Drymusa valida (Lawrence, 1964)

Labarque, Facundo M., Pérez-González, Abel & Griswold, Charles E., 2018, Molecular phylogeny and revision of the false violin spiders (Araneae: Drymusidae) of Africa, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 183, pp. 390-430 : 409-414

Drymusa valida – Lotz, 2012: 37, fig. 18A, B.

Remarks: Whereas we have not examined the type specimens of other Izithunzi species and L. valida , we believe that species attribution is unproblematic. Purcell (1904: 154) reported that the type of D. capensis is very immature and that the adults of this species are much larger than the other species from South Africa. Here, we reconfirm his assessment: the type specimen is very immature ( Fig. 13E, F), and the total length of females (14.30) and males (12.80) that we identify as this species fits Purcell’s suggestion of the large size of this species. Purcell (1904: 154) also provided a key to females of the African species using characters that match those that we use here to diagnose I. capense comb. nov. Regarding L. valida , we think the evidence for synonymy with I. capense comb. nov. is convincing. Lawrence (1964: 61) described a row of several macrosetae against the triangular lamina on the chelicerae promargin of L. valida , a character absent in Loxosceles but present in Drymusidae . Brignoli (1976: 147) suggested that L. valida might be a D. capensis based on their similar geographical distribution. The presence of three pretarsal claws in L. valida was brought to Norman Larsen’s attention by Vince Roth during a visit to the South African Museum in Cape Town ( Larsen, 1994). This feature contrasts to the two claws of Loxosceles and other Sicariidae . Finally, Lotz (2012: 37) transferred L. valida to Drymusa (and to Drymusidae ) based on the presence of an articulated podotarsite (‘long and clear onicium’) and three pretarsal claws. The opisthosomal coloration pattern and male pedipalpal configuration of L. valida resemble those of I. capense comb. nov. (compare Figs 13, 15 against Lawrence, 1964: figs 3, 4). The examination of a female topotype (i.e. South Africa, Western Cape Province, Cape Town, Kalk Bay, Echo Valley, Echo Halt Cave [−34.116667, 18.433333]), further corroborates our new synonymy.

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4(2) – 5(3) – 6(1) – 7(6)

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8(7) – KEY TO SPECIES OF IZITHUNZI GEN. NOV. Females 2 Males ........................................................................................................................................................ 6 Small, prosoma length less than 4.0 mm ................................................................................................ 3 Large, prosoma length greater than 5.0 mm .......................................................................................... 4 Spermathecae clustered .......................................................................................................................... 5 Spermathecae separated ................................................................................................ I. zondii sp. nov. Vulval plates separated; posterior plate nearly straight.......................................................................... ................................................................................................................................... I. capense comb. nov. Vulval plates pressed together anteriorly; posterior plate curved anteriorly .......................................... ............................................................................................................................................... I. lina sp. nov. Epigastrium posterior border with dark, small, thick setae; epigastrium not forming an elongated plate...................................................................................................................... I. productum comb. nov. Epigastrium posterior border lacking those setae; epigastrium forming a plate, heavily sclerotized and posteriorly elongated to the median point of the opisthosoma .................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................... I. silvicola comb. nov. Pedipalp short, femur length less than 3.5 times its width; tibia length less than 2 times its width ........................................................................................................................................................ 7 Pedipalp elongated, femur length more than four times its width; tibia length more than 2.5 times its width ......................................................................................................................... I. silvicola comb. nov. Copulatory bulb base and apex transition smooth; apex distally dark ................................................ 8 Copulatory bulb base and apex transition indented; apex mostly dark .......................... I. lina sp. nov. Copulatory bulb apex 1½ times longer than its base, with an acute and slightly curved tip .............................................................................................................................. I. capense comb. nov. Copulatory bulb apex no longer than its base, with laminar truncated tip ............................................. .............................................................................................................................. I. productum comb. nov.

