Afroceto croeseri, Lyle & Haddad, 2010

Lyle, Robin & Haddad, Charles R., 2010, A revision of the tracheline sac spider genus Cetonana Strand, 1929 in the Afrotropical Region, with descriptions of two new genera (Araneae Corinnidae), African Invertebrates 51 (2), pp. 321-321 : 352-354

Afroceto croeseri sp. n.

Figs 11, 12 , 68–71

Etymology: This species is named after the collector of the type specimen, Peter Croeser, in recognition of the large quantity of valuable spider material he collected in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu­Natal provinces of South Africa.

Diagnosis: The female can be recognised by the broad curved copulatory openings that extend into looped copulatory ducts ( Fig. 68 ). The male can easily be recognised by the retrolateral distally originating embolus with a narrow basal coil and curved, parallel sided distal section, ending in a serrated tip ( Fig. 70 ). The sharply pointed tibial apophysis is situated dorsally ( Fig. 71 ).

Description:

Female.

Measurements: CL 2.20, CW 1.85, AL 3.50, AW 2.15, TL 5.80, FL 0.10, SL 1.35, SW 1.08, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.40, PME–PME 0.15, PME–PLE 0.13, PLE–PLE 0.53. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 2.18+0.90+1.90+1.73+1.20=7.91; II 1.90+0.83+1.50+1.55+1.03=6.81; III 1.45+0.65+ 1.03+1.30+0.55=4.98; IV 2.25+0.85+1.90+2.23+0.73=7.96.

Carapace orange ( Fig. 11 ); first two thirds of carapace slightly raised, highest point at posterior end of the first third, declining gradually until last quarter, with steep posterior decline; fovea short, distinct, slightly thickened, at two­thirds CL. Ocular region orange with dark brown rings around eyes; AER slightly recurved, AME slightly larger than ALE; clypeus height 0.8 AME diameter; AME separated by 0.6 times their diameter; AME separated by ALE by 0.1 AME diameter; PER recurved, PLE slightly larger than PME; PME separated by 1.2 PME diameter; PME separated from PLE by PME diameter. Chelicerae bright orange, paler orange near fang base; scattered long brown setae on anterior surface, setae increasing in length towards fang base; fang pale orange; three promarginal teeth, median tooth largest, distal tooth smallest; two retromarginal teeth, distal tooth largest. Sternum pale yellow, brown towards border; surface covered in long brown setae. Abdomen pale grey dorsally; abdomen broader anteriorly, tapering posteriorly; two pairs of sigilla, first pair pale grey, at midsection, second pair darker, at two­thirds abdomen length; venter pale grey. Legs I to IV uniform pale yellow to orange, anterior legs slightly darker in colour and more robust. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1, II pl 1, III pl 1 rl 1, IV pl 1 rl 1; patellae spineless; tibiae: III pl 1 rl 1 vt 1, IV pl 1 rl 1 plv 1 vt 2; metatarsi: III pl 1 rl 1 plv 1, IV pl 1 rl 1 plv 1 vt 1. Palpal spination: patellae pl 1; tibiae pl 1 do 1 plv 1. Epigyne weakly sclerotised; copulatory openings broad and curved, in posterior half of epigyne, directed medially; ST II large, anteriorly situated, semi­circular; ST I triangular with whip­like duct ( Fig. 68 ).

Male.

Measurements: CL 2.30, CW 1.90, AL 2.60, AW 1.55, TL 4.80, FL 0.15, SL 1.28, SW 1.13,AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.03,ALE–ALE 0.43, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.13, PLE–PLE 0.63. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total; both tarsi I missing): I 2.23+0.98+1.85+1.68+?=?; II 1.95+0.85+1.53+1.53+1.15=7.01; III 1.55+0.68+1.05+1.30+0.65=5.23; IV 2.25+0.85+1.80+2.18+0.80=7.91.

Carapace orange ( Fig. 12 ); first two thirds of carapace rounded, declining steeply in last third; surface smooth, covered in short fine setae; fovea short, distinct, at two thirds CL. Ocular region orange with dark brown rings around eyes; AER slightly recurved, AME larger than ALE; clypeus height equal 0.7 AME diameter; AME separated by distance half their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.2 ALE diameter; PER recurved, PLE larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal to their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 0.8 PME diameter. Chelicerae orange, paler brown at fang base; scattered, light, long setae on anterior surface; fangs bright orange; two promarginal teeth, distal tooth largest; two retromarginal teeth, distal tooth largest. Sternum yellow, brown towards border; surface covered with scattered fine, long setae. Abdomen pale yellow dorsally with pale grey markings laterally; abdomen broader anteriorly, tapering posteriorly; dorsal scutum large, orange; two pairs of sigilla, pale grey pair anterior to midpoint, posterior pair darker in colour, posterior to midpoint; venter cream. Legs I to IV uniform pale yellow; dense scopulae on metatarsi and tarsi, remaining leg segments covered in fine, less dense setae; leg spines and cusps present. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1, II pl 1, III pl 1; patellae spineless; tibiae: I plv 6 rlv 3 cusps, II plv 4 rlv 4 cusps, III pl 2 rl 1 plv 2 vt 1, IV pl 1 rl 2 plv 3 rlv 2; metatarsi: I plv 11 rlv 4 vt 1 cusps, II plv 8 rlv 4 vt 2 cusps, III pl 2 rl 1 plv 1 rlv 2, IV rl 1; tarsi: I plv 6 rlv 4 cusps, II plv 2 cusps ( Fig. 69 ). Palp brown throughout; tegulum oval, embolus originating retrolaterally distally, with narrow basal coil and curved, parallel sided distal section, ending in a serrated tip near prolateral cymbial margin ( Fig. 70 ); sperm duct broad, running obliquely across tegulum; tibial apophysis triangular with sharp tip, situated dorsally ( Figs 70, 71 ).

Holotype: ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Mhlopeni Nat. Res., 5 km SE of Muden , 29°02'S: 30°21'E, 3000 ft, [date unknown], P.M.C. Croeser, T. & C. Griswold, valley bushveld ( NMSA).

Allotype: ♂ SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: E of Glenmore, above KwaNcukunca stream, 20.i.1994, M. Burger, on soil, pitfall trap ( NCA, 96/56).

Distribution: Known only from two localities in south­eastern South Africa ( Fig. 80 ).

Figures

Figs 1–22. General appearance of Afroceto gen. n. species: A. martini (Simon, 1897) comb. n. female (1) and male (2); A. arca sp. n. female (3) and male (4); A. bulla sp. n. female (5); A. bisulca male (6); A. capensis sp. n. female (7) and male (8); A. coenosa (Simon, 1897) comb. n. female (9); A. corcula sp. n. female (10); A. croeseri sp. n. female (11) and male (12); A. flabella sp. n. male (13) and female (14); A. gracilis sp. n. male (15); A. plana sp. n. male (16) and female (17); A. porrecta sp. n. male (18); A. rotunda sp. n. male (19) and female (20); A. spicula sp. n. male (21) and female (22).

Figs68–71.Afroceto croeseri sp.n.female (68) and male(69–71):(68) epigyne,ventral view; (69)schematic representation of cusp arrangement on legs I and II; (70) left palp, ventral view; (71) left palp, retrolateral view. Scale bars (68, 70, 71) = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 80. Distribution of Afroceto croeseri sp. n., A. flabella sp. n. and A. gracilis sp. n. in South Africa.