Research Council (ARC)—Plant Health and Protection, in recognition of her support for spider research at the ARC.

Diagnosis. Males and females of this species are recognized by their mottled bodies and copulatory organs ( Figs 4, 5 ). Parabomis elsae sp. nov. females resemble those of P. megae sp. nov. in the shape of the epigyne, but the colour differs by being strongly mottled in P. elsae sp. nov. In males of both species the RTA apex is directed dorsad, but in P. elsae sp. nov. the RTA apex is claw-like ( Fig. 6 ).

Description. Holotype male. Measurements: TL 1.8; CL 0.85; CW 0.95. Legs: I 1.42 (0.51, 0.12, 0.30, 0.27, 0.22) II; 1.42 (0.63, 0.21, 0.28, 0.20, 0.10); III 1.08 (0.34, 0.12, 0.32, 0.20, 0.10); IV 1.32 (0.47, 0.15, 0.32, 0.19, 0.19). Carapace fawn, with 3 faint yellowish bands, one medially other 2 radiating from PLE to posterior edge ( Fig. 4 ); darker patches laterally; integument granulose, with scattered small tubercles, with scattered short, thick, flat-lying setae, more numerous laterally; carapace slightly wider than long. Chelicerae brown; mouthparts paler brown. Sternum pale brown; integument granulose. Legs brown, same as in carapace; femora and tibiae slightly darker; articulation area of joints with strong white rim. Abdomen dorsum shield-like; with dark brown patches, with paler transverse patches in between, sides grey, speckled with white. Male palp with RTA tip claw-like curving upwards; VTA small fused with RTA ( Fig. 6 ).

Female. Measurements: TL 3.36; CL 1.36; CW 1.36. Legs: I 1.93 (0.68, 0.29, 0.43, 0.25, 0.28); II 1.84 (0.60, 0.27, 0.44, 0.25, 0.28); III 1.23 (0.42, 0.24, 0.26, 0.12, 0.19); IV 1.74 (0.56, 0.46, 0.29, 0.31, 0.12). Resembles male. Carapace fawn, with strong mottled appearance; 3 faint yellowish bands, one medially other two radiating; darker patches laterally; clypeus and eye area with three infused medial bands; clypeus paler ( Fig. 5 ); carapace as wide as long; integument granulose, with scattered small tubercles. Chelicerae pale yellow, mouthparts yellowish brown. Sternum yellowish brown; integument granulose. Legs brown, strongly mottled with white, base of setae brown giving legs spotted appearance; articulation area of joints with strong white rim. Abdomen dorsum creamish white, base of abdominal setae dark, giving abdomen strong spotted appearance, especially anteriorly. Epigyne atrium wider than long, egg-shaped, with lateral edges slightly thickened ( Fig. 7 ); intromittent orifices uncovered and situated in anterior part; spermatheca with two lobes ( Fig. 8 ).

Type material. Holotype ³: SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng Province: Roodeplaat Dam Nature Reserve (West), 17 km NE of Pretoria, 28º22’S, 25º37’E, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 5.XI.1981 (beating Vachelia trees) ( NCA 82 /492).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng Province, Roodeplaat Dam Nature Reserve (West), 17 km NE of Pretoria, 28º22’S, 25º37’E, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Dippenaar, 27.XI.1979 (beating flowering Acacia trees, spider collected from yellow flowers), 1♀ ( NCA 80/277); Same locality, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 17.XII.1981 (sweeping grass), 1³ ( NCA 81/1091); Same locality, leg. National Collection of Arachnida staff, 22.IX.1988 (beating Acacia trees), 1³, 2 imm. ( NCA 92/607).

Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng Province: Enkeldoorn, 25°24’S, 28°40’E, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 6.VIII.1974 (sweeping grass), 4imm. ( NCA 76 /298); Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve , 28º22’S, 25º37’E, leg. M. Stiller, 29.IX.1980 (sweeping grass), 1imm. ( NCA 1992 /608); Same locality, leg. M. Stiller, 13.VIII.1980 (sweeping grass), 1imm. ( NCA 1981 /862); Same locality, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 27.XI.1980 (sweeping grass), 2imm. ( NCA 1999 /34) . KwaZulu-Natal Province: iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Hell’s Gate, 28º01.2’S, 32º21.6’E, leg. J. Esterhuizen, 1.XI.2004 (blue trap), 1³ ( NCA 2020 /547); Same locality data, 3.VIII.2008 (blue trap), 1³ ( NCA 2020 /548); Same locality data, 20.IX.2004 (blue trap), 2³, 1imm. ( NCA 2020 /549); iSimangaliso Wetland Park , False Bay Park, 27º58.8’S 32º21.72’E, leg. M. Hamer, 6.XI.2004 (tree beating), 1³, 1imm. ( NCA 2006 /58) . Limpopo Province: Rust de Winter, 25°13’S, 28°29’E, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 30. IV.1981 (beating grass), 1♀, 1imm. ( NCA 99 /35); Polokwane Nature Reserve , 23º58’S, 29º28’E, leg. T. Khoza & M. Modiba, 3. II.2006 (riverine and sweet thorn ticket, tree beating), 1³, 1♀ ( NCA 2008 /2204) . Mpumalanga Province: Loskopdam Nature Reserve , 25°46’S, 29°23’E, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2. IV.1973 (sweeping grass), 1imm. ( NCA 2009 /455) .

Distribution. South Africa: Gauteng, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and Mpumalanga Provinces ( Fig. 32 ).

Biology/Habitat. Specimens have been mainly collected beating flowering Vachellia trees and sweeping grass in the Savanna Biome. Adults were sampled from September to December.

Figures

FIGURES 4–9. Parabomis elsae sp. nov. (4–8) and Parabomis levanderi Kulczyński, 1901 (9). 4 Male habitus, dorsal view; 5 Female habitus, dorsal view; 6, 9 Left male palp, ventral view; 7 Epigyne, ventral view; 8 Epigyne, dorsal view. Scales: 1 mm.

FIGURES 31–32. 31 Records of the previously known Parabomis species, P. levanderi Kulczyński, 1901 (red circles) and P. martini Lessert, 1919 (blue triangles); 32 Records of new Parabomis species in the Afrotropical Region.