Smeringopina guineensis (Millot, 1941)

Huber, Bernhard A., 2013, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Guineo-Congolian spider genus Smeringopina Kraus (Araneae, Pholcidae, Zootaxa 3713 (1), pp. 1-160 : 13-15

Smeringopina guineensis (Millot, 1941)

Figs. 4 , 17 , 46–52, 55 , 96–113

Smeringopus guineensis Millot 1941: 22 –24, figs. 9A–H.

Smeringopina guineensis: Huber 1995: 299 (transfer to Smeringopina ). Dimitrov, Astrin & Huber 2013 (DNA data).

Types. 3♂ 7♀ syntypes from Guinea, Macenta [8°32.5’N, 9°28.2’W], vii.1937 (J. Millot), in MNHN (Ar 10474, 10485, 10496), examined.

Note: The vials containing the male syntypes (Ar 10496, 10485) each have the same original label saying “ S. guineensis M., J. Millot rec. et. det., Macenta, Guinée fr., VII 37 ”. The vial with the female syntypes (Ar 10485) contains two labels, one just saying “Macenta”, the other “ S. guineensis M., ♀, J. Millot rec. et. det., Kindia [sic!], Guinée fr., VII 37 ”. Judging from Millot’s (1941) original description, “ Kindia ” on the second label is clearly a lapsus.

Other material examined. GUINEA: Guinée Forestière: Forêt Classée de Diéké (7°32.0’N, 8°49.9’W), 430 m a.s.l., 1.xii.2008 (B.A. Huber), 7♂ 12♀ (2 vials) in ZFMK (Ar 10185-86); same data, 1♂ 2♀ 3 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gui 60). Forêt Classée de Ziama (8°24.2’N, 9°19.3’W), 640 m a.s.l., 2.xii.2008 (B.A. Huber), 2♂ 2♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10187); same data, 1♂ in ZFMK (Ar 10188); same data, 1♀ in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gui 71). Mount Nimba (~ 7°41.5’N, 8°24.5’W), ~ 600 m a.s.l., forest, 29.xi.2008 (B.A. Huber), 1♂ 1♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10189); same data, 2♀ in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gui 76).

LIBERIA: Gbanga [Gbarnga, 7°00’N, 9°28’W], 1926 (G.M. Allen, R.P. Strong Expedition), 1♀ in MCZ (34041). Montserrado Co., Mt. Coffee [6°31.8’N, 10°33.6’W], 1896 (O.F. Cook), 1♂ 1♀ in USNM; same data but iii.1895, 2 ♂1♀ (2 vials) in USNM; same data but ii.1897, 1 ♀ in USNM. Grand Bassa Co. [~ 6°12’N, 9°48’W], “Beulah”, ii.1896 (O.F. Cook), 1♂ 2♀ in USNM.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners ( S. bineti , S. pulchra ) by absence of apophysis ventrally on procursus-tip ( Fig. 97 ), by modified hairs on male chelicerae not all grouped at tips of apophyses ( Fig. 99 ), by medially indented rim of male clypeus ( Fig. 103 ), and by evenly bulged anterior epigynal plate (in lateral view); from S. bineti also by longer abdomen and longer legs, and by absence of dark lateral marks on carapace (only dark margin; Fig. 46 ); from S. pulchra also by pair of median apophyses proximally on male chelicerae ( Figs. 103, 108 ), curved procursus ( Figs. 52 , 97 ), pointed bulbal apophysis ( Fig. 98 ), and only weakly curved posterior margin of anterior epigynal plate ( Figs. 49 , 100 ). Millot (1941) mentioned further supposedly distinctive details in the abdominal pattern but these characters seem to vary too much within each species to be as useful as the structural characters.

Male (Forêt Classée de Ziama). Total body length 6.3, carapace width 1.6. Leg 1: 68.6 (15.7 + 0.7 + 15.6 + 33.7 + 2.9), tibia 2: 10.8, tibia 3: 7.2, tibia 4: 9.9; tibia 1 L/d: 104. Distance PME-PME 185 µm, diameter PME 150 µm, distance PME-ALE 70 µm, distance AME-AME 25 µm, diameter AME 150 µm. Carapace ochre-orange with brown triangular mark posteriorly and brown lateral margins; ocular area posteriorly brown, clypeus with pair of brown lines and brown rim, sternum light brown; legs ochre, tips of femora and tibiae whitish, dark rings subdistally on femora and tibiae and in patella area; abdomen ochre-gray with distinct black pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally. Habitus as in Figs. 46–48 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus unmodified except sclerotized rim, rim clearly indented medially ( Fig. 103 ); deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit ( Fig. 104 ). Chelicerae as in Fig. 99 , with distinct median projections proximally, lateral proximal apophyses, large distal apophyses provided each with two modified hairs at tip and about six further hairs more proximally, with very small distal apophyses close to fang joints carrying single hair each at their tips ( Fig. 111 ). Palps as in Figs. 50–52 ; coxa with rounded retrolateral hump; trochanter with simple retrolatero-ventral apophysis; femur with small retrolateral apophysis pointing dorso-distally, with large ventral bulge distally, without ventral or prolateral modification proximally; prolateral femur-patella joints only slightly moved toward ventrally; tarsus with about three or four stronger hairs; procursus without hinge, curved toward ventrally, with four long ventral hairs bent around procursus and directed toward dorsally, distally with moveable dorsal sclerite embedded in membranous cuticle, without ventral apophysis ( Figs. 96–97 ); bulb with simple pointed apophysis with very small subdistal branch, arising from membranous basal projection ( Fig. 98 ; sperm duct apparently opens at membranous basal projection at basis of pointed apophysis). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 1.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegments barely visible. ALS with eight spigots each; gonopore with two epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 110 ).

