Drassodella tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938

Mbo, Zingisile & Haddad, Charles R., 2019, A revision of the endemic South African long-jawed ground spider genus Drassodella Hewitt, 1916 (Araneae: Gallieniellidae), Zootaxa 4582 (1), pp. 1-62 : 30-32

Drassodella tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938

Figs 9, 15, 17 , 66 , 82 , 103, 104 , 136–139

Drassodella tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938: 474 , fig. 11 (Holotype ♀: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal Province: Karkloof [29°19'S, 30°15'E], VI.1936, leg. R.F. Lawrence, NMSA 26—examined).

Diagnosis. Drassodella tenebrosa represents an anomaly in the genus, with female epigynal morphology similar to species in the D. salisburyi species group and the male palp similar to the D. melana species group. We placed it in the latter group based on its distribution, which falls within the range of most of the species in this group. Females can be easily recognised from congeners by the very narrow anterior hood that is contiguous with the lateral margins of the median septum, diverging posteriorly to just before the anterior margin of the spermathecae ( Fig. 66 ). Males share with D. transversa sp. nov. the presence of a single prong at the base of the embolus, but can be recognized by the absence of abdominal markings (white spots present in D. transversa sp. nov.), the RTA not reaching the retrolateral heel of the cymbium (longer in D. transversa sp. nov.), and the curved versus nearly straight median apophysis (compare Figs 138 and 149 ).

Description. Female (Pietermaritzburg, NMSA 22449). Measurements: CL 3.56, CW 2.72, AL 6.13, AW 3.13, TL 9.80 (9.20–9.80), FL 0.37, SL 1.88, SW 1.58, CH 0.27, AME-AME 0.10, AME-ALE 0.05, ALE-ALE 0.34, PME-PME 0.13, PME-PLE 0.17, PLE-PLE 0.62, PERW 0.75, MOQAW 0.25, MOQPW 0.29, MOQL 0.37.

Length of leg segments: I 2.56 + 1.40 + 2.10 + 1.92 + 1.40 = 9.38, II 2.32 + 1.28 + 1.84 + 1.78 + 1.36 = 8.58, III 2.06 + 1.14 + 1.44 + 1.76 + 1.06 = 7.46, IV 3.00 + 1.44 + 2.38 + 3.04 + 1.36 = 11.22.

General appearance as in Fig. 103 . Carapace deep red-brown, with radiating brown mottling; smooth surface, with few white feathery setae; upsilon marking of white feathery setae prominent from eye region towards posterior margin, diverging from fovea posteriorly. Clypeus height equal to 2.7 AME diameter; AME equal to ALE; AME separated by distance equal to their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance equal to 0.5 AME diameter; PME smaller than PLE; PME separated by distance equal to 0.63 their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 2.13 PME diameter. Chelicerae deep red; three teeth on promargin, distal tooth largest; retromargin with two subequal teeth. Sternum red. Legs with proximal segments reddish-orange, distal segments orange. Leg spination: femora: I do 2 rl 1, II do 2 rl 1, III do 4 rl 2, IV do 4 rl 2; patella spineless; tibiae: III pl 2 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv2 vt 2, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: III pl 4 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 4 do 2 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; palpal spination: femora do 3; patellae rl 1; tibiae pl 4 do 1; tarsi pl 1 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1. Abdomen yellow-grey, lighter anteriorly, without markings ( Fig. 103 ); anal tubercle with white setae; two sigilla on anterior margin; sub-oval lateral sclerites above booklungs; venter light brown; two straight rows of tiny sclerites from booklungs to spinnerets. Spinnerets pale, with brown mottling. Epigyne with narrow, crescent-shaped, recurved anterior hood, lateral margins contiguous with margins of median septum, diverging posteriorly to form broad arch; lateral hoods absent; ST I, ST II and connecting ducts deep red-brown; ST I and II similar in size, ST II oval and directly anterolaterally ( Figs 66 , 136, 137 ).

