Holmelgonia afromontana, Benoît Nzigidahera & Rudy Jocqué, 2014

Benoît Nzigidahera & Rudy Jocqué, 2014, On the Afrotropical genus Holmelgonia (Araneae, Linyphiidae), with the description of three new species from the Albertine Rift, European Journal of Taxonomy 77, pp. 1-18 : 6-11

Holmelgonia afromontana sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F482911E-4987-4F7E-BC74-D4101DE9EE29

Figs 4-5, 8 , 11-16 , 26-29 , 39

Diagnosis

The male is characterized by the dorsal tibial apophysis, which is smoothly rounded at the extremity and has a ventral concavity provided with a short, sharp, tooth-shaped excrescence inside. Proximal and distal arms of the paracymbium with short setae, distal arm strongly sclerotized and curved at the tip. The female is recognized by details of the epigyne of which the central depression and the kidneyshaped spermathecae are the most characteristic.

Etymology

The specific name ‘ afromontana’ refers to the high altitude habitat in which the species was collected.

Material examined

Holotype

BURUNDI: ♂, Parc National de la Kibira , Rwegura, Mt. Musumba , 2.86445° S, 29.49640° E, site 5 , forest with Carapa grandiflora and Polyscias fulva , 25 Jun. 2008, 2252 m, pitfalls, B. Nzigidahera coll. ( MRAC 227154 ) .

Paratypes

BURUNDI: All from Parc National de la Kibira , Rwegura , Mt Musumba , pitfalls, B. Nzigidahera coll. ‒ 1 ♀, together with holotype ( MRAC 227154 ) . ‒ 2.86435° S, 29.49546° E, site 6 , forest with Carapa grandiflora and Polyscias fulva , 2150 m: 1 ♂, 2 ♀♀, 10 Mar. 2008 ( MRAC 227159 ) ; 1 ♂, 25 Aug. 2008 ( INECN) ; 3 ♂♂, 10 Nov. 2008 ( INECN) ; 1 ♂, 10 Nov. 2008 ( INECN) ; 2 ♂♂, 25 Jul. 2008 ( INECN) ; 1 ♂, 1 juv., 10 Jul. 2008 ( MRAC 227157 ) ; 1 ♀, 25 Mar. 2008 ( MRAC 227161 ) . ‒ 2.86445° S, 29.49640° E, site 5 , forest with Carapa grandiflora and Polyscias fulva , 2252 m: 1 ♂, 10 Apr. 2008 ( MRAC 227148 ) ; 1 ♂, 10 May 2008 ( MRAC 227156 ) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 25 Aug. 2008 ( MRAC 227151 ) ; 1 ♂, 10 Aug. 2008 ( INECN) ; 1 ♂, 10 Aug. 2008 ( MRAC 227158 ) ; 2 ♂♂, 10 Jun. 2008 ( INECN) ; 5 ♂♂, 25 Feb. 2008 ( INECN) ; 1 ♂, 25 Nov. 2008 ( INECN) ; 1 ♂, 1 ♀, 10 Feb. 2008 ( INECN) ; 2 ♂♂, 1 juv., 25 Sep. 2008 ( INECN) . ‒ 2.86455° S, 29.50427° E, site 4 , forest with Macaranga neomildbraediana and Polyscias fulva , 2352 m: 1 ♀, 25 Jun. 2008 ( MRAC 227152 ) ; 3 ♂♂, 10 Feb. 2008 ( MRAC 227153 ) ; 1♂, 25 Feb. 2008 ( INECN) ; 1 ♂, 10 Oct. 2008 ( INECN) ; 1 ♂, 1 juv., 10 Sep. 2008 ( INECN) ; 1♂, 25 Feb. 2008 ( INECN) . ‒ 2.87149° S, 29.49641° E, site 3 , 2444 m: 2 ♂♂, 26 Jan. 2008 ( INECN) . ‒ 2.87696°S, 29.49709° E, site 1 , 2650 m: 3 ♀♀, 25 Oct. 2008 ( INECN) .

Other material

BURUNDI: Parc National de la Kibira , Forêt de Rwegura , pitfalls, B. Nzigidahera coll., 2.90249°E, 29.51345°S, forest with Macaranga neomildbreadiana and Xymalos monospora , 2223 m, 1 ♂, 23 Nov. 2003 ( INECN) .

Description

Male (holotype, Figs 4-5, 8 , 11-13 , 26-27, 29 )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 1.70, carapace 0.70 long, 0.60 wide.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Carapace medium brown, with black striae radiating from foveal area. Chelicerae yellow, mottled with grey. Retromargin of chelicerae with 5 teeth; promargin with 4 small teeth. Clypeus 2 times ALE, grey. Sternum dark brown mottled with black, shield-shaped, 0.48 long and 0.44 wide.