Variation. Number of modified hairs on male chelicerae slightly variable. Tibia 1 in 11 other males: 12.8–16.3 (mean 14.1). Male syntypes in fair condition, slightly bleached, some legs detached or missing, one pair of chelicerae and one palp missing.

Female. In general similar to male; sternum variably dark, sometimes almost black. Tibia 1 in 24 females: 9.6– 12.4 (mean 10.7). Epigynum as in Figs. 49 and 100 , similar S. bineti but anterior plate without hump (evenly curved in lateral view); internal genitalia as in Figs. 55 and 102 , with distinct globular structures between uterus externus and anterior epigynal plate more closely grouped together than in S. bineti ( Fig. 101 ). ALS with eight spigots each ( Fig. 112 ). Female syntypes in fair condition, slightly bleached, two abdomens and some legs missing.

Natural history. In Diéké and Ziama forests, S. guineensis built strongly domed webs ( Fig. 17 ) between tree buttresses, among rocks and sometimes quite freely among the vegetation (especially juveniles). When disturbed it vibrated and/or ran away on the web.

Distribution. Known from several localities in southeastern Guinea ( Guinée Forestière) and Liberia ( Fig. 33 ).

Figures

FIGURE 33. Known distribution of the guineensis species group. The square in Eastern Guinea denotes a dubious S. pulchra male paratype from Macenta.

FIGURES 2 – 16. Smeringopina, alive specimens in their natural habitats. 2 – 3. S. bineti, mating pair (Sêbori, Guinea) and female with juveniles (Doucki, Guinea). 4. S. guineensis, female with juveniles (Mount Nimba, Guinea). 5. S. pulchra, male (Ankasa N. P., Ghana). 6. S. ebolowa, male (Kribi, Cameroon). 7. S. essotah, female with eggsac (Essotah, Cameroon). 8 – 9. S. ogooue, male (NE Makokou, Gabon) and female with eggsac (Pahon Pira, Gabon). 10. S. belinga, male (Monts de Belinga, Gabon). 11. S. chaillu, male (near Iboundji, Gabon). 12. S. bwiti, male (Moulandoufouala, Gabon). 13. S. sahoue, male (Sahoué, Gabon). 14. S. tchimbele, male (Monts de Cristal, Gabon). 15 – 16. S. simplex, female with eggsac and juveniles (Mt. Koupé, Cameroon).

FIGURES 17 – 31. Smeringopina, webs and alive specimens in their natural habitats. 17. S. guineensis, web (Diéké, Guinea). 18. S. kribi, web with nematocerous flies (S Kribi, Cameroon). 19. S. kala, male (Mt. Kala, Cameroon). 20. S. bamenda, pair (Bamenda, Cameroon). 21 – 22. S. nyasoso, male and female with eggsac (Mt. Koupé, Cameroon). 23. S. mbouda, male (near Lake Oku, Cameroon). 24. S. attuleh, female with eggsac (Essotah, Cameroon). 25. S. kinguele, female with juveniles (Monts de Cristal, Gabon). 26. S. tebe, male (N Tébé, Gabon). 27. S. lekoni, female with eggsac (at Lekoni River, Gabon). 28. S. moudouma, mating pair (Moudouma, Gabon). 29 – 30. S. fang, male (Djidji, Gabon) and female with eggsac (Mayebout, Gabon). 31. S. ankasa, female with eggsac (Ankasa N. P., Ghana).

FIGURES 46 – 55. Smeringopina guineensis (Millot) (46 – 52, 55), S. pulchra (Millot) (53), and S. bineti (Millot) (54). 46 – 48. Male, dorsal, lateral, and ventral views. 49. Female abdomen, ventral view. 50 – 52. Left male palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 53 – 55. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views; arrows point at distinctive sclerotized areas of posterior epigynal plate.

FIGURES 96 – 102. Smeringopina guineensis (Millot). 96 – 97. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 98. Left bulbal process, prolateral view. 99. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 100. Epigynum, ventral view. 101 – 102. Cleared female genitalia, ventral and dorsal views. Scale lines: 0.3 (98), 0.5 (96 – 97, 99 – 102).

FIGURES 103 – 113. Smeringopina guineensis (Millot). 103 – 104. Male prosoma, oblique and frontal views. 105. Left procursus, prolateral view. 106. Right palp, dorsal view. 107. Left procursus and femur, retrolateral view. 108. Male chelicerae, distal view. 109. Tip of left cheliceral apophysis. 110. Male gonopore. 111. Modified hair on elevated basis on male chelicera. 112. Female ALS. 113. Epigynum, ventral view. Abbreviations: b: bulb; ba: bulbal apophysis; fe: femur; pr: procursus. Scale lines: 20 µm (111, 112), 60 µm (109, 110), 80 µm (105), 100 µm (107), 200 µm (106, 108, 113), 400 µm (103, 104).