Afropesa gauteng, Zonstein, 2021

Zonstein, Sergei L., 2021, Afropesa, a new spider genus from South Africa (Araneae: Entypesidae), Israel Journal of Entomology (Oxford, England) 51 (17), pp. 7-34 : 17-23

Afropesa gauteng n. sp.

( Figs 19–36, 53)

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0C74D67C-F8E1-436E-B550-EE9C8C0DF126 .

Etymology: The species name is a noun in apposition and refers to the name of the Gauteng province in South Africa, where the type series was collected.

Diagnosis: Afropesa gauteng n. sp. differs from males of the other two species in having a noticeable swollen tibia I and a bowed metatarsus I provided with a ventral knob (vs. a non-thickened tibia I in combination with either a laterally knobbed or a long unmodified metatarsus I). The dorsal embolic flange in A. gauteng n. sp. is noticeably shorter than in its both congeners ( Figs 27–30 cf. Figs 9–11, 43–45). The conspecific female can be distinguished from other female congeners in having the spermathecae with the trapezoidal bases directly connected to the sessile elongate receptacular heads (vs. triangular bases connected with fairly long stalks to noticeably shorter clavate heads in A. schoutedeni and A. schwendingeri n. sp.; Fig. 35 cf. Figs 17 and 51).

Description: Male (holotype). Total length 12.40. Habitus as in Fig. 19.

Colour in alcohol: carapace, chelicerae, most part of palps and legs medium ginger brown; femora I–IV dorsally and patella to metatarsus I darker brown; labium, sternum, maxillae and coxae I–IV paler yellowish brown; eye tubercle blackish brown; abdomen and PLS ventrally pale yellowish brown with a few irregular brownish marks, dorsally and laterally brown with paler yellowish brown spotted pattern; PMS uniformly pale yellowish brown.

Cephalothorax dorsally and ventrally as in Figs 20 and 22, respectively. Carapace 4.81 long, 3.67 wide. Eye tubercle as in Fig. 21. Eye diameter and interdistances: AME 0.12(0.18), ALE 0.24, PLE 0.19, PME 0.16, AME–AME 0.09(0.03), AME– ALE 0.07(0.04), ALE–PLE 0.07, PLE–PME 0.03, PME–PME 0.24. Chelicerae only with dense enlarged setae on anterodistal edge, true rastellar spines absent. Cheliceral furrow with 7 promarginal teeth and 25–30 heterogeneous (tiny to minute) mesobasal denticles. Male intercheliceral tumescence small, pallid and weakly defined oval area confined to proventrobasal cheliceral edge. Labium 0.33 long, 0.69 wide. Sternum 2.43 long, 1.96 wide. Maxillae each with 70–75 very small cuspules arranged in wide triangular area. Maxillary serrula well visible under light microscope at 100× magnification.

Palp and leg structures. Tibia and metatarsus I as in Figs 23, 24. Spines (cymbium and tarsi I–IV aspinose): Palp: femur d1–1–1–1–1, pd0–0–1; patella p1; tibia pv1–1–1. Leg I: femur d1–1–1–1, pd0–0–1; patella p1; tibia pv1–1; metatarsus v0–0–1. Leg II: femur d1–1–1–1, pd0–0–1; patella p1; tibia p1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus p1–1, v3(2)–2–3. Leg III: femur d1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1, rd1–1–1; patella p1–1, r1–1(0); tibia d1(0)–1–1, p1–1, r1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus p1–1–1, pd1–1–1, r1–1–1, rd1–1–1, v2–2–3. Leg IV: femur d1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1, rd0–1–1; patella r1; tibia d1–0–0, p1–1, r1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus p1–1–1, pd1–1–0–2, r1–1–1, rd1–1–1–1, v3(2)–1–2–3. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 8–10 each on tibiae, 15–17 on metatarsi, 14–15 on tarsi, 12 on cymbium. Metatarsal preening combs present on metatarsi II (one), III (two) and IV (two). Scopula thin, moderately dense and as long as 0.5–0.6 width of segment: entire and distal on metatarsi I–II, entire on tarsi I–II, narrowly divided on tarsus III; widely divided on tarsus IV. PTC I–IV with 10–12 teeth on each margin. Leg measurements:

Palp I II III IV Femur 1.99 3.47 3.15 2.94 3.63 Patella 0.91 1.98 1.77 1.56 1.96 Tibia 1.27 2.41 1.97 1.83 2.69 Metatarsus ― 2.63 2.35 2.92 3.75 Tarsus 0.62 1.66 1.64 1.73 1.99 Total 4.69 12.15 10.88 10.98 14.02

Distal segments of palp and copulatory organ as in Figs 25, 27–30. Tegulum pole-flattened and pegtop-shaped. Embolus proximally funnel-shaped with shallow longitudinal furrow bordered retromarginally with slightly convex lenticular keel. Distal portion of embolus moderately long, bent and gradually tapering to apex.

