Singafrotypa subinermis (Di Caporiacco, 1940) Di Caporiacco, 1940

Sestakova, Anna & Omelko, Mikhail M., 2012, A new combination expands the range of the African araneid spider Singafrotypa (Araneae, Araneidae), ZooKeys 207, pp. 79-84 : 80-83

Singafrotypa subinermis (Di Caporiacco, 1940) comb. n. Figs 1-5, 9, 13

Larinioides subinermis Di Caporiacco 1940: 821, f. 28 (♀).

Material.

1♀ Syntype, Coll N°72, Mag. N°2581, Ethiopia, Lago Regina Margherita on island, 16.1,1938 (L. Di Capporiacco)

Diagnosis. Singafrotypa subinermis can be recognized from other females of Singafrotypa by the relative proportion of the scapus to the epigynal base (ventral view) - tip of the scapus only slightly protruding over the base of the epigyne, and position of copulatory openings on the edge of the epigynal base (Figs 6-9). Unlike Singafrotypa okavango , it does not have a heart-shaped epigynal base and a long, distinctly wrinkled scapus (Figs 8, 12). It differs from Singafrotypa mandela by the absence of stout macrosetae on the palpal tarsus and paturon, a conical palpal tarsus ( Kuntner and Hormiga 2002), and in the shape of the epigynal base (Figs 7, 11). The epigyne of Singafrotypa subinermis is the most similar to Singafrotypa acanthopus (Figs 6, 10), but it differs from latter by having fewer wrinkles on the scapus with a round tip (triangular in Singafrotypa acanthopus ), and the shallow depression of the median plate without protruding lateral lamellae (Figs 9, 13).

Description.

Female. Total length 11.6. Carapace 4.2 long, 3.2 wide. Length of patella + tibia I 3.8. Carapace uniform red-brown, covered with small white hairs; cephalon protruding. Diameter of AME is 1.3 times larger than PME. Distance between AME 2 times longer than between PME. Chelicerae dark brown; 4 promarginal teeth, 3 retromarginal teeth. Sternum, brown, anteriorly in the middle with short, indistinct pale stripe; longer than wide (Fig. 1). Abdomen elongated, yellowish with two longitudinal brown stripes (Fig. 2), ventrally yellow, paler between epigastric furrow and spinnerets (Fig. 1). Legs yellow. Palp normal, no conical tarsus (Fig. 3). Femur I with 1 prolateral spine; 3 small, dorsal spines; no retrolateral spines.

Epigyne as in Figs 4, 5, 9, 13. Epigyne well sclerotized, protruding, with well developed scapus; epigynal base as wide as long, narrowing anteriorly (dorsal view); basal lamella thin, poorly developed; median plate with shallow depression (under scapus); copulatory openings located anteriorly on the edge of the base; flexible scapus almost as long as epigynal base, indistinctly wrinkled with a round tip (Figs 4, 9).

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality, islands of Lake Abaya in Ethiopia (Fig. 14). Singafrotypa subinermis is the easternmost species of the genus.