Smeringopina mbouda new species

Figs. 23, 299–303, 307–309, 324–342

Type. ♂ holotype from Cameroon, West Region, near Mbouda, Bamboutos (5°37.3’N, 10°06.7’E), 2100 m a.s.l., among rocks, near ground, 19.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10221).

Other material examined. CAMEROON: West Region: near Mbouda, Bamboutos, same data as holotype, 7♂ 8♀ (2 vials) in ZFMK (Ar 10222-23); same data, 1♀ 4 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Cam 154). Northwest Region: near Lake Oku (6°11.2’N, 10°27.9’E), 2400 m a.s.l., in hollows of large trees, 16.iv.2009 (B.A. & J.C. Huber), 7♂ 9♀ (2 vials) in ZFMK (Ar 10224-25); same data, 3♀ 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Cam 119). Near Lake Oku (6°12’N, 10°27’E), 2150 m a.s.l., 7.–13.ii.1992 (C. Griswold, S. Larcher, N. Scharff, C. Wanzie), 4♂ 7♀ 1 juv. in CAS; same data, 4♀ 3 juvs. (2 vials) in USNM. At Lake Oku (6°12.1’N, 10°27.6’E), 2300 m a.s.l., near ground, 16.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), 4♂ 1♀ 1 juv. in ZFMK (Ar 10226). Near Oku (6°14.2’N, 10°31.5’E), ~ 2200 m a.s.l., near ground, 17.iv.2009 (B.A. & J.C. Huber), 1♂ 1♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10227); same data, 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Cam 84). Mount Oku, forest of Podocarpus / Arundinaria at 2450 m a.s.l. (6°12.9’N, 10°29.9’E), 14.ii.1992 (Griswold, Scharff, Larcher, Menzepoh, Tame), 1♂ in CAS. Near Bamenda, at Lake Awing (5°51.7’N, 10°12.0’E), 2100 m a.s.l., near ground, 15.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), 2♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Cam 110).

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from most congeners by distinctive male cheliceral armature (very densely packed modified hairs on distinctively shaped apophyses; Figs. 326, 335) and procursus with ventral indentation occupied by complex membranous structures (Figs. 325, 331); from the very similar S. attuleh by longer male cheliceral apophyses (Fig. 326), complex embolus (Figs. 327, 338), absence of dorso-distal process on procursus (Fig. 325), and anterior epigynal plate without process (in lateral view; Fig. 308) and rounded posterior edges (in ventral view; Figs. 307, 328).

Male (holotype). Total body length 6.0, carapace width 2.0. Leg 1: 52.4 (12.3 + 0.8 + 12.4 + 23.2 + 3.7), tibia 2: 8.5, tibia 3: 6.1, tibia 4: 9.1; tibia 1 L/d: 54. Distance PME-PME 195 µm, diameter PME 175 µm, distance PME- ALE 90 µm, distance AME-AME 35 µm, diameter AME 160 µm. Carapace ochre-yellow with dark brown triangular mark posteriorly connected with brown ocular area and brown lateral margins; clypeus light brown, sternum brown; legs light brown, indistinct darker rings subdistally on femora and tibiae and in patella area; abdomen ochre-gray with dark pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally. Habitus as in Figs. 299–300, ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with very indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus unmodified; deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit (Figs. 330, 334). Chelicerae as in Figs. 326 and 335, with lateral proximal apophyses connected to distal apophyses, the latter and with ~35 modified (cone-shaped) hairs on each side (Fig. 326). Palps as in Figs. 301–303; coxa unmodified; trochanter with short wide conical retrolatero-ventral apophysis; femur with retrolateral flap and large whitish area ventrally, without prolateral modification; prolateral femur-patella joint strongly shifted toward ventrally (hidden by bulb in Fig. 301); tarsus with some longer but barely stronger hairs dorsally; procursus with posterior indentation occupied by complex membranous structures, without hinge (Figs. 324–325, 331–332, 337); bulbal process with sclerotized distal apophysis and complex toothed prolateral ridge (Figs. 327, 338). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegments barely visible. ALS with eight spigots each (Fig. 341); male gonopore with two epiandrous spigots (Fig. 340).

Variation. Toothed ridge of embolus slightly variable in shape. Tibia 1 in 20 other males: 9.9–15.1 (mean 12.3).

Female. In general similar to male. Tibia 1 in 26 females: 8.3–11.1 (mean 9.3). Epigynum anterior plate wide and short (Figs. 307, 328), almost flat in lateral view (Fig. 308), some females with pair of low humps near rim and another pair at round sclerotized areas, posterior edges rounded; large posterior plate; internal genitalia as in Figs. 309 and 329. Spinnerets as in male (Fig. 342).

Natural history. At Lake Awing, S. mbouda was found in cavities of roadcuts, near Lake Oku in large hollow trees, and at Lake Oku and in Bamboutos in dark, protected spaces near the ground where the spiders were difficult to reach. Unlike its smaller sister species ( S. attuleh) it was never found under dead leaves on the ground.

Distribution. Known from several localities in Cameroon, West and Northwest Regions (Fig. 293).