Smeringopus turkana new species

Figs. 171–172, 180, 186–187, 196–197, 219–224

“ Smeringopus arambourgi Fage ” (misidentification; females only) in Fage & Simon 1936: 319–320, fig. 12c.

Type. Male holotype from Kenya, Rift Valley, Kacheliba [~ 1°28’N, 35°01’E?], 1400 m a.s.l., hot dry area, 4.viii.1972 (Murphy) in ZFMK (Ar 8565; from CJFM 1464) .

Note. This species might be a synonym of S. zonatus Strand, 1906 (see below).

Etymology. Named for the Turkana people in northwestern Kenya; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from similar congeners (other species of the arambourgi species group and S. pallidus) by second pair of apophyses frontally on male chelicerae (Fig. 223); also distinguished by tip of procursus (Figs. 219, 220), shapes of bulbal processes (pointed processes on dorsal projection; Figs. 221, 222), and epigynum shape (frontal part with dark hexagonal area; Fig. 196).

Male (holotype). Total body length 4.9, carapace width 1.6. Leg 1: 37.6 (10.5 + 0.7 + 9.6 + 14.9 + 1.9), tibia 2: 6.4, tibia 3: 4.9, tibia 4: 6.9; tibia 1 L/d: 57. Habitus as in Fig. 171. Carapace with distinct brown pattern medially and laterally, clypeus with pair of dark lines, sternum brown with light spots, leg femora and tibiae with subdistal dark rings and light tips, abdomen with distinct dorsal and ventral pattern. Distance PME-PME 140 µm, diameter PME 135 µm, distance PME-ALE 45 µm, distance AME-AME 35 µm, diameter AME 135 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with barely visible ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae as in Fig. 223, with usual pair of small distal apophyses and unique additional pair more proximally. Palps as in Figs. 186 and 187, coxa without retrolateral apophysis, trochanter barely modified, femur with shallow retrolateral furrow, cymbium without projection near tarsal organ, procursus with distinctive tip (Figs. 219, 220), bulb with sclerotized embolus and distinctive dorsal process set with two pointed projections (Figs. 221, 222). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, with curved hairs ventrally on tibiae and metatarsi 1–2, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1.

Variation. The pointed projections on the dorsal bulbal process vary slightly in size and position. Tibia 1 in 4 other males: 8.2, 8.5, 10.0, 10.7.

Female. In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 12 females: 7.2–10.3 (mean 8.4). Epigynum a simple flat plate without pockets, with dark median hexagonal area, internal structures visible through cuticle, posterior part with two darker areas (Fig. 196); internal genitalia as in Figs. 197 and 224.

Distribution. Known from northwestern Kenya and southwestern Ethiopia (Fig. 204).

Material examined. KENYA: Rift Valley: Kacheliba: 1♂ holotype above. Turkana, Kanapoi [~ 2°19’N, 36°06’E?], 10.ix.1966 (B. Patterson), 1♂ 1♀ 1 juv. in MCZ (34013) ; same data but 17.–24.vii.1966, 2♀ 1 juv. in MCZ (34021). Lodwar, along Turkwell River (3°07.0’N, 35°35.7’E), 10.–12.vi.1999 (W.J. Pulawski, J.S. Schweikert), 1♀ in CAS. Lodwar, 60 km W of Lake Rudolf [3°07’N, 35°36’E], 16.–26.viii.1963 (B. Patterson), 1♂ 2♀ 3 juvs in MCZ (34023). Turkana, Lokori [~ 1°57’N, 36°00’E], 26.viii.1965 (B. Patterson), 1♂ 1♀ in MCZ (34025) ; same data but in concrete houses, 25.vii.1965, 1♂ in MCZ (34010). Loperot [~ 2°20’N, 35°50’E], vii.1964 (B. Patterson), 1♂ in MCZ (34019). 7 mi S Loperot [~ 2°15’N, 35°50’E], vii.1964 (B. Patterson), 1♂ 1♀ (2 vials) in MCZ (34009, 34024). 16 km SW Loperot [~ 2°15’S, 35°44‘E], Akuryo waterhole, bat cave, 24.vi.1964 (B. Patterson), 1♂ 1♀ in MCZ (34020) ; same data but viii.1964, 1♀ in MCZ (34027). Kamatira [~ 1°16’N, 35°10’E], roadside scrub, 2300 m a.s.l., 23.viii.1972 (Murphy), 1♀ in CJFM (2164). Kongelai [~ 1°28’N, 35°01’E?], dry scrub, 1400 m a.s.l., 17.viii.1972 (Murphy), 1♀ in CJFM (1958). Lake Baringo [~ 0°38’N, 36°00’E], lakeside scrub, 1100 m a.s.l., 28.viii.1972 (Murphy), 1♀ in CJFM (2274). “ Turkana méridional” and “Lokitang”, Mission de l’Omo, 19.i.1933 and 23.i.1933 [C. Alluaud, R. Jeannel, P.A. Chappuis], 2♀ misidentified as S. arambourgi in Fage & Simon (1936), in MNHN (AR 10357, 10366).

ETHIOPIA: Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s Region: Caschei [~ 4°52’N, 36°29’E?], 5.vii.1939 (E. Zavattari) 1♂ 2♀ 1 juv. (2 vials) in MZF; same data but 5./ 7.vii.1939, 1♀ in MZF. Gonga-Baino [~ 4°57’N, 36°41’E], 21.vi.1939 (E. Zavattari), 1♀ in MZF .