Fuchibotulus kigelia, Haddad & Lyle, 2008

Haddad, Charles R. & Lyle, Robin, 2008, Three new genera of tracheline sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Corinnidae), African Invertebrates 49 (2), pp. 37-37 : 62-65

Fuchibotulus kigelia sp. n.

Figs 53–55 , 58 , 67–71

Etymology:This species is named after the African sausage tree, Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. ( Bignoniaceae ); the name refers to the elongate shape of the spermathecae. The epithet is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis: Males can be recognised by the embolus, which projects beyond the retrolateral margin of the cymbium, and the simple subtriangular RTA; females can be recognised by the long ST I, which extend posteriorly beyond the anterior margins of the copulatory openings.

Description:

Male.

Measurements: CL 1.40–1.67, CW 1.12–1.40, AL 1.45–1.80, AW 1.17–1.35, TL 2.80– 3.20, FL 0.10–0.12, SL 0.71–0.87, SW 0.63–0.73, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.29, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.13, PLE–PLE 0.54. Length of leg segments: I 1.21+0.63+1.03+0.81+0.47=4.15; II 1.02+0.53+0.77+0.68+0.43=3.43; III 0.80+0.46+0.53+0.64+0.29=2.72; IV 1.07+0.53+0.89+0.99+0.33=3.81.

Carapace, including eye region, deep orange, slightly darker near margins ( Fig. 53 ); carapace slightly rounded anteriorly with highest point at 1/3 its length, flat dorsally, sloping very slightly to 4/5 its length, last fifth with steep decline; surface coarsely granular, covered in very short fine setae; fovea short, distinct, slightly thickened, at 3/4 carapace length. Eyes surrounded by black rings; AER procurved, eyes subequal; clypeus height equal to 1.25× AME diameter; AME separated by slightly less than 0.66× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by slightly less than 0.25× AME diameter; PER strongly recurved, median eyes slightly larger than laterals; PME separated by distance equal to their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 1.5× PME diameter. Chelicerae orange; anterior surface granular, with scattered long and short fine setae; promargin with three closely spaced teeth, median tooth largest, proximal tooth smallest; retromargin with three teeth on single base, proximal tooth large, median and distal teeth flat, only projecting slightly. Sternum bright orange, darker along border; surface smooth, with scattered short fine setae.Abdomen: pale grey throughout, without dorsal chevron markings; oval, distinctly notched anteriorly, tapering posteriorly, broadest at half its length, longer than wide ( Fig. 53 ); dorsal scutum absent; surface finely granulate, covered in short stout setae anteriorly, becoming finer towards posterior; two pairs of large elongate dorsal sigilla present, first pair at 1/3 abdomen length, second pair near midpoint; each sigillum split transversely in two in some specimens; several pairs of tiny oval or elongate intermediary sclerites posterior to each pair; venter with small oval sclerites running in two paired lines from epigastric fold to spinnerets; small broad inframamillary sclerite present. Legs I to IV deep yellow-brown, femora slightly darker distally, tarsi slightly paler; weakly developed scopulae on metatarsi and tarsi, remaining leg segments covered in short fine setae; leg spines and cusps absent. Male palp with small triangular retrolateral tibial apophysis with sharp tip, and small secondary tooth-like dorsal apophysis ( Figs 58 , 67, 68 ); embolus fine, originating prolaterally on tegulum, curling around tegulum, ending in sharp tip projecting beyond retrolateral margin of cymbium; conductor narrow and membranous, reaching embolus tip ( Fig. 67 ).

Female.

Measurements: CL 1.14–1.36, CW 0.92–1.17, AL 1.55–1.84, AW 1.14–1.50, TL 2.75– 3.40, FL 0.07–0.08, SL 0.60–0.73, SW 0.53–0.63, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.25, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.11, PLE–PLE 0.44. Length of leg segments: I 0.90+0.47+0.67+0.53+0.41=2.98; II 0.82+0.43+0.57+0.50+0.35=2.67; III 0.66+0.37+0.47+0.52+0.27=2.29; IV 0.95+0.47+0.73+0.83+0.32=3.30.

