Trachelas russellsmithi, Haddad & Lyle, 2025

Haddad, Charles R. & Lyle, Robin, 2025, A revision of the genus Trachelas L. Koch, 1872 (Araneae: Trachelidae) in the continental Afrotropical Region, Zootaxa 5673 (4), pp. 451-493 : 478

Trachelas russellsmithi sp. nov.

Figs 7C , 17A, B

Etymology. This species is named after Tony Russell-Smith, who collected the type series, in recognition of his contributions to African arachnology.

Diagnosis. This species closely resembles T. leggi sp. nov. in genitalic morphology, particularly in the size of the curved ridges surrounding the copulatory openings of the epigyne, but can be distinguished by the dark abdomen with a narrow pale median stripe in the anterior half of the abdomen (cf. Figs 7C and 6L ) and by the more anterior position of the secondary spermathecae, in the same plane as the copulatory openings ( Fig. 17A ) vs near the centre of the epigyne ( Fig. 14C ). Male unknown.

Female. Measurements: CL 0.99–1.10, CW 0.87–0.97, AL 1.40–1.52, AW 0.97–1.13, TL 2.53–2.72, FL 0.05– 0.06, SL 0.62–0.66, SW 0.54–0.61, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.21, PME–PME 0.08, PME– PLE 0.04, PLE–PLE 0.34. Length of leg segments: I 2.51 (0.76, 0.35, 0.56, 0.48, 0.36); II 2.38 (0.71, 0.33, 0.52, 0.47, 0.35); III 1.95 (0.59, 0.27, 0.38, 0.44, 0.27); IV 2.95 (0.87, 0.31, 0.68, 0.76, 0.33).

Carapace bright yellow-orange ( Fig. 7C ), paler on posterior slope behind fovea; eye region slightly darker, with black rings around eyes; ALE very slightly larger than AME; clypeus height equal to 1.44× AME diameter; AME separated by 0.65× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.1× AME diameter, almost touching; PME slightly larger than PLE; PME separated by slightly less than their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 0.5× PME diameter. Chelicerae yellow-orange, endites and labium slightly lighter; three promarginal teeth, proximal tooth smallest, distal tooth largest; two subequal retromarginal teeth on common base; endites creamy-yellow; labium yellow-brown proximally, creamy-yellow distally. Sternum bright yellow-orange, borders orange-brown. Abdomen mottled dark grey dorsally, with narrow cream stripe in anterior half and eight fine recurved transverse chevrons in posterior half ( Fig. 7C ); venter cream, with faint grey mottling. Legs pale yellow-brown, distal ends of femora and entire patellae creamy-yellow. Epigyne with strongly curved, mesally directed ridges near anterior edge of epigynal plate; CD short, forming incomplete coil, initially directed mesally, then anteriorly, folding back laterally before entering round anterolateral ST II, separated by ther diameter; Cd narrow, curving anteromesally before running along midline of epigyne, thickened posteriorly, folding back and looping laterally before entering transverse oval ST I on their anterior margin; ST I separated by 1.2× their diameter ( Fig. 17A, B ).

Type material. Holotype ♀ and 2♀ paratypes: ETHIOPIA: 51 km E of Addis Ababa [ca. 09°00'N, 39°20'E], 18.VI.1988, leg. A. Russell-Smith (under stones, dry hillside) ( BMNH).

Other material examined. None.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality ( Fig. 16 )

Figures

FIGURE 6. Dorsal habitus of Afrotropical Trachelas species: A–D T. canariensis, males from Bloemfontein (A) and Pretoria (B) and females from Ethiopia (C, D); E, F T. chubbi, male (E) and female (F) from Kihanga; G, H T. falsus sp. nov., male (G) and female (H) from Thendele; I, J T. humus sp. nov., male (I) and female (J) from Thendele; K, L T. leggi sp. nov., male (K) and female (L) from Cape Town. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 7. Dorsal habitus of Afrotropical Trachelas species: A T. longinquus sp. nov., male from Dzanga-Sangha Forest; B T. pusillus, male from Tembe; C T. russellsmithi sp. nov., female from Addis Ababa; D, E T. scutatus sp. nov., male (D) and female (E) from Agege; F T. smithi sp. nov., female from Kakamega Forest; G, H T. sylvae, male (G) and female (H) from Ruwenzori. Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURE 14. Genitalic morphology of Trachelas leggi sp. nov. (A–D) and T. longinquus sp. nov. (E, F):A, E Male palp, ventral view; B, F Same, retrolateral view; C Epigyne, ventral view; D Same, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm. Abbreviations: AT— atrium; CD—copulatory duct; Cd—connecting duct; CO—copulatory opening; EM—embolus; FD—fertilization duct; PA— patellar apophysis; SP—sperm duct; ST I—primary spermatheca; ST II—secondary spermathecae; TA—tegular apophysis.

FIGURE 16. Distribution of Trachelas pusillus (yellow circles), T. russellsmithi sp. nov. (green circle), T. scutatus sp. nov. (blue circles), T. smithi sp. nov. (magenta circle) and T. sylvae (turquoise circles) in the continental Afrotropical Region.

FIGURE 17. Genitalic morphology of Trachelas russellsmithi sp. nov. (A, B) and T. scutatus sp. nov. (C–G): A, F Epigyne, cleared, ventral view; B, G Same, dorsal view; E Same, prior to clearing, ventral view; C Male palp, ventral view; D Same, retrolateral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.Abbreviations:AT—atrium; CD—copulatory duct; Cd—connecting duct; CO—copulatory opening; EM—embolus; FD—fertilization duct; PA—patellar apophysis; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; SP—sperm duct; ST I—primary spermatheca; ST II—secondary spermathecae; TA—tegular apophysis.