Smeringopina moudouma, 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 : 20-21

Smeringopina moudouma new species

Figs. 28 , 147–152 , 170, 180–181 , 259–280

Type. ♂ holotype from Gabon, Ogooué-Lolo, near Moudouma (1°23.5’S, 12°09.6’E), 475 m a.s.l., forest along brook, 24.viii.2011 (B.A. & S.R. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10206).

Other material examined. GABON: Ogooué-Lolo: near Moudouma , same data as holotype, 3♂ 6♀ 3 juvs. (2 vials) in ZFMK (Ar 10207-08); same data, 2♀ 3 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gab 158). Near Lastoursville, forest at brook near Grotte de Pahon Pira (0°48.8’S, 12°45.2’E), 290 m a.s.l., 22.–23.viii.2011 (B.A. Huber), 5♂ 8♀ 1 juv. (2 vials) in ZFMK (Ar 10209-10). Near Lastoursville, at Grotte de Pahon Pira (0°48.8’S, 12°45.1’E), 360 m a.s.l., outside cave near entrance, 22.viii.2011 (B.A. & S.R. Huber), 1♂ 5♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10211); same data, 2♀ 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gab 161). Near Lastoursville (0°48.0’S, 12°44.4’E), forest north of Ogooué River, 300 m a.s.l., 21.viii.2011 (B.A. Huber), 3♂ 2♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10212). Massif du Chaillu , “site 1”, near Iboundji (1°26.4’S, 11°58.4’E), 515 m a.s.l., forest along brook, 25.viii.2011 (B.A. & S.R. Huber), 1♂ 6♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10213); same data, 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gab 177). Ngounié: Massif du Chaillu , “site 4”, between Yéno and Mouila (1°43.7’S, 11°18.4’E), 650 m a.s.l., forest along river, 26.viii.2011 (B.A. & S.R. Huber), 2♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10214); same data, 1 juv. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gab 172).

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

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners ( lekoni group) by the combination of the following characters: male palpal trochanter-apophysis heavily sclerotized and ventrally serrated (similar to S. ndjole , S. kikongo ); epigynum with distinct anterior ridge ( Figs. 170 , 267, 269 ; similar to S. iboga , S. ndjole , S. kikongo ); male chelicerae without pair of large frontal apophyses ( Fig. 261 ; in contrast to S. kikongo ); epigynum with short anterior projection ( Figs. 267, 269 ; in contrast to S. kikongo ); procursus without serrated hairs at tip and without strong ventral spine ( Figs. 259–260 ; in contrast to S. ndjole ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 4.5, carapace width 1.4. Leg 1: 46.7 (11.0 + 0.5 + 11.2 + 22.0 + 2.0), tibia 2: 7.1, tibia 3: 5.0, tibia 4: 7.1; tibia 1 L/d: 97. Distance PME-PME 125 µm, diameter PME 140 µm, distance PME- ALE 45 µm, distance AME-AME 45 µm, diameter AME 125 µm. Carapace ochre-yellow with brown triangular mark posteriorly and brown lateral margins; ocular area, clypeus and sternum brown; legs light brown, femora with two dark rings (medially, subdistally), tibiae with four dark rings (proximally, subdistally, and two in-between); abdomen ochre-gray with dark pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally, ventral dark bands with lateral constriction. Habitus as in Figs. 147–149 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus with small and slightly hooked apophysis near rim ( Fig. 271 ); deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in Fig. 261 , with lateral apophyses in very distal position, pair of rows of small frontal apophyses, without modified hairs. Palps as in Figs. 150–152 ; coxa with indistinct retrolateral apophysis; trochanter with large, heavily sclerotized ventral apophysis serrated ventrally; femur with large retrolateral apophysis directed toward ventrally, proximal prolateral projection, and weakly sclerotized ventral projection distally; prolateral femur-patella joint strongly shifted toward ventrally; tarsus with some longer but barely stronger hairs dorsally; procursus as in Figs. 259–260 , with complex membranous and sclerotized structures prolateroventrally ( Figs. 273, 276 ), without hinge; bulb with simple process ( Figs. 262 , 274 ; sperm duct apparently opens at basis of this process). 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. ALS with eight spigots each; gonopore with two epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 277 ).

