Cteniogaster hexomma, Jan Bosselaers & Rudy Jocque, 2013

Jan Bosselaers & Rudy Jocque, 2013, Studies in Liocranidae (Araneae): a new afrotropical genus featuring a synapomorphy for the Cybaeodinae, European Journal of Taxonomy 40, pp. 1-49 : 16-20

Cteniogaster hexomma sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:1893EEE5-2CBC-43AA-9669-4A2A293A89CD

Figs 2I-P , 4C-D, 6, 7, 8G-H, 10A-E, 11B-D, 14; Appendix 1D, G

Diagnosis

Cteniogaster hexomma sp. nov. differs from all other Cteniogaster gen. nov. species by the consistent absence of PME, by a male palp with a small, straight and pointed RTA and a simple, blunt and scoopshaped rl apical MA, and by the vulva with large, touching, oval ST1 with conspicuous internal spikes and smaller, more dorsally positioned posterior ST2 carrying an anterior porous glandular structure.

Etymology

The species name is a noun in apposition and refers to the consistent absence of PME in this species, resulting in an array of six eyes.

Type material

Holotype

Ƌ and paratype female: KENYA, Taita Hills, Ngangao Forest, 3°22’S 38°21’E, 15 Jul. 1998, mixed forest, pitfall trap, Rogo L. ( MRAC 208888 ) .

Paratypes

1 ♀: together with holotype; 1 Ƌ: KENYA, Taita Hills, Ngangao Forest , 3°22’S 38°21’E, 15 Jul. 1998, 4 Dec. 1999, Winkler extraction of forest litter, VandenSpiegel D. & Michiels J. ( MRAC 209203 ) ; 1 ♀: as previous, 11 Mar. 2004, pitfalls, Spanhove T. & Chovu M. ( MRAC 222071 ); 2 ƋƋ: as previous, 11 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222412 ); 4 ♀♀: as previous, 11 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222419 ); 2 ♀♀: as previous, 11 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222426 ) ; 1 ♀: as previous, 7 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222431 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 11 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222439 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 11 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222444 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 11 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222449 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 7 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222076 ); 2 ƋƋ, 2 ♀♀: as previous, 8 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222084 ) ; 1 ♀: as previous, 8 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222110 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 10 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222086 ); 1 ♀: as previous, 8 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222088 ); 2 ƋƋ, 2 ♀♀: as previous, 6 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222089 ) ; 1 ♀: as previous, 6 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222092 ) ; 6 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222100 ); 6 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222109 ); 4 ƋƋ: as previous, 6 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222107 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 10 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222096 ); 2 ƋƋ: as previous, 8 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222097 ); 3 ƋƋ, 2 ♀♀: as previous , 2 ƋƋ, 1 ♀: as previous, 10 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222101 ) ; 1 Ƌ: as previous, 10 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222094 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 1 ♀: as previous, 7 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222392 ); 1 Ƌ, 1 ♀: as previous, 10 Apr. 2004 ( MRAC 223157 ) ; 1 ♀: as previous, 8 Apr. 2004 ( MRAC 223165 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 6 Apr. 2004 ( MRAC 223230 ).

