Cicynethus floriumfontis Jocqué, 1991

Jocqué, Rudy & Henrard, Arnaud, 2018, A revision of the genus Cicynethus Simon, 1910 (Araneae, Zodariidae), a tale of colour patterns, European Journal of Taxonomy 465, pp. 1-35 : 15-19

Cicynethus floriumfontis Jocqué, 1991

Figs 2 A–C, 9–11, 21

Cicynethus floriumfontis Jocqué, 1991: 104 , figs 236–241 (descr. ♂).

Diagnosis

Both male and female of Cicynethus floriumfontis are recognized by the colour pattern, with numerous small dark spots and the broad dark bands on the carapace, the central one not reaching the PME.

Material examined

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA: ♂, Eastern Cape Province, Cradock , 32°19′ S, 25°39′ E, Aug–Oct. 1985, pitfall trap, museum staff leg. ( NMBA 1170 ).

Other material

SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♂, Eastern Cape Province, Middelburg, 31°49′ S, 25°00′ E, pittraps, 8 Sep. 1995, M. de Jager leg. ( NCA 95/394); 1 ♂, same collection data as for preceding but 3 Sep. 1995 ( NCA 95/358); 1 ♀, same collection data as for preceding but 15 Mar. 1995 ( NCA 95//243); 2 ♂♂, associated with termites, same collection data as for preceding but 8 May 1991 ( NCA 91/1051).

Description

Male (NCA 95/394)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 11.50. Carapace: length 5.54, width 3.27, height 1.28.

COLOUR ( Fig. 9 A–C). Carapace brownish yellow with many tiny dark dots, brown median band widening towards the front, not reaching eye region; broad dark marginal bands with irregularly serrated median margin; chelicerae medium brown with darker condyle and dark spot near fang insertion and pale mediodistal spot; endites yellow; labium medium brown; sternum with yellow centre, darker margins and medium brown anterior part ( Fig. 9B ); legs brownish yellow with many dark spots at setae sockets; spots on F coalescing into dark dorsal median stripe ( Fig. 9A ); all P, T I and II, Mt I with dark pro- and retrolateral stripes; distal dorsal margin of trochanters and coxae brown; abdomen cream, sparsely dotted with small darker spots; epiandrum orange; spinnerets yellow ( Fig. 9 A–B).

STERNUM ( Fig. 9B ). Elongated oval, 1.63 wide, 2.20 long. No precoxal sclerites.

CHILUM. Two poorly defined triangles, each 0.11 high, 0.23 wide.

EYES. ALE 0.18; AME 0.23; PLE 0.18; PME 0.16; ALE–AME 0.08; AME–AME 0.08; PLE–PME 0.25; PME–PME 0.10. Clypeus 0.36 high.

LEGS. With numerous long, hinged hairs. Spination: All Mt with four distal ventral spines in a series d1 sd2–1 with central ones closely set behind each other.

MALE PALP ( Figs 10 A–D, 11A–B). RTA large, broad, dorsal margin at base with shallow triangular extension; distal extremity complex, with two flat ledges, one transverse, broad, turned upwards, one longitudinal, much smaller, with rounded extremity; cymbium with two distal curved spines and one prolateral spine; tegulum strongly swollen, with sperm duct sinuous, narrow, distal part entering embolus invisible; embolus membranous at base, slightly curved; MA almost straight, pointing out and backwards.

Female (NCA 95//243)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 13.49. Carapace: length 5.68, width 3.20, height 1.49.

COLOUR ( Fig. 9 D–F). Very similar to male except sternum almost entirely yellowish brown with narrow darker margin ( Fig. 9E ).

STERNUM ( Fig. 9E ). Elongated oval, 1.78 wide, 2.34 long. Precoxal sclerites at coxae II.

CHILUM. Two poorly defined triangles, each 0.10 high, 0.26 wide.

EYES. ALE 0.12; AME 0.18; PLE 0.15; PME 0.13; ALE–AME 0.10; AME–AME 0.13; PLE–PME 0.28; PME–PME 0.15. Clypeus 0.49 high.

LEGS. With numerous long, hinged hairs. Spination: as in male.

EPIGYNE ( Figs 10E , 11C ). Atria large, strongly curved, separated by well-developed, narrow median septum ending anteriorly in two arches.

Variation

The colour pattern of the males, mainly that of the legs and the spots on the abdomen, may vary in intensity. The number of distal cymbial spines varies between two and five.

Distribution

Known from two localities in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa ( Fig. 21 ).

Natural history

No details are known on the habitat in which the specimens were collected. One specimen was ‘caught in association with termites’ without further explanation.

Figures

Fig. 2. SEM micrographs of male palps and RTA. A–C. Cicynethus floriumfontis Jocqué, 1991, ♂ (NCA 91/1051). D–E. C. mossambicus sp. nov., ♂ (RMCA_ARA_245567). F–H. C. subtropicalis (Lawrence, 1952) comb. nov., ♂ (NCA 2008/4266). A. Male palp, ventro-retrolateral view. B. RTA apex, ventroretrolateral view. C. As preceding, retrolateral view. D. Male palp, ventro-retrolateral view. E. RTA apex, ventro-retrolateral view. F. Male palp, retrolateral view. G. As preceding, ventro-retrolateral view. H. RTA apex, ventro-retrolateral view. Abbreviations: E = embolus; MA = median apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 9. Cicynethus floriumfontis Jocqué, 1991. A–C. ♂ (NCA 95/385). D–F. ♀ (NCA 95/243). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. As preceding, ventral view. C. Carapace, dorsal view. D. Habitus, dorsal view. E. As preceding, ventral view. F. Carapace, dorsal view. Scale bars: A–B, D–E = 2 mm; C, F = 1 mm.

Fig. 10. Cicynethus floriumfontis Jocqué, 1991. A–D. ♂ (NCA 95/385). E. ♀ (NCA 95/243). A. Male palp, ventral view. B. As preceding, retrolateral view. C. Detail of RTA, retrolateral view. D. Distal tip of RTA, ventral view, slightly oblique. E. Epigyne, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B, E = 0.2 mm; C–D = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 11. Cicynethus floriumfontis Jocqué, 1991, genitalia drawings. A–B. ♂ (NCA 95/394). C. ♀ (NCA 95/243). A. Male palp, ventral view. B. As preceding, retrolateral view. C. Epigyne, ventral view. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Fig. 21. Distribution map: Cicynethus acer sp. nov. (●); C. decoratus (Lawrence, 1952) comb. nov. (★); C. floriumfontis Jocqué, 1991 (■); C. peringueyi Simon, 1910 (▲); C. subtropicalis (Lawrence, 1952) comb. nov. (Ä).