Afropesa schwendingeri, 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 : 23-32

Afropesa schwendingeri n. sp.

( Figs 37–53)

LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:939CB3B2-B6E6-4EC7-90AC-6F00EB9FB1A5 .

Etymology: The species is named after Dr Peter Schwendinger, a prominent Swiss specialist on the Mesothelae and the Mygalomorphae ; the description is based on the material collected by him.

Diagnosis: The holotype male of A. schwendingeri n. sp. differs from males of both A. schoutedeni and A. gauteng n. sp. in having an underdeveloped megaspine on tibia I, an unmodified metatarsus I lacking a knob, and a relatively shorter apical segment of PLS (vs. a well-defined megaspine, the presence of the metatarsal knob, and a longer apical segment of PLS in males of two latter species). Among the congeners, male of A. schwendingeri n. sp. possesses the longest though relatively low dorsal embolic flange as well as the longest distal embolus ( Figs 43–45 cf. Figs 8–11, 25, 27–30). The conspecific female can be distinguished from other female congeners in having the spermathecae with moderately long and weakly twisted stalks and clavate receptacular heads (vs. spiraled stalks in A. schoutedeni and sessile elongate heads in A. gauteng n. sp.; Fig. 51 cf. Figs 17 and 35).

Description: Male (holotype). Total length about 11.45. Habitus as in Fig. 37.

Colour in alcohol: carapace, chelicerae and femora I–IV dorsally yellowish brick-red, palps entirely and most part of legs I–IV yellowish orange, with tibia and proximal half of metatarsus I slightly darker; labium, sternum, maxillae and coxae I–IV pale yellowish orange; eye tubercle blackish brown; abdomen yellowish brown, dorsally and laterally with darker brown diffuse mottled pattern and weakly distinct chevrons; spinnerets almost uniformly pale yellowish brown with diffuse and weakly distinct darker brownish marks distributed only on their dorsal side.

Cephalothorax dorsally and ventrally as in Figs 38 and 40, respectively. Carapace 4.96 long, 3.86 wide. Eye tubercle as in Fig. 39. Eye diameter and interdistances: AME 0.15(0.21), ALE 0.23, PLE 0.16, PME 0.14, AME–AME 0.09(0.04), AME– ALE 0.08(0.05), ALE–PLE 0.05, PLE–PME 0.03, PME–PME 0.39. Chelicerae with 30–35 thickened setae on dorsodistal edge in front of fang base. Cheliceral furrow with 8–9 promarginal teeth and 25–30 tiny to minute mesobasal denticles. Male intercheliceral tumescence small and weakly defined. Labium 0.43 long, 0.82 wide. Sternum 2.47 long, 2.04 wide. Maxillae each with about 65 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 retrolaterally and ventrally as in Figs 41, 42. Spines (cymbium and tarsi I–IV aspinose, tibial megaspine underdeveloped): Palp: femur d1–1–1–1–1, pd0–0–1; patella p1; tibia d1–1–0, p0–1–1, pv1(0). Leg I: femur d1(0)–1–1–1(0)–1–1, pd1–1–1, rd0–1–1; patella p1, v1(0); tibia p1–1, pv1–1–2(1)–2, rv1–1–2(0)–1; metatarsus p1, v1(0)–0–1. Leg II: femur d1(0)–1–1–1–1–1, pd1–1–1, rd1–1–1; patella p1; tibia p1–1, v2–3(2)–3; metatarsus p0–1–0, v2–2–2. Leg III: femur d1–1–1–1–0, pd1–1–1, rd1–1–1; patella p1–1–2(1), r1–1; tibia d1–1–1(0), p1–1–1, r1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus d2(0)–2–2, p1–1–1, r1–1–1, v3(2)–2–4. Leg IV: femur d1–1–1–1–0, pd1–1–1, rd1–1–1; patella r1; tibia p1–1–1(0), r1–1–1(0), v2–2–1(0)–3; metatarsus d2–2–2, pd1–1–1, r1–1–1–1, v1(0)–2–2–3. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–11 each on tibiae, 13–16 on metatarsi, 11–14 on tarsi, 10 on cymbium. Metatarsal preening combs present on metatarsi II (one), III (two) and IV (two). Scopula thin, moderately dense and as long as 0.6–0.8 width of segment: entire and distal on metatarsi I–II, short and vestigial on distal metatarsus III, absent on metatarsus IV, entire on tarsi I–II, entire but medially mixed with setae on tarsus III, widely divided on tarsus IV. PTC I–IV with 8–9 teeth on each margin. Leg measurements:

Palp I II III IV

Femur 1.97 3.93 3.58 3.41 4.23

Patella 1.02 1.91 1.86 1.82 2.12

Tibia 1.15 2.88 2.49 2.14 3.19

Metatarsus ― 2.96 2.72 3.11 4.48

Tarsus 0.73 2.13 2.14 1.97 2.17

Total 4.87 13.81 12.79 12.45 16.19

Distal segments of palp and copulatory organ as in Figs 43–45. Tegulum pearshaped. Embolus proximally with low ventral keel and basally dilated dorsal flange. Distal portion of embolus long, slightly curved and gradually tapering to apex. Spinnerets ( Fig. 46). PMS: length 0.69, diameter 0.24. PLS: maximal diameter 0.51; length of basal, medial and apical segments 0.85, 0.52, 0.84; total length 2.21; apical segment digitiform.

Female (paratype). Total length 15.90. Habitus as in Fig. 47.

Colour in alcohol: as in male, but with legs I–IV uniformly coloured; dorsal abdominal pattern with more clearly expressed chevrons than these in holotype male; unlike male, PMS pale yellowish brown with darker brownish bases; most part of PLS with reticulate pattern (large and partially fused dark brown maculae mottled with small pale brownish spots) .

Cephalothorax dorsally and ventrally as in Figs 48 and 50, respectively. Carapace 4.86 long, 3.72 wide. Eye tubercle as in Fig. 49. Eye diameter and interdistances: AME 0.15(0.21), ALE 0.26, PLE 0.21, PME 0.15, AME–AME 0.09(0.03), AME– ALE 0.08(0.05), ALE–PLE 0.03, PLE–PME 0.03, PME–PME 0.32. Chelicerae with numerous thickened setae on dorsodistal edge. Cheliceral furrow with 8 promarginal teeth and 30–35 heterogeneous (tiny to minute) mesobasal denticles. Labium 0.42 long, 0.86 wide. Sternum 2.46 long, 2.11 wide. Maxillae each with ca. 55 unmodified cuspules arranged as in male. Maxillary serrula well visible under light microscope at 100× magnification.

Palp and leg structures. Spines (all femora with 0–2, but generally 1, basodorsal spines 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 p1–1, v1–1–2; metatarsus v2–1–0–1. Leg II: femur pd1; tibia p0–1, v1–1–2; metatarsus v2–2–2. Leg III: femur pd1, rd1–1; patella p1–1, r1; tibia d1–1, p1–1, r0–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus p1–1–1, pd1–1–1, r1–1–1, rd1–1(0)–1, v2–2–3. Leg IV: femur rd0–0–1; patella r1; tibia p1–1, r1–1–1, v2–2–3; metatarsus p1–1–1–1, pd1(0)–1–1–1, r1–1–1, rd1–1–1, v3(2)–1–3(2)–3. Trichobothria: 2 rows of 9–10 each on tibiae, 14–18 on metatarsi, 11–14 on tarsi, 10 on palpal tarsus. Metatarsal preening combs as in male. Scopula thin and moderately sparse as in male but shorter (as long as 0.3–0.4 width of segment): narrowly divided on metatarsus I, palpal tarsus and tarsus I, distal and widely divided on metatarsus II, widely divided on tarsus II, widely divided and mixed with setae on tarsus III, sparse, bilateral and divided by very wide longitudinal band of ventral setae on tarsus IV. PTC I with 7–9 teeth on each margin. Palpal claw with 4–5 promarginal teeth. Leg measurements:

Palp I II III IV Femur 2.28 3.34 2.89 2.56 3.42 Patella 1.34 2.05 1.84 1.53 2.16 Tibia 1.40 1.96 1.75 1.48 2.33 Metatarsus ― 1.80 1.83 2.34 3.24 Tarsus 1.62 1.33 1.32 1.42 1.47 Total 6.64 10.48 9.63 9.33 12.62

Spermathecae ( Fig. 51). Each paired branch consists of wide conical basal part connected through thin, moderately long and weakly twisted stalk to apically dilated (clavate) distal lobe.

Spinnerets ( Fig. 52). PMS: length 0.87, diameter 0.28. PLS: maximal diameter 0.51; length of basal, medial and apical segments 1.17, 0.89, 1.14; total length 3.20; apical segment digitiform.

Holotype: ♂ South Africa: Limpopo: SoUtpansberg Mts, 50 km W LoUis Trichardt, LajUma Mt Retreat [23°02'20"S 29°25'50"E], 1300–1400 m, 1–2.iv.2001, P. Schwendinger (MHNG-ZA-01/02).

Paratype: 1♀, collected together with the holotype, with the same label data (MHNG-ZA-01/02).

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

Ecology: According to the label data, the type specimens were collected in the “montane evergreen forest”.