Male (Pietermaritzburg, NMSA 2980). Measurements: CL 3.14, CW 2.44, AL 3.78, AW 1.84, TL 7.36 (6.96–7.36), FL 0.29, SL 1.68, SW 1.40, CH 0.13, AME-AME 0.09, AME-ALE 0.06, ALE-ALE 0.31, PME-PME 0.13, PME-PLE 0.15, PLE-PLE 0.57, PERW 0.71, MOQAW 0.22, MOQPW 0.30, MOQL 0.33.

Length of leg segments: I 2.52 + 1.32 + 2.12 + 1.96 + 1.28 = 9.20, II 2.14 + 1.12 + 1.52 + 1.68 + 1.20 = 7.66, III 1.88 + 0.88 + 1.24 + 1.68 + 0.84 = 6.52, IV 2.84 + 1.16 + 2.16 + 2.84 + 1.18 = 10.18.

General appearance as in Fig. 104 . Carapace deep red-brown; surface smooth; upsilon marking of white feathery setae from eye region towards posterior margin, diverging posterior to fovea. Clypeus height equal to 1.63 AME diameter; AME smaller than ALE; AME separated by distance slightly larger than their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance equal to 0.75 AME diameter; PME equal to PLE; PME separated by distance equal to 2.17 their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 2.50 PME diameter. Chelicerae redbrown; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest, distal tooth aligned with space between retromarginal teeth; retromargin with two subequal teeth. Endites dark orange, pale at maxillar hair tuft. Labium dark-orange, pale at anterior margin. Sternum orange, few setae medially, erect setae concentrated around margins. Legs with brown proximal segments, distal segments yellow; tibiae of first pair distinctly pale in distal half, but not reaching tip. Leg spination: femora: I do 2 rl 1, II do 2 rl 1, III do 4 rl 2, IV do 4 rl 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: III pl 2 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv2 vt 2, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: III pl 4 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 4 do 2 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; palpal spination: femora do 3; patellae rl 1; tibiae pl 4 do 1; tarsi pl 1 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1. Abdomen grey ( Fig. 104 ); small dorsal scutum present; two sigilla present on anterior margin; venter light brown; post-epigastric sclerites small; oval lateral sclerites present above booklungs. Spinnerets pale with brown mottling. Palp yellowbrown; RTA short, not obscured in ventral view by retrolateral heel of cymbium; in retrolateral view triangular, slightly dorsally-directed, with broad base and sharp tip; cymbium quite broad, 1.76 times longer than wide, narrowed to rounded point distally; embolus with one narrow dorsal prong, aligned with palpal axis, ventral prong absent; median apophysis short, narrow, hook-shaped ( Figs 82 , 138, 139 ).

Additional material examined. SOUTH AFRICA : KwaZulu-Natal Province: Pietermaritzburg [29°37'S, 30°23'E], XI.1938, leg. R.F. Lawrence, 1 imm. 1♂ 1♀ ( NMSA 2980 ); Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal Botanical Gardens , 29°36'S, 30°20'E, 19. VIII .1984, leg. C.E. Griswold, 1♀ ( NMSA 22449 ); Pietermaritzburg, Town Bush [29°36'S, 30°23'E], XII .1939, leg. R.F. Lawrence, 2 imm. 1♂ 2♀ ( NMSA 2905 ) ;

Distribution. Known from the KwaZulu-Natal midlands ( Fig. 140 ).

Figures

FIGURE 140. Distribution of Drassodella melana Tucker, 1923 (circles), D. montana sp. nov. (stars) and D. tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938 (squares) in southern Africa.

