Asceua lejeunei Jocqué, 1991

Jocqué, Rudy & Henrard, Arnaud, 2024, A revision of Afrotropical Asceua (Araneae, Zodariidae), ant-eating spiders with puzzling distributions, African Invertebrates 65 (2), pp. 161-198 : 161-198

Asceua lejeunei Jocqué, 1991

Figs 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 24

Asceua lejeunei Jocqué, 1991: 41.

Type material.

Holotype: D. R. Congo • ♂; Kivu-N, Ruindi, vallée de la Ruindi ; 0°48'S, 29°18'E; 10. VII. 1972 battage, Lejeune M. RMCA_144436 ) .

Paratypes: 4 ♀♀, 2. juv. together with holotype .

Other material examined.

Côte d’Ivoire • 1 ♂; Taï forest , 5°52'N, 7°27'W; 1. IX. 2010; 185 m a. s. l.; beating, D. Van den Spiegel, and A. Kablan leg.; RMCA_233436 ; Ethiopia: • 1 ♂; Yayu Coffee Forest ; 8°23'N, 35°48'E; 30. XII. 2003; 1476 m a. s. l.; forest, beating, N. Aklilu leg., RMCA_229444 ; • 1 ♂; Yayu Coffee Forest ; 8°23'N, 35°48'E; 15. I. 2004;, 1476 m a. s. l.: secondary forest, beating; N. Aklilu leg.; RMCA_229446 ; Ghana: • 1 ♀; Kakum forest ; 5°20'N, 1°23'W; 14. XI. 2005; primary forest; L. Baert, R. Jocqué, and D. De Bakker leg.; RMCA_217241 ; • 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀; as previous; RMCA_218341 ; • 9 ♂♂ 9 ♀♀; 18. XI. 2005, further as previous RMCA_218343 ; • 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀; 19. XI. 2005; secondary forest, further as previous; RMCA_218344 ; • 3 ♂♂; 17. XI. 2005; further as previous; RMCA_218342 ; Guinea: • 1 ♂ 1 ♀; Mount Nimba, Forest of Gbié reserve ; 7°38.707'N; 8°20.46'W; 21. XI. 2017; 579 m a. s. l.; A. Henrard, D. Van den Spiegel, C. Allard, Samoura Aboubacar Mr, P. Bimou, Bamba Mr leg.; RMCA_247165 ; • 1 ♂ 1 ♀; Mount Nimba, Seringbara near camp 1 ; 7°38.975'N, 8°25.393'W; 29. XI. 2017; 674 m a. s. l.: A. Henrard, D. Van den Spiegel, C. Allard, Samoura Aboubacar (Mr), P. Bimou, Bamba (Mr) leg.; RMCA_247530 ; • 1 ♀; Mount Nimba , Gouan Forest (Mid-one); 7°42'N, 8°24'W; 29. I. 2012; sieving litter, secondary forest: D. Van den Spiegel et al. leg.: RMCA_238794 ; • 1 ♀: Mount Nimba, Fouenyi forest ; 7°40'N, 8°28'W; 1. III. 2012, 573 m a. s. l.: sieving litter under trees; M. Sidibé, A. Henrard, C. Allard, P. Bimou leg.; RMCA_239733 ; • 1 ♀; Mount Nimba, Freton, Seringbara ; 7°38'N, 8°27'W; 2. III. 2012, 586 m a. s. l.; sieving humid litter, primary forest; M. Sidibé, A. Henrard, C. Allard, P. Bimou leg.; RMCA_239254 ; • 1 ♀; Mount Nimba, Gbié forest, Deguelou ; 7°40'N, 8°19'W; 18. III. 2012; 595 m a. s. l.; sieving soil litter, near river Deguelou; M. Sidibé, A. Henrard, C. Allard, P. Bimou leg.; RMCA_239141 ; • 2 ♂♂ 1 ♀; Mount Nimba, Seringbara Forest ; 7°39'N, 8°26'W; 13. III. 2012; 606 m a. s. l.; fogging, secondary forest, canopy, no wind; M. Sidibé, A. Henrard, C. Allard, P. Bimou leg.; RMCA_239640 ; • 2 ♀♀; Mount Nimba, Fouenyi Forest ; 7°40'N, 8°28'W; 1. III. 2012; 573 m a. s. l.; sieving soil litter; Sidibé M., A. Henrard, C. Allard, P. Bimou leg.; RMCA_238797 ; • 1 ♂; Mount Nimba, Forêt Gouan (Mid-one), 7°42'N, 8°24'W, 8. X. 2011, sieving litter, secondary forest, A. Henrard, D. Van den Spiegel leg. RMCA_245370 ; • 2 ♂♂; Mount Nimba, Gouan forest (Mid-one) 7°42'N, 8°24'W, 8. X. 2011, beating, litter in trees and shrubs, at 1.5–3 m above the floor, A. Henrard and Van den Spiegel leg.; RMCA_247162 ; • 1 ♂; Mount Nimba, Gouan Forest (Mid-one); 7°42'3"N, 8°23'5"W; 8. X. 2011; beating, litter in trees and shrubs, at 1.5–3 m above the floor, D. Van den Spiegel, A. Henrard leg.; RMCA_245358 ; • 1 ♂; Mount Nimba, Seringbara Forest ; 7°39'N, 8°26'E; 12. III. 2012; 584 m a. s. l.; canopy fogging; M. Sidibé, A. Henrard, C. Allard, P. Bimou leg.; RMCA_239747 ; • 1 ♂: Mount Nimba, Seringbara Forest ; 7°39'N, 8°26'W; 13. III. 2012; 606 m a. s. l.: fogging, secondary forest, canopy fogging, no wind; M. Sidibé, A. Henrard, C. Allard, P. Bimou leg.; RMCA_239602 ; • 1 ♂; Mount Nimba, Seringbara parking ; 7°38'N, 8°27'W; 2. III. 2012; 586 m a. s. l.: sieving soil litter, primary forest; M. Sidibé, A. Henrard, C. Allard, P. Bimou leg.; RMCA_238681 ; • 1 ♂; Mount Nimba, Middle valley of Zougué, near Gbakoré mine camp ; 7°42'N, 8°24'W; 5. X. 2011; Fogging 3, secondary gallery forest, canopy fogging; D. Van den Spiegel and A. Henrard leg.; RMCA_238943 ; Nigeria: • 1 ♀; Western, Ibadan, Ibadan , IITA; 7°14'N, 3°30'E; 22–29. V. 1981; pitfall 5, secondary forest; A. Russell-Smith leg.; RMCA_235840 .

