Smeringopina beninensis Kraus, 1957

Huber, Bernhard A., 2013, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Guineo-Congolian spider genus Smeringopina Kraus (Araneae, Pholcidae, Zootaxa 3713 (1), pp. 1-160 : 45

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3713.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C5F0BC11-92C0-4B30-9DB3-200882AC8950
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6162101
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/B20287ED-FFC8-FFB6-B990-C6B3FBB8391F
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Smeringopina beninensis Kraus, 1957
status

Treatment

Smeringopina beninensis Kraus, 1957 View in CoL

Figs. 653–657 View FIGURES 648 – 657 , 688–689 View FIGURES 678 – 693 , 699 View FIGURES 694 – 702 , 778–784 View FIGURES 778 – 784

Smeringopina beninensis Kraus 1957: 236 –237, figs. 59–63.

Types. ♂ holotype 1♀ paratype from Benin, locality not further specified, 1907 (Manger), in ZMH, examined.

Other material examined. BENIN: Niaouli (6°44’N, 2°08’E), 20.xi.2008 (S. Tchibozo), 1♂ 2♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10297).

NIGERIA: Agege, Lagos Colony [6°37.2’N, 3°19.8’E], 5.xii.1948 (B. Malkin), 2♂ 5♀ 6 juvs. in AMNH. Iseri, Lagos Colony [6°32.4’N, 3°15.0’E], 27.–30.xii.1948 (B. Malkin), 2♂ 6♀ 4 juvs. (2 vials) in CAS.

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from known congeners by unique long median projection on male clypeus ( Fig. 778 View FIGURES 778 – 784 ); also by massive procursus with long distal apophysis ( Figs. 779–780 View FIGURES 778 – 784 ), by strong pointed projection of basal sclerotized part of embolus ( Fig. 781 View FIGURES 778 – 784 ), and by shape (longer than wide) and massive anterior protrusion of epigynum ( Figs. 688–689 View FIGURES 678 – 693 , 783 View FIGURES 778 – 784 ).

Male ( Benin, Niaouli). Total body length 10.2, carapace width 2.1. Leg 1: 84.2 (19.3 + 0.8 + 19.2 + 41.3 + 3.6), tibia 2: 12.9, tibia 3: 8.9, tibia 4: 11.7; tibia 1 L/d: 99. Distance PME-PME 170 µm, diameter PME 205 µm, distance PME-ALE 90 µm, distance AME-AME 35 µm, diameter AME 185 µm. Carapace ochre-orange with brown triangular mark posteriorly, brown lateral margins, whitish around ocular area; ocular area posteriorly brown, clypeus only laterally darker, sternum dark brown; legs ochre-yellow, slightly darker rings subdistally on femora and in patella area; abdomen ochre-gray with distinct black pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally. Habitus as in Figs. 653–654 View FIGURES 648 – 657 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with distinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus with long median projection carrying at its slightly bifid tip some modified (claw-shaped) hairs ( Fig. 778 View FIGURES 778 – 784 ); deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in Fig. 782 View FIGURES 778 – 784 , with lateral proximal apophyses and large distal apophyses, the latter and frontal cheliceral face provided with many modified (cone-shaped) hairs. Palps as in Figs. 655–657 View FIGURES 648 – 657 ; coxa unmodified; trochanter with simple retrolatero-ventral apophysis; femur proximally with ventral pocket bordered retrolaterally by strong sclerotized ridge, without prolateral and retrolateral projections; prolateral femur-patella joint very prominent and strongly shifted toward ventrally; tarsus with some stronger hairs dorsally; procursus with distinct hinge between proximal and distal part, with distinctive long process distally ( Figs. 779–780 View FIGURES 778 – 784 ); bulb with heavily sclerotized proximal part of embolus with strong pointed projection ( Fig. 781 View FIGURES 778 – 784 ). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs (many hairs missing), retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 1%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegments barely visible. Gonopore with two epiandrous spigots.

Variation. In most males (and in holotype) tip of clypeus projection not bifid. Tibia 1 in male from Agege: 19.9; missing in other males (femur 1 in holotype: 18.9).

Female. In general similar to male but clypeus unmodified; sternum and clypeus variably dark. Tibia 1 in 8 females: 13.7–16.0 (mean 14.9); in paratype: 15.2. Epigynum large, consisting of long anterior plate with massive anterior protrusion carrying pair of small pointed projections and large posterior plate ( Figs. 688–689 View FIGURES 678 – 693 , 783 View FIGURES 778 – 784 ); internal genitalia as in Figs. 699 View FIGURES 694 – 702 and 784 View FIGURES 778 – 784 .

Distribution. Known from southern Benin and southwestern Nigeria ( Fig. 627 View FIGURE 627 ).