Variation. There is conspicuous variation among localities and the species may eventually turn out to include several reproductively isolated communities. Males from the Massif du Chaillu have slightly less complex sclerotized structures prolatero-ventrally on the procursus ( Figs. 265–266 ) and frontally unmodified chelicerae; males from near Lastoursville south of the Ogooué River (Grotte de Pahon Pira and surrounding area) are very similar to those from the type locality (large ventral element on procursus darker and more pointed) while males from near Lastoursville north of the Ogooué River rather resemble those from the Massif du Chaillu ( Figs. 263–264 ). Given the small sample of localities and specimens, these specimens are tentatively treated as one species pending further collecting and analysis. Tibia 1 in 12 other males (all localities combined): 8.5–11.5 (mean 9.9).

Female. In general similar to male; clypeus unmodified. Tibia 1 in 26 females: 6.5–8.8 (mean 7.5). Epigynum anterior plate with distinct anterior ridge ( Fig. 170, 180 , 267 ), with variably distinct shallow humps and depressions, females from Massif du Chaillu near Iboundji slightly different ( Figs. 181 , 269 ; females from between Yéno and Mouila again slightly different: pair of dark spots on epigynum smaller and wider apart; frontal pair of dark bands absent); posterior plate laterally with overhanging folds; internal genitalia as in Figs. 180, 181 , 268, 270 . Spinnerets as in male ( Figs. 278–279 ).

Natural history. Litter-dwelling species. At Pahon Pira cave, this species was only found outside the cave.

Distribution. Known from several localities in southern Gabon ( Fig. 114 ).

Figures

FIGURE 114. Known distribution of the lekoni species group. Question marks denote females of undescribed species (in MRAC and MCZ) that may belong to this species group.

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 143 – 152. Smeringopina iboga n. sp. (143 – 146) and S. moudouma n. sp. (147 – 152). 143 – 145, 150 – 152. Left male palps, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 146 – 149. Males, dorsal, lateral, and ventral views. Arrows point at distinctive retrolateral femur apophyses directed toward ventrally.

FIGURES 163 – 183. Female abdomens, ventral views, and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views, lekoni species group. 163, 173. Smeringopina kinguele n. sp. 164, 174. S. mohoba n. sp. 165 – 166, 175 – 176. S. fang n. sp. from Djidji (165, 175) and Ndjolé (166, 176). 167, 177. S. tebe n. sp. 168, 178. S. lekoni n. sp. 169, 179. S. iboga n. sp. 170, 180 – 181. S. moudouma n. sp. from Moudouma (170, 180) and Iboundji (181). 171, 182. S. ndjole n. sp. 172, 183. S. kikongo n. sp. Arrows point at lateral constriction of dark band (165) and at laterally overhanging fold (180).

FIGURES 259 – 266. Smeringopina moudouma n. sp., males from Moudouma (type locality; 259 – 262), near Lastourville north of Ogooué River (263 – 264) and Massif du Chaillu near Iboundji (265 – 266). 259 – 260, 263 – 266. Left procursi, prolateral and retrolateral views. 261. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 262. Left bulbal process, prolateral view. Scale lines: 0.3 (262), 0.5 (259 – 261, 263 – 266; all procursi at same scale).

FIGURES 267 – 270. Smeringopina moudouma n. sp., females from Moudouma (type locality; 267 – 268) and Massif du Chaillu near Iboundji (269 – 270). 267, 269. Epigyna, ventral views. 268, 270. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. Scale lines: 0.5.

FIGURES 271 – 280. Smeringopina moudouma n. sp. 271. Male prosoma, frontal view (Pahon Pira); arrow points at clypeus apophysis. 272. Right procursus, retrolateral view (Pahon Pira). 273. Left procursus, prolateral view (Moudouma). 274. Bulbal process. 275. Membranous processes on right procursus, prolateral view (Pahon Pira). 276. Membranous processes on left procursus, prolateral view (Moudouma). 277. Male gonopore. 278 – 279. Female ALS. 280. Epigynum, ventral view. Scale lines: 20 µm (278, 279), 30 µm (276), 50 µm (275), 60 µm (274, 277), 80 µm (272), 100 µm (273), 200 µm (280), 300 µm (271).