Afrolathys Cala-Riquelme, Al-Jamal, Esposito, 2025

Montana, Katherine O., Cala-Riquelme, Franklyn, Crews, Sarah C., Gorneau, Jacob A., Al-Jamal, Amin M., Alequín, Luigie D., Spagna, Joseph C., Ballarin, Francesco & Esposito, Lauren A., 2025, Tailor’s drawer no more: a reappraisal of the spider family Dictynidae O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1871 sensu lato, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 204 (2) : -

Genus Afrolathys Cala-Riquelme, Al-Jamal, Esposito gen. n.

Type species: Afrolathys tanzanica sp. n.

Material examined: See the material examined for Afrolathys madagascariensis sp. n. and A. tanzanica sp. n.

Etymology: The generic epithet is a combination of ‘Afro-’ referring to the locality of the type species of the genus, Africa, and Lathys , another member of the family; gender feminine.

Diagnosis: Afrolathys gen. n. can be distinguished from other Lathyidae fam. n. by lacking AME ( Figs 32A–D; 33A–D; 34AC; 35A, B) (AME present in Andronova gen. n., Analtella stat. reinst., Lathys s.s.), and the ALE are separated by a distance equal to their diameter ( Figs 32A–D, 33A–D, 34A–C, 35A, B) (ALE contiguous in Bannaella ). Additionally, the male can be distinguished by the embolus coiled twice around the tegulum ( Figs 32E, F, 34D, E); the conductor connected retrolateral-distal to the tegulum, with the conductor upper arm coiled no more than 225°, and two times longer than the conductor lower arm; and the trochanter with a distal process ( Fig. 32E, F); the embolus coiled 720°, joining with the hook-shaped process in a coil around the tibia ( Figs 32F, 34E). Females can be distinguished by the reduced SS/AG; the copulatory duct elongated and coiled more than 720° near the copulatory opening; and the fertilization duct located mesal proximally to the copulatory duct ( Figs 33E, F, 35D).

List of included species: Afrolathys madagascariensis sp. n. and A. tanzanica sp. n..

Distribution. Madagascar, Tanzania.

Afrolathys tanzanica Cala-Riquelme, Al-Jamal, Esposito sp. n.

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Type material. Male holotype ( CASENT9118703 ) from Tanzania, Tanga Prov., E Usambara Mtns., Amani Nature Reserve , 55°5′42′′S, 38°37′59.99′′E, Elev. 950 m, forest, 27.x–9. xi.1995, Coll. C.E. Griswold, N. Scharff, D. Ubick, 3 female paratypes ( CASENT9118711 ), same data as holotype .

Etymology: The species epithet is an adjective referring to Tanzania where the species has been collected.

Diagnosis: The male of Afrolathys tanzanica sp. n. can be distinguished from A. madagascariensis sp. n. by the embolus connected retrolateral proximal to the tegulum ( Fig. 22A, C, D, 32E) [embolus connected retrolateral distal in A.

madagascariensis sp. n. ( Fig. 34E)]. Females can be distinguished by the copulatory duct connected ectal distally to the primary spermathecae ( Fig. 33E).

Male ( CASENT 9118703, Tanzania): Carapace ( Fig. 32A–D) pale honey-yellow, white longitudinal stripe starting at fovea and narrowing to terminate at PME. Eyes on short, hyacinth red tubercles. Chelicerae, labium, and endites pale honey yellow. Legs sienna-yellow, slightly darker bands around distal half of each leg segment, excluding femur. Abdomen ( Fig. 32B–D) dorsum pale sienna yellow with white guanine crystals forming pattern, venter pale sienna yellow. Sternum squared off anteriorly. Total length 1.48. Carapace length 0.60, width 0.60, height 0.28. Clypeus height 0.03, PME 0.09, ALE 0.09, PLE 0.09, PME–PME 0.04. Sternum length 0.43, width 0.40. Palp: femur length 0.33, tibia length 0.19. Leg I: femur 0.63, patella 0.25, tibia 0.49, metatarsus 0.39, tarsus 0.36. II: 0.59, 0.20, 0.36, 0.33, 0.24. III: 0.51, 0.20, 0.24, 0.31, 0.23. IV: 0.65, 0.20, 0.33, 0.36, 0.23. Abdomen: length 0.90, width 0.80. Male palp ( Figs 22A–F, 32E, F): trochanter with a distal process as long as trochanter width; femur straight, as long as patella + tibia; tibia slightly longer than patella, with a hook-shaped process, directed posteriorly; spermophor with a wide loop near embolus base; embolus connected retrolateral proximal to the tegulum.

