Trichothyse Tucker, 1923

Sankaran, Pradeep M., Haddad, Charles R. & Tripathi, Rishikesh, 2025, A review of the ground spider genus Trichothyse Tucker, 1923 (Araneae, Gnaphosidae), Zootaxa 5583 (1), pp. 39-70 : 40-41

Trichothyse Tucker, 1923

Type species. Trichothyse hortensis Tucker, 1923 , by monotypy.

Diagnosis. Trichothyse species can be easily recognised by genitalic characters such as the large robust RTA with an apical bifurcation, large conductor with a prolateral fold, apically originating embolus with a broad base, epigyne with or without a median extension of the anterior margin [contra Sankaran et al. (2021), who considered it as a median septum], and with large or reduced median atrium and vulva with large, inflated primary spermathecae, short copulatory ducts, and with small paired secondary spermathecae. Trichothyse species may be distinguished from species of Poecilochroa sensu stricto by their large AMEs (vs. smaller in Poecilochroa ), large robust RTA with an apical bifurcation, except in T. fontensis with only a slight dorsal protuberance (vs. long, and gradually tapering in Poecilochroa ), presence of a conductor (vs. absent in Poecilochroa ), and epigyne without an anterior hood (vs. present in Poecilochroa ) (cf. Murphy 2007: fig. 382, Figs 1–14 , 23–24 , 29–30 , 36–37 , 43–44 , 49–50 , 54–56 , 59–60 , 65–66 , 71–72 , 92–93 , 102–103 , 109–114 , 116–118 and Murphy 2007: fig. 290 and Coşar et al. 2024: fig. 9C–F). They can also be separated from Macarophaeus by a large robust RTA (vs. slender in Macarophaeus ), conductor with a prolateral fold (vs. absent in Macarophaeus ), embolus with a distinct bend (vs. straight in Macarophaeus ), and epigyne without a M-shaped ridge (vs. present in Macarophaeus ) (cf. Figs 1–14 and Denis 1962: figs 23–25 and Wunderlich 2011: figs 67–68, 68a–b, f, 90–91, 92a–b).

Description. Total body length3.57–12.00 mm.Carapace oval in dorsal view, moderately invaginated posteriorly, widest between coxae II and III, narrowed at level of palp, covered with fine white appressed hairs. Cephalic area not elevated; cephalic groove less evident. Thoracic area with inconspicuous streaks of black blotches, gently sloping posteriorly. Fovea longitudinal, marked as a straight, deep groove. From above, AER moderately recurved, PER straight; AME circular, dark, all others pearly white; AME largest, ALE smallest; PME and PLE subequal; AME separated by distance less than their diameter, almost touching ALE; PME separated by distance slightly larger than their diameter, as well as from PLE; MOQ roughly squarish, slightly narrower in back than in front. Clypeus height between ½ and ¾ AME diameter. Chilum absent. Cheliceral boss weakly developed. Chelicerae with a denticle and with or without a keel on promargin; retromargin without teeth or keel but sometimes with a single tiny denticle. Fangs almost half the length of paturon. Endites convergent, with oblique depression, and weak distal scopula; labium short, tongue-shaped. Sternum broad medially, rebordered, with concave anterior margin, with tiny extensions to coxae, clothed with grey-black hairs. Anterior pairs of legs less spinose, posterior pairs moderately spinose, covered with fine aculeate hairs; trochanters I–II not notched, III–IV shallowly notched; metatarsi I–II with well-developed scopulae, metatarsal preening brush or comb absent on legs III and IV; all tarsi with well-developed and complete scopulae, with well-developed claw tufts and dentate paired claws; tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi provided with scattered short trichobothria. Leg formula variable, normally 4132. Abdomen oval, hirsute, with anteriorly restricted scutum in males, absent in females, with two or three pairs of dorsal sigilla. Anal tubercle prominent. Spinnerets hirsute. Male palp with longitudinally triangular cymbium with basoretrolateral flange. Subtegulum nearly as long as tegulum. Tegulum longer than wide, bearing only embolus and conductor. Embolus short, apically originating, with broad embolic base. Conductor large, distomedially arising and wrapping embolus with its distal part, with prolateral fold. Sperm duct forming a single loop, medially contiguous. Tibia with robust RTA of variable size and shape; RTA with apical bifurcation. Epigyne with small or large atrium, often divided by a weak median extension of anterior epigynal margin to form paired posterior atrial lobes [present in Palaearctic species except T. poonaensis ( Tikader, 1982) comb. nov.]. Copulatory openings hidden beneath posterior lobes, often only visible when epigyne is rotated 45° on longitudinal axis. Vulva composed of large primary spermathecae, very short copulatory ducts and small mesal secondary spermathecae, often obscured by primary spermathecae.

