Dendryphantes limpopo, 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 : 191-192

Dendryphantes limpopo sp. n.

Figs 7, 50, 51

Etymology: From the Limpopo Province, where the type series was collected; a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis: The female is distinguished by the epigyne with strongly sclerotized spiral lips around copulatory openings. The species is related to Dendryphantes arboretus Wesołowska & Cumming, 2008 from Zimbabwe; both species have large spherical vesicles near the midpoint of the seminal ducts, which are absent in other Dendryphantes species. The newly described species differs from D. arboretus by the clearly longer seminal ducts that form a few loops (straight in D. arboretus ), by the form of the sclerotization of the surroundings of the copulatory openings, and by the shape of the posterior epigynal edge. Male unknown.

Description:

Female.

Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 1.3–1.5, width 0.9–1.0, height 0.4. Abdomen: length 1.9–2.0, width 1.3. Eye field: length 0.6–0.7, anterior width 0.8–0.9, posterior width 0.9–1.0.

General appearance as in Fig. 7. Body flattened, typical for the genus. Carapace oval, dark brown, covered with delicate fine hairs. Eye field almost black, with metallic lustre;

surface pitted, with some brown bristles near eyes. Clypeus very low, dark. Chelicerae unidentate. Sternum pale brown, labium darker, endites with paler tips. Abdomen ovoid, dark brown, with pattern consisting of a few pairs of creamy-white patches; pattern poorly contrasted; dorsum clothed in fine brown and colourless hairs. Sides of abdomen dark brown. Venter almost black with large triangular yellowish patch. Spinnerets black. Legs brown, II–IV with yellow-brown stripes on dorsal surfaces of femora and creamy-yellow rings on distal segments. Leg hairs brown. Epigyne oval, with large wide anterior depression ( Fig. 50), partially plugged with waxy secretion. Atria depressed with strongly sclerotized circular lips; seminal ducts long, forming three loops, accompanying by large spherical vesicles; accessory glands present ( Fig. 51).

Holotype: ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo: Naboomspruit [= Mookgopong], Rhemardo Holiday Resort, 24°26.871'S 28°36.731'E, 1300 m, canopy fogging Berchemia zeyheri , 1.ii.2011, C. Haddad, V. Butler & J. Neethling (NCA, 2012/1818).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo : 1♀ together with holotype (NCA, 2012/1818); 2♀ same locality as holotype, 24°26.831'S 28°36.529'E, 1310 m, canopy fogging Dombeya rotundifolia , 3.ii.2011, C. Haddad, S. Foord & V. Butler (NCA, 2012/1819) .

Distribution: Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 61).

Habitat: Collected from broad-leaved deciduous trees by canopy fogging in savanna woodland.