Female ( CASENT 9118711, Tanzania): Carapace ( Fig. 33A–D) pale honey yellow, white longitudinal stripe starting at fovea and narrowing to terminate at PME, faint broccoli brown branching patterns on lateral surfaces of prosoma. Eyes on short, hyacinth red tubercles. Chelicerae, labium, endites, and sternum pale honey yellow. Legs sienna yellow, slightly darker bands around distal half of each leg segment after femur. Abdomen ( Fig. 33B–D) dorsum pale sienna yellow with white guanine crystals with dorsal line of faint darker chevrons medially, venter pale sienna yellow. Sternum squared off anteriorly. Total length 1.88. Carapace length 0.75, width 0.68, height 0.38. Clypeus height 0.02, PME 0.06, ALE 0.08, PLE 0.08, PME–PME 0.05. Sternum length 0.48, width 0.43. Palp: femur length 0.40, tibia 0.13 length. Leg I: femur 0.61, patella 0.25, tibia 0.40, metatarsus 0.39, tarsus 0.23. II: 0.49, 0.24, 0.34, 0.34, 0.24. III: 0.45, 0.25, 0.21, 0.30, 0.23. IV: 0.59, 0.20, 0.31, 0.40, 0.23. Abdomen: length 1.28, width 0.98. Cribellum length 0.25, entire, as long as the width between the ALS, slightly curved proximally, with the spigots strobilate, grouping uniformly, arranged in a continuous field. Epigyne ( Fig. 33E, F): copulatory openings located ectally, anterior to the primary spermathecae, separated by approximately three times their diameter; membranous sac two times longer than primary spermathecae diameter; copulatory duct elongate, coiled seven or more times near the copulatory opening, uniformly wide, and connected ectal distally to the primary spermathecae; SS/AG reduced; the fertilization duct is connected mesal proximally at the copulatory duct and primary spermathecae.

Afrolathys madagascariensis Al-Jamal and Cala-Riquelme sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:F8A0CCC6-EAEF-4287- AC 10-

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Type material: Male holotype ( CASENT9006800 ) from Madagascar: Antsiranana Prov., Reserve Speciale d’Ambre , 3.5 km 235°SW Sakaramy, 12 o 28′8′′S, 49 o 14′32′′E, Elev. 325 m, tropical dry forest, beating low vegetation, 26–31.i.2001, Coll. B.L. Fisher, C. Griswold, et al. 1 male, 2 female paratypes ( CASENT9006800 ), same data as holotype .

Etymology: The species epithet is an adjective referring to Madagascar where the species has been collected.

Diagnosis: See the diagnosis for A. tanzanica sp. n.

Male ( CASENT 9006800, Madagascar): Carapace ( Fig. 34A–C) pale honey yellow, yellowish white longitudinal stripe starting at fovea and narrowing to terminate at PME, faint broccoli brown branching patterns on lateral surfaces of prosoma. Eyes on short, hyacinth red tubercles. Chelicerae, labium, endites and sternum pale honey yellow. Legs sienna yellow, slightly darker bands around distal half of each leg segment after femur. Abdomen ( Fig. 34B, C) dorsum sienna yellow, venter sienna yellow. Sternum squared off anteriorly, slightly procurved. Total length 1.40. Carapace length 0.63, width 0.50, height 0.28. Clypeus height 0.03, PME 0.18, ALE 0.18, PLE 0.15, PME–PME 0.08. Sternum length 0.30, width 0.30. Palp: femur length 0.33, tibia length 0.18. Leg I: femur 0.39, patella 0.19, tibia 0.38, metatarsus 0.26, tarsus 0.20. II: 0.39, 0.14, 0.26, 0.24, 0.20. III: 0.33, 0.11, 0.20, 0.24, 0.14. IV: 0.40, 0.16, 0.31, 0.15, 0.13. Abdomen: length 0.85, width 0.65. Male palp ( Fig. 34D, E): trochanter with distal process shorter than trochanter width; femur straight, slightly longer than patella + tibia; tibia slightly longer than patella, with a hook-shaped process, directed posteriorly; spermophor with a wide loop close to the embolus base; embolus connected retrolateral distally to the tegulum.

Female ( CASENT 9006800, Madagascar): Carapace ( Fig. 35A, B) pale honey yellow, snow white longitudinal stripe starting at fovea and narrowing to terminate at PME, faint broccoli brown branching patterns on lateral surfaces of prosoma. Eyes on short, hyacinth red tubercles. Chelicerae, labium, endites, and sternum pale honey yellow. Legs pale sienna yellow, darker bands around distal half of each leg segment after femur and on femora I and II. Abdomen ( Fig. 35A, B) dorsum pale broccoli brown, venter sienna yellow. Sternum squared off anteriorly, slightly procurved. Total length 1.30. Carapace length 0.58, width 0.50, height 0.27. Clypeus height 0.02, PME 0.15, ALE 0.18, PLE 0.13, PME–PME 0.08. Sternum length 0.25, width 0.15. Palp: femur length 0.48, tibia length 0.18. Leg I: femur 0.35, patella 0.20, tibia 0.05, metatarsus 0.25, tarsus 0.14. II: 0.31, 0.14, 0.26, 0.21, 0.18. III: 0.33, 0.16, 0.18, 0.23, 0.20. IV: 0.38, 0.14, 0.30, 0.24, 0.18. Abdomen: length 0.90, width 0.70. Cribellum length 0.13, entire, as long as the width between the ALS, slightly curved proximally, with the spigots strobilate, grouping uniformly, arranged in a continuous field. Epigyne ( Fig. 35D): copulatory opening antero ectal to the primary spermathecae, separated by approximately three times their diameter; membranous sac two times longer than primary spermathecae diameter; copulatory duct elongate, coiled seven or more times near the copulatory opening, uniformly wide, and connected ectal distally to the primary spermathecae; SS/AG reduced; fertilization duct located mesal proximally at the copulatory duct and primary spermathecae.