FIGURES 5–17. Digital microscope photographs of Drassodella somatic morphology: 5–8 dorsal view of carapace and chelicerae of D. flava sp. nov. female (5), D. guttata sp. nov. male (6), D. transversa sp. nov. male (7) and D. purcelli Tucker, 1923 female (8); 9 D. tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938 female, carapace, lateral view; 10 D. purcelli female, posterodorsal view of carapace, showing pedicel and sclerites; 11 same, ventral pedicel sclerite, ventral view; 12–14 dorsal view of abdomens of D. septemmaculata (Strand, 1909) male (12), D. aurostriata sp. nov. male (13) and D. amatola sp. nov. female (14); 15 D. tenebrosa female, abdomen, anterodorsal view; 16 D. septemmaculata male, abdomen, showing sclerites on venter; 17 D. tenebrosa female, spinnerets, posteroventral view. Abbreviations: AAS—anterior abdominal sclerite; CGS—cylindrical gland spigots; CON—condyle; DPS—dorsal pedicel sclerite; IS—inframamillary sclerite; PB—pleural bars; PES—post-epigastric sclerite; PPS—posterior pleural sclerite; PT—petiole; SC—dorsal scutum; SI—sigillum; VPS—ventral pedicel sclerite.

FIGURES 60–77. Female epigynes of Drassodella species in the D. melana species group (60–68) and D. salisburyi species group (69–77) in dorsal view: 60 D. flava sp. nov.; 61 D. guttata sp. nov.; 62 D. lotzi sp. nov.; 63 D. maculata sp. nov.; 64 D. melana Tucker, 1923; 65 D. montana sp. nov.; 66 D. tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938; 67 D. tolkieni sp. nov.; 68 D. transversa sp. nov.; 69 D. venda sp. nov.; 70 D. amatola sp. nov.; 71 D. aurostriata sp. nov.; 72 D. purcelli Tucker, 1923; 73 D. quinquelabecula Tucker, 1923; 74 D. salisburyi Hewitt, 1916; 75 D. septemmaculata (Strand, 1909); 76 D. trilineata sp. nov.; 77 D. vasivulva Tucker, 1923. Abbreviations: AH—anterior hood; FD—fertilisation duct; MS—median septum; STspermatheca(e). Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 78–92. Male palps of Drassodella species of the D. melana species group (78–85) and D. salisburyi species group (86–92) in ventral view: 78 D. flava sp. nov.; 79 D. guttata sp. nov.; 80 D. melana Tucker, 1923; 81 D. montana sp. nov.; 82 D. tenebrosa Lawrence, 1923; 83 D. tolkieni sp. nov.; 84 D. transversa sp. nov.; 85 D. venda sp. nov.; 86 D. amatola sp. nov.; 87 D. aurostriata sp. nov.; 88 D. baviaans sp. nov.; 89 D. quinquelabecula Tucker, 1923; 90 D. salisburyi Hewitt, 1916; 91 D. septemmaculata (Strand, 1909); 92 D. vasivulva Tucker, 1923. Abbreviations as follows: DP—dorsal embolic prong; EMembolus; MA—median apophysis; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; VP—ventral embolic prong. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 93–110. Dorsal habitus photographs of Drassodella species in the melana species group: 93, 94 female and male of D. flava sp. nov.; 95, 96 female and male of D. guttata sp. nov.; 97 female of D. lotzi sp. nov.; 98 female of D. maculata sp. nov.; 99, 100 female and male of D. melana Tucker, 1923; 101, 102 female and male of D. montana sp. nov.; 103, 104 female and male of D. tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938; 105, 106 female and male of D. tolkieni sp. nov.; 107, 108 female and male of D. transversa sp. nov.; 109, 110 female and male of D. venda sp. nov. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURES 136–139. Genitalic morphology of Drassodella tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938: 136 female epigyne, ventral view; 137 same, dorsal view; 138 male palp, ventral view; 139 same, retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 146–150. Genitalic morphology of Drassodella transversa sp. nov.: 146 female epigyne, ventral view; 147 same, dorsal view; 148 male palp, prolateral view; 149 same, ventral view; 150 same, retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.