Colaxes benjamini, Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013

Wesołowska, Wanda & Haddad, Charles R., 2013, New data on the jumping spiders of South Africa (Araneae: Salticidae), African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 177-177 : 188-191

Colaxes benjamini sp. n.

Figs 4–6, 16, 43–48

Etymology: Named after Suresh P. Benjamin, who recently revised the subfamily Ballinae and described Colaxes species from Sri Lanka.

Diagnosis: The female differs from congeners in the shape of the median epigynal septum, which is clearly delimited anteriorly from the depression. The male has a thinner tibial apophysis than in congeners. It can also be separated from members of Ballus C.L. Koch, 1850 by the proportions of the carapace (longer than wide in Colaxes ).

Description:

Measurements (♂ / ♀). Cephalothorax: length 1.6–1.7/1.3–1.6, width 1.3–1.4/1.1–1.3, height 0.4–0.5/0.3–0.4. Abdomen: length 1.9–2.0/1.7–2.2, width 1.1–1.3/1.2–1.5. Eye field: length 0.6–0.7/0.5–0.6, anterior width 0.9–1.0/0.8–1.0, posterior width 1.0–1.1/1.0–1.1.

Male.

General appearance as in Figs 4, 16. Very small, strongly flattened spider. Carapace longer than wide, brown, darker marginally; eye field slightly lighter, two rounded black patches in centre of ocular area ( Fig. 4); eyes surrounded by blackish rings. Fovea long, poorly visible. Integument of carapace with delicate granulation; carapace covered in short grey hairs, with long brown bristles near anterior eyes. Clypeus extremely low. Chelicerae with three small teeth on retromargin. Sternum and endites pale brown. Abdomen broader than carapace, flat, black with series of creamy-yellow patches ( Fig.4). Venter dark with large cream patches. Spinnerets pale brown. First leg brownish, femora and tibiae swollen ( Fig. 43); tibiae I with 0-1 spines prolaterally and 1-1 spines retrolaterally; remaining legs yellow, with dark lines along lateral surfaces of femora II–IV (more prominent on prolateral sides) and dark marks on bases of patellae and tibiae. Pedipalps with thin tibial apophysis; tegulum divided by pale furrow, embolus coiled, spiral short ( Figs 44–46).

Female.

General appearance similar to male ( Figs 5, 6). All legs yellow, first pair not swollen; dark lines present along prolateral surfaces of femora, patellae and tibiae of legs I and IV; tibiae I with two pairs of ventral spines, metatarsi with the same pattern; tibiae II with one pair of ventral spines; other legs spineless. Pedipalp pale, with dark lines pro- and retrolaterally. Epigyne with horse-shoe shaped depression and translucent median septum ( Fig. 47). Initial parts of seminal ducts very weakly sclerotized, membranous ( Fig. 48).

Holotype: ♂ SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: Ophathe Game Reserve , 28°22.135'S 31°23.363'E, 560 m, overgrazed savanna, beating short shrubs, 3.x.2008, C. Haddad (NCA, 2008/4138).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: 1♀ Amatola Mtns, Hogsback , 32°35.605'S 26°56.153'E, invaded forest, canopy fogging Podocarpus falcatus , 9.iv.2010, C. Haddad, V. Swart & A. Kirk-Spriggs (NCA, 2012/1117); 1♂ 1♀ same data but 8.iv.2010 (NCA, 2012/1095); 1♀ same locality, 32°35.605'S 26°56.153'E, invaded forest, beating shrubs, 26.iii.2011, University of the Free State students (NCA, 2012/1826); 2♂ 2♀ same locality, 32°35.987'S 26°55.880'E, 1140 m, Afromontane forest, canopy fogging Xymalos monospora , 3.iv.2012, C. Haddad, J. Neethling, A. van Rooyen & R. du Preez (NMSA, 26420); 2♀ same data but 32°35.960'S 26°55.865'E, 1145 m (NMSA, 26448). KwaZulu­Natal: 7♀ Ophathe Game Reserve, together with holotype (NCA, 2008/4138); 1♂ 1♀ same data as holotype (MRAC); 2♂ 10♀ same data as holotype (NCA, 2008/4151); 2♂ 12♀ same locality, 28°23.202'S 31°24.077'E, 505 m, rocky mountainside, beating short shrubs, 1.x.2008, C. Haddad (NCA, 2008/3976); 6♀ same data (NCA, 2008/3994); 1♀ same locality, 28°25.344'S 31°23.957'E, 897 m, montane grassland, beating short shrubs, 4.x.2008, C. Haddad (NCA, 2008/3964); 1♂ 2♀ same locality, 28°23.727'S 31°23.643'E, 455 m, Ophathe R. bed, beating short shrubs, 2.x.2008, C. Haddad (NCA, 2008/4164); 1♀ Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve, Samango waterfall trail, 30°42.612'S 30°16.182'E, canopy fogging, mixed forest trees, 13.i.2011, C. Haddad (NCA, 2010/2714).

Distribution: Known from the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces ( Fig. 49).

Habitat and biology: The species lives on the foliage of trees in forests and savannas and was collected by fogging and beating.

Remark: This is the first member of Colaxes Simon, 1900 discovered in Africa. Colaxes is a small genus and previously included only three species distributed in southern India and Sri Lanka ( Benjamin 2004).