Eleleis okavango, 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 : 28-30

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4799.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E295AAC9-09C8-48A3-8C5F-402117381B80
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EE8789-3B44-A16D-6AEC-F8EBAB8CFD37
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Eleleis okavango
status	sp. nov.

Treatment

Eleleis okavango View in CoL sp. nov.

Figs 12B View FIGURE 12 , 20 View FIGURE 20 A–F

Type material. Male holotype from Botswana, Okavango Delta , Shorobe Lagoon, 19°30’S 023°00’E, 1 November GoogleMaps 1975, A. Russell-Smith leg., deposited in MRAC 236855 View Materials . Paratypes : 5 males and 1 female with same data as holotype; Namibia, Etosha National Park , Andoni, 18°30’S 16°45’E, 4 males, 19 May–20 June 1986 GoogleMaps , E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 39452); Dorstland , 18°40’S 14°44’E, 1 female, 10 February–20 March 1987 GoogleMaps , E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 40002) .

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

Diagnosis. Males of Eleleis okavango sp. nov. resemble those of E. limpopo sp.nov. by the RTA subdistally bent ventrally, but differ by the RTA with a twisted tip in retrolateral view (tip pointing upwards in retrolateral view in E. limpopo sp. nov.) ( Fig. 20C View FIGURE 20 ). Females resemble those of E. crinita , E. limpopo sp. nov. and E. luderitz sp. nov. by the median atrium smaller than the posterior median excavation, but differ by the subtriangular median atrium, slightly longer than wide (wider than long in E. limpopo sp. nov. and E. crinita sp. nov.) and by the posterior median excavation with lateral margins converging posteriorly (pentagonal in E. luderitz sp. nov.) ( Fig. 20D View FIGURE 20 ).

Description. Male (MRAC 236855). Total length: 2.10. Carapace 0.85 long, 0.67 wide; Abdomen 1.10 long, 0.55 wide; Sternum 0.66 long, 0.54 wide; Spinnerets ALS 0.21 long, 0.10 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.04, ALE 0.04, PME 0.05, PLE 0.06; interdistances: AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.02. Chelicerae 0.26 long. Leg measurements: I: 2.28 (0.68, 0.42, 0.44, 0.38, 0.36); II: 1.75 (0.54, 0.29, 0.32, 0.31, 0.29); III: 1.57 (0.45, 0.25, 0.28, 0.31, 0.28); IV: 2.32 (0.67, 0.37, 0.46, 0.44, 0.38). Palp: tegular excavation on median region of the tegulum ( Fig. 20B View FIGURE 20 ).

Female (MRAC 236855). Total length: 2.20. Carapace 0.90 long, 0.66 wide; Abdomen 1.13 long, 0.70 wide; Sternum 0.68 long, 0.50 wide; Spinnerets ALS 0.12 long, 0.10 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.04, ALE 0.04, PME 0.06, PLE 0.06; interdistances: AME–AME 0.03, PME–PME 0.02. Chelicerae 0.23 long. Leg measurements: II: 1.82 (0.55, 0.34, 0.31, 0.29, 0.33); III: 1.69 (0.48, 0.29, 0.28, 0.34, 0.30). Legs I and IV lost. Epigyne: atrium with anterior margin strongly sclerotized; posterior median excavation strongly sclerotized; atrium smaller than posterior median excavation ( Fig. 20D View FIGURE 20 ). Vulva: proximal part of copulatory duct straight, running anteriorly; connecting ducts strongly convoluted laterally; fertilization ducts arising medially from primary spermathecae ( Fig. 20E View FIGURE 20 ).

Variation. Total length (5 males): 1.72–2.25; (5 females): 2.05–3.10. The specimens from Namibia are generally darker .

Distribution. Botswana and Namibia ( Fig. 24 View FIGURE 24 ).

Other material examined. NAMIBIA: Etosha National Park , S of Mushare, 18°37’S 16°53’E, 1 female, 10 August–14 September 1987, E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 40674) GoogleMaps ; 1 female, 14 October–14 November 1986, E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 39785) GoogleMaps ; Karossfontein , 19°21’S 14°31’E, 1 male, 23 March–27 April 1988, E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 41032) GoogleMaps ; Okaukuejo / Duikersdrink, 19°04’S 14°43’E, 1 male, 8 October–14 November 1986, E. Griffin leg. ( SMN 39800) GoogleMaps .