Wasaka occulta, Haddad, Charles R., 2013

Haddad, Charles R., 2013, Taxonomic notes on the spider genus Messapus Simon, 1898 (Araneae, Corinnidae), with the description of the new genera Copuetta and Wasaka and the first cladistic analysis of Afrotropical Castianeirinae, Zootaxa 3688 (1), pp. 1-79 : 68-70

Wasaka occulta sp. nov.

Figs 158, 159 , 164 , 174–177

Etymology: The species name is taken from the Latin occultus (hidden, concealed) and refers to the dense fringe of setae along the prolateral edge of the tegular excavation of the cymbium that conceals part of the structure of the male embolus.

Diagnosis: This species is most closely related to W. imitatrix sp. nov., from which the males can be separated by the more open coils of the male embolus, with a more distally orientated embolus tip (compare Figs 162 and 164 ). Females can be separated from W. imitatrix sp. nov. by the clearly separated coiled epigynal ridges (meeting medially W. occulta sp. nov.) and the strongly curved copulatory openings (less curved in W. occulta sp. nov.) (compare Figs 168 and 176 ). The internal structure of the epigyne differs by W. occulta sp. nov. females having a broad fusion between ST I and II, ST II that are nearly twice as long as broad, and very short entrance ducts that are continuous with ST II and partly hidden beneath ST I ( Fig. 177 ). In contrast, W. imitatrix sp. nov. females have a distinct separation between ST II and ST I, ST II that are as long as broad, and entrance ducts that are distinctly separated from the ST I and II ( Fig. 169 ).

Male (holotype, Mazumbai, CASENT 9033273). Measurements: CL 3.15, CW 2.46, AL 3.60, AW 2.15, TL 6.95 (6.95–8.15), FL 0.30, SL 1.41, SW 1.38, AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.49, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.08, PLE–PLE 0.65, PERW 0.94, MOQAW 0.46, MOQPW 0.51, MOQL 0.54.

Length of leg segments: I 3.20 + 1.25 + 3.05 + 2.98 + 1.60 = 12.08; II 3.18 + 1.23 + 2.80 + 2.85 + 1.50 = 11.56; III 2.96 + 1.15 + 2.55 + 2.83 + 1.35 = 10.84; IV 3.65 + 1.20 + 3.19 + 4.10 + 1.45 = 13.59.

General appearance as in Fig. 158 . Carapace creamy-yellow, cephalic region bright yellow, with faint black mottling, eye region black; two black spots on clypeus at base of curved setae; narrow black median marking in front of fovea; striae yellow, directed between coxae, covered in black mottling; lateral margins with narrow black fringe, with black spots at each coxa between striae, fused between coxae III and IV; markings covered in black feathery and short straight setae, areas between them covered in white feathery and short straight setae. AME separated by distance slightly less than ½ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance less than 1⁄10 AME diameter; clypeus height slightly larger than ¾ AME diameter; PME separated by distance slightly less than ½ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 2⁄5 PLE diameter; CW: PERW = 2.62:1. Chelicerae yellow proximally, yellow-cream distally; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest, distal tooth smallest; proximal and median teeth separated by ¼ basal width of proximal tooth, median and distal teeth adjacent; retromargin with two subequal teeth separated by slightly less than their basal width, distal tooth close to fang base. Endites yellowbrown, cream prolaterally distally; labium pale orange-brown, cream distally; sternum creamy-yellow, darker around borders. Legs with faint black mottling and spots at spine bases, posteriors slightly darker than anteriors; markings covered in black feathery setae, with yellowish feathery setae between them; femora I–IV creamyyellow, with proximal and distal prolateral and retrolateral spots and many small ventral spots, III and IV with faint distal band; patellae I–IV cream, distal end fringed with black, with short proximal narrow stripe dorsally and faint black mottling laterally and ventrally; tibiae I–III with scattered small black patches and faint bands corresponding to paired ventral spines, IV with broad mottled median band; metatarsi I and II with small black spots, III and IV with mottled proximal, median and distal black bands; tarsi I–IV yellow. Leg spination: femora: I pl 3 do 3 rl 3, II pl 3 do 3 rl 3, III pl 2-3 do 3 rl 3, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 2; all femora with scattered erect ventral setae; patellae: I–IV with fine proximal and distal do setae; tibiae: I pl 2 rl 2 plv 3 rlv 3, II pl 2 rl 2 plv 3 rlv 3, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, II pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2 rl 1, with rlv 6 erect setae; patellae: pl 1 do 2; tibiae: pl 1 do 2 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 plv 4. Abdomen with creamy-yellow anterior dorsal scutum extending slightly more than ½ abdomen length; dorsum cream with black mottling, cream along midline with several short broad chevrons, surrounded by dense black mottling, giving the appearance of black spots; posterior of dorsum dark grey, spinnerets surrounded with black ring; markings densely covered in black straight and feathery setae, interspersed with white feathery setae on chevrons and laterally; venter cream, covered in white short straight setae with scattered feathery setae; epigastric scutum cream; ventral sclerite absent, two paired rows of tiny sclerites present from epigastric furrow to spinnerets; inframamillary sclerite orange with black mottled spot anteriorly. Male palp yellow, cymbium yellow-brown; tegulum bright orange, with nearly black ducts; embolus with broad oblique base, broad compressed coil and distal section triangular and directed at near 45° retrolaterally and distally ( Figs 164 , 174, 175 ).