EYES. Ocular area black. Posterior eye row strongly procurved, anterior eye row recurved; AME 0.04, ALE 0.08, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08.

LEGS. Pale yellow; tibia I with two spines. Femora without dorsal spines, with ventral spines in two rows. Metatarsi without dorsal spines.

LEG MEASUREMENTS

LEG CHAETOTAXY

ABDOMEN. Oval, pale grey, dorsally with pale spots and four faint horizontal chevrons becoming smaller towards the rear end. Spinnerets pale yellow, conical.

PALP ( Figs 4-5, 8 , 26-27, 29 ). Dorsal tibial apophysis ventrally concave, with tooth-shaped excrescence inside concavity; dorsally with smoothly rounded tip. Paracymbium: proximal arm tapered, with row of short hairs; distal arm with two lobes at extremity, caudal one with some hairs. Prolateral part of subtegulum with oblique grooves. Embolic division ( Fig. 29 ) fairly simple; embolus long, frontal appendage short, truncated, margin with many tiny teeth; dorsal appendage short, rounded.

Female (paratype, MRAC 227154, Figs 14-16 , 28 , 39 )

Habitus similar to male.

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 1.64. Carapace 0.70 long, 0.60 wide.

CEPHALOTHORAX. Clypeus 1.66 times ALE. Sternum 0.48 long, 0.46 wide.

EYES. AME 0.04, ALE 0.08, PME 0.08, PLE 0.08.

LEG MEASUREMENTS

LEG CHAETOTAXY

EPIGYNE ( Fig. 30 ). Fairly large ventral plate broadly indented in front, posterior margin slightly procurved. Copulatory ducts originate from centre near posterior margin, entering spermathecae near lateral margin; spermathecae large, kidney-shaped, with transverse long axis.

Variation

Carapace colour may vary from medium brown to yellowish grey.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 1 ).

Figures

Fig. 1. Presently known distribution of Holmelgonia Jocqué & Scharff, 2007. Large arrow indicates Kibira National Park, type locality of the species described in this paper.

Figs 4 - 10. SEM micrographs. — 4 - 5, 8. Holmelgonia afromontana sp. nov. (♂, MRAC 227153). 4. Palp, retrolateral view. 5. As previous, ventral view. 8. Embolic division, frontal view. — 6, 9. Holmelgonia bosnasutus sp. nov. (♂, MRAC 227145). 6. Palp, retrolateral view. 9. Embolic division, ventral view. — 7, 10. Holmelgonia disconveniens sp. nov. (♂, MRAC 241448). 7. Palp, retrolateral view. 10. Embolic division, frontal view. Scale bars 4 - 7 = 100 μm; 9 - 10 = 50 μm; 8 = 20 μm. E: embolus.

Figs 11 - 25. — 11 - 16. Holmelgonia afromontana sp. nov. (♂ holotype, ♀ paratype 227154). 11. Habitus, ♂, dorsal view. 1 2. Habitus, ♂, ventral view. 13. Habitus, ♂, lateral view. 14. Habitus, ♀, dorsal view. 15. Habitus, ♀, ventral view. 16. Habitus, ♀, lateral view. — 17 - 22. Holmelgonia bosnasutus sp. nov. (♂ holotype, female paratype 227507). 17. Habitus, ♂, dorsal view. 18. Habitus, ♂, ventral view. 19. Habitus, ♂, lateral view. 20. Habitus, ♀, dorsal view. 21. Habitus, ♀, ventral view. 22. Habitus, ♀, lateral view. — 23 - 25. Holmelgonia disconveniens sp. nov. (♂ holotype). 23. Habitus, dorsal view. 24. Habitus, ventral view. 25. Habitus, lateral view. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Figs 26 - 29. Holmelgonia afromontana sp. nov. (♂ holotype, ♀ paratype 227154). 26. Palp, ♂, retrolateral view. 27. Palp, ♂, dorsal view. 28. Epigyne, ventral view. 29. Embolic division of ♂ palp, ventrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Figs 39 - 40. — 39. Holmelgonia afromontana sp. nov. (♀, 227154). Epigyne, cleared, dorsal view. — 40. Holmelgonia bosnasutus sp. nov. (♀, 227507). Epigyne, cleared, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Figs 30 - 34. Holmelgonia bosnasutus sp. nov. (♂ holotype, ♀ paratype 227507). 30. Palp, ♂, retrolateral view. 31. Palpal tibia, ♂, dorsal view. 32. Palpal tibia, ♂, prolateral view. 33. Embolic division of ♂ palp, ventrolateral view. 34. Epigyne, ventral view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.