Diphya wesolowskae, Omelko & Marusik & Lyle, 2020

Omelko, Mikhail M., Marusik, Yuri M. & Lyle, Robin, 2020, A survey of Diphya Nicolet, 1849 (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) from South Africa, Zootaxa 4899 (1), pp. 259-279 : 273-278

Diphya wesolowskae sp. nov.

Figures 1 A–B, 2A, H, 3A–D, 4D, 5D, 6A, 7A, D, 8B, 9C, F–H, 10A–E, 11D, 13H–J

Etymology. The specific name is a matronym in honor of Wanda Wesołowska (Wrocław, Poland) for her contributions to taxonomic studies of African Salticidae and on the occasion of her 70 th birthday celebration.

Diagnosis. The new species can be easily distinguished from the widely distributed D. simoni by the lack of a carapace pattern. Males of D. wesolowskae sp. nov. can be distinguished from other congeners by the relatively long palpal femur (cf. Figs 7 A–D, 8B), distinctly longer than cymbium, the roundly bent and sharply pointed dorsal cymbial process (in lateral view), and the tip of the conductor bent ventrally (vs. not bent, or bent anteriorly). Females of the new species are most similar to those of D. foordi sp. nov., and differ by wider septal stem (ca. 1/3 of septal base width vs. ca. 1/5).

Description. Male (Holotype, NCA 2015/1557). TL 2.8, CL 1.61, CW 1.19. Carapace brown or dark brown, with poorly visible yellow to brown longitudinal band; carapace edges in posterior half with thin yellow lines. Ocular area black; clypeus yellowish, somewhat higher than AME diameter. Chelicerae and mouthparts dark brown; chelicerae with 3 promarginal and 4 retromarginal teeth. Sternum brown, with blackish edges and longitudinal stripe. Femora I–II uniformly light brown; III–IV darker brown dorsally. Patellae I–III brown; IV slightly darker brown. Tibiae yellow, somewhat darker distally; tibiae III–IV darker than I–II. Metatarsi I–II dark yellow; III–IV yellow, gray dorsally. Tarsi I–II dark yellow, III–IV yellow. Abdomen dorsally brown or dark brown, with pair of large black spots anteriorly (two males with lighter abdomen and indistinct pattern consisting of spots and lines), surrounded by white guanine line. Lateral sides grayish (blackish at rear parts), with thin longitudinal yellow stripes. Ventrally dark gray, surrounded by yellowish spots.

Palp and leg segment lengths

Spination of legs I–II

Mt I–II and upper parts Ti I–II with row of prolateral spines.

Palp as in Figs 7A, D , 8B , 9C, F , G–H; tibia long, 4 times longer than wide, ca. 1.2 longer than cymbium; tibia long, almost 1/2 of femur length; cymbium with long dorsal process, appearing as sharply pointed in lateral view ( Fig. 8B ), but rounded in anterior view ( Fig. 9F ); conductor well sclerotized, with tip bent ventrally; embolus and embolic loop relatively short, loop as long as dorsal cymbial process.

Female (Paratype, NCA 2014/3607). TL 3.17. CL 1.60, CW 1.17. Carapace dark brown, with yellow-brown longitudinal band; edge of carapace with very thin yellow line in its rear half. Ocular area dark brown. Clypeus dark brown, lower than AME diameter. Chelicerae and mouthparts brown. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth. Sternum dark brown, with dark edges and longitudinal stripe. Femora light brown. Patellae light brown; III–IV darker than I–II. Tibiae light brown; III–IV darker dorsally. Metatarsi and tarsi light brown; III–IV darker than I–II.Abdomen dorsally light brown, with number of guanine spots, couple of large black spots and several pairs of stripes. Lateral sides dark gray, with yellow spots and stripes. Ventrally grayish.

Palp and leg segment lengths

Spination of legs I–II

Mt I–II and upper parts Ti I–II with row of prolateral spines.

Epigyne as in Figs 11D , 13 H–J; epigynal plate wider than long, with transversal septal base; septum with short and broad stem (ca. 1/3 of septal base width), septum lacking distinct pockets; receptacle elongate-oval, 2 times longer than wide, converging anteriorly, spaced (not touching each other).

