Kituba, 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 : 49-50

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.5920118
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EE8789-3B6F-A141-6AEC-F8E5AA84F9BB
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Kituba
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Kituba View in CoL gen. nov.

Etymology. The generic name is a noun in apposition that refers to the Kituba language, a Kikongo-based language considered one of the official languages of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The gender is masculine.

Type species. Kituba mayombensis View in CoL sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Males of Kituba gen. nov. have the palps with the cymbium tilted retrolaterally ( Figs 41F View FIGURE 41 , 42B View FIGURE 42 ), embolus long and filiform, curving around tegulum, conductor slightly sclerotized, long and curved around the tegulum ( Figs 41A, B View FIGURE 41 , 42 View FIGURE 42 A–C). Females are distinguished from those of other Prodidominae genera by the vulva with copulatory ducts slender and convoluted anteriorly and laterally, with secondary spermathecae reduced to a small lump on the duct, connected to the round primary spermathecae by a thicker, widened connecting duct ( Figs 42E View FIGURE 42 , 43B View FIGURE 43 ).

Description. Total length males 1.72–1.95 and females 1.58–2.32. Carapace longer than wide, slightly narrower in cephalic region, oval ( Figs 37A, B View FIGURE 37 , 38A View FIGURE 38 ). Fovea absent. Eight eyes, posterior row strongly procurved and anterior row approximately straight ( Fig. 37C View FIGURE 37 ); PME and PLE irregular; AME dark; interdistance contiguous of AME–ALE, PME–PLE, ALE–PLE. Chilum absent. Chelicerae relatively small (0.22–0.29), without boss or teeth ( Figs 38 View FIGURE 38 D–F); fang with shaft serrula ( Fig. 38F View FIGURE 38 ). Endites slightly converging anteriorly ( Figs 37D View FIGURE 37 , 38B View FIGURE 38 ), with few hairs on internal margin ( Fig. 38C View FIGURE 38 ); serrula absent; labium longer than wide ( Fig. 37D View FIGURE 37 ). Sternum longer than wide, anterior margin straight, rebordered anteriorly and laterally ( Fig. 37D View FIGURE 37 ); posterior region strongly protruding between coxae IV, with numerous long and erect setae; intercoxal setae absent and precoxal triangles present ( Fig. 37D View FIGURE 37 ). Pedicel with ventral sclerite triangular. Leg formula 4123. Spines present only on ventral and prolateral tibiae and metatarsi III and IV. Patella I larger than others. All tarsi and metatarsi without scopulae. Trichobothria present on dorsal tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, arranged in two rows ( Fig. 39A View FIGURE 39 ); bothrium with 2–3 ridges in proximal plate ( Fig. 39C View FIGURE 39 ). Tarsal organ capsulate, with oval opening, located dorsally and distally on tarsi ( Fig. 39D View FIGURE 39 ). Two smooth claws ( Fig. 39B View FIGURE 39 ); claw tufts composed of slightly widened tenent setae inserted in well-delimited plate; solid claw tuft clasper present. Abdomen oval, longer than wide ( Figs 37A, B View FIGURE 37 ); without scales; dorsum of abdomen anteriorly with long, dark, posteriorly curved setae. Six spinnerets; ALS slightly longer than wide, almost tubular, separated from each other by less than their diameter ( Figs 37E, F View FIGURE 37 , 40A View FIGURE 40 ), piriform gland spigots cracked and elongated, with associated setae ( Figs 40A, C, D View FIGURE 40 ), major ampulate gland spigot field on well-defined conical structure ( Fig. 40D View FIGURE 40 ), male with one major ampulate gland spigot and female with two; PLS and PMS conical and short, PLS larger than PMS; PLS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and three aciniform gland spigots ( Fig. 40E View FIGURE 40 ), females apparently with one minor ampulate gland spigot, three aciniform gland spigots and one cylindrical gland spigot ( Fig. 40B View FIGURE 40 ); PMS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and two aciniform gland spigots ( Fig. 40F View FIGURE 40 ), females with one minor ampulate gland spigot, two aciniform gland spigots and two cylindrical gland spigots ( Fig. 40B View FIGURE 40 ). Female palpal tarsus distally truncated, with apical chemosensory patch, without claw ( Figs 39E, F View FIGURE 39 ). Male palp: femur unmodified, without spines; tibia short, with RTA long, tapering and dorsally curved, with small medial triangular protrusion ( Figs 41B View FIGURE 41 , 42B, C View FIGURE 42 ); cymbium strongly curved retrolaterally, with dorso-distal scopula ( Figs 41E, F View FIGURE 41 ); tegulum round ( Figs 41A View FIGURE 41 , 42B View FIGURE 42 ); reservoir visible ventrally at center of tegulum ( Fig. 42B View FIGURE 42 ); embolus filiform, arising dorsally from tegulum at 2 o´clock position and curved twice around tegulum ( Figs 42 View FIGURE 42 A–C); conductor sheath-like, arising from tegulum at 7 o´clock position and curved little more than once around the tegulum ( Figs 41 View FIGURE 41 A–D, 42A–C).. Epigyne: copulatory openings posterior, close to epigastric furrow, with well-defined margins; copulatory ducts and primary spermathecae visible by transparency ( Figs 42D View FIGURE 42 , 43A View FIGURE 43 ). Vulva: secondary spermathecae reduced, emerging from duct at median part of vulva; primary spermathecae rounded; fertilization ducts laterad ( Figs 42E View FIGURE 42 , 43B View FIGURE 43 ).