Female (paratype, Mazumbai, ZMUC). Measurements: CL 3.90, CW 3.05, AL 5.90, AW 4.25, TL 9.50, FL 0.32, SL 1.73, SW 1.70, AME–AME 0.11, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.59, PME–PME 0.16, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE 0.73, PERW 1.12, MOQAW 0.56, MOQPW 0.59, MOQL 0.62.

Length of leg segments: I 3.75 + 1.55 + 3.35 + 3.20 + 1.78 = 13.63; II 3.80 + 1.48 + 3.18 + 3.15 + 1.60 = 13.21; III 3.45 + 1.45 + 2.85 + 3.10 + 1.50 = 12.35; IV 4.25 + 1.44 + 3.50 + 4.50 + 1.65 = 15.34.

General appearance as in Fig. 159 , female more robustly built than male. Carapace creamy-orange, markings and setae as for male but less distinct. AME separated by distance slightly less than ½ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance less than 1⁄10 AME diameter; clypeus height slightly less than AME diameter; PME separated by distance slightly less than ¾ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance slightly larger than ¼ PLE diameter; CW: PERW = 2.72:1. Chelicerae yellow-orange, yellow prolaterally distally; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest, distal tooth smallest; proximal and median teeth separated by ½ basal width of proximal tooth, median and distal teeth by ½ basal width of distal tooth; retromargin with two teeth separated by ½ their basal width, distal tooth slightly smaller than proximal tooth, close to fang base. Endites yellow-brown, cream prolaterally distally; labium orange-brown, cream distally; sternum creamy-yellow, yellow-brown around borders. Legs with faint black mottling and spots at spine bases; markings covered in black feathery setae, with yellowish feathery setae between them; femora I–IV creamy-yellow dorsally, paler ventrally, with proximal and distal prolateral and retrolateral spots, faint distal band and many small ventral spots; patellae I–IV yellow, distal end fringed with black, with short proximal narrow stripe dorsally and faint black mottling laterally and ventrally; tibiae yellow, I and II with small black patches, III and IV with broad median black bands; metatarsi I–III yelloworange, with faint proximal, median and distal black bands, IV orange-brown, with mottled black band except for at proximal and distal ends; tarsi I–IV orange. Leg spination: femora: I pl 3 do 3 rl 2, II pl 3 do 3 rl 3, III pl 3 do 3 rl 3, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 1; all femora with scattered erect ventral setae; patellae: I–IV with fine proximal and distal do setae; tibiae: I pl 2 rl 2 plv 3 rlv 3, II pl 2 rl 2 plv 3 rlv 3, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 1, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, II pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2 rl 1, with rlv 4 erect setae; patellae: pl 1 do 2; tibiae: pl 1 do 1 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 rl 1 plv 2 rlv 1. Abdomen with very small yellow dorsal scutum, restricted to anterior slope of abdomen; dorsum cream, mottled grey medially, with narrow cream line along midline and several fine cream chevrons; posterior of dorsum with transverse black band above spinnerets; markings covered in yellow-brown feathery and brown short straight setae, areas between them with cream feathery setae and brown scattered short straight setae; spinnerets surrounded by narrow black ring dorsally and laterally, absent ventrally; venter cream, densely covered in brown and cream feathery setae and scattered brown short straight setae; epigastric scutum bright yellow; ventral sclerite absent, two paired rows of small sclerites present from epigastric furrow to spinnerets; inframamillary sclerite bright orange. Epigyne with large strongly sclerotised 6-shaped ridges laterally in posterior half of epigyne, clearly separated medially, with strongly curved copulatory openings ( Fig. 176 ); copulatory ducts very short, directed anteriorly, partly hidden beneath ST I, entering anterior ST II posterolaterally; ST II twice as broad as ST I, broadly joined continuous structures; ST I short and narrow, as long as broad, situated posteriorly ( Fig. 177 ).

