Festucula australis Lawrence, 1927

Azarkina, Galina N. & Foord, Stefan H., 2014, A revision of the Afrotropical species of Festucula Simon, 1901 (Araneae: Salticidae), African Invertebrates 55 (2), pp. 351-351 : 355-359

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.5733/afin.055.0201
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/076987FA-1B3E-FFB6-CDF2-3B36FBA04EAE
treatment provided by	Felipe
scientific name	Festucula australis Lawrence, 1927
status

Treatment

Festucula australis Lawrence, 1927 View in CoL

Figs 14, 22 View Figs 8–25 , 27–44 View Figs 27–36 View Figs 37–44

Festucula australis Lawrence, 1927: 59 View in CoL , plate 2, fig̹ 44 (♀, examined)̹

Festucula australis: Lessert 1933: 149 View in CoL , figs 67—69, 71 (♀, Ô description, examined)̹

Festucula festuculaeformis View in CoL : WesoΙowska 1992 (in part, misidentified): 46, figs 2—21, 23—25̹

Diagnosis: The male of this species is most similar to that of F. lineata , but can be distinguished by the shape of the ventral tibial apophysis that is not bifurcated and has a big apical swelling ( Figs 30—31 View Figs 27–36 )̹ The female of F. australis resembles that of F. vermiformis and can be distinguished by the length of the middle part of the insemination ducts—long in F. australis (Fig̹ 22) and short in F. vermiformis (Fig̹ 23)—and the position of the thin and long accessory glands of spermathecae, which are situated in the middle part of the insemination ducts in F. vermiformis (Fig̹ 23), while posteriorly in F. australis (Fig̹ 35, arrowed)̹

Description:

Male.

Measurements: Carapace: 1.70–1.90 long, 1.15–1.30 wide, 0.50–0.65 high.Abdomen: 2̹90—4̹20 long, 0̹85—1̹05 wide̹ Eye field: 0̹75—0̹80 long, anterior 0̹95—1̹00 wide, posterior 1.00–1.10 wide. Cheliceral length 0.50–0.60. Clypeal height 0.05–0.10. Diameter of AME 0.30–0.40. Length of leg segments (male from DR Congo, MRAC 139514): I 1̹50+1̹00+1̹60+1̹10+0̹50; II 0̹95+0̹45+0̹55+0̹45+0̹30; III 0̹80+0̹45+0̹40+0̹55+0̹35; IV 1̹30+0̹50+0̹90+0̹75+0̹45̹

Leg spination: I: Tb v 0-1-1-1; Mt v 0-2-2ap. II: Mt v 1-2ap. III: Mt v 0-1ap. IV: Mt v 0-1ap.

Coloration ( Figs 37—40 View Figs 37–44 ): Carapace low, flat, dark brown with median and two lateral yellow bands, covered with white adpressed hairs. Clypeus brown, very low, covered with white hairs (Fig̹ 40)̹ Chelicerae and sternum dark brown̹Abdomen yellow-brown, dorsum with two longitudinal brown stripes ( Figs 37—39 View Figs 37–44 )̹ Booklungs yellow, spinnerets brown. Legs I long and robust, brown. The rest of legs and palps yellow-brown. All legs and palps covered with long thin bristles. Palpal structure as in Figs 27–31, 33–34 View Figs 27–36 .

Female.

Measurements: Carapace: 1.90–2.20 long, 1.20–1.40 wide, 0.60–0.70 high. Abdomen: 3̹75—4̹90 long, 1̹20 wide̹ Eye field: 0̹90—1̹00 long, anterior 1̹00—1̹15 wide, posterior 1.05–1.20 wide. Cheliceral length 0.40–0.50. Clypeal height 0.10. Diameter of AME 0.40. Length of leg segments (female from DR Congo, MRAC 139514): I 1̹30+0̹90+1̹00+0̹80+0̹40; II 0̹90+0̹50+0̹50+0̹45+0̹30; III 0̹80+0̹50+0̹50+0̹55+0̹40; IV 1̹30+0̹50+1̹00+0̹85+0̹45̹

Leg spination: I: Tb v 0-1-1-1; Mt v 0-2-2ap. II: Mt v 1-2ap. III: Mt v 0-1ap. IV: Mt v 0-1ap.

Coloration ( Figs 41—44 View Figs 37–44 ): Carapace low, flat, brown with median and two lateral yellow bands, covered with white adpressed hairs. Some specimens with median band faded in the ocular area̹ Clypeus brown, very low, covered with white hairs (Fig̹ 44)̹ Chelicerae dark brown. Sternum yellow-brown. Abdomen yellow, dorsum with two longitudinal brown stripes ( Figs 41—43 View Figs 37–44 )̹ Booklungs yellow, spinnerets yellow-brown̹ Legs I long and robust, brown, with dark brown rings. The rest of legs and palps yellow.All legs covered with long thin bristles. Structure of epigyne and spermathecae as in Figs 32, 35–36 View Figs 27–36 .

Type material examined: Holotype ♀ (SAMC, #B6112) South-West Africa , Kunene R̹, C 1712BC, March 1923, R.F. Lawrence [= NAMIBIA, Kunene Region, Kunene R., c. 17°15'S 12°30'E, iii.1923, R.F. Lawrence]. Ɵther material examined: ANGƟLA: 1Ô 1♀ Tschitunda [=Chitundo], 15°46'S 18°16'E, date unknown, A̹ Monard (MRAC 12009-12010); 1juv̹ same data as previous (MRAC 12011)̹ DR CƟNGƟ: 1Ô 1♀ Kasai, on bridge, Lulua R., 15 km W of Luluabourg [=Kananga], 05°54'S 22°25'E 19.viii.1971, C. Massin, D. Pierret (MRAC 139514); 1 Ô Kisantu, 05°08'S 15°06'E, 1919, R̹P̹ Vanderyst (MRAC 11813); 1 Ô Faradje [=Orientale, Faradje, c ̹ 03°44'N 29°43'E, date and collector unknown] ( MHNG)̹ GoogleMaps

Distribution: DR Congo, Angola and Namibia (Fig̹ 26)̹

Comments: Specimens from Angola are smaller in body size than those from DR Congo, but their palp sizes are the same. All exemplars from the west coast of Africa belong to F. australis ̹ These were previously identified by WesoΙowska as F. festuculaeformis on the basis of Lessert̕s erroneous identification of a male from Faradje ( DR Congo) as Pseudicius festuculaeformis and the suggestion that Lessert̕s drawings are not fully comparable (see WesoΙowska 1992: 50)̹ The shape of the tibial apophysis and the number of teeth on the inner edge of the LTA are species-specific (contra WesoΙowska 1992)̹