Geraesta ansieae, Benjamin, 2015

Benjamin, Suresh P., 2015, On the African crab spider genus Geraesta Simon, 1889 (Araneae: Thomisidae), African Invertebrates 56 (2), pp. 309-309 : 311-312

Geraesta ansieae sp. n.

Figs 1–4

Etymology: Named in honour of Dr Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman. She has contributed in a big way to our present understanding of the diversity and richness of African crab spiders. Further, she is an inspiration to many African arachnologists.

Diagnosis: Males of G. ansieae sp. n. can be distinguished from congeners by the combined presence of the following characters: C absent, MA spoon-shaped with an elongated stalK, filiform E that winds 1.5× around the tegulum, and the single tibial apophysis. Female unknown.

Description:

Male (holotype).

Measurements: total length: 2.7; prosoma length: 1.5, width: 1.5. Leg I: femur 2.9, patella 0.6, tibia 3.0, metatarsus 2.4, tarsus 1.4.

Prosoma rounded, yellow-brown, blackish laterally ( Fig. 1 ). Leg formula 2143, ALE> PLE> PME> AME. AER, PER recurved, eyes on light-brown protuberances, but not touching. Legs elongated. Opisthosoma longer than wide, light yellow, with white spots, yellow folium in the centre ( Fig. 1 ). Opisthosoma without tubercles. Palp as in Figs 2–4 , with single tibial apophysis and disc-shaped tegulum; E long, winding 1.5× around tegulum, C absent, MA spoon-shaped with an elongated stalk.

Holotype ♂: RWANDA: Eastern Rwanda : Akagera National Park, 01°40'S 30°35'E, 14.xi–10.xii.1985, leg. R. Jocqué, Nsengimana & J.P. Michiels, dried out, right palp missing, some legs missing (MRAC 239298). Remark: Although the type specimen is in a reasonably poor condition, the distinctive morphology of the male palp (long embolus, absence of conductor) leaves no doubt that it is a new taxon that should be described.

Distribution: Known only from the type locality.

Figures

Figs 1–3. Geraesta ansieae sp. n. (MRAC 239298): (1) dorsal habitus; (2, 3) left male palp in ventral (2) and retrolateral (3) views.Abbreviations: E – embolus; MA – median apophysis; RTA – retrolateral tibial apophysis. Scale bars = 0.2 mm (2, 3), 1.0 mm (1).

Figs 4–8. (4) Geraesta ansieae sp. n. (MRAC 239298) and (5–8) G. congoensis (Lessert, 1943) (MRAC 239299): (4, 5) left male palp, ventral view; (6) epigynum, ventral view; (7) vulva, dorsal view; (8) vulva, ventral view.Abbreviations: C – conductor; CD – copulatory duct; CO – copulatory opening; E – embolus; MA – median apophysis; RTA – retrolateral tibial apophysis; S – spermatheca. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (5), 0.2 mm (4, 6–8).