Loxosceles parramae ( Newlands, 1981 )

Lotz, L. N., 2012, Present status of Sicariidae (Arachnida: Araneae) in the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 3522, pp. 1-41 : 26

Loxosceles parramae ( Newlands, 1981) , ammendation

( Figs. 9E, 10E, 14B)

Loxosceles parrami Newlands, 1981: 358 , f. 1–3; 1986: 66, f. 33, 37–39.

Types: ♂ Holotype and 2♂ and 4♀ paratypes from South Africa: Johannesburg, Bellevue, [2610'S, 2805'E], S. Parram, 1979; 1♀ paratype from South Africa: Johannesburg, Parktown, [2606'S, 2803'E], G. Newlands, March 1980; 1♀ paratype from South Africa: Germiston [2606'S, 2812'E], N. Ensor, January 1980; [ BMNH and SAIMR] [examined in part, see note].

Note: According to Newlands (1981) the Holotype and a male and three female paratypes are at BMNH and the other paratypes at SAIMR. The BMNH material was not examined. All the SAIMR material was examined, but there was only one vial with seven specimens (males and females), labeled only— Loxosceles parrami, JHB. Whether some of these specimens were part of the paratype series, is unknown, but they correspond with the type description. The species name is here changed to Loxosceles parramae , as the types were named for a Miss Sheila Parram ( ICZN Art. 31).

Diagnosis: Male palp tibia and cymbium long similar to L. meruensis and L. speluncarum ; differing from L. meruensis in not having a smooth curved bend in the cymbium close to the palp bulb and from L. speluncarum in the palp tibia being parallel sided and not sloping towards patella ( Fig. 9E). Newlands (1981, 1986) describes and depicts the female genitalia of L. parrami as a small vesicle with a short duct. Examination of specimens from the collections of the SAIMR and the NMBA, revealed that the genitalia is much more extended and do not consist of one but two vesicles on each side, joined to each other by a short tube; anterior vesicle more sclerotized than posterior one; copulatory tube thin; copulatory tubes and spermathecae situated in the book-lung area and differing from all other species where the spermathecae and copulatory ducts are situated between the book-lung areas ( Fig. 10E).

Female: ( NMBA 10429): TL = 7.4; CL = 3.0; CW = 2.5; CLL = 0.4. AME-LE 0.15; Eye diameter 0.15.

Leg measurements:

Distribution: Loxosceles parramae is found in Gauteng and north-eastern Free State, South Africa ( Fig. 14B).