Pachyballus variegatus Lessert, 1925

Wesolowska, Wanda, Azarkina, Galina N. & Wisniewski, Konrad, 2020, A revision of Pachyballus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus Simon, 1900 (Araneae, Salticidae, Ballini) with descriptions of new species, ZooKeys 944, pp. 47-98 : 47

Pachyballus variegatus Lessert, 1925 Figures 123-128 , 193

Pachyballus variegatus Lessert 1925: 437, f. 10-14 (♂♀).

Syntypes.

Tanzania • 1♂ 1♀; Kilimanjaro, Kibonoto; 3°11'S, 37°06'E; Sjöstedt leg.; NHRS; examined.

Diagnosis.

This species is the only one in the genus that does not have the posterior ventral scutum on abdomen. Its other diagnostic feature is the pattern on abdomen; the anterior one-fourth of the abdomen is bright, the posterior part dark with a wide, light median patch (Figs 123 , 127 ).

Redescription.

Male. Measurements: Cephalothorax: length 1.4, width 1.3, height 0.4. Eye field: length 0.7, anterior width 1.1, posterior width 1.3. Abdomen: length 1.8, width 1.7.

General appearance as in Fig. 123 . Body flattened, integument strongly sclerotised, clearly pitted. Eye field light, yellowish orange, blackish rings around eyes, thoracic part light brown anteriorly, posterior slope yellowish. A few delicate hairs at anterior eyes. Chelicerae brown, with three teeth on promargin and a tooth with two tips on retromargin (Fig. 124 ). Labium and endites basally brownish, with light tips. Sternum light brown. Abdomen heart-shaped, widest anteriorly and tapering, anteriorly orange, sides brown with wide orange area in the middle (Fig. 123 ). Venter yellowish, without scutum. Spinnerets short, yellow. Legs relatively short, dark yellow (first pair absent in the syntype, only coxae extant, brown). Pedipalp (only right present) brown. Palpal organ as in Figs 125 , 126 , embolic coil wide, with three loops.

Female. Measurements: Cephalothorax: length 1.5, width 1.4, height 0.5. Eye field: length 0.8, anterior width 1.2, posterior width 1.4. Abdomen: length 2.2, width 2.1.

Colouration as in male (Fig. 127 ). Abdomen rounded. Palp light, with brown apical part. Epigyne weakly sclerotised with shallow central depression (Fig. 128 ). Internal structure not studied, spermathecae probably large (visible through integument).

Remarks.

Lessert (1925) wrote in the original description that the basic colour of body was black. The specimens must have bleached heavily, however the outline of lighter patches has been preserved.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality (Fig. 193 ).

Figures

Figures 123 - 128. Pachyballus variegatus, syntypes 123 male, habitus 124 cheliceral dentition 125 palpal organ, ventral view 126 palpal organ, lateral view 127 female, colouration of abdomen 128 epigyne.

Figures 193 - 198. Distribution maps of Pachyballus and Peplometus species. 193 circle - Pachyballus caelestis, square - P. castaneus, triangle - P. variegatus 194 P. flavipes 195 circle - P. miniscutulus, square - P. mombasensis, triangle - P. ornatus 196 P. transversus 197 circle - Peplometus biscutellatus, square - P. chlorophthalmus 198 circle - P. nimba, square - P. oyo, triangle - P. congoensis.