Foordus, Azarkina, 2024

Azarkina, Galina N., 2024, Foordus gen. nov., a new genus of euophryine jumping spider from South Africa (Salticidae, Araneae), African Invertebrates 65 (2), pp. 75-83 : 75-83

Foordus gen. nov.

Type species.

Foordus stefani sp. nov., designated here.

Diagnosis.

The genus Foordus gen. nov. is most similar to the South-Asian genus Cytaea Keyserling, 1882 in having a retrolateral outgrowth of the tegulum near the embolic coil apically (cf. Figs 1–3 and Trębicki et al. 2021: figs 5 E, 8 E) but differs from Cytaea in an embolic division that has an outgrowth at the base which is absent in Cytaeae alburna Keyserling, 1882 (cf Figs 1 , 3 and Trębicki et al. 2021: figs 5 D – G). Females differ in having a wider epigynal septum (Fig. 7 ) while Cytaea has a thin median guide (Fig. 7 and Trębicki et al. 2021: figs 5 A – B). Moreover, all members of the genus Cytaea are larger in size and have fissidentate chelicerae while Foordus gen. nov. has unidentate chelicerae.

Etymology.

The new genus is a patronym in honour of the late Prof. Stefan Hendrik Foord. Gender masculine.

Definition.

Tiny spiders with body length from 2.05 mm in male to 2.40 mm in female. Sexes similar in general body shape, males have a shiny scutum that covers the dorsal side of the abdomen (Figs 10 , 12 ). Carapace rather low, with very low clypeus. Chelicerae unidentate, with two teeth promarginally and one tooth retromarginally. Legs subequal in size and length. Leg formula: I – IV / III / II in males and IV / I / III / II in female. Female palp of general form, without either macrosetae or an apical claw. Male palp: cymbium more or less round, of usual euophryine form. Tibia short, with a small ventral bump, retrolateral tibial apophysis bent ventrally at almost 90 ° (Fig. 3 ). Embolic division forms a round coil prolatero-ventrally, with salticid radix placed prolaterally (Figs 1 , 2 ). Embolic coil has triangular outgrowth at the base, forming a single circle (Figs 1 , 3 , 4 ). Tegulum and salticid radix separated from each other by the basal haematodocha, embolic coil separated from salticid radix by the distal haematodocha (Figs 4–6 ). Female copulatory organs: Median septum narrow, with two round windows with wings on outer rim and openings to copulatory ducts close to its anterior end, supported by stiffeners. Vulva with long copulatory ducts and tube-shaped spermathecae, fertilization ducts located in the middle part near septum.

Composition.

Monotypic genus, Foordus stefani gen. and sp. nov.

Distribution.

Known only from the type location (KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa).

Figures

Figures 1–9. Foordus stefani gen. and sp. nov.: Male holotype (1–6) and female paratype (7–9) 1 male palp, prolateral 2 same, ventral 3 same, retrolateral 4 expanded male palp, ventral 5 same, ventro-basal 6 same, apical 7 epigyne, ventral 8 epigyne, dorsal 9 Diagrammatic course of the insemination ducts. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figures 10–17. Foordus stefani gen. and sp. nov.: Male holotype (10–13) and female paratype (14–17) 10 male habitus, dorsal 11 same, ventral 12 same, same, lateral 13 same, frontal 14 female habitus, frontal 15 same, dorsal 16 same, ventral 17 same, lateral. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.