Material examined: ♀ from South Africa, Western Cape Province, Cape Town, Table Mountain National Park, Newlands Forest Preserve, −33.973999, 18.444133, 25 February 2006, elev. 145 m, J. Miller, H. Wood, N. Larsen cols., preparation codes FML-00435-00444 [♀], deposited in CAS ( CASENT9023625 ) ; ♂, ♀ and three immatures, same data, preparation codes FML-01010, FML-01108 and FML-01118 [♂], and FML-01107 [♀], CAS ( CASENT9026022 ) ; 4♂, 3♀ and four immatures, same locality, 4 October 2001, N. Larsen, K. Muller, S. Prinsloo, D. Ubick, S. Ubick cols., CAS ( CASENT9048605 ) ; ♀ and two immatures, same data, 4 November 1925, Lang col., AMNH ; ♀ and one immature, same locality, 18 December 1996, elev. 150 m, indigenous forest at night, P. Sierwald col., FMNH ; three immatures, same data, FMNH ; one immature, same data, elev. 120 m, during the day, FMNH ; two immatures, same data, FMNH ; two immatures, same data, FMNH ; three immatures, same data, FMNH ; seven immatures, same data, C. Griswold col., CAS ( CASENT9053375 ) ; one immature, same locality, 15 January 2009, pine plantation decayed log, site 2, C. Uys col., NCP (2010/1949) ; two immatures, same data, 23 May 2008, afrotemperate forest decayed log, NCP (2010/1922) ; ♂, same locality, March 1993, S. Muller col., NCP ; ♀, same data, NCP ; ♀, same locality, −33.977317, 18.439783, 4 October 2011, elev. 195 m, L. Almeida, C. Griswold, T . Meikle, N. Larsen cols., CAS ( CASENT9042516 ) ; 2♀ and two immatures, same data, CAS ( CASENT9043287 ) ; ♀, same data, CAS ( CASENT9043286 ) ; ♀, same data, CAS ( CASENT9043173 ) ; ♀ and one immature, same data, CAS ( CASENT9043171 ) ; 5♀ and nine immatures, same locality, Fernwood Gully , −33.966667, 18.450000, 18 December 1996, elev. 120–150 m, indigenous forest, C. E. Griswold col., preparation code FML-01151 [♀], CAS ( CASENT9048602 ) ; ♀, same data, CAS ( CASENT9048603 ) ; 2♂ and 2♀, same locality, Kirstenbosch Botanic Garden, Skeleton Gorge Forest , −33.983333, 18.433333, 7 January 1985, elev. 700 ft, webs beneath logs, C. Griswold, T . Meikle Griswold cols., preparation codes APG-00055 [♀], FML-00546-00547 [♂] and FML-00705 [♀], CAS ( CASENT9021768 ) ; 2♀ and three immatures, same data, NMSA ; five immatures, same data, AMNH ; 3♂ and one immature, same data, moulted in captivity, NMSA ; ♂ and 2♀, same data, C. Griswold col., NMSA ; ♀, same locality, October 1985, 800 ft, C. Griswold col., CAS ( CASENT9021767 ) ; 3♀ and three immatures, same locality, 26–29 October 1985, elev. 700–1000 ft, C. Griswold, J. Doyen, T . Meikle Griswold cols. NMSA ; 4♀ and nine immatures, same data, NMSA ; four immatures, same locality, 5 February 2009, afrotemperate forest decayed log, site 5, C. Uys col., NCP (2010/1950) ; one immature, same locality, Nursery Ravine, Wynberg Caves , [−33.986430, 18.403772], 13 February 1991, cave entrance, V . D. Roth, B. Roth cols., CAS ( CASENT9048604 ) ; one immature, same locality, Orange Kloof , [−33.998611, 18.392778], 28 January 2009, afrotemperate forest, sugar-baited ant trap, C. Uys col., NCP (2010/1952) ; ♀, same city, Kalk Bay, Echo Valley, Echo Halt Cave [−34.116667, 18.433333], December 1987, A. le. Roy col., NCP .

Further material examined by Lotz (2012): ♀ from South Africa, Western Cape Province, Cape Town, Kalk Bay, Echo Valley , Devil’s Pit , [−34.117942, 18.436667], June 1954, J. Grindley col., SAM ( B010015 ) ; one immature, same locality, Tartarus Cave , [−34.113647, 18.441556], July 1961, J. Grindley col., SAM ( B10013 ) ; ♀, same city, Table Mountain National Park, Nursery Ravine, Wynberg Caves , Powder Room , [−33.986430, 18.403772], March 1956, South African Speleological Association , SAM ( B10018 ) ; ♀, same data, February 1956, SAM ( B10016 ) ; one immature, same data, March 1931, R . Lawrence , SAM ( B7892 ) ; one immature, same locality, Giants Workshop , [−33.989180, 18.407553], July 1956, J. Grindley col., SAM ( B10017 ) ; ♀, same locality, Bats Cave , [−33.988569, 18.406797], September 1960, J. Grindley col., SAM ( B10014 ) .

