Smeringopus mpanga, Huber, 2012

HUBER, BERNHARD A., 2012, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Afrotropical endemic genus Smeringopus Simon, 1890 (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 3461 (1), pp. 1-138 : 23-25

Smeringopus mpanga new species

Figs. 5 , 22–23, 27 , 36–37 , 54–57 , 100–114

Type. Male holotype from Uganda, Mpigi District, Mpanga Forest Reserve (0°12.4’N, 32°18.1’E), 1200 m a.s.l., 22.xi.2010 (B.A. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 8523) .

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from known congeners by cheliceral armature (three pairs of apophyses; Figs. 27 , 104 ); from closest relatives (other species of the rubrotinctus group) also by shapes of procursus and embolus ( Figs. 100–103 ) and by angular rather than rounded posterior indentation of epigynal plate ( Figs. 54, 55 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 6.5, carapace width 2.1. Leg 1: 52.8 (13.1 + 0.8 + 13.1 + 23.5 + 2.3), tibia 2: 8.9, tibia 3: 6.8, tibia 4: 9.9; tibia 1 L/d: 67. Habitus as in Fig. 22 . Carapace with wide median and lateral brown bands, clypeus brown with barely visible pair of darker lines, sternum dark brown, leg femora and tibiae with dark subdistal rings, abdomen with distinct pattern dorsally and ventrally. Distance PME-PME 170 µm, diameter PME 185 µm, distance PME-ALE 70 µm, distance AME-AME 60 µm, diameter AME 150 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep but small thoracic pit. Chelicerae as in Figs. 27 and 104 , with three pairs of distinctive apophyses; without modified hairs at tips of apophyses ( Fig. 106 ). Palps as in Figs. 36 and 37 , coxa with indistinct bulge, trochanter barely modified, femur with retrolateral indentation but no distinct furrow, without proximal rim and without apophysis ( Fig. 107 ), cymbium without projection near tarsal organ, procursus with distinctive distal elements ( Figs. 100, 101 , 108 ), bulb with complex embolus with two processes, one sclerotized, other mostly membranous ( Figs. 102, 103 ). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, with curved hairs on tibiae and metatarsi 1 and 2, some also on tibiae 3, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 1.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1. Gonopore with two epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 109 ).

Variation. Tibia 1 in 23 other males: 10.4–14.8 (mean 12.2).

Female. In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 30 females: 8.7–13.5 (mean 10.7). Epigynum anterior plate with distinctively angular indentation, without pockets ( Figs. 54, 55 , 110, 111 ); posterior plate simple, not projecting; internal genitalia as in Figs. 57 , 105 , and 113. In some females, the epigynum appears ‘open’, in others ‘closed’ (compare Figs. 110 and 111 ). ALS with eight spigots each ( Fig. 112 ).

Distribution. Widely distributed in western and central Uganda ( Fig. 58 ).

