Mystaria stakesbyi, Honiball Lewis & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2014

Honiball Lewis, Allet S. & Dippenaar-Schoeman, Ansie S., 2014, Revision of the spider genus Mystaria Simon, 1895 (Araneae: Thomisidae) and the description of a new genus from the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 3873 (2), pp. 101-144 : 131-132

Mystaria stakesbyi sp. n.

Figs 5 , 38, 39 , 83–86 , 126

Type material: Holotype: ♀, GHANA: Greater Accra Region, Legon [05°39’N, 00°11’W], 10 December 1969, P.A. Room (MRAC 135.996).

Paratypes: DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO (DRC): Kasai-Occidental Province, 1 ♀ , Luebo [05°20’S, 21°25’E], 1992, D.H Schouteden (MNHG) . Nord-Kivu Region, 1 ♂, Kivu, Semliki, Valley of Djuma [00°43’N, 29°45’E], leaf litter sifting, 15 July 1968, R.P.M. Lejeune (MRAC 135.812) ; 1 ♀, Rutshuru [01°10’S, 29°27’E], April 1937, J. Ghesquierie (MRAC 20812/20816) . GABON: Estuaire Region, 1 ♂ , Kinguele [00°29’N, 10°20’E], 10 km N of Kinguélé, 6 April 1986, A. Pauly (MRAC 173.087) . KENYA: Western Province , 1 ♀, Kakamega forest [00°22’N, 34°50’E], alt. 1600 m, secondary forest canopy fogging of Heinsia diervilleoides , 17 January 2003, W. Freund (ZFMK AR 137) ; 1 ♀, same locality, canopy fogging Teclea nobilis , 7–11 February 1999, T. Wagner (ZFMK AR 1297) . LIBERIA: Gbarpolu County, 1 ♀ , Banga [07°16’N, 10°03’W], 26 October 1926, R.P. Strong & G.M. Allen (MCZ) . RWANDA: Est Province, 1 ♀ , Ibanda Makera, Rusumo [02°09’S, 30°55’E], alt. 1450 m, gallery forest canopy fogging of T. nobilis , October 1993, T. Wagner (ZFMK AR 1303) . TANZANIA: Kilimanjaro Region, 1 ♀ , Kibongoto [03°10’S, 37°06’E] (MNHG) . UGANDA: Masindi District: 1 ♂, 1 ♀, Budongo forest [01°45’N, 31°25’E], alt. 1200 m, secondary canopy fogging of Cynometra alexandri , 15–25 January 1997, T. Wagner (ZFMK AR 1298, 1302) ; 1 ♂, same locality, 21–31 July 1995, T. Wagner (ZFMK AR 1300) ; 1 ♂, same locality, primary forest canopy fogging of Rinorea beniensis , 19–30 June 1995, T. Wagner (ZFMK AR 1301) ; 1 ♂, same locality, swamp forest canopy fogging of T. nobilis , 1–10 July 1995, T. Wagner (ZFMK AR 1299) .

Etymology. Named after the husband of the first author, Eduard Stakesby. Noun in genitive gender.

Diagnosis. Females may be recognised by carapace that is often decorated with darker brown patch centrally, laterally and/or posteriorly ( Fig. 38 ); epigyne with narrow, curved hood anteriorly, differs from M. soleil n. sp. that have a wider hood; intromittent orifices two circular openings, antero-laterally ( Fig. 85 ), intromittent orifices as in Fig. 86 . Male palp with RTA fairly broad at base, tip curving gradually laterally, situated close to bulb ( Figs 83, 84 ).

Description. Female. Size, measurements (n = 6). TL: 3.15 (2.72–4.07); CL: 1.22 (1.06–1.39); CW: 1.10 (0.99–1.30); CI: 1.11(1.06–1.20); CH: 0.74 (0.63–0.88); CLL: 0.21 (0.16–0.25); MOQ-L: 0.25 (0.21–0.28). Colour. Carapace dorsally varies from dark copper-red, orange to brown; usually with dark brown central band or patch which may extend from eye area or clypeus posteriorly; laterally with paler orange-brown to yellow areas; abdomen paler than carapace, unevenly brownish to pale, with faint white border, may be decorated with pale, purple-grey or dark brown triangular patterns; ventrally pale with dark brown striae; all legs yellow-orange, with brown band partially present over width of femora I-IV. Carapace. With fine granules or small holes; few long, erectile setae on postero- or postero-lateral edge and laterally of LE. Sternum. Slightly longer than wide; SL: 0.54; SW: 0.50; SI: 1.09. Eyes. Eye measurements: AME–AME: 0.23; ALE–AME: 0.33; AME–AME/AME–ALE: 0.69; PME–PME: 0.36; PLE–PME: 0.32; PME–PME/PME–PLE: 1.13; ALE/AME: 1.46; PLE/PME: 0.89; MOQ–AW/ MOQ-PW: 0.63; MOQ-L/MOQ-W: 0.39; Clyp/AME– AME: 0.92. Legs. Long and slender; femora, patellae and tibiae I–IV with few medium spiniform setae dorsally and laterally; tibiae with long and short spiniform setae; metatarsi and tarsi III–IV with numerous fine setae and small spiniform setae, also present ventrally on tibiae I–IV and latero-dorsally on metatarsi I–IV; leg formula: II:I:IV:III; leg measurements: leg I—Fe 0.91, Pat 0.32, Tib 0.74, Mt 0.58, Ta 0.44, total 2.99; II—Fe 1.00, Pat 0.35, Tib 0.73, Mt 0.60, Ta 0.44, total 3.12; III—Fe 0.64, Pat 0.28, Tib 0.46, Mt 0.36, Ta 0.30, total 2.05; IV—Fe 0.74, Pat 0.29, Tib 0.57, Mt 0.41, Ta 0.29, total 2.30. Abdomen. Round. AL: 1.93; AW: 1.73; AI: 1.12. Epigyne. With well-defined, small hood centrally and narrow atrium ( Fig. 85 ) small circular intromittent orifices situated laterad of hood; intromittent canals as in Fig. 86 .

