Smeringopus lotzi, Huber, 2012

HUBER, BERNHARD A., 2012, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Afrotropical endemic genus Smeringopus Simon, 1890 (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 3461 (1), pp. 1-138 : 79-81

Smeringopus lotzi new species

Figs. 428–429 , 447–448 , 463–464 , 487–493 , 514–519

Type. Male holotype from South Africa, Northern Cape Province, Hay [Distr.], Kogelbeen Cave (28°40’S, 23°21’E), entrance room of cave, 22.ii.1997 (L.N. Lotz), in NMBA ( 8153 part) .

Etymology. The species is named for Leon L. Lotz from the National Museum in Bloemfontein who contributed many specimens for this revision.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners by shapes of procursus (distal structures, Figs. 487, 488 ; similar S. ubicki ), bulb (processes of embolus, Figs. 489, 490 ), cheliceral armature (presence and position of proximal apophyses; Figs. 491, 492 ), and shape of epigynum ( Fig. 463 ; large pockets close together; similar S. similis ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 6.1, carapace width 2.0. Leg 1: 46.7 (12.5 + 0.8 + 11.7 + 19.1 + 2.6), tibia 2: 8.9, tibia 3: 7.2, tibia 4: 9.8; tibia 1 L/d: 51. Habitus as in Figs. 428 and 429 . Carapace ochre-yellow with brown median and lateral marks, clypeus with pair of dark stripes, sternum ochre-yellow with brown pattern, leg femora and tibiae with subdistal dark rings, abdomen with dorsal and ventral pattern. Distance PME-PME 150 µm, diameter PME 160 µm, distance PME-ALE 90 µm, distance AME-AME 55 µm, diameter AME 140 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with very indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae with proximal humps and distal apophyses ( Figs. 491, 492 ), each distal apophysis provided with one modified hair ( Figs. 514, 515 ). Palps as in Figs. 447 and 448 , coxa with distinct retrolateral apophysis, trochanter barely modified, femur with retrolateral furrow with distinct proximal rim ( Fig. 516 ), procursus with distinctive distal processes in dorsal view ( Fig. 488 ; retrolateral view as in Fig. 487 ), bulb with distinctive complex embolus ( Figs. 489, 490 ). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, with curved hairs on tibiae and metatarsi 1 and 2; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1. Gonopore with two epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 518 ); ALS with eight spigots each ( Fig. 519 ).

Variation. Tibia 1 in 10 other males: 7.0–11.0 (mean 8.9). Some specimens from eastern localities (Bloemfontein, Edenville) have identical palps but lack the proximal cheliceral humps. They are assigned tentatively.

Female. In general similar to male; triads closer together (distance PME-PME 115 µm); tibia 1 in 33 females: 4.7–10.2 (mean 7.3). Some darker specimens with black marks proximally on femora. Epigynum a simple plate with large pockets close together ( Fig. 463 ); internal genitalia as in Figs. 464 and 493 .

Distribution. Widely distributed in central and northwestern South Africa ( Fig. 475 ).

