Kikongo rutshuru, Rodrigues & Rheims, 2020

Rodrigues, Bruno V. B. & Rheims, Cristina A., 2020, An overview of the African genera of Prodidominae spiders: descriptions and remarks (Araneae: Gnaphosidae), Zootaxa 4799 (1), pp. 1-80 : 65-66

Kikongo rutshuru sp. nov.

Figs 51 A–F

Type material. Male holotype from D.R. Congo, Albert National Park (Virunga National Park), sect. Sud , Katare , Rég. Rutshuru , [1°11’8.05”S 29°26’49.02”E] Alt. 1250 m, 22 February 1995, G.F. De Witte leg., deposited in RMCA 233076 . Paratypes: 1 female from D.R. Congo, Albert National Park (Virunga National Park), sect. Tshiaberimu , riv. Musavaki , affl. Talya Nord , Alt. 2720 m, 00°10’N 29°35’E, 15–21 April 1955, P. Vanschuytbroeck & R. Fonteyn leg. ( MRAC 236899 ) ; 1 male from Kenya, Forest Kakamega, 00°13’N 34°54’E, 14 September 2002, D. Shilabira Smith leg. ( MRAC 220273 ) ; 1 male, 20 July 2002, D. Shilabira Smith leg. ( MRAC 220238 ) .

Etymology. The specific name refers to the type locality, noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Males of K. rutshuru sp. nov. are distinguished from those of the other species of the genus by the tegulum with the distal part widened (distal part narrower in K. ruwenzori sp. nov. and K. buta sp. nov.), sperm duct far from embolar insertion (very close to embolar insertion in K. ruwenzori sp. nov. and K. buta sp. nov.), and the conductor arising between 1–2 o’clock position (at 12 o’clock position in K. ruwenzori sp. nov. and K. buta sp. nov.) ( Figs 51B, C ); females differ by the positioning ridges close to each other, almost touching, and by copulatory duct enlarged close to copulatory opening and visible ventrally (narrower in K. ruwenzori sp. nov. and K. buta sp. nov.) ( Figs 51D, E ).

Description. Male (holotype). Total length: 2.25. Carapace 0.90 long, 0.75 wide; Abdomen 1.12 long, 0.66 wide; Sternum 0.62 long, 0.51 wide; Spinnerets: ALS 0.25 long, 0.13 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.06, ALE 0.04, PME 0.06, PLE 0.06; interdistances: AME–AME 0.02, PME–PME 0.04. Chelicerae 0.26 long. Leg measurements: IV: 3.20 (0.85, 0.46, 0.74, 0.64, 0.51). Legs I, II and III lost. Leg spination: IV—femur d1-1-0; tibia v1r-0-2, p1-0-1, r0-0-1; metatarsus r0-0-1. Palp: single RTA with tip curving dorsally; tegulum robust, with distal region larger than basal region, creating large space between reservoir and embolus; embolar insertion between 6–7 o’clock position; embolus with distal part curved ( Figs 51 A–C).

Female (paratype). Total length: 2.46. Carapace 0.94 long, 0.78 wide; Abdomen 1.43 long, 0.84 wide; Sternum 0.72 long, 0.58 wide; Spinnerets: ALS 0.26 long, 0.15 wide. Eye diameters: AME 0.04, ALE 0.03, PME 0.04, PLE 0.04; interdistances: AME–AME 0.04, PME–PME 0.04. Chelicerae 0.29 long. Leg measurements: I: 2.95 (0.77, 0.60, 0.62, 0.51, 0.45); II: 2.40 (0.66, 0.41, 0.49, 0.44, 0.40); III: 2.03 (0.56, 0.34, 0.40, 0.36, 0.37); IV: 3.32 (0.94, 0.48, 0.70, 0.64, 0.56). Leg spination: I—femur d1-1-0. II—femur d1-1-0; tibia v0-2-0. III—femur d1-1-0; tibia v1p-0-1p, p1-0-1; metatarsus v0-2-0, p0-0-1. IV—femur d1-1-0; tibia v1p-2-2, p1-0-1, r1-0-1; metatarsus v1-1-1, p1-0-1, r0-0-1. Epigyne: positioning ridge directed anteriorly ( Fig. 51D ). Vulva: copulatory duct with three curves; connecting duct with proximal and terminal parts far apart and without twist at terminal end (close to primary spermathecae); primary spermathecae robust; fertilization duct antero-laterad ( Figs 51E, F ).

Variation. Total length (3 males): 1.84–2.25.

Distribution. D.R. Congo and Kenya ( Fig. 53 ).

Figures

FIGURE 51. Kikongo rutshuru sp. nov. Male palp: (A) prolateral view; (B) ventral view; (C) retrolateral view. Female: (D) epigyne, ventral view; (E) vulva, dorsal view; (F) vulva, schematic course of internal duct system. C—conductor; CD—copulatory duct; CO—copulatory opening; CoD—connecting duct; E—embolus; FD—fertilization duct; PS—primary spermathecae; SS—secondary spermathecae; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophisys. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIGURE 53. Known distribution records of species of Kikongo gen. nov. from D.R. Congo and Kenya.