Euophrys cochlea, Wesołowska & Azarkina & Russell-Smith, 2014

Wesołowska, Wanda, Azarkina, Galina N. & Russell-Smith, Anthony, 2014, Euophryine jumping spiders of the Afrotropical Region-new taxa and a checklist (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae), Zootaxa 3789 (1), pp. 1-72 : 12-13

Euophrys cochlea sp. nov.

Figs 18–33

Holotype: male, SOUTH AFRICA, Western Cape Province, N of Knysna, Lily Vlei Nature Reserve, Gouna State Forest , 33°56'S: 23°01'E, moist forest, February 1984, leg. J.H. Koen ( NCA 97 /276).

Paratypes: 1 female together with holotype; same locality, on leaf litter, moist forest , 2 males, 2 females, September 1983, leg. J.H. Koen ( NCA 2012 /2492), same data , 1 female ( NCA 97 /363); SOUTH AFRICA, Knysna, Diepwalle Forest , 33°57'S: 23°03'E, afromontane forest , 1 male, 20 December 2011, leg. J.A. Neethling & C. Luwes ( NCA 2013 /573); same locality, indigenous forest , 3 males, 2 females, 11–13 November 1985, leg. C. Griswold & J. Doyen ( NMSA 26470 ); Groenkop, NE George, Groenweide Forest , 33°54'S: 22°32'E, wet forest, pitfall traps , 1 male, 2 females, August 1984, leg. J.H. Koen ( NCA 97 /246); Wilderness, Kaaimansgat Estuary , 33°59'S, 22°33'E, riverine forest, leaf litter , 1 male, 7 December 2012, leg. J.A. Neethling ( NCA 2013 /672) .

Diagnosis. The male is distinctive in having a unique form of the embolus, which is compressed and corkscrew-like. The female is very difficult to recognize; its seminal ducts are extremely short and without kinks, and the median septum is wider than in the other African Euophrys spp.

Etymology. The specific name is a noun in apposition, referring to the shape of the embolus (cochlea is Latin for screw).

Description. Measurements (male/female). Cephalothorax: length 1.9–2.2/1.7–2.4, width 1.4–1.6/1.4–1.7, height 1.0–1.1/0.9–1.0. Abdomen: length 1.7–2.2/1.9–2.9, width 1.1–1.4/1.3–1.9. Eye field: length 0.9–1.0/ 0.8–1.0, anterior width 1.3–1.5/1.3–1.5, posterior width 1.2–1.4/1.2–1.4.

Male. General appearance as in Fig. 18 . Carapace moderately high, dark brown, with darker eye field, eyes surrounded with black rings. White hairs form large patch on ocular area, narrowed to a light median stripe on the thoracic part. Sternum yellowish brown. Clypeus, “cheeks”, and chelicerae dark brown, clothed in sparse black hairs and bristles. Cheliceral dentition as in Fig. 19 . Labium and endites brownish with whitish tips. Sternum brown. Abdomen oval, brown dorsally, with wide leaf-shaped yellow median streak. Sides with dark small patches. Venter yellowish brown with two indistinct brownish stripes, with pair of dark spots at base of spinnerets. Booklung covers yellow, spinnerets yellow, tinged with grey. Legs whitish yellow or yellowish orange, first pair longer than others, with dark patches ( Fig. 20 ). Pedipalps yellowish, only bulb brown, femora with black patch at base. Leg hairs brown, spines light. Bulb rounded, proximal lobe small, tibial apophysis long and narrow, embolus short, screw-shaped ( Figs 21, 23–28 ).

Female. General appearance as in Fig. 29 . Carapace dark brown, with median yellowish brown stripe. Ocular area dark brown, almost black, with black rings around eyes, white hairs forming large light patch anteriorly, some light hairs at posterior pair of eyes. Sternum yellowish brown. Clypeus and “cheeks” yellow to light brown, covered with white hairs and sparse brown bristles. Chelicerae dark brown. Dorsum of abdomen yellowish brown, with yellow serrate median stripe, sides mottled. Abdomen yellowish grey ventrally, with median brownish stripe and pair of dark patches at base of spinnerets. Book-lung covers and spinnerets brownish yellow. All legs and pedipalps yellow to light brown. Epigyne as in Figs 30, 32 . Seminal ducts very short, spermathecae bean-shaped ( Figs 31, 33 ).

Distribution. Western Cape Province of South Africa, around Knysna.

Figures

FIGURES 18–28. Euophrys cochlea sp. nov. 18 male paratype, dorsal view; 19 cheliceral dentition; 20 first leg; 21 palpal organ, ventral view; 22 palpal organ, retrolateral view; 23 embolus, ventroapical view; 24–28 embolic division.

FIGURES 29–33. Euophrys cochlea sp. nov. 29 female paratype, dorsal view; 30, 32 epigyne; 31 internal structure of epigyne, ventral view; 33 internal structure of epigyne, dorsal view.