Euprosthenops australis Simon

Cruz da Silva, Estevam L. & Sierwald, Petra, 2014, Description of the males of Euprosthenops australis Simon, 1898 and Euprosthenopsis pulchella (Pocock, 1902) (Araneae: Pisauridae), Zootaxa 3857, pp. 137-150 : 138-144

Euprosthenops australis Simon , 1898

Figs 1, 3-17, 22

Podophthalma bayaoniana Karsch 1878: 326, plate 2, fig. 8 (female, misidentified).

Euprosthenops australis Simon 1898: 12, female from South Africa, Hebron ( MNHN 17418 ) (not examined); Lawrence 1947: 33, fig. 18; Roewer 1955b: 144, fig. 62; Blandin 1976: 70, figs 6-7, 14, 19, 22; Blandin 1978: 26, fig. 6c .

Note. Males and females were found together in several sites from South Africa ( NCA collection) - see Material Examined.

Diagnosis. The males of Euprosthenops australis resemble those of E. bayaonianus and E. proximus by the presence of a large, flattened distal tegular apophysis ( DTA), and its hook-like, curved tip (Figs 9, 14, 18, 20), by the membranous median apophysis ( MA, Figs 9, 14, 18, 20) and by the finger-like retrolateral tibial apophysis ( RTA, Figs 10, 17, 19, 21). Euprosthenops australis males can be distinguished from all other members of the genus by the slender and elongated distal tegular projection ( DTP, Figs 9, 15) and by the rounded prolateral projection (arrow) on the distal tegular apophysis ( DTA, Figs 9, 15).

Description. Male (South Africa, KwaZulu-Natal, NCA 2008/4093). Total length 19.42. Carapace 6.47 long, 5.97 wide, light brown with two wide lateral whitish bands (Figs 3, 4). Clypeus light brown, 0.81 high (Fig. 6). Anterior eye row extremely procurved, 2.34 wide (Fig. 6); posterior eye row strongly recurved, 2.14 wide (Fig. 6). Eye diameters, interdistances, and median ocular quadrangle: AME 0.27, ALE 0.36, PME 0.40, PLE 0.39; AME-AME 0.23, AME-ALE 1.17, PME-PME 0.31, PME-PLE 0.50, OQA 0.74, OQP 1.05, OQH 0.98. Chelicerae light brown with white bristles (Fig. 6). Retromargin of left cheliceral fang furrow with three teeth, equidistant and equal in size; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest. Sternum light brown, bristly; 3.04 long, 3.12 wide (Figs 7, 8). Labium dark brown, light brown distally, 0.93 long, 1.01 wide (Fig. 8). Legs light brown, relative length: IV-I-II-III, I - femur 14.44/ tibia-patella 19.75/ metatarsus 13.29/ tarsus 6.14/ total 53.62; II - 14.27/ 17.43/ 14.60/ 5.97/ 52.27; III - 11.78/ 13.28/ 10.95/ 4.15/ 40.16; IV - 14.94/ 18.77/ 16.60/ 6.14/ 56.45. Ventral pairs of macrosetae on tibiae: I-4; II-4; III-3; IV-4. Abdomen 11.67 long, light brown with a dark brown band at the anterior portion (Fig. 3). Venter light brown with a thin dark brown median band (Fig. 7). Palpus with an elongated bulbus (Figs 9, 12, 14, 15). Cymbium 4.15 long (Figs 9-11). Distal tegular apophysis ( DTA) with a rounded prolateral projection (arrow) (Figs 9, 12, 14, 15). Median apophysis ( MA) short and membranous (Figs 9, 12, 14, 15). Elongated and translucent conductor (Figs 9, 12, 14, 15). Retrolateral tibial apophysis elongated, finger-like and with a rounded apex (Figs 10, 13, 16, 17).

Female. Redescribed by Blandin, 1978: 26, fig. 6c.

Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA, Natal (KwaZulu-Natal'): Ophathe Game Reserve [28°22'S, 31°23'E], elevation 560m, 1 ♂, 28.IX.2008, C. Haddad ( NCA 2008/4093 ) ; Hartbeespoort: Grootplaas De Rust [25°46'S, 27°50'E], 2 ♂, 1 ♀, 20.XII.2013, H. Davel ( FMNH) ; Western Cape: Hell's Gate [28°00'S, 32°28'E], 5 ♂, 18.X.2004, J. Esterhuizen ( NCA 2009/3854 ) ; Pongola: Farm Vergeval, district Ngotsche [27°21'S, 31°36'E], 1 ♀, 23.X.1967, J. V. Vuuren ( NCA 85/32 ) ; Mpumalanga: Nelspruit [25°20'S, 31°46'E], 1 ♀, 15.x.1979, N. Lotz ( NCA 2000/272 ) ; Gauteng: Hammanskraal [25°24'S, 28°16'E], 1 ♀, 25.X.1975, L. Harley ( NCA 76/1548 ) . ZAMBIA, Serenje: Kasanka National Park, Lake Waka Waka [12°33'S, 30°13'E], 1 ♀, 11.XI.2000, C. Stuart & T. Stuart ( NCA 2002/556 ) ; Choma: Choma Wildlife Game Farm [17°14'S, 26°53'E], 1 ♀, 03.XII.2006, C. Haddad ( NCA 2007/501 ) . NIGERIA, Central Province, 1 ♀, 1968, E. B. Gwong ( MRAC 135.966 ) . SENEGAL, Dakar Peninsula , 1 ♀, I-IV.1945, E. H. Newcomb ( AMNH) .

Distribution. South Africa (Natal, Pongola, Gauteng, Mpumalanga), Zambia (Choma, Serenje), Nigeria (Central Province) and Senegal (Dakar) (Fig. 22).