Smeringopus chogoria, 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 : 29-30

Smeringopus chogoria new species

Figs. 3–4 , 115–116, 119–120, 123–126 , 131–136 , 155–164

Type. Male holotype from Kenya, Eastern Province , Mt. Kenya N.P., Chogoria Forest, ‘site 1’ (0°12.1’S, 37°29.4’E), 2460 m a.s.l., 27.i.2010 (B.A. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 8495) .

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

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from most known congeners by long process near male palpal tarsal organ ( Figs. 131, 132 ); also by shapes of procursus (distal elements; Figs. 131, 132 ) and embolus (large sclerotized part with slender semitransparent projection; Figs. 133, 134 ); from very similar S. bujongolo only by minor details of procursus tip (membranous part whitish rather than transparent; distal apophysis slightly longer), semitransparent embolar process (straight rather than curved), and female genitalia (longer anterior epigynal plate; border of anterior plate without whitish area separating pair of black structures at rim: Fig. 124 ; pore plates much wider: Fig. 136 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 7.9, carapace width 2.8. Leg 1: 64.1 (16.5 + 1.2 + 16.5 + 26.3 + 3.6), tibia 2: 12.3, tibia 3: 9.7, tibia 4: 12.8; tibia 1 L/d: 53. Habitus as in Figs. 115 and 116 . Carapace with wide median and lateral brown bands, clypeus with pair of wide brown bands, sternum dark brown, legs ochre-brown, femora and tibiae with darker subdistal rings, abdomen with distinct pattern dorsally and ventrally. Distance PME-PME 185 µm, diameter PME 230 µm, distance PME-ALE 175 µm, distance AME-AME 70 µm, diameter AME 160 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with small ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae as in Figs. 123 and 135 , with one pair of lateral apophyses distally; each apophysis with one small modified hair at tip ( Figs. 160, 161 ). Palps as in Figs. 119 and 120 , coxa with indistinct bulge, trochanter barely modified, femur with retrolateral indentation but no distinct furrow, without proximal rim and without apophysis ( Fig. 155 ), cymbium with long projection near tarsal organ, procursus with distinctive distal elements ( Figs. 131, 132 , 155, 156 ), bulb with complex embolus with two processes, one sclerotized, other mostly membranous ( Figs. 133, 134 , 157, 158 ). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, with curved hairs ventrally and dorsally on all tibiae and metatarsi, also on femora 1 and 2, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1. Gonopore with two epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 159 ); ALS with eight spigots each ( Fig. 162 ).

Variation. Tibia 1 in 17 other males: 14.0–18.5 (mean 16.3).

Female. In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 29 females: 11.6–17.3 (mean 14.5). Epigynum anterior plate roughly triangular, without pockets; arc-shaped posterior plate ( Figs. 124, 125 , 164 ); internal genitalia as in Figs. 126 and 136 . ALS as in male ( Fig. 163 ).

Distribution. Widely distributed at higher elevations (mostly between 2000 and 3000 m a.s.l.) in central and western Kenya ( Fig. 58 ).

Material examined. KENYA: Eastern Prov.: Mt. Kenya N.P., Chogoria Forest , ‘site 1’: 1♂ holotype above ; same data, 4♂ 5♀ in ZFMK (Ar 8496) ; same data, 2♀ in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Ken 110) ; Chogoria Forest , ‘site 2’ (0°14.2’S, 37°34.0’E), 1950 m a.s.l., 27.i.2010 (B.A. Huber), 3♂ 8♀ in ZFMK (Ar 8497) ; same data, 1♀ in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Ken 118). Ol Donyo Sabuk N.P. (1°08.1’S, 37°15.4’E), 2070 m a.s.l., 26.i.2010 (B.A. Huber), 1♂ 1♀ 1 juv. in ZFMK (Ar 8498). Central Prov. : Mt. Kenya , Mau Mau Cave (0°13.0’S, 37°08.2’E), 2230 m a.s.l., 28.i.2010 (B.A. Huber), 3♂ 7♀ in ZFMK (Ar 8502) ; same data, 1♀ in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Ken 116) ; Mt. Kenya N.P., Naro Moru Forest , under bridge (0°10.6’S, 37°12.0’E), 2800 m a.s.l., 29.i.2010 (B.A. Huber), 1♂ 1♀ in ZFMK (Ar 8499). Rift Valley : Mt. Elgon N.P., under bridge near Kitum Cave (1°01.8’N, 34°45.4’E), 2410 m a.s.l., 31.i.2010 (B.A. Huber), 1♂ in ZFMK (Ar 8500). Mt. Elgon N.P., Kitum Cave (1°01.8’N, 34°45.4’E), 2410 m a.s.l., deep in cave, 31.i.2010 (B.A. Huber), 5♂ 5♀ in ZFMK (4♂ 4♀, Ar 8501) and NMKE (1♂ 1♀) ; same locality (“ Kitumi Cave ”), 24.ii.1971 (Kock), 1♀ 1 juv. in SMF. Endebess, R. Suam [1°04.5’N, 34°50.6’E], riverine forest, 2000 m a.s.l., 7.viii.1972 (Murphy), 1♀ in CJFM (1656 part). Mau Escarpment between Kericho and Molo, forest fragment near road (0°14.3’S, 35°32.7’E), 2130 m a.s.l., 4.ii.2010 (B.A. Huber), 2♂ 1♀ in ZFMK (Ar 8503) ; same data, 1♀ in pure ethanol in ZFMK (Ken 136) .

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 115–130. Smeringopus chogoria group, habitus, left male palps (prolateral and retrolateral views), male prosomata (oblique frontal views), epigyna (ventral views), and cleared female genitalia (ventral and dorsal views). 115–116, 119–120, 123–126. S. chogoria. 117–118, 121–122, 127–130. S. bujongolo.

FIGURES 131–137. Smeringopus chogoria (131–136) and S. bujongolo (137). 131. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view. 132. Left procursus, dorsal view. 133–134. Left embolus, prolateral and dorsal views. 135. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 136–137. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. Scale lines: 0.3 mm (133–134), 0.5 mm (131–132, 135–137).

FIGURES 155–168. Smeringopus chogoria (155–164) and S. ngangao (165–168). 155–156. Right palp, retrolatero-dorsal and prolatero-dorsal views. 157–158. Left palp, dorsal and prolatero-dorsal views. 159. Male gonopore. 160–161. Male chelicerae and cheliceral apophysis (arrow points to modified hair). 162–163. Male and female ALS. 164. Epigynum. 165. Male gonopore. 166. Modified hair on male cheliceral apophysis. 167. Female ALS. 168. Epigynum. Scale lines: 10 µm (166), 20 µm (161, 167), 30 µm (162, 163), 50 µm (165), 80 µm (159), 100 µm (160), 200 µm (155–158, 168), 300 µm (164).