Diagnosis.

Males of this species are recognised by the cymbium without retrobasal button like process (Fig. 12 C ), by the dorsal prong of palpal tibial apophysis parallel-sided up to distal tip (Figs 12 C , 13 B ) and by the well-developed tegular subdistal tooth visible from both sides (Fig. 13 A, B ). Females are characterised by the epigyne scape with parallel sides, indented at posterior tip and reaching 0.75 of epigyne length.

Description.

For description, see Jocqué (1991: 41).

Distribution.

Known from areas across the African continent, from Ethiopia in the east, to Guinea in the west (Fig. 24 ).

Figures

Figure 10. Asceua lejeunei Jocqué, 1991, male and female habitus A – D holotype male E – H paratype female (RMCA _ 144436) A, E dorsal view B, F ventral view C, G frontal view D lateral view H abdomen, dorsal view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 11. Asceua lejeunei Jocqué, 1991, SEM views of somatic characters, female (RMCA _ 245370) A cheliceral fangs and promargins, ventral view. Arrows pointing to cheliceral pores B idem, detail of fang and promargin teeth C detail of cheliceral pores on proventral face D endites and labium, ventral view E apex of endites, detail of setae F apex of palpal tarsus, ventral view G claws of leg IV H apex of metatarsus III, ventral view I idem, detail of chisel-shaped setae J apex of metatarsus IV K Femoral organ of leg I, retrolateral side L idem, prolateral side. Scale bars: 20 µm (A – C, E – L); 0.1 mm (D).

Figure 12. Asceua lejeunei Jocqué, 1991, male and female genitalia A – C holotype male D – G paratype females (RMCA _ 144436) A palp, prolateral view B idem, ventral view C idem, retrolateral view D epigyne, ventral view E idem, another female F idem, cleared G vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: CF = cymbial fold; DP = dorsal prong of palpal tibial apophysis; MA = median apophysis; MP = median prong of palpal tibial apophysis; Sc = scape; TT = tegular tooth; VP = ventral prong of palpal tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 13. Asceua lejeunei Jocqué, 1991, drawings A, B holotype male C, D paratype females (RMCA _ 144436) A palp, prolateral view B idem, retrolateral view C female abdomen, dorsal view D epigyne, ventral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CF = cymbial fold; E = embolus; Ex = small prolateral extension of the median prong; DP = dorsal prong of palpal tibial apophysis; MA = median apophysis; MP = median prong of palpal tibial apophysis; TT = tegular tooth; Sc = scape; VP = ventral prong of palpal tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, B, D); 1 mm (C).

Figure 24. Distribution map of Asceua species occurring in the Afrotropics.