Type material. Holotype ♁: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Baynesfield , 29°40.620’S, 29°55.320’E, leg. I. Yekwayo, 1.V.2014 (grassland, midlands, pit trap) ( NCA 2015 /1557).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Cathedral Peak, 28°56.4’S, 29°11.4’E, leg. C. Uys, 6.I.2005 (grassland, active search), 1♀ ( NCA 2014 /3908); Injasuthi Forest, leg. C. Uys, 22.VI.2004 (active), 1♀ ( NCA 2014 /3915); Injasuti Nature Reserve , 29°07.2’S, 29°13.2’E, leg. C. Uys, 22.VI.2004 (forest, active search), 1♁ ( NCA 2014 /3914); Same locality and collector, 21.IX.2004, 1♁ ( NCA 2016 /1670); Same locality and collector, 22.VI.2004, 1♀ ( NCA 2014 /3607); Ithala Game Reserve , Ntshodwe Camp, 27°32.699’S 31°16.911’E, leg. C. Haddad & Z. Mbo, 27.I.2014 (short forest, sifting leaf litter), 1♀ ( NCA 2013 /4945); Royal Natal National Park , 28°43.8’S, 28°55.2’E, leg. C. Uys, 15.I.2005 (grassland, active search), 1♁ ( NCA 2014 /3902) . Limpopo: Entabeni Forest, 23°00’S, 30°13.8’E, leg. J. Horn, 17.I.2002 (forest, sweepnet), 1♀ ( NCA 2010 /3451); Same locality, leg. C. Schoeman, 3.XII.2012 (pit trap), 1♁ ( NCA 2014 /3336); Entabeni Nature Reserve , 22°59.518’S, 30°15.422’E, leg. S. Foord, 11.II.2008 (grassveld/plantation, sweepnet), 1♁ ( NCA 2010 /1948); Grootbosch Forest , 23°43.8’S, 30°01.8’E, leg. J. Horn, 22.X.2001 (forest, sweepnet), 1♁ ( NCA 2010 /3949); Same locality and collector, 9.I.2002, 1♁ 1♀ ( NCA 2010 /3455); Same locality and collector, 14.XI.2001, 1♀ ( NCA 2010 /3947); Same locality and collector, 9.I.2002, 1♀ ( NCA 2010 /3456); Lajuma Mountain Retreat , 23°02.280’S, 29°26.520’E, leg. AFRAS members, 6.II.2008 (hand collecting), 1♁ ( NCA AcAT 2008/3346); Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve , Farm The Downs, 24°08.4’S, 30°18.6’E, leg. V. Gelebe, 18.I.2009 (grassland, tall forest, active search below knee), 1♁ ( NCA 2013 /1401); Same locality, 24°08.294’S, 30°11.759’E, leg. V. Gelebe (tall forest with grassland, below the knee), 1♀ ( NCA 2015 /3712); Same locality and collector, 11.II.2008 (forest, pit trap), 1♁ ( NCA 2009 /1292) .

Distribution. This species is known from the eastern parts of South Africa only, and has been found in the KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo Provinces ( Fig 14 ).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Male habitus of Diphya wesolowskae sp. nov. (A–B), D. leroyorum sp. nov. (C), D. simoni Kauri, 1950 (D–F) and D. foordi sp. nov. (H–I). Scales = 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 7. Male palp of Diphya wesolowskae sp. nov. (A, D), D. foordi sp. nov. (B, E), D. simoni (C, H) and D. leroyorum sp. nov. (F–G). A–C, F Antero-prolateral; D–E, G–H Antero-retrolateral. Scales = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 8. Retrolateral view of male palp of Diphya foordi sp. nov. (A), D. wesolowskae sp. nov. (B), D. simoni Kauri, 1950 (C) and D. leroyorum sp. nov. (D). Scales = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 9. SEM micrographs of the male palp of Diphya simoni Kauri, 1950 (A–B, D–E) and D. wesolowskae sp. nov. (C, F–H). A, F Anterior; B Antero-ventral; C–D Retrolateral; E, G Ventro-retrolateral; H Subventral. Scales = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 11. Epigyne, ventral view of Diphya simoni Kauri, 1950 (A), D. foordi sp. nov. (B), D. vanderwaltae sp. nov. (C) and D. wesolowskae sp. nov. (D). Scales = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 13. Epigyne of Diphya vanderwaltae sp. nov. (A–C), D. foordi sp. nov. (E–G), D. wesolowskae sp. nov. (H–J) and D. simoni Kauri, 1950 (D, K–L). Scales = 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 14. Distribution records of Diphya species in South Africa. Arrows indicate type localities.