Eleleis limpopo, 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 : 19-22

Eleleis limpopo sp. nov.

Figs 11F, G , 12A , 14 A–F, 15A–F, 16A–F, 17A–F, 19A–F

Type material. Male holotype from South Africa, Limpopo, Tuinplaas, Springbokvlakte , 24°53′60″S 28°43′48″E, 9 January 2002, M. van Jaarsveld leg., deposited in NCA 2002 / 751. Paratypes with same locality data and collector as holotype: 1 female, 11 January 2001 ( NCA 2002 /752); 2 males, 24 July 2002 ( NCA 2003 /715) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the province of the type locality, and it is noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Eleleis limpopo sp. nov. differs from other species of the genus by the strong brown coloration of the carapace and legs ( Fig. 12A ). Males resemble those of E. okavango sp.nov. by the RTA subdistally bent ventrally, but differ by RTA with the tip pointing upwards in retrolateral view (tip twisted in retrolateral view in E. okavango sp. nov.) ( Fig. 19C ). Females resemble those of E. crinita , E. okavango sp. nov. and E. luderitz sp. nov. by the median atrium smaller than the posterior median excavation, but differ by the atrium slightly wider than long (longer than wide in E. okavango sp. nov. and E. luderitz sp. nov.) and posterior median excavation longer than wide (wider than long in E. crinita ) ( Fig. 19D ).

Description. Male (NCA 2002/751). Total length: 2.75. Carapace 1.24 long, 1.10 wide; Abdomen 1.52 long, 1.08 wide; Sternum 0.87 long, 0.69 wide; Spinnerets ALS 0.24 long, 0.14 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.06, ALE 0.06, PME 0.06, PLE 0.10; interdistances: AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.03. Chelicerae 0.39 long. Leg measurements: I: 3.13 (0.98, 0.55, 0.61, 0.50, 0.49); II: 2.68 (0.81, 0.45, 0.50, 0.49, 0.43); III: 2.30 (0.73, 0.35, 0.36, 0.44, 0.42); IV: 3.19 (0.94, 0.53, 0.63, 0.63, 0.48). Palp: tegular excavation to accommodate the embolus on posterior third of tegulum ( Fig. 19B ).

Female (NCA 2002/752). Total length: 3.72. Carapace 1.24 long, 1.08 wide; Abdomen 2.30 long, 1.35 wide; Sternum 0.90 long, 0.72 wide; Spinnerets: ALS 0.22 long, 0.16 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.06, ALE 0.06, PME 0.08, PLE 0.10; interdistances: AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.04. Chelicerae 0.47 long. Leg measurements: I: 3.36 (1.05, 0.60, 0.63, 0.56, 0.53); II: 2.74 (0.88, 0.45, 0.50, 0.49, 0.43); III: 2.44 (0.73, 0.38, 0.44, 0.53, 0.38); IV: 3.38 (1.00, 0.55, 0.68, 0.65, 0.50). Epigyne: atrium with anterior margin strongly sclerotized; posterior median excavation strongly sclerotized, 1.5 times longer than wide. Vulva: proximal part of copulatory duct straight, running anteriorly; secondary spermathecae arising posteriorly from bulbous region of duct; fertilization ducts arising medialy from primary spermathecae ( Figs 19 D–F).

Variation. Total length (5 males): 2.63–3.13; (5 females): 2.44–3.72.

Distribution. South Africa and Zambia ( Fig. 24 ).

Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo, Tuinplaas, Springbokvlakte , 24°53′60″S 28°43′48″E, 1 male, 11 October 2001, M. van Jaarsveld leg. ( NCA 2003 /203) ; 1 male ( NCA 2003 /427) ; 1 male, 13 September 2001 ( NCA 2002 /750) ; 1 male and 1 female, 17 October 2002 ( NCA 2003 /473) ; 1 male, 24 July 2002 ( NCA 2003 /429) ; 1 male, 7 November 2001 ( NCA 2003 /886) ; 1 male, 17 September 2002 ( NCA 2003 /829) ; 1 male, 11 June 2002 ( NCA 2003 /476) ; 2 males, 7 May 2002 ( NCA 2003 /474) ; 1 female, 16 October 2002 ( NCA 2003 /475) ; 1 female, 17 October 2002 ( NCA 2003 /828); Little Leigh, Western Soutpansberg , 22°56′54.6″S 29°52′10.596″E, 1 female, 20 March 2006, D. Spengler leg. ( NCA 2009 /1702); Gauteng, Irene Gem Village Field , 25°52′5.988″S 28°13′3.972’’E, 1 male, 6 September 2013, P. Webb leg. ( NCA 2014 /2209); Mpumalanga, Marble Hall , 24°57′36″S 29°17′24″E, 1 male, 15 April 2003, M. Mellet leg. ( NCA 2004 /1215) . ZAMBIA: Choma, Wildlives Game Farm, Hunters Camp, 17°13′48″S 26°52′12″E, 1 male, 3 December 2006, C. Haddad et al. ( NCA 2007 /475) .

Figures

FIGURE 11. Eleleis crinita, female: (A) carapace, dorsal view; (B) spinnerets, lateral view; (C) same. E. solitaria sp. nov., female: (D) carapace, dorsal view; (E) spinnerets, lateral view. E. limpopo sp. nov., male: (F) carapace, dorsal view; (G) spinnerets, lateral view. Figures A and B from Dalmas (1919); figure C from Simon (1893).

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 14. Eleleis limpopo sp. nov., male: (A) carapace, frontal view; (B) sternum; (C) same, protrusion between coxae IV; (D) endites, dorsal view; (E) chelicera, retromargin; (F) chelicera, promargin.

FIGURE 19. Eleleis limpopo 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 24. Known distribution records of species of Eleleis crinita, E. limpopo sp. nov., E. leleupi sp. nov., E. okavango sp. nov. and E. haddadi sp. nov. from Africa.