Diploglena arida, Haddad, 2015

Haddad, Charles R., 2015, A revision of the southern African two-eyed spider genus Diploglena (Araneae: Caponiidae), African Invertebrates 56 (2), pp. 343-343 : 351-352

Diploglena arida sp. n.

Figs 1–4 , 14, 19 , 26, 27 , 48–50

Diploglena capensis Purcell, 1904 : Platnick & JÄger 2008: 10 , figs 26–30 (in part, misidentified).

Etymology: The species is named for the arid habitats that it occupies in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa.

Diagnosis: Males of D. arida sp. n. are most similar to D. capensis , but can be separated by the shape of the tegular apophysis (subtriangular as opposed to slightly curved distally), the clearly larger membranous conductor, and the relative orientation of the embolus and tegular apophysis: tips in the same transverse plane in D. arida sp. n., while the tegular apophysis is clearly more distal and further from the embolus tip in D. capensis (compare Figs 48–50 with Figs 51–53 ). Females are similar to D. dippenaarae sp. n., but can be separated by the narrow unsclerotised patch on the anterior epigynal plate, which is only as broad as the transverse sclerotised strips (as broad as the lateral margins of the posterior tracheal openings in the other species).

Description:

Male (holotype, NCA 98/291).

Measurements: CL 2.80, CW 2.15, SL 1.68, SW 1.43, AL 4.00, AW 2.25, TL 6.75 (6.10–6.75, n=2), CLER 1:0.21 (1:0.17–1:0.21).

Length of leg segments, sequence from femur to tarsus, and total: I 1.80 + 1.03 + 1.53 + 1.03 + 0.55 = 5.94; II 1.55 + 0.95 + 1.30 + 1.05 + 0.55 = 5.40; III 1.38 + 0.80 + 0.93 + 1.05 + 0.68 = 4.84; IV 1.75 + 1.03 + 1.50 + 1.34 + 0.85 = 6.47.

Carapace and chelicerae bright orange; sternum and mouthparts orange, darker around margins; leg I yellow-orange and legs II–IV creamy-yellow, metatarsi and tarsi slightly darker; abdomen cream dorsally and ventrally. Palpal femora and patellae yellow-orange, tibiae and cymbium orange; palpal tegulum with embolus more than twice as long as broad, directed prolaterally distally at approximately 11 o’clock; membranous conductor triangular, directed dorsally; embolus and tegular apophysis orientated transversely relative to one another; tegular apophysis subtriangular, directed retrolaterally ventrally at approximately 2 o’clock, distal end thin, weakly sclerotised, partly translucent; tips of tegular apophysis and embolus in same transverse plane ( Figs 48–50 ).

Female (paratype, NCA 2008/2044).

Measurements: CL 2.75, CW 2.20, SL 1.70, SW 1.65, AL 4.55, AW 2.76, TL 7.20 (7.20–7.30, n=2), CLER 1:0.17 (1:0.17–1:0.18).

Length of leg segments, sequence from femur to tarsus, and total: I 1.78 + 1.03 + 1.40 + 0.95 + 0.58 = 5.74; II 1.58 + 0.95 + 1.23 + 1.00 + 0.58 = 5.34; III 1.38 + 0.95 + 1.30 + 1.05 + 0.60 = 5.28; IV 1.40 + 1.00 + 1.43 + 1.36 + 0.90 = 6.09.

Carapace yellow-orange; chelicerae orange-brown; sternum and mouthparts orange, darker around margins; leg I and II yellow, metatarsi and tarsi yellow-orange, legs II–IV with creamy-yellow femora, remaining segments yellow; abdomen cream dorsally and ventrally. Palpal femora and patellae yellow, tibiae and tarsi yellow-orange. External genitalia with weakly sclerotised anterior plate, with broad arch-shaped unsclerotised patch in front of paired slightly recurved sclerotised strips ( Fig. 14 ); ESTR 1 :0.54–1:0.64. Holotype ♂: SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape: 20 km N of Concordia , 29°32'S 17°56'E, leg. A. Harrington, 2.vi.1997 (from scorpion burrow) (NCA 98/291).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape: Augrabies National Park , 28°40'S 20°25'E, leg. E. le Roux, 1.ii.2007, 1♀ (NCA 2008/2044); Kweekfontein, 29°29'S 18°06'E, leg. A. Harrington, 2.vi.1997 (burrows of Opisthacanthus crassimanus ), 1♂ (NCA 98/290); 13 km E of Port Nolloth, 29°15'S 16°52'E, leg. B. Stuckenberg & J. Londt, 3.ix.1983 (west coast strandveld), 1♀ (NMSA 25802) .

Distribution: Known only from the arid northern parts of the Northern Cape Province, South Africa ( Fig. 63 ).

Figures

Figs 1–4. Digital microscope photographs of Diploglena arida sp. n. female (1, 2) and male (3, 4) paratypes: (1) dorsal habitus; (2) sternum and mouthparts; (3) chelicerae, posterolateral view, arrow indicating stridulatory file on anterolateral surface of paturon; (4) chelicerae, posterior view, arrow indicating translucent distal lobe. Scale bars: (1) = 5.0 mm; (2) = 1.0 mm; (3, 4) = 0.5 mm.

Figs14–25.Digital microscope photographsof female Diploglena genitaliain ventral (14–18) and dorsalview (19–25): (14, 19) D. arida sp. n.; (15, 20) D. capensis Purcell, 1904; (16, 21) D. dippenaarae sp. n.; (17, 22, 23) D. karooica sp. n.; (18, 24, 25) D. major Lawrence, 1928. Abbreviations: lt – lateral sieve trachea; mt – anterior branches of paired median tubular tracheae; pb – posterior branches of paired median tubular tracheae; r – seminal receptacle; s – membranous sac extending from seminal receptacle; sd – distance between lateral ends of transverse sclerotised strips; td – distance between lateral ends of posterior tracheal spiracles. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Figs 26–27. Digital microscope photographs of spinnerets of Diploglena arida sp. n. male (26) and female (27) paratypes.Abbreviations:Ac – aciniform gland spigots; mAMP – presumed minor ampullate gland spigot; Pi – piriform gland spigots. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Figs 48–53. Left male palps of Diploglena arida sp. n. (48–50) and D. capensis Purcell, 1904 (51–53): (48, 51) prolateral view; (49, 52) ventral view; (50, 53) retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

Fig. 63. Distribution of Diploglena arida sp. n. (black circles), D. capensis Purcell, 1904 (open circles), D. dippenaarae sp. n. (black squares), D. karooica sp. n. (open squares), D. major Lawrence, 1928 (black triangles), D. proxila sp. n. (white circle) and undetermined Diploglena immatures (open triangles) in southern Africa.