Stenaelurillus Simon, 1885

Wesołowska, Wanda, 2014, Further notes on the genus Stenaelurillus Simon, 1885 (Araneae, Salticidae) in Africa with descriptions of eight new species, Zoosystema 36 (3), pp. 595-622 : 596-598

Genus Stenaelurillus Simon, 1885

TYPE SPECIES. — Stenaelurillus nigricaudus Simon, 1886 , subsequent designation by Simon (1903).

DESCRIPTION

The genus includes medium sized spiders, ranging from 4.0 to 7.2 mm in length, with dark coloured and hairy body.Cephalothorax slightly pear-shaped, broadest posteriorly, moderately high, with short eye field occupying about a third of carapace length. Eyes arranged in three rows, posterior row equally wide or slightly wider than anterior row. Ocular area clothed in long dense brown bristles, among them short thick setae, at least in anterior half. Carapace dark brown or black, usually with pair of white stripes starting from posterior lateral eyes (sometimes from anterior lateral eyes) and extending to posterior carapace edge, in majority of species white stripes also along lateral margins of carapace. Some males have very long dense “brushes” of hairs on ocular area and on carapace lateral margins in its anterior part. White streaks composed of light hairs, so in many cases hairs rubbed off. Clypeus of variable size, low to high, in some species with contrasting pattern. Chelicerae with very small teeth, two on prolateral margin and single on retrolateral. Sternum oval. Abdomen shield-shaped, with anterior edge straight, often in males dorsum covered by scutum two third abdomen length. Coloration of abdomen usually black with lighter pattern, often one or three rounded white spots in posterior part, in some species part of dorsum area lustrous. Anterior edge of carapace always with long dense bristles. Spinnerets thin and long, composed of two or three segments, distal segments black. Legs short, usually dark yellow, tarsi with black claw tuft. Leg formula: III, IV, I, II. Male genital organs resembling that in Aelurillus , bulb oval with long triangular posterior lobe, embolus short, accompanied by one or two tegular apophyses, tibia sometimes dorsally ornamented by black long feather-shaped bristles. Epigyne small, strongly sclerotized, often with single deep pocket, with two – wide apart – copulatory openings. Biology poorly known, ground living spiders, found in warm dry environments, some species associated with termites.

Stenaelurillus albopunctatus Caporiacco, 1949 ( Fig. 1 )

Stenaelurillus albopunctatus Caporiacco, 1949: 474 , fig. 89a, b.

TYPE MATERIAL. — Syntypes. Kenya (without precise locality), 1 ♂, 1 ♀ ( IZF).

MATERIAL EXAMINED. — Kenya, Coast Province, Diani Beach, 19 km S from Mombasa, 4°10’S, 39°40’E, V.1957, leg. N. Krauss, 1 ♀ ( NY).

DIAGNOSIS. — The male is similar to S. leucogrammus Simon, 1902 , and may be distinguished by clearly longer dorsal flat appendix of palpal tibia and shorter posterior lobe of bulb. The female has copulatory openings slightly narrowed, as vertical fissures, with very strongly sclerotized surrounding area.

DISTRIBUTION. — Known only from Kenya.

REDESCRIPTION

Measurements (male/female)

Cephalothorax: length 2.6/2.9, width 1.9/2.0, height 1.0/1.2. Abdomen: length 2.7/2.9, width 1.9/2.3. Eye field: length 1.0/1.0, anterior and posterior width 1.6/1.5.

Male Carapace oval, slightly broader posteriorly, moderately high, eye field brown, thoracic part lighter. Two pairs of white streaks on carapace, first starting from anterior lateral eyes and extending to posterior carapace edge and second along lateral edges. Dense bristles on eye field. Clypeus low, brownish, clothed in colourless hairs. Chelicerae light brown, unidentate, with small teeth. Labium, endites and sternum orange brownish. Abdomen shield-shaped with straight anterior edge, two third its length covered with brownish scutum, posterior part blackish with three white rounded spots. Long, dense brown bristles on anterior abdominal edge. Spinnerets very long, their tips black. Legs brownish. Palpal organ as in Figure 1A, B , retrolateral apophysis almost vertical, narrow. Palpal tibia dorsally with large flat process, feather-shaped, long black bristles on it ( Fig. 1B ). Embolus accompanied by large triangular terminal apophysis.

Female

Carapace brown with darker eye field, dense long bristles on eye field, among them thick short setae. Abdomen dark brown with three white small spots posteriorly. Sides marked by dark points, venter greyish yellow. Epigyne small with two large narrow copulatory openings surrounded by strongly sclerotized area ( Fig. 1C, D ). Seminal ducts very short, fertilization ducts large ( Fig. 1E, F ).

Figures

FIG. 1. — Stenaelurillus albopunctatus Caporiacco, 1949, male and female:A, palpal organ, ventral view; B, palpal organ, lateral view; C, D, epigyne; E, F, internal structure of epigyne; A-C, E, syntypes. Scale bars: A, B, 0.3 mm; C-F, 0.1 mm.