Jocquestus, Lyle & Haddad, 2018

Lyle, Robin & Haddad, Charles R., 2018, Jocquestus, a new genus of trachelid sac spiders from the Afrotropical Region (Arachnida: Araneae), Zootaxa 4471 (2), pp. 309-333 : 315-316

Key to the genus Jocquestus gen. nov.

1 Males ( ♂ of J. harrisi sp. nov. unknown)................................................................... 2

- Females (♀ of J. griswoldi sp. nov. unknown)............................................................... 8

2 Embolus originating retrolaterally on tegulum ( Figs 39 , 66 )..................... J. schenkeli ( Lessert, 1923) comb. nov.

- Embolus originating prolaterally on tegulum (e.g. Fig. 42 )..................................................... 3

3 RPA extending the entire length of palpal tibia or just past it; palpal tibia without RTA (e.g. Fig. 54 ), or only very weakly developed ( Fig. 43 ); conductor absent..................................................................... 4

- RPA clearly extending less than the length of palpal tibia; palpal tibia with strongly developed, distinct RTA (e.g. Fig. 49 ); narrow conductor present, positioned behind embolus........................................................... 6

4 Embolus with almost perpendicular bend at 2/3 its length; RPA almost parallel to axis of palpal tibia in ventral view ( Fig. 5 3 )..................................................................................... J. incurvus sp. nov. - Embolus nearly straight or only slightly curved, without perpendicular bend; RPA clearly bending away from axis of palpal tibia in ventral view.................................................................................... 5

5 Cymbium with four strong spines at distal end; embolus with slightly swollen tip ( Fig. 42 )............ J. capensis sp. nov.

- Cymbium without any strong spines at distal end; embolus gradually narrowing to a sharp point ( Fig. 62 )..................................................................................... J. roeweri ( Lawrence, 1938) comb. nov.

6 Embolus curving in a broad arc, with tip at retrolateral margin of cymbium ( Fig. 48 ); RTA subtriangular in lateral view ( Fig. 49 )................................................................................. J. griswoldi sp. nov.

- Embolus with characteristic loops medially and near tip ( Fig. 57 ); RTA rounded, with sharp dorsal tooth in retrolateral view ( Fig. 58 ).............................................................................. J. obliquus sp. nov.

7 Epigyne with large, broadly arched recurved epigynal ridges at approximately one-quarter the length of the epigyne; ST I distinctly bilobed, situated away from epigastric furrow ( Fig. 55 )................................... J. incurvus sp. nov.

- Epigyne with oblique or C-shaped epigynal ridges in posterior half of epigyne, sometimes extending as far forward as midpoint; ST I usually oval, rarely bilobed, situated close to epigastric furrow......................................... 8

8 Epigynal ridges C-shaped, anterior margin approximately at midpoint of epigyne ( Fig. 50 ); ST II narrow, close to midline of epigyne, with narrow ducts leading to oval posterior ST I ( Fig. 51 )................................ J. harrisi sp. nov.

- Epigynal ridges oblique, with most of their length in posterior half of epigyne; epigynal ridges narrower than anterior width of ST II, ducts and shape of ST I variable..................................................................... 9

9 Anterior of epigyne with distinct darkened arch-shaped margins ( Figs 44–46 ); endemic to south-western South Africa........................................................................................... J. capensis sp. nov.

- Anterior of epigyne lacking darkened margins; distributed in eastern half or central parts of Africa, south of the equator... 10

10 ST I positioned approximately 1/3 the distance between mesal and lateral edges of epigynal ridges; ST II comma-shaped, with rounded head anteriorly and distinct mesal space separating their basal section ( Fig. 59 ); abdomen lacking dorsal scutum ( Fig. 16 ).................................................................................. J. obliquus sp. nov.

- ST I positioned at mesal edge of epigynal ridges; ST II touching along most of their mesal margins, without a large space between them ( Figs 64 , 69 ); abdomen with oval dorsal scutum covering most of dorsum ( Figs 18, 20 )................. 11

11 ST I with two distinctive lobes in external view ( Fig. 64 ); ST II distinctly enlarged anteriorly, forming rounded head; mesal margins of ST II not touching along their entire mesal surface, separated by narrow ovoid space posteriorly ( Fig. 64 )........................................................................... J. roeweri ( Lawrence, 1938) comb. nov.

- ST I with single round lobe in external view ( Fig. 68 ); ST II large, almost parallel-sided laterally, touching along their entire mesal margin ( Fig. 68 ).................................................. J. schenkeli ( Lessert, 1923) comb. nov.

Figures

FIGURES 37–40. Scanning electron micrographs of Jocquestus schenkeli (Lessert, 1923) comb. nov. male (37–39) and female (40): 37. Right palp, retrolateral view, rectangle surrounding lyriform organ at distal end of patella at base of patellar apophysis; 38. Enlargement of lyriform organ; 39. Left palp, ventral view; 40. Epigyne, ventral view.

FIGURES 65–69. Jocquestus schenkeli (Lessert, 1923) comb. nov. male (65–67) and female (68, 69): 65. Schematic representation of cusp arrangement on legs I and II; 66. Left palp, ventral view; 67. Same, retrolateral view; 68. Epigyne, ventral view; 69. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 41–46. Jocquestus capensis sp. nov. male (41–43) male and female (44–46): 41. Schematic representation of cusp arrangement on legs I and II; 42. Left palp, ventral view; 43. Same, retrolateral view; 44. Epigyne, ventral view; 45. Variation of epigyne, ventral view; 46. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 52–55. Jocquestus incurvus sp. nov. male (52–54) and female (55): 52. Schematic representation of cusp arrangement on legs I and II; 53. Left palp, ventral view; 54. Same, retrolateral view; 55. Epigyne, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 47–51. Jocquestus griswoldi sp. nov. male (47–49) and J. harrisi sp. nov. female (50, 51): 47. Schematic representation of cusp arrangement on legs I and II; 48. Left palp, ventral view; 49. Same, retrolateral view; 50. Epigyne, ventral view; 51. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 1–8. Digital microscope photographs of somatic morphology of Jocquestus schenkeli (Lessert, 1923) comb. nov. male (1, 3, 5, 7) and female (2, 4, 6, 8). 1, 2. Habitus, dorsal view; 3, 4. Same, lateral view; 5, 6. Same, ventral view; 7, 8. Leg I, prolateral view. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

FIGURES 61–64. Jocquestus roeweri (Lawrence, 1938) comb. nov. male (61–63) and female (64): 61. Schematic representation of cusp arrangement on legs I and II; 62. Left palp, ventral view; 63. Same, retrolateral view; 64. Epigyne, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 56–60. Jocquestus obliquus sp. nov. male (56–58) and female (59, 60): 56. Schematic representation of cusp arrangement on legs I and II; 57. Left palp, ventral view; 58. Same, retrolateral view; 59. Epigyne, ventral view; 60. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 9–20. Digital microscope photographs of the dorsal habitus of Jocquestus gen. nov. species. 9. J. capensis sp. nov., male; 10. Same, female; 11. J. griswoldi sp. nov., male; 12. J. harrisi sp. nov., female; 13. J. incurvus sp. nov., male; 14. Same, female; 15. J. obliquus sp. nov., male; 16. Same, female; 17. J. roeweri (Lawrence, 1938) comb. nov., male; 18. Same, female; 19. J. schenkeli (Lessert, 1923) comb. nov., male; 20. Same, female.