Parabomis martini Lessert, 1919

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 : 166-168

Parabomis martini Lessert, 1919

Figures 3 , 10–14

Parabomis martini Lessert, 1919: 116 , pl. 2, figs 6–8, 15 (Lectotype ³ and 1♀ paralectotype, here designated: TANZANIA: Kilimandjaro Region: Kibonoto (Kibognoto), 03°12’S, 37°07’E, MNHN—examined; 2♀ paralectotypes: KENYA: Mt Meru, Ngare na Nyuki [now Nanyuki], 03°05’S, 39°51’E, MGNH—examined); Millot 1942: 33, fig. 15A–B.

Parabomis anabensis Lawrence, 1928: 246 , pl. 22, fig. 29 (Holotype ♀: NAMIBIA: Kaoko Otavi, 18°18’S, 13°41’E, found on tree Grewia monticola, SAM 7035—examined); 1♀ paratype: NAMIBIA: Anabib , 18º10’S, 12º31’E, SAM 6690 —examined). syn nov .

Diagnosis. Males resemble those of P. wandae sp. nov., with the RTA apex directed laterad in both species. They differ by the RTA in P. wandae sp. nov. having a broad base and beak-like form ( Fig. 28 ), compared to sharply pointed tip of P. martini . The males also differ in the profile of the abdomen, which is round in P. martini and humpshaped in P. wandae sp. nov. In the females, the atrium is subtriangular ( Fig. 13 ) in P. martini and egg-shaped in P. wandae sp. nov.

Remark. Parabomis anabensis Lawrence, 1928 from Namibia is known only from a female, which resembles P. martini closely in all aspects and is here regarded as its junior synonym.

Description. Female. Measurements: TL 3.6; CL 1.3; CW 1.5. Legs: I 1.91 (0.68, 0.29, 0.42, 0.25, 0.27); II 1.84 (0.61, 0.28, 0.43, 0.24, 0.28); III 1. 21 (0.42, 0.22, 0.26, 0.12, 0.19); IV 1.72 (0.55, 0.46, 0.28, 0.31, 0.12). Carapace fawn, with clypeus and eye region strongly infused with white; sometimes with green hue ( Fig. 3 ); carapace lateral sides slightly darker; carapace wider than long; chelicerae, mouthparts yellowish white. Eyes as in genus description. Sternum yellowish. Legs fawn to brown, infused with white; femora darker, especially legs II and III; articulation area of joints with strong white rim. Abdomen fawn to white with faint spots; depressions on dorsum bearing two brownish triangular indentations ( Fig. 11 ). Epigyne with atrium subtriangular ( Fig. 13 ); spermathecae with two lobes, ventral lobe with folds ( Fig. 14 ); intromittent orifices uncovered and situated in anterior part.

Male. Measurements: TL 1.7; CL 0.9; CW 1.0. Legs: I 1.43 (0.51, 0.13, 0.30, 0.27, 0.22); II 1.43(0.63, 0.22, 0.28, 0.20, 0.10); III 1.09 (0.34, 0.12, 0.32, 0.21, 0.10); IV 1.32 (0.47, 0.15, 0.32, 0.19, 0.19). Male smaller than the female and darker in colour ( Fig. 10 ). Carapace dark brown, with darker patches laterally; chelicerae, mouthparts, sternum dark to yellowish brown. Sternum dark to yellowish brown, granulose. Legs brown, with coxae and femora darker; articulation area of joints with strong white rim. Abdomen dorsum shield-like, white with brown hue, with two longitudinal series of black spots dorsally in depressions; venter creamish white. Palp with VTA small and triangular, RTA with broad base, apex sharply pointed, directed laterad ( Fig.12 ).

Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape Province: Farm Gretna , 6 km SW of Grahamstown, 31°30’S, 26°38’E , leg. P. Croeser, 7.XI.1978 (on flower Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus ), 1³ ( NCA 92 /604); Alexandria , 46 km SSW of Grahamstown, 33°43’S, 26°22’E , leg. P. Croeser, 21.X.1978 (coastal dune forest, in undergrowth), 1♀ ( NCA 92 /606); Grahamstown , 33°18’S, 26°31’E , leg. P. Croeser, 20.X.1979, 1³ ( NCA 2009 /261); Hankey, Baviaanskloof , 33°39’S, 24°27’E , leg. L. Lotz, 26. II.2008 (beating grass), 1♀ ( NMBA 11531 ) ; East London, Pineapple Research Station , 33°01’S, 27°55’E , leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 7.XII.1977 (sweeping undergrowth), 1³ ( NCA 97 /480); Prentjiesberg , 31°12’S, 28°17’E , leg. M. Hamer, 10.XII.2005 (sweeping grass), 1³ ( NCA 2007 /750); Thyspunt, 12 km WNW of Cape St Francis , 34º17’S, 24º43’E , leg. Linda Wiese, 11. II.2012 (sweeping), 1♀ ( NCA 2013 /1147); Same locality data, 1♀ ( NCA 2012 /5636) . Gauteng Province: Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve , 28º22’S, 25º37’E , leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 27.XI.1979 (beating trees), 5♀ ( NCA 1980 /276, 1980/292); Same locality , leg. E.A. Ueckermann 29.XI.1979 (beating Euclea crispa ), 3♀, 1 imm. ( NCA 1980 /275, 1981/472); Same locality , leg. E. A. Ueckermann 27.XI.1979 (beating trees), 1♀ ( NCA 1980 /274, 1981/431); Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens , 26º05’S, 27º50’E , leg. A. Leroy, 22.IX.2008 (in flower head), 1♀ ( NCA 2009 /183) . KwaZulu-Natal Province: Tembe Elephant Park, 27º02’S, 32º25’E, leg. R. Harris, 22.XI.1989 (sweeping grass), 1♀ ( NCA 1999 /32); Umgeni Valley , 29º28’S, 30º16’E, leg. A. Leroy, 7.I.1997 (deep forest), 1♀ ( NCA 1999 /33); Dukuduku Forest , 28º22’S, 32º14’E, leg. M. Filmer 7.XI.1991 (forest), 1♀ ( NCA 1991 /662); Sodwana Bay , 27º31’S, 32º41’E , leg. C. Car, 19.v.1981 (dune forest), 1imm. ( SAM / Aran 880 C329); Spioenkop Dam , 30 km SW Ladysmith, 28º41’S, 29º25’E, leg. C. & T. Griswold, 9. XII.1985 (sweeping mixed grassland), 1♀ ( NMSA 23718 ) . Limpopo Province: Nylsvley Nature Reserve , 24°39’S, 28°42’E , leg. G. Ferriera, 1. II.1976 (beating Vitex rehmanni tree), 1imm. ( NCA 1978 /470); Same locality , leg. G. Ferriera, 1.I.1977 (beating Dombeya sp. tree), 1♀ ( NCA 1978 /515); Mabula Private Game Reserve , 24°44’S, 27°55’E , leg. M. Braack, 17.XII.1989 (in flower head), 1♀ ( NCA 1991 /484); Waterberg, near Vaalwater, farm Klipfontein , 28°18’S, 24°08’E , leg. C. Car, 4.XII.1979, 1³ ( NMZ / A432 ) ; Same locality, leg. C.A. Car, 6.XII.1979 (on grass), 1³ ( NMZ / A 364 ) ; Weltevreden Nature Reserve , 24°39’S, 27°58’E , leg. H. Kilian, 16.VIII.2006, 1♀ ( NCA 2009 /184); Tshulu , 22°57’S, 30°58’E , leg. S. Foord, 19. II.2008 (branch beating), 1♀ ( NCA 2009 /530); Makalali Nature Reserve , 29°09’S, 30°42’E , leg. C. Whitmore, 1.XII.1999, 1³ ( NCA 2009 /262) . Mpumalanga Province: 2D Ranch near Loskopdam , 25°25’S, 29°21’E , leg. A. Leroy, 27. II.1994, 1♀ ( NCA 2009 /263) . North West Province: Kgaswane Mountain Reserve , 25°46’S, 27°20’E , leg. S. Stiemie, 5. II.1980 (sweeping grass), 1♀ ( NCA 1980 /250); Same locality , leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 20.XI.1981 (sweeping grass), 1³ ( NCA 1996 /302); Same locality , leg. E. Ueckermann, 11.XII.1979 (beating Buddleia saligna ), 1³ ( NCA 1981 /478); Same locality , leg. M.K.P. Meyer, 7.XI.1979 (beating Euclea crispa ), 1³ ( NCA 1981 /469); Farm Steelpoort, on Krugersdorp road, 25°45’S, 27°51’E , leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 12.XI.1976 (beating trees), 1♀ ( NCA 1976 /1965); Same locality , leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 25.XI.1982 (beating trees), 1♀, 1imm. ( NCA 1992 /605); Meyer farm, Magaliesberg, near Rustenburg , 25°47’S, 27°16’E , leg. J. Leroy, 7.XII.1997 (beating Celtis africana tree), 1♀ ( NCA 2009 /259); Zeerust , 25°33’S, 26°06’E , leg. N. Hahn, 2. IV.2010 (branch beating), 1♀ ( NCA) . GUINEA: Kindia , 10°09’N, 12°31’W, VII.1937, 1♀ ( MNHN) ; Dalaba , 10°41’N, 12°15’W, VIII.1937, 1♀ ( MNHN) . MALAWI: Chintheche , 11°50’S, 34°13’E, leg. R. Jocqué, 3. II.1976, 1♀ ( MRAC 148.050 ) . NAMIBIA: Grootfontein , 19º35’S, 18º07’E, leg. R. W. Tucker, no date, 1♀ ( SAM 5065 ) . RWANDA: Ihema , 01°52’S, 30°46’E, leg. R. Jocqué, Nsengimara and Michiels, 8.XII.1985, 1♀ ( MRAC 165.827 ) ; Same locality, 14.XI-XII.1985, 1♀ ( MRAC 165.292 ) . TANZANIA: Zanzibar (no exact locality), leg. C. Cooke, 1863, 1♀ ( MCZ) ; Mkomazi Game Reserve, Camp Ibayi , 04°37’S, 38°04’E, leg. A. Russell-Smith, 1.XI.1996, 1³ ( NCA 1997 /860) . ZAMBIA: Choma, Wildlife Game Farm, Hunters Camp , 16°58’S, 26°36’E, leg. C. Haddad, 4.XII.2006 (beating short shrubs), 1³ ( NCA 2007 /518) . ZIMBABWE: Sibizini Dam, Doddieburn Ranch, 2129A4, leg. J. Minshull, 11.XII.1985, 1♀ ( NMZ A4227 ) .