Type material: Holotype 3: TANZANIA: Tanga Region: Lushoto District, Mazumbai Forest Reserve, 04°49'S, 38°31'E, 1400–1800m a.s.l., leg. C.E. Griswold, N. Scharff & D. Ubick, 10–20.XI.1995 (forest, on foliage at night [bit me on hand, sharp pain for few minutes – DU]) ( CAS, CASENT 9033273).

Paratypes: TANZANIA: Tanga Region: Lushoto District, Mazumbai Forest Reserve, 04°49'S, 38°31'E, 1370– 1435m a.s.l., leg. S. McKamey et al., 8.XII.1995 (canopy fog 33, Parinari excelsa ), 13 ( ZMUC); same locality, 1370–1435m a.s.l., leg. S. McKamey et al., 4.XII.1995 (canopy fog 31), 13 ( ZMUC); same locality, 1650–1730m a.s.l., leg. S. McKamey et al., 11.VII.1995 (canopy fog 6), 1Ƥ ( ZMUC); same locality, 1370–1435m a.s.l., leg. S. McKamey et al., 4.XII.1995 (canopy fog 31), 13 ( ZMUC).

Additional material examined: None.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 182 ).

Biology: Collected by canopy fogging in forests.

Figures

FIGURE 182. Distribution of Wasaka imitatrix sp. nov. (white circles), W. montana sp. nov. (black circles), W. occulta sp. nov. (black triangle) and W. ventralis sp. nov. (white triangles) in tropical Africa.

FIGURES 154 – 161. Digital microscope photographs of Wasaka imitatrix sp. nov. (154, 155), W. montana sp. nov. (156, 157), W. occulta sp. nov. (158, 159) and W. ventralis sp. nov. (160, 161): 154, 156, 158, 160. Male habitus, dorsal view. 155, 157, 159, 161. Female habitus, dorsal view. Scale bars = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 162 – 165. Digital microscope photographs of emboli of Wasaka gen. nov. species in ventral view: 162. W. imitatrix sp. nov.. 163. W. montana sp. nov.. 164. W. occulta sp. nov.. 165. W. ventralis sp. nov.. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 174 – 177. Genitalic morphology of Wasaka occulta sp. nov.: 174. Male palp, ventral view. 175. Same, retrolateral view. 176. Female epigyne, ventral view. 177. Same, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 166 – 169. Genitalic morphology of Wasaka imitatrix sp. nov.: 166. Male palp, ventral view. 167. Same, retrolateral view. 168. Female epigyne, ventral view. 169. Same, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.