Cheiracanthium ghanaense, Lotz, L. N., 2015

Lotz, L. N., 2015, New Species of the Spider Genus Cheiracanthium from Continental Africa (Araneae: Eutichuridae), Zootaxa 3973 (2), pp. 321-336 : 324-325

Cheiracanthium ghanaense sp. nov.

Figs 10–12

Type material. Holotype ♀, GHANA: Kakum forest, 05º20’N, 01º23’W, 22.XI.2005, R. Jocqué, D. de Bakker & L. Baert ( MRAC 218326).

Etymology. The species is named after the country of the type locality.

Diagnosis. C. ghanaense sp. nov. is most similar to C. halophilum Schmidt & Piepho, 1994 (see Lotz, 2007a: figs 47–48), C. kakumense sp. nov. ( Figs 23–24 ) and C. mayombense sp. nov. ( Figs 32–33 ) in having long spiralled copulatory ducts, but differs by the copulatory openings being anterior of the central depression in two separate depressions ( Figs 11–12 ).

Description. Female: (n = 1): TL = 6.1; CL = 2.8; CW = 2.2; OAL = 0.5; OAW = 1.3; CLL = 0.05. Chelicerae: robust with long fangs; fang furrow with seven teeth of unequal size, PMT:RMT = 3:4 ( Fig. 10 ). Measurements: AME–AME 0.20; AME–ALE 0.20; AME diameter 0.15; PME–PME 0.30; PME–PLE 0.30; PME diameter 0.15; MOQAW 0.50; MOQPW 0.60; CI (CL/CW) 1.27; LL:CL 5.00; STL 1.5; STW 1.3. Leg measurements: I— 3.6+1.3+3.5+3.9+1.7 = 14.0; II—2.5+1.1+2.2+2.5+0.8 = 9.1; III—1.6+0.6+1.2+1.5+0.7 = 5.6; IV— 2.9+1.1+2.2+3.1+0.8 = 10.1; Palp—1.1+0.6+0.8+1.1 = 3.6. Leg spines: I 0-1p-1p, 0- 2 v-0, 2v- 0- 1 v; II 0-0-1p, 0, 2v- 0- 1 v; III 0-0-1p1r, 0-0-1p1r, 2v 1r-1p1r- 3v 1p1r; IV 0-0-1p1r, 0-0- 1 v1r, 2v 1r- 2v 1p1r- 3v 1p1r. Abdomen: creamyyellow with indistinct heartmark. Epigynum ( Figs 11–12 ): depression wider than long, narrow transverse, and two anterior depressions separated by a septum; copulatory openings in posterior edge of anterior depressions; internally, copulatory ducts strongly contorted, proceeding laterally, then anteriorly in two loops, before looping inside anterior loops posteriorly, before ending in anterio-lateral part of spermathecae; fertilization tubes enter spermathecae posterior-medially.

Male: unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in Ghana ( Fig. 52 ).

Habitat. Secondary forest.

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. 1 – 3 Cheiracanthium boendense sp. nov.: 1 female cheliceral teeth, apical view; 2 epigynum, ventral view; 3 same, dorsal view. 4 – 6 C. falcis sp. nov.: 4 male cheliceral teeth, apical view; 5 male palp, ventro-lateral view; 6 same, retrolateral view. 7 – 9 C. foordi sp. nov.: 7 female cheliceral teeth, apical view; 8 epigynum, ventral view; 9 same, dorsal view. 10 – 12 C. ghanaense sp. nov.: 10 female cheliceral teeth, apical view; 11 epigynum, ventral view; 12 same, dorsal view.

FIGURES 22 – 30. 22 – 27 C. kakumense sp. nov.: 22 female cheliceral teeth, apical view; 23 female epigynum, ventral view; 24 same, dorsal view; 25 male cheliceral teeth, apical view; 26 male palp, ventro-lateral view; 27 same, retrolateral view. 28 – 30 C. lukiense sp. nov.: 28 female cheliceral teeth, apical view; 29 epigynum, ventral view; 30 same, dorsal view.

FIGURES 31 – 39. 31 – 33 C. mayombense sp. nov.: 31 female cheliceral teeth, apical view; 32 epigynum, ventral view; 33 same, dorsal view. 34 – 36 C. punctipedellum Caporiacco, 1949: 34 male cheliceral teeth, apical view; 35 male palp, ventrolateral view; 36 same, retrolateral view. 37 – 39 C. sansibaricum Strand, 1907: 37 male cheliceral teeth, apical view; 38 male palp, ventro-lateral view; 39 same, retrolateral view.

FIGURES 52 – 55. Distribution maps: 52 C. boendense sp. nov. (circle); C. falcis sp. nov. (triangle); C. foordi sp. nov. (diamond); C. ghanaense sp. nov. (square); C. kabalense sp. nov. (star). 53 C. kakumense sp. nov. (circle); C. kakamega sp. nov. (square). 54 C. lukiense sp. nov. (square). 55 C. mayombense sp. nov. (square); C. punctipedellum Caporiacco, 1949 (circle), C. sansibaricum Strand, 1907 (triangle).