Male. Size, measurements (n = 3). TL: 2.50 (2.34–2.76); CL: 1.12 (1.03–1.20); CW: 0.98 (0.90–1.40); CI: 1.15 (1.14–1.15); CH: 0.66 (0.54–0.72); CLL: 0.19 (0.18–0.22); MOQ-L: 0.23 (0.23–0.24). Similar to female but differs as follows: body smaller and more slender. Colour. Carapace uniform dark copper-red ( Fig. 39 ); abdomen slightly paler brown with faint black tinted marks; femora I–IV, tibiae and metatarsi IV with partially copper or brown tint. Carapace. With fewer long setae. Sternum. SL: 0.49 SW: 0.48 SI: 1.02. Eyes. ALE large; PME equally close to PLE than to each other; eye measurements: AME–AME: 0.20; ALE–AME: 0.28; AME–AME/AME–ALE: 0.70; PME–PME: 0.31; PLE–PME: 0.30; PME–PME/PME–PLE: 1.01; ALE/AME: 1.43; PLE/PME: 0.99; MOQ-AW/ MOQ-PW: 0.64; MOQ-L/MOQ-W: 0.37; Clyp/AME–AME: 0.99. Legs. Spiniform setae longer than in female, with short, fine, dense setae scattered in between, all leg segments with spiniform setae dorso-laterally and ventrally on metatarsi and tarsi; leg formula: I:II:IV:III; leg measurements: leg I—Fe 1.90, Pat 0.30, Tib 0.92, Mt 0.76, Ta 0.41, total 3.28; II—Fe 0.99, Pat 0.37, Tib 0.77, Mt 0.50, Ta 0.33, total 2.97; III—Fe 0.62, Pat 0.23, Tib 0.54, Mt 0.42, Ta 0.30, total 2.12; IV—Fe 0.70, Pat 0.21, Tib 0.57, Mt 0.44, Ta 0.31, total 2.22. Abdomen. Longer than wide; scutum narrow oval; AL: 1.38; AW: 0.95; AI: 1.45. Palp. With cymbial apophysis, retro-laterally ( Fig. 83 ); VTA nearly equal in length to RTA ( Fig. 84 ); bulb differ from M. soleil sp. n. in that the tegulum of M. stakesbyi sp. n. is not as darkly sclerotized and bulb not as wide apically as in M. soleil sp. n.

Natural history. Sampled material suggest that the following tree species are preferred, Heinsia diervilleoides , Teclea nobilis , Cynometra alexandri and Rinorea beniensis in swamp, primary-, secondary- and gallery rainforests as well as some individuls were found among leaf litter. Most individuals were obtained by means of canopy fogging. Adults were sampled from October to July.

Distribution. Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC), Liberia, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda ( Fig. 126 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1–5. SEM photographs of chelicerae of Mystaria species. 1 M. rufolimbata Simon, 1895 from Democratic Republic of Congo, Walikale; 2 M. flavogutatta (Lawrence, 1952) comb. n. from South Africa, Richards Bay; 3 M. savannensis sp. n. from South Africa, Kruger National Park, Letaba Camp; 4 M. soleil sp. n. from Kenya, Kakamega; 5 M. budongo sp. n. from Kakamega. Scale lines = 100 µm (1,4,5), 10 µm (2,3).

FIGURES 25–42. Microscope photographs of dorsal and lateral views of Mystaria species. 25 Mystaria mnyama sp. n. male from Tembe Elephant Park (dorsal view); 26–28 Mystaria occidentalis (Millot, 1942) comb. n. (26, 27 female from Democratic Republic of Congo, Kaisola antero-and latero-dorsal views, 28 male from Rwanda, Butare dorsal view); 29–30 Mystaria oreadae sp. n. female from Rwanda, Rwankuba antero-and latero-dorsal views; 31–32 Mystaria rufolimbata Simon, 1895 (31 female from Democratic Republic of Congo, Walikale dorsal view, 32 male from Gabon, Kinguélé dorsal view); 33–35 Mystaria savannensis sp. n. (33, 34 female from South Africa, Soutpansberg antero-and latero-dorsal views, 35 male from Soutpansberg dorsal view); 36–37 Mystaria soleil sp. n. (36 female from Kenya, Kakamega dorsal view, 37 male from Kakamega dorsal view); 38–39 Mystaria stakesbyi sp. n. (38 female from Ghana, Legon dorsal view; 39 male from Democratic Republic of Congo, Semliki dorsal view). 40–42 Mystaria variabilis (Lessert, 1919) comb. n. (40, 41 female from Democratic Republic of Congo, Kisantu antero-and latero dorsal views, 42 male from Democratic Republic of Congo, Butembo dorsal view).

FIGURES 83–90. Line drawings of copulatory organs in male and female Mystaria species, with ventral- (left) and retrolateral (right) views of male palps and ventral- (left) and dorsal (right) views of female epigynes. 83–86 Mystaria stakesbyi sp. n. (83, 84 male left palp, 85, 86 female epigyne); 87–90 Mystaria variabilis (Lessert, 1919) comb. n. (78, 88 male left palp, 89, 90 female epigyne). Scale lines = 10mm.

FIGURES 123–126. Recorded geographical distribution of Mystaria species. 123 Mystaria rufolimbata Simon, 1895; 124 Mystaria savannensis sp. n.; 125 Mystaia soleil sp. n.; 126 Mystaria stakesbyi sp. n. Scale lines = 2400 km (123, 126), 1240 km (124, 125).