Eleleis etosha, Rodrigues & Rheims, 2020

Rodrigues, Bruno V. B. & Rheims, Cristina A., 2020, An overview of the African genera of Prodidominae spiders: descriptions and remarks (Araneae: Gnaphosidae), Zootaxa 4799 (1), pp. 1-80 : 30

Eleleis etosha sp. nov.

Figs 12C , 21 A–F

Type material. Male holotype from Namibia, Etosha National Park, Kamaseb , 19°14’S 15°47’E, 8 August–14 September 1987, E. Griffin leg., deposited in SMN 40708 . Paratypes: Etosha National Park , Helio, 19°03’S 16°29’E, 1 male and 1 female, 14 February–23 March 1987, E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 40157 ) ; Duikersdrink , 19°04’S 14°43’E, 1 female, 10 February–20 March 1987, E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 39960) ; Karossfontein , 19°21’S 14°31’E, 1 male, 5 August–13 September 1987, E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 40635 ) ; Swakopmund, Rössing—Lower Ostrich Gorge , 22°30’S 14°58’E, 1 male, 23 October–19 November 1984, J. Irish leg. ( SMN 38427 ) ; 1 female, 14 January–11 February 1985, J. Irish leg. ( SMN 38592 ) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality, noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Eleleis etosha sp. nov. is distinguished from other species of the genus by the presence of spines on the legs ( Fig. 12C ). Males resemble those of E. himba sp. nov. by RTA mostly straight with a ventral tip bent distally in retrolateral view, but differ by tegular excavation located away from the conductor (very close to the conductor in E. himba sp. nov.) ( Fig. 21C ). Females resemble those of E. haddadi sp. nov. and E. solitaria sp. nov. by the posterior median excavation smaller than the median atrium. They differ from the latter by the bullet shape of the atrium, more than two times longer than wide (subrectangular, more than two times wider than long in E. haddadi sp. nov. and large and round, larger than the posterior median excavation in E. solitaria sp. nov.) ( Fig. 21D ).

Description. Male (SMN 40708). Total length: 3.90. Carapace 1.60 long, 1.35 wide; Abdomen 2.20 long, 1.37 wide; Sternum 1.12 long, 0.87 wide; Spinnerets: ALS 0.31 long, 0.19 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.08, ALE 0.07, PME 0.08, PLE 0.09; interdistances: AME–AME 0.05, PME–PME 0.10. Chelicerae 0.51 long. Leg measurements: I: 4.66 (1.42, 0.81, 0.94, 0.80, 0.69); II: 3.94 (1.13, 0.69, 0.75, 0.72, 0.66); III: 3.45 (1.02, 0.55, 0.63, 0.67, 0.59); IV: 4.72 (1.34, 0.69, 0.97, 1.00, 0.72). Leg spination: I—femur d1-1-0. II—d1-1-0. III—femur d1-1-0; tibia v0-1r- 1r, r0-0-1; metatarsus r0-0-1. IV—femur d1-1-1; tibia v0-1r-1r, r0-0-1; metatarsus r0-0-1. Palp: tegular excavation located medially on tegulum ( Fig. 21B ).

Female (SMN 40157). Total length: 2.90. Carapace 1.12 long, 0.95 wide; Abdomen 1.55 long, 0.80 wide; Sternum 0.82 long, 0.65 wide; Spinnerets ALS 0.26 long, 0.18 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.04, ALE 0.05, PME 0.05, PLE 0.05; interdistances: AME–AME 0.04, PME–PME 0.06. Chelicerae 0.41 long. Leg measurements: I: 2.93 (0.90, 0.50, 0.60, 0.48, 0.45); II: 2.46 (0.75, 0.39, 0.49, 0.44, 0.40); III: 2.18 (0.63, 0.35, 0.38, 0.44, 0.39); IV: 3.13 (0.89, 0.48, 0.63, 0.61, 0.53). Leg spination: I—femur d1-1-0. II—d1-1-0. III—femur d1-1-0. IV—femur d1- 1-1; tibia v0-1r-1r. Epigyne: atrium with anterior margin sclerotized; posterior median excavation rounded, as long as wide ( Fig. 21D ). Vulva: proximal part of copulatory duct running anteriorly, parallel to each other; fertilization ducts arising medially from primary spermathecae ( Fig. 21E ).

Variation. Total length (5 males): 1.90–3.90; (5 females): 1.98–2.90.

Distribution. Namibia ( Fig. 25 ).

Other material examined. NAMIBIA: Etosha National Park , Andoni, 18°31’S 16°46’E, 1 female, 27 March– 28 April 1988, E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 40868) ; Karossfontein , 19°21’S 14°31’E, 1 male, 23 March–27 April 1988, E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 41034) ; Damaraland , Hobatere Camp site, 1 female, 23–30 April 1996, E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 43534) ; Swakopmund , Rössing—Panner Gorge, 22°29’S 15°01’E, 1 male, 27 September–22 October 1984, J. Irish leg. ( SMN 38341) .

Figures

FIGURE 12. Habitus, dorsal view: (A) Eleleis limpopo sp. nov., male; (B) E. okavango sp. nov., male; (C) E. etosha sp. nov., male; (D) E. himba sp. nov., male; (E) E. leleupi sp. nov., male; (F) E. haddadi sp. nov., female; (G) E. luderitz sp. nov., female; (H) E. solitaria sp. nov., female.

FIGURE 21. Eleleis etosha sp. nov. Male palp: (A) prolateral view; (B) ventral view; (C) retrolateral view. Female: (D) epigyne, ventral view; (E) vulva, dorsal view; (F) vulva, schematic course of internal duct system. A—atrium; C—conductor; CD—copulatory duct; CoD—connecting duct; E—embolus; FD—fertilization duct; PMEx—posterior median excavation; PS—primary spermathecae; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; SS—secondary spermathecae. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.

FIGURE 25. Known distribution records of species of E. etosha sp. nov., E. himba sp. nov., E. luderitz sp. nov. and E. solitaria sp. nov. from Africa.