Carapace, including eye region, deep orange, orange-brown laterally ( Fig. 54 ); carapace slightly rounded anteriorly with highest point at 1/3 its length, flat dorsally, sloping very slightly to 4/5 its length, last fifth with steep decline; surface coarsely granular, covered in very short fine setae; fovea short, distinct, slightly thickened, at 3/4 carapace length. Eyes surrounded by black rings; AER procurved, lateral eyes slightly larger than medians; clypeus height equal to AME diameter; AME separated by 0.5× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by approx. 1/8× AME diameter; PER strongly recurved, eyes subequal; PME separated by distance approx. equal to their diameter; PME separated from PLE by approx. 1.33× PME diameter. Chelicerae orange; anterior surface granular, with scattered short and long fine setae; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest, proximal tooth smallest; median and distal teeth closest together; retromargin with three subequal teeth sharing single base. Sternum orange, dark orangebrown along border; surface smooth, covered in short fine setae. Abdomen: pale grey throughout, with very faint grey indistinct dorsal chevron markings; oval, distinctly notched anteriorly, tapering posteriorly, broadest at half its length, longer than wide ( Fig. 54 ); dorsal scutum absent; surface finely granulate, covered in short stout setae anteriorly, becoming finer towards posterior; one pair of elongate sigilla present at 1/3 abdomen length, with several pairs of small intermediate sclerites near midpoint of abdomen ( Fig. 55 ); venter with small oval sclerites, running in two paired lines from epigastric fold to spinnerets; small inframammilary sclerite present. Legs I to IV orangebrown, femora slightly darker distally; weakly developed scopulae on metatarsi and tarsi, remaining leg segments covered in short fine setae; leg spines and cusps absent. Epigyne with small median hood, copulatory openings situated medially in short curved ridges ( Fig. 69 ); entrance ducts twisting anteriorly before entering elongate sausagelike ST II, with corresponding twisted ducts leading from ST II to posterior ST I; ST II posterior margin extending beyond anterior margin of copulatory openings ( Fig. 69 ); ST II comprising two small oval posterolateral receptacles, linked to fertilisation ducts by short narrow duct ( Fig. 70 ).

Holotype: ♂ “AMNH / REPUBLIC SOUTH AFRICA: E. / Transvaal, 15 km NW Klaserie , / Guernsey Farm, 19-31.xii. / 1985, S&J Peck, woodland / malaise-FITs, #85-295 / HOLOTYPE ♂ / Fuchibotulus kigelia //” ( AMNH).

Allotype: ♀“ R.S.A., KwaZulu-Natal / Ndumo Game Res. , Main Camp / 26°54.6'S, 32°18.8'E / 13.vi.2005 / C. Haddad / grass litter // ALLOTYPE ♀/ Fuchibotulus kigelia / NCA 2006/1339 //” ( NCA, 2006/1339 ) . Paratypes: MOZAMBIQUE: 1♀nr Marracuene, Blue Anchor Inn , 25°35.124'S: 32°39.568'E, 28.xi.2007, C. Haddad & R. Fourie, sifting leaf litter, savannah ( NCA, 2008/163 ) . SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng: 1 ♂ Pretoria, Wapadrand , ii.1988, R. Oberprieler ( NCA, 98/959 ) . North West: 1 ♂ Magaliesberg, Meyer’s Farm , 25°44'S: 27°17'E, 17.v.1998, A. Leroy ( NCA, 2008/568 ) .

Distribution: Widely distributed in savannah and grassland habitats in the northern parts of South Africa and southern Mozambique ( Fig. 71 ).

Biology: Collected from leaf litter.

Figures

Figs 50–55. General habitus of Fuchibotulus gen. n. species: (50–52) F. bicornis sp. n., Fisherhaven: (50) male, (51) female, (52) male abdomen, indicating anterior notch (AN), intermediate sclerites (IS) and sigilla (SI); (53–55) F. kigelia sp. n.: (53) male, Magaliesberg, (54) female, Ndumo Game Reserve, (55) female abdomen. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Figs 56–58. Scanning electron micrographs of Fuchibotulus gen. n. males: (56, 57) F. bicornis sp. n., palpal tegulum and retrolateral tibial apophysis in ventral view; (58) F. kigelia sp. n., retrolateral tibial apophysis, dorsal view.

Figs 67–70. Fuchibotulus kigelia sp. n.: (67, 68) male palp, ventral and retrolateral views; (69, 70) female epigyne, ventral and dorsal views. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 71. Distribution of Fuchibotulus gen. n. species.