Material examined. UGANDA: Central Region: Mpigi District, Mpanga Forest Reserve: 1♂ holotype above ; same data, 2♂ 3♀ (2 vials) in ZFMK ( Ar 8524–25) ; same data, 3♀ in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Uga 132). Mukono District, Mabira Forest Reserve (0°23.6’N, 32°59.4’E), 1200 m a.s.l., 11.xii.2010 (B.A. Huber), 1♂ 1♀ in ZFMK ( Ar 8526) ; same data, 1♀ 2 juvs in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Uga 107). Western Region: Kabarole and Kamwenge Districts , Kibale Forest N.P., near Kanyanchu (0°27.5–28.0’N, 30°22.3–22.8’E), 1250 m a.s.l., 7.xii.2010 (B.A. Huber), 5♂ 8♀ in ZFMK ( Ar 8527-28). Kabarole District, Kibale Forest N.P., forest near Makerere Univ. Research Station (0°33.2’N, 30°21.4’E), ~ 1500 m a.s.l., 6.xii.2010 (B.A. Huber), 1♂ 3♀ 1 juv. in ZFMK (Ar 8529) ; same data, 2♂ 1 juv. in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Uga 102). Masindi District, Budongo Forest Reserve, Kaniyo Pabidi (1°55.1’N, 31°43.2’E), ~ 1000 m a.s.l., 9.xii.2010 (B.A. Huber), 3♂ 5♀ in ZFMK ( Ar 8530-31) ; same data, 2♀ in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Uga 152); Budongo Forest Reserve (1°42.5–43.5’N, 31°31.6–32.7’E), ~ 1100 m a.s.l., 9.xii.2010 (B.A. Huber), 3♂ 2♀ in ZFMK ( Ar 8532) ; same data, 2♀ in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Uga 136). Bushenyi District, Kyambura River Gorge (~ 0°10.7’S, 30°05.8’E), 900 m a.s.l., 29.xi.2010 (B.A. Huber), 1♂ 2♀ in ZFMK ( Ar 8533) ; same data, 2♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Uga 138); Kasyoha-Kitomi Forest Reserve (0°16.1’S, 30°09.1’E), 1280 m a.s.l., 29.xi.2010 (B.A. Huber), 1♂ 1♀ in ZFMK (Ar 8534). Kalinzu Forest Reserve (0°22.5’S, 30°06.9’E), 1500 m a.s.l., 28.xi.2010 (B.A. Huber), 4♂ 4♀ in ZFMK (Ar 8535) ; same data, 3♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Uga 117). Bundibugyo District, between Sempaya and Itajo (~ 0°50.4’N, 30°11.5’E), 1095 m a.s.l., degraded forest, 5.xii.2010 (B.A. Huber), 2♂ 5♀ in ZFMK ( Ar 8536-37) ; same data, 2♀ 3 juvs in pure ethanol in ZFMK ( Uga 145) .

Figures

FIGURE 58. Known distributions of the rubrotinctus group, the chogoria group, and S. ngangao. Squares: further undescribed species.

FIGURES 2–13. Smeringopus, alive specimens in their natural habitats. 2. S. bwindi, female with eggsac (Uganda, Bwindi). 3–4. S. chogoria, females with eggsac and spiderlings (Kenya, Mau Mau and Chogoria). 5. S. mpanga, female with spiderlings (Uganda, Kalinzu). 6–7. S. ngangao, male and web with silk-balls (Kenya, Ngangao). 8–10. S. peregrinus, web with silk-balls (Kenya, Gonkonyi), female (Kenya, Hell’s Gate), female with eggsac (Gonkonyi). 11. S. pallidus, female with eggsac (Uganda, Semuliki). 12. S. lesserti, male (Gabon, Mayebout). 13. S. cylindrogaster (Guinea, Dieke).

FIGURES 18–27. Smeringopus rubrotinctus group, habitus and male prosomata, oblique frontal views. 18. S. rubrotinctus, female, ventral view. 19. S. bwindi, male, dorsal view. 20–21. S. ruhiza, male and female, dorsal views. 22–23. S. mpanga, male and female, dorsal views. 24. S. rubrotinctus. 25. S. mgahinga. 26. S. ruhiza. 27. S. mpanga.

FIGURES 28–37. Smeringopus rubrotinctus group, left male palps, prolateral and retrolateral views. 28–29.S. rubrotinctus. 30–31. S. bwindi. 32–33. S. mgahinga. 34–35. S. ruhiza. 36–37. S. mpanga.

FIGURES 38–57. Smeringopus rubrotinctus group, epigyna, ventral views (47: lateral view) and cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. 38–41. S. rubrotinctus (38: syntype, 39: Karisimbi, 40–41: Rwegura). 42–45. S. bwindi (Buhoma). 46–49. S. mgahinga (46–47: Ruhiza, 48–49: Mgahinga). 50–53. S. ruhiza (50: Kitahurira, 51–53: Buhoma). 54–57. S. mpanga (Kanyanchu).

FIGURES 100–105. Smeringopus mpanga. 100. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view. 101. Left procursus, dorsal view. 102–103. Left embolus, prolateral and dorsal views. 104. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 105. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm (102–103), 0.5 mm (100–101, 104–105).

FIGURES 106–114. Smeringopus mpanga. 106. Male cheliceral apophyses. 107. Left male palpal femur. 108. Tip of left procursus. 109. Male gonopore. 110–111. Epigynum, ‘closed’ and ‘open’. 112. Female ALS and PMS. 113. Female internal genitalia, dorsal view. 114. Detail of pore plate. Scale lines: 20 µm (112), 30 µm (114), 60 µm (106, 108), 80 µm (109), 200 µm (107, 113), 300 µm (110, 111).