Species composition. Afrotropical species: T. africana ( Tucker, 1923) [misplaced], T. antineae ( Fage, 1929) comb. nov., T. fontensis Lawrence, 1928 , T. hortensis Tucker, 1923 , T. karoo Haddad & Sankaran sp. nov., T. subtropica Lawrence, 1927 , and T. zuluensis ( Lawrence, 1938) comb. nov. Palaearctic species: T. furcata ( Simon, 1914) comb. nov., T. golan ( Levy, 1999) comb. nov., T. hamipalpis ( Kroneberg, 1875) comb. nov., T. ilkerakkusi ( Coşar, Danişman & Marusik, 2024) comb. nov., T. jodhpurensis ( Gajbe, 1993) comb. nov., T. loricata ( Kritscher, 1996) comb. nov., T. perversa ( Simon, 1914) comb. nov., T. poonaensis comb. nov., T. senilis (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) comb. nov. and T. senilis auspex ( Simon, 1878) comb. nov. Trichothyse pugnax (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1874) comb. nov. occurs in North Africa, spanning both the Afrotropical and Palaearctic regions.

Distribution. Africa ( Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, Mali, Namibia and South Africa), Europe ( Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain), and Asia ( India, Israel and Turkey) ( World Spider Catalog 2024; present data) ( Figs 120–121 ).

Figures

FIGURE 120. Distribution records of the known Afrotropical Trichothyse species.

FIGURE 121. Distribution records of the known Palaearctic Trichothyse species.

