Eusparassus jocquei spec. nov.

Figs 35–36, 55a–b, 64c, f

Type material. Holotype: male, ZIMBABWE: Matabeleland North Province: Bulawayo (S 20°8'60, E 28°34'60, 1351 m) [label: Rhodesia: Bulawayo], November 1964 – January 1965, S. Bucklin leg., MM201 (MRAC 128093).

Paratypes: 5♂, 1♀ (MM202), 2 juveniles, with same data as for holotype (4♂, 1♀ MRAC; 1♂ SMF) .

Other material examined. 1♀, “Ostafrika” [= East Africa] (potentially Tanzania, Mozambique, Rwanda or Burundi; see remarks below), December 1904, W. Triesler leg. (ZMB) .

Etymology. The species is named in honour of Dr Rudy Jocqué (MRAC). The visit of the author to MRAC coincided with his retirement. The author would like to dedicate the name of this conspicuous species to him in recognition of his long time of productive arachnological research especially on African spiders; noun in genitive case.

Diagnosis. This is the only Eusparassus species whose male’s dRTA is bifurcated at its distal end (Figs 35a, b) and female epigyne with MS clearly visible posteriorly (Fig. 36a) [see also diagnosis for jaegeri species group above].

Description. Male (ranges: n=6, single measurement: holotype):

Measurements. Males medium-sized. Total length 12.0–13.8, prosoma length 5.7–6.3, prosoma width 4.6–5.4, anterior width of prosoma 2.7–3.0, opisthosoma length 6.3–7.5, opisthosoma width 4.0. Eye diameters: AME 0.47, ALE 0.33, PME 0.31, PLE 0.34; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.18, AME-ALE 0.08, PME-PME 0.42, PME- PLE 0.45, AME-PME 0.33, ALE-PLE 0.22, clypeus height at AME 0.23, clypeus height at ALE 0.37. AME largest, other eyes subequal (Fig. 35d).

Chelicerae. Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 or 4 posterior teeth, cheliceral furrow with a line of 7 to 10 intermarginal denticles (Fig. 35e).

Legs. Leg formula: II I IV III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 8.3 [2.8, 1.2, 1.3, 3.0], I 29.8 [7.9, 3.1, 7.5, 8.7, 2.6], II 32.0 [8.7, 3.3, 8.3, 9.1, 2.6], III 26.8 [7.7, 2.8, 6.7, 7.4, 2.2], IV 29.1 [8.1, 2.7, 7.2, 8.7, 2.4].

Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111; Legs: Femur I–III 323, IV 322; Patella I–IV 001/101; Tibia I–IV 2124 /2224; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.

Palp. As in diagnosis with weakly developed vRTA, ST huge and cymbium approximately twice as long as tibia (Figs 35a, b); ET wide and only distally narrowed, ET directed retrolaterad first and ending proximad at its distal end (Fig. 35c).

Female (n=2, single measurement: paratype):

Measurements. Medium sized. Total length 17.1; prosoma length 6.7, prosoma width 5.6, anterior width of prosoma 3.6, opisthosoma length 10.4, opisthosoma width 7.5. Eye diameters: AME 0.45, ALE 0.33, PME 0.31, PLE 0.33; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.25, AME-ALE 0.13, PME-PME 0.45, PME-PLE 0.51, AME-PME 0.33, ALE-PLE 0.23, clypeus height at AME 0.35, clypeus height at ALE 0.45.

Chelicerae. Chelicerae dentition like as male.

Legs. Leg formula II I IV III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 7.5 [2.3, 1.1, 1.4, 2.7], I 23.7 [6.3, 2.9, 5.7, 6.7, 2.1], II 25.6 [7.0, 3.0, 6.2, 7.2, 2.2], III 20.0 [6.1, 2.2, 4.8, 5.3, 1.6], IV 22.3 [6.5, 2.5, 5.4, 6.3, 2.1].

Spination. Palp 131, 001, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I–III 323, IV 321; Patella I–IV 000/001; Tibia I–IV 2024; Metatarsus I–III 2024, IV 3036.

Epigyne/vulva. As in diagnosis with EF nearly as wide as long; MS thoroughly visible between lateral lobes (Fig. 36a); MS folded and in connection with extra membranous parts forming an inverse pocket visible in dorsal view between CDs (Fig. 36b); glandular pores restricted to a small depression near TL (Fig. 36c).

Colouration [in ethanol]. Yellowish cream prosoma with dark brown dorsal opisthosoma decorated with a chevron pattern, ventral opisthosoma pale in colour (Figs 55a–b).

Remarks. The copulatory structures of E. jocquei spec. nov. are strikingly different from other members of jaegeri group including the bifurcated dRTA and the distinctly visible MS between LL. However, it contains all the diagnostic characters of jaegeri species group. A female was found in ZMB, with label information “Ostafrika” [=German for “East Africa”]. German East Africa used to be a German colony at the date of collecting (1904) which included what are now modern Tanzania, Rwanda, Mozambique and Burundi. Since the majority of the former German colony currently comprises the modern countries Tanzania and Mozambique, the specimen was probably collected from one of these countries.

Known geographical distribution and habitat. Known from the type locality and probably Tanzania or Mozambique in Southeast Africa .