Distribution. Tanzania, Kenya, Namibia. New records: Guinea, Malawi, Rwanda, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe ( Fig. 31 ).

Biology/Habitat. Parabomis martini has been collected from a variety of habitats in the Grassland and Savanna Biomes, ranging from grass, trees in thorny bushveld, and the undergrowth of coastal dune forest. Tree species that they have been collected from include Buddleia saligna , Euclea crispa , Dombeya sp., Vitex rehmanni and Pterocelastrus tricuspidatus ( Dippenaar-Schoeman et al., 2009) . In Namibia, P. anabensis was collected from the tree Grewia monticola , and according to Lawrence (1928) the spider closely resembles its flowers.

Figures

FIGURES 1–3. Habitus of live Parabomis spp. 1–2 P. pilosus sp. nov., female; 3 P. martini Lessert, 1919, female. 1–2 courtesy of J. Wilkinson; 3 courtesy of L. Wiese.

FIGURES 10–14. Parabomis martini Lessert, 1919. 10 Male habitus, dorsal view; 11 Female habitus, dorsal view; 12 Left male palp, ventral view; 13 Epigyne, ventral view; 14 Epigyne, dorsal view. Scales: 1 mm.

FIGURES 26–30. Parabomis wandae sp. nov. 26 Male habitus, dorsal view; 27 Female habitus, dorsal view; 28 Left palp, ventral view; 29 Epigyne, ventral view; 30 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.