Eleleis Simon, 1893

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 : 18-19

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4799.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E295AAC9-09C8-48A3-8C5F-402117381B80
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5920090
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EE8789-3B4E-A162-6AEC-FD64AB7DFD37
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Eleleis Simon, 1893
status

Treatment

Genus Eleleis Simon, 1893 View in CoL

Eleleis Simon, 1893: 22 View in CoL (Type species by monotypy, Eleleis crinita Simon, 1893 View in CoL ); Dalmas, 1919: 337.

Diagnosis. Species of Eleleis are distinguished from those of other Prodidominae genera by the presence of different sized clavate setae over the entire body, except the chelicerae and spinnerets ( Figs 11D, E View FIGURE 11 , 12A, F View FIGURE 12 ); carapace bearing a few long and oblique clavate setae ( Figs 11A, D, F View FIGURE 11 ), legs with clavate setae resembling spines ( Fig. 15C View FIGURE 15 ), and posterior region of abdomen with large and robust clavate setae ( Figs 11E, G View FIGURE 11 ).

Description. Total length males 1.72–3.90 and females 1.98–3.72. Carapace longer than wide, slightly narrow at cephalic region, almost oval ( Figs 11D, F View FIGURE 11 ). Fovea absent. Very long and oblique clavate setae on thoracic area ( Figs 11A, D, F View FIGURE 11 , 14A View FIGURE 14 ). Eight eyes; posterior eye row strongly procurved, anterior eye row approximately straight ( Figs 13B View FIGURE 13 , 14A View FIGURE 14 ); PME and PLE irregular; AME dark; AME–ALE, PME–PLE, ALE–PLE contiguous. Chilum absent. Chelicerae relatively small (0.19–0.51), without boss; one reduced retromarginal tooth and one normal promarginal tooth ( Fig. 14E View FIGURE 14 ), except in E. haddadi sp. nov. and E. solitaria sp. nov. that apparently lack teeth; fang with shaft serrula. Endites slightly convergent anteriorly ( Figs 13C View FIGURE 13 , 14B View FIGURE 14 ), with few setae on internal margin; serrula absent ( Fig. 14D View FIGURE 14 ); labium approximately as long as wide. Sternum longer than wide, anterior margin straight, rebordered anteriorly and laterally ( Figs 13C View FIGURE 13 , 14B View FIGURE 14 ); posterior region strongly protruding between coxae IV, with numerous long and erect setae ( Figs 13C View FIGURE 13 , 14C View FIGURE 14 ); intercoxal setae absent and precoxal triangles present. Pedicel with anterior region truncate. Leg formula 4123. All species with legs covered in clavate setae resembling spines, except E. etosha , which has clavate setae and spines on all legs ( Fig. 12C View FIGURE 12 ). Trichobothria present on dorsal tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, arranged in two rows ( Fig. 15C View FIGURE 15 ); bothrium with five ridges on proximal plate ( Fig. 15E View FIGURE 15 ). Tarsal organ capsulate, with oval opening, located dorso-distally on tarsi. Two smooth claws ( Figs 15A, B View FIGURE 15 ); claw tufts composed of slightly widened tenent setae inserted in a well delimited plate; tarsus with modified apical ventral setae ( Fig. 15D View FIGURE 15 ); solid claw tuft clasper present. Abdomen oval, longer than wide ( Figs 12 View FIGURE 12 A–H), scales absent, clavate setae present ( Figs 12A View FIGURE 12 , 16A View FIGURE 16 ); large and robust clavate setae on posterior region of abdomen ( Figs 11B, C, E, G View FIGURE 11 ); dorsum of abdomen without posteriorly curved setae ( Figs 12G, H View FIGURE 12 ). Six spinnerets; ALS longer than wide, separated from each other by less than their diameter ( Figs 13D View FIGURE 13 ); piriform gland spigots elongated with associated setae ( Figs 16B, D View FIGURE 16 ); major ampulate gland spigot field on well-defined conical structure ( Fig. 16D View FIGURE 16 ), male and female with two major ampulate gland spigots ( Fig. 16D View FIGURE 16 ); PLS and PMS conical and short, PLS larger than PMS ( Fig. 16B View FIGURE 16 ); PLS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and apparently seven aciniform gland spigots, females with seven aciniform gland spigots, one cylindrical gland spigots and apparently one minor ampulate gland spigot ( Fig. 16E View FIGURE 16 ); PMS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and three aciniform gland spigots, females apparently with one minor ampulate gland spigot, four aciniform gland spigots and one cylindrical gland spigot ( Fig. 16F View FIGURE 16 ). Female palp: tarsus truncated, with apical chemosensory patch, without claw ( Fig. 15F View FIGURE 15 ). Male palp: femur unmodified, without spines; tibia short, less than 1/3 cymbium length, RTA single, with curved tip ( Fig. 17B View FIGURE 17 ); cymbium slightly extended apically with apical scopula; presence of thick setae in ventro-apical region of cymbium ( Fig. 17A View FIGURE 17 ); bulb ovoid; tegulum with median excavation to accommodate embolus ( Fig. 17A View FIGURE 17 ), except in E. leleupi sp. nov., with prolateral excavation; reservoir visible ventrally; embolus filiform, arising retrolaterally at 1 o’clock position ( Fig. 21B View FIGURE 21 ), except in E. leleupi sp. nov., where it arises at 5 o’clock position ( Fig. 21E View FIGURE 21 ); conductor slightly sclerotized ( Fig. 17C View FIGURE 17 ). Epigyne: epigynal plate with median atrium bearing the copulatory openings and posterior-median excavation with well-defined and sclerotized margins, close to epigastric furrow ( Figs 17D View FIGURE 17 , 18D View FIGURE 18 ). Vulva: copulatory and connecting ducts strongly convoluted ( Fig. 22E View FIGURE 22 ), except E. haddadi sp. nov. and E. solitaria sp. nov., with few folds ( Figs 22B, H View FIGURE 22 ); median part of duct enlarged, forming bulb from which secondary spermathecae arises ( Figs 17E, F View FIGURE 17 , 18E View FIGURE 18 , 19E View FIGURE 19 ), except E. haddadi sp. nov., with bulb of duct close to copulatory opening and apparently without secondary spermathecae ( Fig. 22B View FIGURE 22 ); secondary spermathecae small ( Figs 17E, F View FIGURE 17 ); primary spermathecae rounded and separated from each other by more than their diameter ( Figs 23A, G View FIGURE 23 ), except E. luderitz sp. nov., in which they are separated by less than their diameter ( Fig. 23E View FIGURE 23 ); fertilization ducts laterad ( Figs 17E View FIGURE 17 , 19E View FIGURE 19 ).