Diagnosis: Females of I. capense comb. nov. resemble those of I. lina sp. nov. by the epigastrium protruded ventro-anteriorly, the inner and outer spermathecae separated and the uterus externus exceeding beyond the vulval plate anterior borders ( Figs 7, 10, 13, 16), but it can be distinguished by the epigastrium covered with long and thin setae, the postepigastrium with an anterior lip covering the epigastric furrow and the vulval plates separated ( Figs 7, 10, 13), whereas I. lina sp. nov. presents long, thick and dark setae on the epigastrium, lacks the anterior lip on the postepigastrium and has pressed vulval plates ( Figs 7, 10, 16). Males of I. capense comb. nov. resemble those of I. lina sp. nov. by having the cheliceral fang promarginally and distally excavated, and the pro- and retromarginal cheliceral teeth close to the base of the fang extremely modified, enlarged and flattened, which fit in the fang’s excavation ( Fig. 14); but it can be distinguished by presenting a smooth transition between the base and apex of the copulatory bulb, and the apex 1½ times longer than the base with an acute and slightly curved tip ( Fig. 13), whereas I. lina sp. nov. has an indented transition, and the apex two times longer than the base, heavily sclerotized (dark) and a broad tip ( Fig. 16).

Redescription female (Table Mountain National Park, Newlands Forest Preserve: Images CASENT 9023625; Measurements CASENT 9048605): Total length 15.03. Prosoma: length 5.7, width 3.96, height 2.77. Sternum: length 2.93, width 2.2. Leg measurements: femur: I: 15.15, II: 13.53, III: 11.02, IV: 13.78; patella: I: 1.71, II: 1.68, III: 1.59, IV: 1.72; tibia: I 14.78, II: 12.4, III: 9.2, IV: 12.27; metatarsus: I: 15.15, II: 13.4, III: 10.5, IV: 13.4; tarsus: I: 2.14, II: 2.02, III: 2.09, IV: 2.89;

podotarsite: I: 0.22, II: 0.24, III: 0.28, IV: 0.22. Total: I: 49.15, II: 43.27, III: 34.68, IV: 44.27. Leg formula: 1423. Opisthosoma: length 8.72, width 4, height 4.65. Thoracic area lateral margins and central V-shaped pattern darkish, forming a continuum ( Fig. 15). Chelicerae promargin with five bracket setae, and a row of seven to eight macrosetae against the triangular lamina. Labium dun, reddish at narrow area and white at apex ( Figs 8, 15). Pedipalpal prolateral femoral thorn distally acute. Sternum dun ( Figs 8, 15). Femora and tibiae dun, patellae, metatarsi and tarsi tan ( Fig. 15). Opisthosoma colour overall dark brown forming thick chevrons extending anteriorly ( Fig. 15). Chevrons well-spaced anteriorly, clustered posteriorly, the first two forming a continuum ( Fig. 15). Anterior vulval plate slightly sclerotized, and posterior plate nearly rectangular and slightly curved anteriorly ( Figs 7, 10, 13). Both spermathecae oval ( Figs 7, 10, 13).

Redescription male (Table Mountain National Park, Newlands Forest Preserve: Habitus CASENT 9021768; SEM CASENT 9026022; Measurements CASENT 9048605): Total length 12.27. Prosoma: length 5.6, width 4.12, height 2.8. Sternum: length 2.67, width 2.02. Leg measurements: femur: I: 17.1, II: 16.5, III: 13.02, IV: 14.9; patella: I: 1.74, II: 1.78, III: 1.68, IV: 1.7; tibia: I 16.5, II: 14.65, III: 10.4, IV: 12.77; metatarsus: I: 18.0, II: 16.1, III: 12.27, IV: 14.9; tarsus: I: 2.37, II: 2.37, III: 2.35, IV: 3.14; podotarsite: I: 0.27, II: 0.21, III: 0.32, IV: 0.33; total: I: 55.98, II: 51.61, III: 40.04, IV: 47.74. Leg formula: 1243. Opisthosoma: length 6.3, width 3.76, height 3.76. Male pedipalp: femur: 2.06, patella: 0.75, tibia: 1.5, tarsus: 0.59. Coloration as female ( Fig. 15). Chelicerae promargin also with five bracket setae ( Fig. 14). Epiandrous spigots arising in seven bunches from isolated pits. Pedipalpal prolateral femoral thorn also distally acute but longer than in females ( Fig. 13); femora narrow (L ≤ 3.5× W); tibiae swollen, longer than width (L <2× W) ( Fig. 13). Copulatory bulb apex elongated and acute distally. In addition, the copulatory bulb apex looks slightly curved in lateral view (both pro- and prolateral) and straight in apical view (i.e. apical view of the cymbium) ( Fig. 13).

Distribution: Western Cape Province, South Africa, from Table Mountain National Park to Kalk Bay and surroundings ( Fig. 5; Supporting Information, Fig. S1).

Natural history: According to Larsen (1994), I. capense comb. nov. specimens are found under exfoliated bark or in crevices between boulders, always in cool shaded areas and hanging beneath loose space webs ( Fig. 1A–C). Izithunzi capense comb. nov. individuals are sensitive to the light, and they quickly retreat to the darkness after a minute of exposure with an unfiltered electric torch (flashlight) ( Larsen, 1994). Our own observations match these.