Stenaelurillus latibulbis, Wesołowska, 2014

Wesołowska, Wanda, 2014, Further notes on the genus Stenaelurillus Simon, 1885 (Araneae, Salticidae) in Africa with descriptions of eight new species, Zoosystema 36 (3), pp. 595-622 : 605-608

Stenaelurillus latibulbis n. sp.

( Fig. 6 )

TYPE MATERIAL. — Holotype. Congo ( Zaire), Katanga Province, Luiswishi , 28 km NE Lubumbashi, 11°31’S, 28°11’E, 1200 m asl., savanna, 1974, leg. F. Malaisse, 1 ♂ ( MRAC 145506 ).

Paratypes. Together with holotype, 5 ♂♂ ; same data, 2 ♂♂ ( MNHN) ; same data, 1 ♀ ( MRAC 145501 ) ; Elizabethville [Lubumbashi] 11°40’S, 27°28’E, IV.1911, leg. L. Stappers, 1 ♀ ( MRAC 11985 ) .

DIAGNOSIS. — The male has very wide and relatively short bulb and embolus enveloped by tegular apophysis, only its tip is visible. Epigyne slightly similar to that in S. kavango n. sp., but accessory glands absent and copulatory openings are larger, surrounded by strongly sclerotized areas.

ETYMOLOGY. — The specific name refers to the shape of the palpal bulb.

DISTRIBUTION. — Known only from the type locality and its environs.

DESCRIPTION

Measurements (male/female)

Cephalothorax: length 2.7-3.0/2.6-2.7, width 2.2- 2.3/1.8-1.9, height 0.9-1.1/1.0-1.1. Abdomen: length 1.9-2.3/2.6-3.4, width 1.8-1.9/2.2-2.8. Eye field: length 0.9-1.0/0.9-1.0, anterior and posterior width 1.6-1.7/1.4-1.5.

Male

Carapace slightly pear shaped, dark brown with black eye field. White hairs form two thin lines on thoracic part, some white hairs on slopes, eye field clothed in long brown bristles, thick rod hairs on anterior part of eye field. Anterior eyes surrounded by small white scales. Clypeus low, dark. Mouth parts and sternum light brown. Abdomen black, three quarters of its length covered with scutum. Tufts of short white hairs form very small patches on dorsum, denser at anterior edge of abdomen, sometimes one of them larger (placed posteriorly, behind scutum). In some specimens these white dots absent, only dark scutum present. Long dark bristles on abdomen anteriorly. Venter yellowish grey. Spinnerets long, dark. Legs brown, bearing dark hairs, spines numerous, especially on distal pairs of legs. Pedipalps brown, clothed in dense hairs, brown with admixture of light ones. Tibial apophysis short, hidden in corresponding shallow cymbial cavity ( Fig. 6B ). Bulb short and broad ( Fig. 6A ), embolus small, poorly visible (partially enveloped by large membranous apophysis ( Fig. 6C ).

Female

Carapace pear shaped, widest at coxae III, coloured dark brown, clothed in dense brown hairs, some whitish hairs on slopes. Eye field slightly darker than thoracic area, with thick short setae and long brown bristles. Pair of white streaks starting from anterior lateral eyes and extending to end of carapace. Short white hairs frame anterior eyes and form small patches below lateral ones. Mouth parts light brown, only tips of endites whitish, sternum yellowish orange. Abdomen swollen, dark brown with slightly lighter pattern composed of large triangular median belt narrowing posteriorly and pair of small round patches placed laterally about half of abdominal length. Sides greyish brown, marked by darker dots. Venter light. Legs brown with darker patches. Epigyne small, as in Fig. 6D . Copulatory openings large, their edges strongly sclerotized, with additional narrow sclerotized flanges, seminal ducts and receptacles thick walled ( Fig. 6E ).

Stenaelurillus leucogrammus Simon, 1902 ( Fig. 7 )

St e n a e l u r i l l u s l e u c o g ra m m u s S i m o n, 1 9 0 2: 37. — Wesołowska & Cumming 2011: 98, figs 81-84.

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Mozambique [without precise locality], leg. P. Lesne, det. R. Lessert, 1 ♂ ( MHN) ; Zimbabwe, Mana Pools National Park , 15°45’S, 29°20’E, 9.V.1984, 1 ♂ ( MRAC) .

DIAGNOSIS. — The male palp of this species is similar to that in S. albopunctatus , but differs in the shape of retrolateral flat outgrowth of the tibia, which is clearly shorter.

DISTRIBUTION. — Known from Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

REDESCRIPTION

Measurements

Cephalothorax:length 2.4, width 1.8, height0.8.Abdomen: length 2.2, width 1.7. Eye field: length 0.9, anterior and posterior width 1.4.

Male

Carapace brown with darker ocular area, clothed in dense blackish hairs, among them thick shorter bristles on anterior part of eye field. White hairs form pair of streaks on carapace, starting from anterior lateral eyes and extending to posterior edge of carapace, sides also with light streaks, black lines along lateral margins. Clypeus low, brown, mouth parts and sternum yellowish. Abdomen dark brown, third anterior part clearly lighter, three round patches posteriorly ( Fig. 7A ), venter light yellowish. Long dense bristles on anterior edge. Spinnerets light, long, distal segment of posterior ones black. Legs brown, pairs III and IV with long metatarsi and tarsi. Pedipalps light brown, its structure as in Fig. 7C, D .

Embolus with bent tip, long tegular apophysis ( Fig. 7B ), row of dense black scale-like bristles on retrolateral side of tibia anteriorly, very small spike retrolateraly, hidden in dense long bristles ( Fig. 7C ).

Figures

FIG. 6. — Stenaelurillus latibulbis n. sp., male and female, paratypes: A, palpal organ, ventral view; B, palpal organ, lateral view; C, embolic division, dorsal view; D, epigyne; E, internal structure of epigyne. Scale bars: A, B, 0.3 mm; C-E, 0.1 mm.

FIG. 7. — Stenaelurillus leucogrammus Simon,1902,male (specimen from Mozambique):A, abdominal pattern;B, palpal organ,ventral view; C, palpal organ, lateral view; D, palpal organ, dorsal view. Scale bars: A, 1.0 mm; B-D, 0.3 mm.