Thyenula virgulata, 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 : 62-64

Thyenula virgulata sp. nov.

Figs 229–232

Holotype: male, SOUTH AFRICA, KwaZulu-Natal Province, Ophate Game Reserve , 28°25'S: 31°24'E, montane grassland, 900 m a.s.l., pitfall trap, 30 September—4 October 2008, leg. C. Haddad, S. Olivier & C. Hanekom ( NCA 2008 /3935).

Paratype: SOUTH AFRICA, KwaZulu-Natal Province, Ithala Game Reserve, Mhulumbela Lookout Point , 27°31'S: 31°18'E, montane grassland, 1 male, 2 July 2010, leg. C. Haddad ( NCA) .

Diagnosis. A distinctive species, the male is easily distinguished from other species (except T. montana ) by the striped body. The embolic spiral is placed slightly retrolaterally (centrally in congeners). It differs from T. montana in having a clearly longer embolus, forming more than one loop and by the lack of a cymbial tutaculum.

Etymology. The specific name is Latin for striped, referring to pattern of coloration.

Description. Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 2.0, width 1.3, height 0.8. Abdomen: length 1.9, width 1.1. Eye field: length 0.8, anterior and posterior width 1.2.

Male. General appearance as in Fig. 229 . Carapace oval, moderately high. Eye field dark brown, brown bristles on its anterior half, white hairs forming four bands starting from eyes and extending to middle of eye field, median bands fused posteriorly. Thoracic part of carapace and abdomen brown with three longitudinal light streaks ( Fig. 229 ). Abdomen brown with three light streaks, clothed in hairs corresponding to background colour, with longer bristles at anterior edge. Venter of abdomen light, with three dark stripes. Spinnerets light. Mouth parts light brown, sternum orange with large dark patch in centre. Legs yellow, lateral surfaces of first femora almost black, patellae of first legs with small black patch on prolateral side. Leg hairs and spines brown. Pedipalps clothed in dense long white hairs, only femora brownish. Embolic spiral placed slightly retrolaterally. Embolus coiled, only its end protruding slightly above tip of loop ( Figs 230, 231 ).

Female unknown.

Distribution. Known only from northern KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.

Figures

FIGURES 229–232. Thyenula virgulata sp. nov. 229 male holotype, dorsal view; 230 palpal organ, ventral view; 231 palpal organ, ventrolateral view; 232 palpal organ, retrolateral view.