Material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Northern Cape Prov.: Hay, Kogelbeen Cave: 1♂ type above; same data, 1♂ 1♀ in NMBA (8153 part) ; same data but camp area, 1♀ 4 juvs in NMBA (8154) . Barkly West, Borrelkop (28°24’S, 24°20’E), 17.x.1988 (A. Wels), 1♂ in NMBA (3076) . “De Duine 18”, Prieska [29°40’S, 22°45’E], under stones, 4.–7.ix.1981 (“ Mus. Staff ”), 1♂ 1 juv. in NMBA (79) . Kimberley [28°45’S, 24°45’E] (E. Simon collection 15270), 5♂ 13♀ (2 vials) in MNHN (10355–56) . Kimberley, “Hebrou” (E. Simon collection 15271), 1♂ 2♀ 2 juvs. in MNHN ( AR 10358 ). Herbert, Vogelfontein (28°54’S, 23°38’E), under calcrete stone, 4.iv.1989 (L.N. Lotz), 2♀ in NMBA (3187) . Augrabies [Falls] N.P., Riemvasmaak [28°27’S, 20°19’E], 8.v.1995 (M. de Jager), 1♀ in NCP (95/290). Camp close to Orange River (28°42.2’S, 17°35.7’E) , 175 m a.s.l., 8.x.2009 (M. Forman), 1♂ in pure ethanol in ZFMK ( Kral 9) (J. Kral chromosome preparation “Smeringopus 2”) . Free State: Bloemfontein (29°08’S, 26°10’E), in house, 12.ix.1988 (“ Entomol. Staff ”), 1♀ in NMBA (2980) ; same data but 28.ix./ 23.xi.1987 (2 vials) (S. Louw), in house, 2♀ in NMBA (2182, 2785) ; same data but 2.ii.1988 (A. Wels), in house, 1♀ in NMBA (2827) ; same data but 5.i.1988 (L.N. Lotz), in house, 1♀ in NMBA (2805) . Bloemfontein (E. Simon collection 15282), 3♂ 6♀ 2 juvs. (3 vials) in MNHN ( AR 10359-61 ). Bloemfontein, Naval Hill (29°06’S, 26°14’E), xi.1990 – iii.1991 (L.N. Lotz), 2♂ 4♀ (5 vials) in NMBA (6790, 7328, 7395, 7506, 7529) . Bloemfontein, Spesbona (29°07’S, 26°05’E), v.–vii.1990 (S. du Toit), 1♂ 2♀ 1 juv. in NMBA (5610) . Harrismith, Qwa Qwa National Park (28°26’S, 28°41’E), 3.iii.1994 (L.N. Lotz), 1♀ in NMBA (6718) . Florisbad [~ 28°48’S, 26°07’E], under bridge, 21.xi.1985 (“ Mus. Staff ”), 1♀ in NMBA (1183) ; Florisbad , x.1982 (“ Mus. Staff ”), 1♀ in NMBA (282) . Boshof, Table Farm (28°43’S, 24°55’E), under piece of iron, 18.viii.1987 (“ Entomol. Staff ”), 1♀ in NMBA (2110) . Boshof, Elliesdal (28°18’S, 25°31’E), 18.viii.1987 (“ Entomol. Staff ”), 1♀ in NMBA (2066) . “ Swartsrus ” (27°45’S, 25°30’E), 18.–19.xi.1985 (“ Mus. Staff ”), 4♀ + juvs in NMBA (1202) . Glen (28°58’S, 26°20’E), 17.ix.1987 (L.N. Lotz), 1♀ 2 juvs in NMBA (2168) . Jagersfontein [29°46’S, 25°25’E], other data unreadable, 1♀ in BMNH (04.4.24.28-40) . North West Province: Vryburg [26°57’S, 24°44’E], (E. Simon collection 15278), 2♂ 2♀ in MNHN ( AR 10354 ) .

Assigned tentatively. SOUTH AFRICA: Free State: Farm Lusthof, Edenville [27°32’S, 27°39’E], 24.iv.1969 (J. Viljoen), 2♂ 2♀ in NCP (76/2019). Bloemfontein (29°08’S, 26°10’E), in Museum, 29.iii.1993 (D. de Swart), 1♂ in NMBA (6122) ; same data but 25.viii.1987 (L.N. Lotz), 1♂ in NMBA (2159) .

Figures

FIGURE 475. Known distribution of the hypocrita group. Squares: further undescribed species.

FIGURES 424–437. Smeringopus hypocrita group, habitus. 424–425. S. hypocrita, male, dorsal view and female, ventral view. 426–427. S. sederberg, male, dorsal and ventral views. 428–429. S. lotzi, male, dorsal and ventral views. 430–431. S. dehoop, male, dorsal view and female, ventral view. 432–433. S. atomarius, female, dorsal and ventral views. 434–435. S. uisib, female, dorsal and ventral views. 436–437. S. tombua, male, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 438–450. Smeringopus hypocrita group, male prosomata, oblique frontal views and left male palps, prolateral and retrolateral views. 438. S. hypocrita. 439. S. sederberg. 440. S. ubicki. 441. S. dehoop. 442. S. atomarius. 443–444. S. hypocrita. 445–446. S. sederberg. 447–448. S. lotzi. 449–450. S. ubicki.

FIGURES 459–474. Smeringopus hypocrita group, epigyna, ventral views and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 459–460. S. hypocrita. 461–462. S. sederberg. 463–464. S. lotzi. 465–466. S. ubicki. 467–468. S. dehoop. 469–470. S. atomarius. 471–472. S. uisib. 473–474. S. tombua.

FIGURES 487–493. Smeringopus lotzi. 487. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view. 488. Left procursus, dorsal view. 489–490. Left emboli, prolateral and dorsal views. 491–492. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 493. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 514–525. Smeringopus lotzi (514–519) and S. atomarius (520–525). 514–515. Male chelicerae and cheliceral apophysis. 516. Left male palp, retrolateral view. 517. Left procursus tip, retrolateral view. 518. Male gonopore. 519. Male ALS and PMS. 520. Male cheliceral apophysis. 521. Left procursus tip, retrolatero-dorsal view. 522. Left embolus, distal view. 523. Male gonopore. 524. Female ALS. 525. Epigynum. Scale lines: 10 µm (520), 20 µm (515, 519, 524), 60 µm (514, 517), 80 µm (522–523), 100 µm (518, 521), 200 µm (516, 525).