Smeringopus thomensis Simon, 1907

HUBER, BERNHARD A., 2012, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Afrotropical endemic genus Smeringopus Simon, 1890 (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 3461 (1), pp. 1-138 : 114-116

Smeringopus thomensis Simon, 1907

Figs. 699–700, 705–706 , 709–711, 719–724, 732–740

Smeringopus thomensis Simon 1907: 251–252 .

Type. Male holotype from São Tomé and Principe, São Tomé Island, Ribeira Palma [0°21’N, 6°35’E], leg. L. Fea, possibly in Museo Civico di Storia Naturale "Giacomo Doria", Genova, not examined .

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners (other species of the thomensis species group) by shape of embolus (two large rounded apophyses arising from embolus dorsally; Figs. 722, 723 ) and absence of pair of sclerotized areas on posterior rim of epigynum ( Fig. 709 ); from S. principe also by absence of dorsal projection from procursus tip (compare Figs. 720 and 725 ) and much narrower pore plate (compare Figs. 724 and 728 ). Easily distinguished from all other congeners by distinctive color pattern dorsally on abdomen (figure composed of three black elements on posterior half; Fig. 699 ).

Male (Palha Plantation). Total body length 5.0, carapace width 1.5. Leg 1: 45.3 (11.9 + 0.5 + 10.8 + 20.1 + 2.0), tibia 2: 7.2, tibia 3: 5.1, tibia 4: 7.2; tibia 1 L/d: 64. Habitus as in Fig. 699 . Carapace ochre-yellow with median and lateral dark pattern, clypeus distal half darker, without pair of lines, sternum dark brown with some small light spots, legs ochre-yellow, femora and tibiae with dark subdistal rings and light tips, abdomen grey with distinctive dorsal pattern, ventrally with dark anterior and posterior plates and three indistinct bands in median section. Distance PME-PME 125 µm, diameter PME 150 µm, distance PME-ALE 55 µm, distance AME-AME 30 µm, diameter AME 120 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with small dark ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae with pair of small distal apophyses ( Fig. 721 ), each provided with one modified hair at tip ( Fig. 734 ). Palps as in Figs. 705 and 706 , coxa with distinct retrolateral apophysis, trochanter barely modified, femur with deep retrolateral furrow, proximal rim distinct ( Fig. 732 ), procursus with distinctive distal processes ( Figs. 719, 720 ), bulb with complex embolus with distinctive rounded dorsal processes ( Figs. 722, 723 ). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, without curved hairs, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1. Gonopore with two epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 736 ); ALS with one widened and one pointed spigot each, other spigots apparently reduced to two tiny remnants (cf. female, Fig. 737 ).

Variation. Tibia 1 in 3 other males: 8.9, 10.1, 10.7.

Female. In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 5 females: 8.4–9.7 (mean 9.1). Epigynum a simple, roughly triangular plate with pockets ( Figs. 709, 710 ), posterior plate semicircular; internal genitalia as in Figs. 711 , 724 , and 739.

Distribution. Known from São Tomé Island only ( Fig. 718 ).

Material examined. SÃO TOMÉ AND PRÍNCIPE: São Tomé: Palha Plantation near São Tomé town (0°18.8’N, 6°42.4’E), 12.iv.2001 (C.E. Griswold), 4♂ 5♀ in CAS . Ponta Barro Bóró (0°23.8’N, 6°36.3’E), in culvert along roadside, 27.iv.2001 (J.M. Ledford), 1♀ 3 juvs in CAS . Augustino Neto, Rio de Oro Plantation (0°21.9’N, 6°38.7’E), 220 m a.s.l., 13.iv.2001 (C.E. Griswold), 1♀ in CAS . São Tomé, no further locality data, 1.xi.1999 (W. Tavernier), 1♂ 1 juv. in MRAC (209235) ; same data but garden, 17.xi.1999, 1♂ 1 juv. in MRAC (209256).

Figures

FIGURE 718. Known distributions of the thomensis and roeweri groups. “?”: unknown type locality of S. roeweri in Rwanda. Squares: further undescribed species.

FIGURES 699–708. Smeringopus thomensis group. S. thomensis (699–700, 705–706), S. principe (702–704, 707–708), and S. mayombe (701). 699, 701, 703. Males, dorsal views. 700, 702. Male prosomata, oblique frontal views. 704. Female, ventral view. 705–708. Left male palps, prolateral and retrolateral views.

FIGURES 719–724. Smeringopus thomensis. 719. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view. 720. Left procursus, prolateral view. 721. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 722–723. Left embolus, prolateral and dorsal (slightly distal) views. 724. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 709–717. Smeringopus thomensis group. Epigyna, ventral views and cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. 709–711. S. thomensis. 712–714. S. principe. 715–717. S. mayombe.

FIGURES 725–731. Smeringopus principe (725–728) and S. mayombe (729–731). 725. Left procursus, prolateral view. 726–727, 729–730. Left emboli, prolateral and dorsal (slightly distal) views. 728, 731. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 732–744. Smeringopus thomensis (732–740) and S. principe (741–744). 732. Left male palpal femur, retrolateral view. 733. Left procursus tip, prolateral view. 734. Male cheliceral apophysis. 735. Left embolus, distal view. 736. Male gonopore. 737. Female ALS. 738. Epigynum. 739. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. 740. Detail of pore plate. 741. Left embolus, distal view. 742. Left procursus tip, prolateral view. 743. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. 744. Detail of pore plate. Scale lines: 10 µm (734, 737), 20 µm (740), 30 µm (744), 80 µm (733, 735–736), 100 µm (739, 741–742), 200 µm (732, 738, 743).