Spinnerets ( Fig. 26). PMS: length 0.56, diameter 0.24. PLS: maximal diameter 0.42; length of basal, medial and apical segments 0.99, 0.80, 1.28; total length 3.07; apical segment digitiform.

Female (paratype). Total length 14.30. Habitus as in Fig. 31.

Colour in alcohol: generally, as in male, but chelicerae chestnut brown and considerably darker than carapace, and legs I–IV uniformly coloured.

Cephalothorax dorsally and ventrally as in Figs 32 and 34, respectively. Carapace 5.14 long, 3.88 wide. Eye tubercle as in Fig. 33. Eye diameter and interdistances: AME 0.12(0.18), ALE 0.28, PLE 0.23, PME 0.19, AME–AME 0.12(0.06), AME– ALE 0.09(0.06),ALE–PLE 0.04, PLE–PME 0.04, PME–PME 0.27. Chelicerae without rastellum as in male. Cheliceral furrow with promarginal 7–8 teeth and about 30 heterogeneous mesobasal denticles. Labium 0.44 long, 0.86 wide. Sternum 2.54 long, 2.18 wide. Maxillae each with about 80 small cuspules arranged as in male. Maxillary serrula well visible under light microscope at 100× magnification.

Palp and leg structures. Spines (all femora with 1 basodorsal spine and 3–5 dorsal bristles alongside midline; palpal patella, patellae I–II and tarsi I–IV aspinose): Palp: femur pd1; tibia p1–1, v2–2–3; tarsus v2–0–0. Leg I: femur pd1; tibia p0–1, v1–1–3; metatarsus v2–2–0–1. Leg II: femur pd1; tibia p0–1, v1–1–3; metatarsus v2–2–2. Leg III: femur pd0–0–1, rd0–1–1; patella p1–1, r1(0); tibia d1–1, p1–1, r1–1(0), v2–2–3; metatarsus p1–1–1, pd1–1–1, r1–1, rd1–1–1, v2–2–3. Leg IV: femur rd0–0–1; patella r1; tibia p0–1, r1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus p1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1–1, r1–1–1, rd1–1–1, v2–1–2–3. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–10 each on tibiae, 11–14 on metatarsi, 12–14 on tarsi, 10 on palpal tarsus. Metatarsal preening combs as in male. Scopula entire on metatarsi I–II, palpal tarsus and tarsus I, narrowly divided on tarsus II, widely divided on tarsus III, absent on tarsus IV. PTC I with 8–9 teeth on each margin. Palpal claw with 6 promarginal teeth. Leg measurements:

Palp I II III IV

Femur 2.29 3.30 2.99 2.65 3.46

Patella 1.21 1.98 1.81 1.64 1.96

Tibia 1.46 2.13 1.83 1.64 2.53

Metatarsus ― 1.93 1.79 2.31 3.21

Tarsus 1.71 1.49 1.43 1.46 1.57

Total 6.67 10.83 9.85 9.70 12.73 Spermathecae ( Fig. 35). Each paired branch consists of wide basal part connected directly (i.e., without a stalk) with elongate distal lobe.

Spinnerets ( Fig. 36). PMS: length 0.71, diameter 0.31. PLS: maximal diameter 0.57; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.16, 0.79, 1.30; total length 3.25; apical segment digitiform.

Variation: Length of the carapace varies from 4.09–4.81 mm in males, and from 4.48–5.14 mm in females.

Holotype: ♂ South Africa: Gauteng : near Magaliesburg , 25°59'S 27°33'E, ca. 1500 m, 2.iv.1976, F. Wanless & A. Russell-Smith (RMCA-ARA-154430/a). The holotype is the best preserved male in the entire series; however, resulting from a relatively long storage, body and legs are slightly macerated.

Paratypes: 2♂ 4♀, collected together with the holotype (RMCA-ARA-154430/b). The paratype series embraces both relatively well-preserved (somewhat macerated) and partially fragmented specimens.

Distribution: The species is known only from the type locality.

Ecology: Unknown.