Smeringopus oromia new species

Figs. 173–174, 181, 188–189, 198–199, 225–230

Type. Male holotype from Ethiopia, Oromia Region, Lake Langano [~ 7°36’N, 38°41’E], under stones, short grass near hotel, 24.x.1982 (A. Russell-Smith), in ZFMK (Ar 8552) .

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners (other species of the arambourgi species group and S. pallidus) by tip of procursus (Figs. 225–227), shapes of bulbal processes (Figs. 228, 229; simple semitransparent dorsal projection shorter and wider than in S. arambourgi), and epigynum shape (Fig. 198; similar S. arambourgi and S. saruanle).

Male (holotype). Total body length 3.6, carapace width 1.5. Leg 1: 23.9 (6.1 + 0.6 + 6.1 + 9.7 + 1.4), tibia 2: 4.2, tibia 3: 3.2, tibia 4: 4.8; tibia 1 L/d: 43. Habitus as in Figs. 173 and 174. Carapace with narrow median and lateral marks, clypeus with pair of dark marks, sternum light brown with darker margins and darker frontal half, legs monochromous ochre-yellow, abdomen ochre-gray with dark dorsal and ventral pattern. Distance PME-PME 135 µm, diameter PME 105 µm, distance PME-ALE 55 µm, distance AME-AME 45 µm, diameter AME 90 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with barely visible ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae very similar S. saruanle (cf. Fig. 236), with pair of small distal apophyses. Palps as in Figs. 188 and 189, coxa without retrolateral apophysis, trochanter barely modified, femur with shallow retrolateral furrow, cymbium with small projection near tarsal organ, procursus with distinctive tip (Figs. 225–227), bulb with sclerotized embolus and simple semitransparent dorsal process (Figs. 228, 229). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, with curved hairs on metatarsi 1–2 (many hairs missing), retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 3%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1.

Variation. Ventral abdominal pattern in other male indistinct and irregular (artifact?); tibia 1 in this male: 7.5.

Female. In general similar to male but both females with very distinct dark subdistal rings on femora and tibiae; tibia 1 in 2 females: 5.6, 6.4. Epigynum a simple flat plate without pockets, lateral whitish areas separated from median part by black marks, posterior part without or with very indistinct darker areas (Fig. 198); internal genitalia as in Figs. 199 and 230.

Distribution. Known from two localities in central and northern Ethiopia (Fig. 204).

Material examined. ETHIOPIA: Oromia Region: Lake Langano: 1♂ holotype above, together with 1♀. Tigray Region: Alomata [=Alamat’a, 12°25’N, 39°33’E], 5000 ft a.s.l., 16.i.1960 (E.S. Ross), 1♂ 1♀ in CAS .