FIGURES 1–8. Palpal morphology of male Afrotropical Trichothyse species in ventral (1–4) and retrolateral (5–8) views. 1, 5. T. fontensis Lawrence, 1928, holotype from Sesfontein; 2, 6. T. fontensis from Ndumo; 3, 7. T. karoo Haddad & Sankaran sp. nov. from Jagerskraal; 4, 8. T. zuluensis (Lawrence, 1938) comb. nov. from Ndumo. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 9–20. Epigyne morphology of Afrotropical Trichothyse species in ventral (9–14) and dorsal (15–20) views. 9, 15. T. fontensis Lawrence, 1928 from Ndumo; 10, 16. T. hortensis Tucker, 1923, lectotype from Waterberg; 11, 17. T. karoo Haddad & Sankaran sp. nov., paratype from Jagerskraal; 12, 18. T. subtropica Lawrence, 1927, lectotype from Kunene River; 13, 19. T. zuluensis (Lawrence, 1938) comb. nov. from Ndumo; 14, 20. ‘T.’ africana (Tucker, 1923) from Dereham. Arrows indicate epigynal atrium. Scale bars: 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 21–27. Somatic morphology of Trichothyse fontensis Lawrence, 1928, holotype male from Sesfontein (21) and non-type male from Ndumo (22–27): 21, 22. Habitus, dorsal view; 23. Eye region, anterior view; 24. Same, dorsal view; 25. Leg I, retrolateral view; 26. Leg IV, prolateral view; 27. Chelicerae, posteroventral view. Arrow indicates keel on the cheliceral promargin. Scale bars: 21–22 = 1.0 mm; 23–27 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 28–33. Somatic morphology of Trichothyse fontensis Lawrence, 1928, female from Ndumo: 28. Habitus, dorsal view; 29. Eye region, anterior view; 30. Same, dorsal view; 31. Chelicerae, posteroventral view; 32. Legs I & II, retrolateral view; 33. Leg IV, prolateral view. Arrow indicates keel on the cheliceral promargin. Scale bars: 28 = 1.0 mm; 29–33 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 34–41. Somatic morphology of Trichothyse hortensis Tucker, 1923, holotype female from Waterberg (34) and nontype female from Kalkfontein Dam (35–41): 34, 35. Habitus, dorsal view; 36. Eye region, anterior view; 37. Same, dorsal view; 38. Chelicerae, posteroventral view; 39. Spinnerets, posteroventral view; 40. Leg I, retrolateral view; 41. Leg IV, prolateral view. Arrow indicates keel on the cheliceral promargin. Scale bars: 34–35 = 1.0 mm; 36–41 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 42–47. Somatic morphology of Trichothyse karoo Haddad & Sankaran sp. nov., holotype male from Jagerskraal: 42. Habitus, dorsal view; 43. Eye region, anterior view; 44. Same, dorsal view; 45. Chelicerae, posteroventral view; 46. Leg I, retrolateral view; 47. Leg IV, retrolateral view. Arrow indicates keel on the cheliceral promargin. Scale bars: 42 = 1.0 mm; 43–47 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 48–53. Somatic morphology of Trichothyse karoo Haddad & Sankaran sp. nov., paratype female from Jagerskraal: 48. Habitus, dorsal view; 49. Eye region, anterior view; 50. Same, dorsal view; 51. Chelicerae, posteroventral view; 52. Leg I, retrolateral view; 53. Leg IV, retrolateral view. Arrow indicates keel on the cheliceral promargin. Scale bars: 48 = 1 mm; 49–53 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 54–57. Genitalic morphology of Trichothyse karoo Haddad & Sankaran sp. nov.: 54–55. Holotype male left palp: 54. Ventral view; 55. Retrolateral view. 56–57. Paratype female: 56. Epigyne, ventral view; 57. Vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: A, atrium; C, conductor; CD, copulatory duct; E, embolus; EB, embolic base; FD, fertilisation duct; PL, posterior lobe; PS, primary spermatheca; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; SD, sperm duct; SS, secondary spermatheca; T, tegulum. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 58–63. Somatic morphology of Trichothyse subtropica Lawrence, 1927, lectotype female: 58. Habitus, dorsal view; 59. Eye region, anterior view; 60. Same, dorsal view; 61. Chelicerae, posteroventral view; 62. Legs I & II, retrolateral view; 63. Leg IV, retrolateral view. Arrow indicates keel on the cheliceral promargin. Scale bars: 58 = 1.0 mm; 59–63 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 64–69. Somatic morphology of Trichothyse zuluensis (Lawrence, 1938) comb. nov., male from Ndumo: 64. Habitus, dorsal view; 65. Eye region, anterior view; 66. Same, dorsal view; 67. Chelicerae, posteroventral view; 68. Leg I, retrolateral view; 69. Leg IV, prolateral view. Arrow indicates keel on the cheliceral promargin. Scale bars: 64 = 1.0 mm; 65–69 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 70–75. Somatic morphology of Trichothyse zuluensis (Lawrence, 1938) comb. nov., female from Ndumo: 70. Habitus, dorsal view; 71. Eye region, anterior view; 72. Same, dorsal view; 73. Chelicerae, posteroventral view; 74. Legs I & II, retrolateral view; 75. Leg IV, prolateral view. Arrow indicates keel on the cheliceral promargin. Scale bars: 70 = 1.0 mm; 71–75 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 90–99. Somatic morphology of Trichothyse jodhpurensis (Gajbe, 1993) comb. nov., male from Jaisalmer. 90. Habitus, dorsal view; 91. Same, retrolateral view; 92. Same, frontal view; 93. Eye region, dorsal view; 94. Carapace showing row of setae, dorsal view; 95. Left chelicera, prolateral view; 96. Same, retrolateral view; 97. Spinnerets, ventral view; 98. Leg I, retrolateral view; 99. Leg IV, retrolateral view.Arrow indicates keel on the cheliceral promargin. Scale bars: 90–91 = 1.0 mm; 92–96 = 0.1 mm; 97 = 0.2 mm; 98–99 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 100–108. Somatic morphology of Trichothyse jodhpurensis (Gajbe, 1993) comb. nov., female from Jaisalmer. 100. Habitus, dorsal view; 101. Same, retrolateral view; 102. Same, frontal view; 103. Eye region, dorsal view; 104. Left chelicera, prolateral view; 105. Same, retrolateral view; 106. Spinnerets, ventral view; 107. Leg I, prolateral view; 108. Leg IV, retrolateral view. Arrow indicates keel on the cheliceral promargin. Scale bars: 100–101 = 1.0 mm; 102–105 = 0.1 mm, 106–108 = 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 109–115. Genitalic morphology of Trichothyse jodhpurensis (Gajbe, 1993) comb. nov.: 109–112. Male left palp: 109. Ventral view; 110. Same, retrolateral view; 111. Same, dorsal view; 112. RTA enlarged, retrolateral view. 113–115. Female genitalia: 113. Intact epigyne, ventral view; 114. Epigyne after clearing in 10% KOH, ventral view; 115. Vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 116–119. Genitalic morphology of Trichothyse jodhpurensis (Gajbe, 1993) comb. nov.: 116–117. Male left palp: 116. Ventral view; 117. Same, retrolateral view. 118–119. Female genitalia: 118. Epigyne, ventral view; 119. Vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: A, atrium; C, conductor; CD, copulatory duct; CyF, cymbial flange; E, embolus; EB, embolic base; FD, fertilisation duct; ME, median extension of anterior epigynal margin; PS, primary spermatheca; RTA, retrolateral tibial apophysis; SD, sperm duct; SS, secondary spermatheca; T, tegulum. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.