Other material examined

1 Ƌ: KENYA, Taita Hills, Chawia Forest , 03°29’S 038°20’E, 18-24 Mar. 1998, pitfalls, Rogo Lucy ( MRAC 208374 ) ; 1 Ƌ: as previous, 16 Jul. 1998 ( MRAC 208886 ) ; 1 ♀: as previous, 22 Feb. 2004, pitfalls, Spanhove T. & Chovu M. ( MRAC 221973 ); 3 ƋƋ: as previous ( MRAC 222090 ); 1 ♀: as previous ( MRAC 222095 ) ; 1 Ƌ: as previous ( MRAC 222004 ) ; 1 Ƌ, 1 ♀: as previous, 23 Feb. 2004, pitfalls ( MRAC 222012 ) ; 1 ♀: as previous ( MRAC 222085 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 24 Feb. 2004 ( MRAC 222091 ); 1 ♀: as previous, 8 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222475 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 22 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222784 ) ; 1 Ƌ: as previous ( MRAC 222789 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous ( MRAC 222883 ) ; 1 Ƌ: as previous, 24 Apr. 2004 ( MRAC 223253 ); 1 ♀: as previous, 22 Apr. 2004 ( MRAC 223271 ); 1 ♀: Taita Hills, Yale Forest , 03°39’S 038°33’E, 6 Dec. 1999, Winkler extraction of forest litter, VandenSpiegel D. & Michiels J. ( MRAC 209188 ) ; 1 Ƌ: Taita Hills, Macha Forest , 03°25’S 028°21’E, 13 Feb. 2004, pitfalls, Spanhove T. & Chovu M. ( MRAC 222087 ) ; 1 Ƌ: as previous ( MRAC 222093 ); 2 ƋƋ: Taita Hills, Fururu Forest , 03°26’S 038°20’E, 19 Feb. 2004, pitfalls, Spanhove T. & Chovu M. ( MRAC 222098 ) ; 1 ♀: as previous ( MRAC 222104 ) ; 1 Ƌ: as previous ( MRAC 222105 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 19 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222860 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous ( MRAC 222892 ) ; 1 Ƌ: as previous, 19 Apr. 2004 ( MRAC 223289 ); 1 Ƌ: Taita Hills, Mwachora Forest , 03°25’S 038°22’E, 15 Feb. 2004, pitfalls, Spanhove T. & Chovu M. ( MRAC 222108 ) ; 1 ♀: as previous, 15 Mar. 2004, pitfalls, Spanhove T. & Chovu M. ( MRAC 222830 ); 2 ƋƋ: as previous, 15 Mar. 2004 ( MRAC 222846 ); 2 ƋƋ: as previous ( MRAC 222855 ) ; 1 ♀: Taita Hills, Wundanyi Forest , 03°24’S 038°22’E, 17 Feb. 2004, pitfalls, Spanhove T. & Chovu M. ( MRAC 222099 ) ; 2 ƋƋ: as previous ( MRAC 222102 ); 1 Ƌ: as previous, 17 Apr. 2004 ( MRAC 223222 ).

Description

Male (holotype)

TOTAL LENGTH. 2.92. Carapace length 1.34, width 0.97, brown, somewhat iridescent with green and purple hues, unbordered ( Fig. 2M-N ). Fovea pronounced, length 0.13, anterior end 0.89 from front end of carapace. AER width 0.21, PER width 0.29. AME diameter 1/3 of ALE, separated by their diameter, almost touching ALE, PLE as large as ALE, PME absent ( Fig. 10A ). Clypeus vertical, equal to 1.5 times the diameter of AME. Chilum about the size of the AME group. Sternum brown, with a thin border, length 0.76, width 0.63. PCT brown and pointed.

ABDOMEN. Pale greyish brown dorsally, covered with Fattened, iridescent hairs, provided with small, brown, poorly deFned anterior do scutum. Ventral side of abdomen pale grey, with a brown sclerotised elliptic posterior patch carrying long, strong setae ( Figs 2O-P , 6D-E, 10B). ALS separated by their diameter, PLS with slender conical apical segment, separated by their length. Legs brown, iridescent. Sparse ve terminal preening brushes on mt III and IV. Retrocoxal hymen oval, white, subglobular. Tarsus IV bent. Leg spination as in Appendix 1D.

