Ureta quadrispinosa (Lawrence, 1938) 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 : 232-235

Ureta quadrispinosa (Lawrence, 1938) , comb. n.

Figs 53, 101, 102, 166–175

Euophrys quadrispinosa: Lawrence 1938: 523 , fig. 40.

Diagnosis: The species with sexually dimorphic colouration ( Figs 101, 102) is recognisable by the form of the copulatory organs. The male has a very long embolus with a tooth at its base and a tegulum with a characteristic long prolateral tooth-like apophysis basally. The presence of two white lines along the body is also a useful distinguishing characteristic for the male. The female may be distinguished by the presence of a pair of large pockets close to each other along the epigastric groove and the looping course of the seminal ducts.

Redescription:

Measurements (♂ / ♀). Cephalothorax: length 2.5–2.8/2.7–3.0, width 2.0–2.2/2.0–2.1, height 0.8–1.0/0.9–1.1. Abdomen: length 2.8–3.1/3.2–4.0, width 1.7–2.2/2.2–2.7. Eye field: length 1.2/1.2–1.4, anterior width 1.6–1.8/1.7–1.9, posterior width 1.5–1.7/ 1.6–1.8.

Male.

General appearance as in Figs 53, 101 and 166. Carapace rectangular, narrowed posteriorly, moderately high; dark brown with large orange-brown area behind eye field; eyes surrounded by black rings; two thin streaks formed by white hairs run from eyes of row II to posterior edge of carapace; eye field clothed in golden gleaming hairs, with long brown bristles near anterior eyes and short whitish hairs around anterior median eyes. Eye field trapezoid, distance between anterior lateral eyes slightly larger than between posterior laterals. Clypeus very short, brownish. Chelicerae unidentate, tooth on retrolateral margin large ( Fig. 167). Endites and labium brown with pale tips; sternum brown, paler centrally. Abdomen ovoid, generally greyish brown, chocolate brown centrally, with two thin light streaks composed of white hairs running from anterior margin and converging above spinnerets ( Fig. 166); abdominal dorsum covered in delicate brown hairs, with some longer bristles at anterior margin. Venter and spinnerets brownish grey. Legs brown, distal segments of posterior legs slightly paler; spines brown, femoral spines thicker. Pedipalps brown, with dense white hairs on patella and femur dorsally; palpal tibia short, with single short apophysis ( Figs 170–172); tegulum convex, with long thin tooth-like prolateral apophysis basally ( Figs 168, 169, 172); embolus long and thin, with large tooth at its base ( Figs 168–170).

Female.

General appearance as in Fig. 102. Shape of body as in male. Carapace dark brown, area behind eye field slightly paler; fovea clearly visible. Eyes surrounded by black rings. Some delicate hairs on carapace, long brown bristles at eyes. Mouthparts as in male; sternum yellow, tinged with grey. Abdomen ovoid, dorsum creamy-yellow, with a mosaic of small brownish grey patches; abdominal hairs delicate, brown, longer and denser on anterior edge. Venter similar in colouration to dorsum. Spinnerets brown. Legs dark yellow with brown rings or uniformly brown. Spination of leg I: femora 0-1-1-5 dorsally, tibiae with four pairs ventrally, metatarsi with two pairs ventrally. Epigyne rounded with pair of large pockets close to each other at epigastric furrow, and large rounded gonopores ( Figs 173, 174); seminal ducts weakly sclerotized, forming several loops, spermathecae relatively small ( Fig. 175).

Holotype (not examined): ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: Umhlali [29°32'S 31°13'E], R.F. Lawrence ( NMSA).

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: 1♂ 3♀ Ingwavuma , 27°07'S 31°59'E, vii.1938, R.F. Lawrence ( NMSA, 2412) ; 6 imm. 1♀ Ophathe Game Reserve , 28°25.344'S 31°23.957'E, 897 m, montane grassland, active searching under rocks, 30.ix.2008, C. Haddad (NCA, 2008/3955) ; 1♂ same data but sifting leaf-litter, 4.x.2008 (NCA, 2008/3915) ; 7 imm. 1♂ 4♀ same locality, 28°23.202'S 31°24.077'E, 505 m, rocky mountainside, active searching under rocks, 1.x.2008, C. Haddad (NCA, 2008/4059) ; 1 imm. 1♂ 2♀ same locality, 28°23.727'S 31°23.643'E, 455 m, Ophathe R. bed, active searching under rocks, 2.x.2008, C. Haddad (NCA, 2008/4232) ; 1♂ 1♀ same data ( MRAC) ; 2♂ same locality, Ophathe R. crossing, 28°23.727'S 31°23.643'E, under logs, 5.vii.2007, C. Haddad & R. Fourie (NCA, 2007/2947) ; 1♂ same locality, trail near Imfolozi R., 28°22.555'S 31°23.993'E, under rocks, 5.vii.2007, C. Haddad & R. Fourie (NCA, 2007/2992). Eastern Cape : 1♂ Silaka Nature Reserve , 31°39.069'S 29°30.517'E, 32 m, on outside walls of house, 11.i.2011, C. Haddad (NCA, 2010/2719) .

Distribution: Species known only from eastern South Africa ( Fig. 178). Described from KwaZulu-Natal, recorded from the Eastern Cape for the first time.

Habitat and biology:A ground-dwelling species most often found under rocks in mountainous areas in savanna habitats, and on one occasion recorded from coastal forests. Both sexes and the juveniles construct dense silk retreats on the underside of rocks.

Remarks: The male of the species is described here for the first time. Photographs of the holotype female were taken by Galina Azarkina and provided to us for study; we are certain that the specimens listed above are conspecific with the holotype of Euophrys quadrispinosa .