Smeringopina attuleh, Huber, Bernhard A., 2013

Huber, Bernhard A., 2013, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Guineo-Congolian spider genus Smeringopina Kraus (Araneae, Pholcidae, Zootaxa 3713 (1), pp. 1-160 : 23

Smeringopina attuleh new species

Figs. 24 , 294–298 , 304–306 , 318–323

Smeringopina Cam 40: Dimitrov, Astrin & Huber 2013 (DNA data).

Type. ♂ holotype from Cameroon, Southwest Region, near Dschang, Attuleh , “site 1” (5°27.7’N, 9°56.5’E), 1880 m a.s.l., near ground, 20.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10216).

Other material examined. CAMEROON: Southwest Region: near Dschang, Attuleh , “site 1”, same data as holotype, 3♂ 2♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10217); same data, 1♀ 4 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Cam 126); Attuleh , “site 2” (5°27.9’N, 9°56.5’E), 1800 m a.s.l., near ground, 20.iv.2009 (B.A. & J.C. Huber), 4♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10218); same data, 3♀ in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Cam 122). Near Dschang, Essotah (5°25.5’N, 9°54.7’E), 1600 m a.s.l., near ground, 21.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), 2♂ 1♀ (2 vials) in ZFMK (Ar 10219-20); same data, 2♀ 3 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Cam 96).

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from most congeners by distinctive male cheliceral armature (very densely packed modified hairs on distinctively shaped apophyses; Fig. 320 ) and procursus with ventral indentation occupied by complex membranous structures ( Fig. 319 ); from the very similar S. mbouda by shorter male cheliceral apophyses ( Fig. 320 ), simple embolus ( Fig. 321 ), dorso-distal process on procursus ( Fig. 319 ), and anterior epigynal plate with distinct median process (in lateral view; Fig. 305 ) and more angular ventral edges (in ventral view; Fig. 322 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 4.6, carapace width 1.5. Leg 1: 33.7 (8.1 + 0.5 + 8.1 + 14.9 + 2.1), tibia 2: 5.2, tibia 3: 3.8, tibia 4: 6.0; tibia 1 L/d: 55. Distance PME-PME 135 µm, diameter PME 140 µm, distance PME- ALE 70 µm, distance AME-AME 55 µm, diameter AME 125 µm. Carapace ochre with dark brown triangular mark posteriorly, brown mark behind ocular area, brown lateral margins; ocular area not darkened, clypeus with pair of indistinct bands below eyes, sternum brown; legs ochre-brown, darker rings subdistally on femora and tibiae and in patella area, tips of femora and tibiae lighter; abdomen ochre-gray with dark pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally. Habitus as in Figs. 294–295 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with indistinct ‘pseudolenses’; clypeus unmodified; deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in Fig. 320 , with lateral proximal apophyses connected to short rounded distal apophyses, the latter with ~25 large modified (cone-shaped) hairs on each side. Palps as in Figs. 296–298 ; coxa unmodified; trochanter with short conical retrolatero-ventral apophysis; femur with retrolateral flap and large whitish area ventrally, without prolateral modification; prolateral femur-patella joint strongly shifted toward ventrally (hidden by bulb in Fig. 296 ); tarsus with some longer but barely stronger hairs dorsally; procursus with ventral indentation occupied by complex membranous structures, without hinge, with dorso-distal process; bulb with simple small embolus with small sclerotized branch ( Fig. 321 ). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 1.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegments barely visible.

Variation. Tibia 1 in 4 other males: 8.6, 8.6, 8.7, 9.5.

Female. In general similar to male. Tibia 1 in 7 females: 7.0–7.8 (mean 7.4). Epigynum anterior plate trapezoidal ( Figs. 304 , 322 ), with distinct median process ( Fig. 305 ) variable in shape even within localities (either rounded or with pair of small processes), posterior edges angular; large flat posterior plate; internal genitalia as in Figs. 306 and 323 .

Natural history. S. attuleh was found mainly under large dead leaves on the ground, but also in small cavities in the ground and under roots.

Distribution. Known from three neighboring localities in Cameroon, Southwest Region ( Fig. 293 ).

Figures

FIGURE 293. Known distributions of the attuleh and ankasa species groups, and of S. fon and S. ngungu.

FIGURES 17 – 31. Smeringopina, webs and alive specimens in their natural habitats. 17. S. guineensis, web (Diéké, Guinea). 18. S. kribi, web with nematocerous flies (S Kribi, Cameroon). 19. S. kala, male (Mt. Kala, Cameroon). 20. S. bamenda, pair (Bamenda, Cameroon). 21 – 22. S. nyasoso, male and female with eggsac (Mt. Koupé, Cameroon). 23. S. mbouda, male (near Lake Oku, Cameroon). 24. S. attuleh, female with eggsac (Essotah, Cameroon). 25. S. kinguele, female with juveniles (Monts de Cristal, Gabon). 26. S. tebe, male (N Tébé, Gabon). 27. S. lekoni, female with eggsac (at Lekoni River, Gabon). 28. S. moudouma, mating pair (Moudouma, Gabon). 29 – 30. S. fang, male (Djidji, Gabon) and female with eggsac (Mayebout, Gabon). 31. S. ankasa, female with eggsac (Ankasa N. P., Ghana).

FIGURES 294 – 303. Smeringopina attuleh n. sp. (294 – 298) and S. mbouda n. sp. (299 – 303). 294 – 295, 299 – 300. Males, dorsal, lateral, and ventral views. 296 – 298, 301 – 303. Left male palps, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Arrow points at retrolateral ridge bordering whitish ventral area.

FIGURES 304 – 317. Smeringopina attuleh n. sp. (304 – 306), S. mbouda n. sp. (307 – 309), and S. fon (310 – 317). 304 – 305, 307 – 308, 310 – 311. Female abdomens, ventral and lateral views. 306, 309, 312. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 313 – 314. Male, dorsal and ventral views. 315 – 317. Left male palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Arrow points at retrolateral ridge bordering whitish ventral area.

FIGURES 318 – 323. Smeringopina attuleh n. sp. 318 – 319. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 320. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 321. Left embolus, prolateral view. 322. Epigynum, ventral view. 323. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.2 (321), 0.5 (318 – 320, 322 – 323).