LEG MEASUREMENTS: MALE PALP. As illustrated ( Figs 10C-D , 11B), with a small, straight and pointed RTA, a short, pointed, pl apical embolus, a median, fan shaped membranous apical conductor and a simple, blunt and scoopshaped rl apical MA ( Fig. 11B ).

	fe	pa	ti	mt	ta	Total
I	0.79	0.34	0.63	0.47	0.42	2.66
II	0.68	0.34	0.55	0.45	0.42	2.45
III	0.66	0.29	0.45	0.50	0.47	2.37
IV	0.87	0.34	0.74	0.79	0.58	3.31

Female

TOTAL LENGTH. 2.97. Carapace length 1.10, width 0.88, coloured as in male ( Fig. 2I-J ). Fovea pronounced, length 0.18, anterior end 0.76 from front end of carapace. AER width 0.23, PER width 0.31. Relative eye sizes, AER curvature and clypeus as in male. PME absent. Chilum a small, yellow brown equilateral triangle beneath AME group. Sternum yellow brown, with a thin border, length 0.68, width 0.63 ( Fig. 2L ). PCT pointed but weakly sclerotised.

ABDOMEN. Coloured as in male, but without do scutum or ve modiFed setae. ALS separated by their diameter, PLS with hemispherical apical segment, separated by their length. Legs yellow brown, iridescent. Retrocoxal hymen as in male. Trochanter notch more prominent in legs III and IV. Preening brushes as in male, tarsus IV slightly bent. Leg spination as in Appendix 1G.

LEG MEASUREMENTS: EPIGYNE. With a small, narrow anterior hood, semitransparent and showing the copulatory ducts and the large, oval ST1 ( Figs 2K , 10E). Vulva with large, touching, oval ST1 with conspicuous internal spikes and smaller, more dorsally positioned posterior ST2 carrying an anterior porous glandular structure ( Figs 4C-D , 8G-H).

	fe	pa	ti	mt	ta	Total
I	0.76	0.34	0.60	0.39	0.42	2.52
II	0.71	0.29	0.53	0.42	0.39	2.34
III	0.60	0.29	0.42	0.50	0.45	2.26
IV	0.82	0.32	0.71	0.79	0.60	3.23

Distribution

Kenya, Taita hills, 1600-1900 m asl.

Figures

Fig. 2. A-D. Cteniogaster conviva sp. nov. A. Ƌ, habitus dorsal view. B. Idem, ventral view. C. ♀, habitus, dorsal view. D. Idem, ventral view. E-H. Cteniogaster toxarchus gen. et sp. nov. E. Ƌ, habitus dorsal view. F. Idem, ventral view. G. ♀, habitus, dorsal view. H. Idem, ventral view. I-P. Cteniogaster hexomma sp. nov. I. ♀, prosoma, dorsal view. J. Idem, habitus, dorsal view. K. Idem, abdomen, ventral view. L. Idem, habitus, ventral view. M. Idem, Ƌ, habitus, dorsal view. N. Idem, prosoma, dorsal view. O. Idem, habitus, ventral view. P. Idem, abdomen, ventral view. Scale bars: A-O = 0.5 mm; P = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 4. Female genitalia, ventral view. A, C, E: cleared in methyl salicylate. A-B. Cteniogaster toxarchus gen. et sp. nov. C-D. Cteniogaster hexomma sp. nov. E-F. Cteniogaster lampropus sp. nov. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 10. Cteniogaster hexomma sp. nov. A. Ƌ, habitus, dorsal view. B. Idem, abdomen, ventral view. C. Idem, palp, ventral view. D. Idem, retrolateral view. E. Epigyne, ventral view. F. ♀, carapace, anterior view. Scale bars: A-B, F = 0.5 mm, C-E = 0.25 mm.

Fig. 11. A. Cteniogaster toxarchus gen. et sp. nov. Tip of male palp, ventral view. B-D. Cteniogaster hexomma sp. nov. B. Tip of male palp, ventral view. C. Tip of male tarsus IV, retrolateral view. D. Bent male tarsus IV. E. Cteniogaster toxarchus gen. et sp. nov., tip of male tarsus IV. F. Apostenus spinimanus (Koch & Berendt, 1854), tip of male tarsus IV. G. Apostenus fuscus Westring, 1851, tip of male tarsus IV. H. Arabelia pheidoleicomes Bosselaers, 2009, tip of female tarsus IV. Scale bars: D = 200 μm; A-C, E-G = 100 μm. Abbreviations: C = conductor; E = embolus; MA = median apophysis.