Borboropactus nyerere, SURESH P. BENJAMIN, 2011

SURESH P. BENJAMIN, 2011, Phylogenetics and comparative morphology of crab spiders (Araneae: Dionycha, Thomisidae), Zootaxa 3080, pp. 1-108 : 12-13

* Borboropactus nyerere sp. nov.

Figs 6 A, B, 19A–E, 22A–F, 23A–F, 24A–F, 25A–F, 26A–D

Type material: Holotype: male, TANZANIA: Iringa District: Uzungwa Scarp Forest reserve, 11 km SE Masisiwe, Kihanga Strm. 8°22’5.7’’S 35°58’41.6’’ E, 1800 m 17–27 May 1997, Understory, ZMJC-SI Exp. 1997 ( USNM).

Paratypes: six females, same data as holotype.

Etymology. Named in honor of Julius K. Nyerere (1922–1999) the first President of Tanzania. Used as a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Separated by the square-shaped MA, obovate C and stout ET ( Figs 22 A –E).

Description. Male (holotype): Total length: 5.6; prosoma length: 1.6, width: 2.4. Leg I: femur 2.8, patella 1.1, tibia 2.2, metatarsus 1.5, tarsus 0.8. Prosoma, yellow-brown, laterals darker ( Fig 6 B). Opisthosoma lighter with white patches and dark markings as in Fig 6 B. AER recurved, PER almost straight, ALE = PLE> AME = PME. Opisthosoma triangular, broadening towards the back. Palps as in Figs 19 A–B, 22A–F.

Female paratype: Total length: 5.2; prosoma length: 2.5, width: 2.3. Leg I: femur 2.8, patella 1.2, tibia 2.4, metatarsus 1.2, tarsus 0.8. Similar to male, but lighter colored ( Fig 6 A). Opisthosoma with white patches and dark markings as in Fig 6 A. Epigynum and vulva as in Figs 19 C–E, 23A–F.

Distribution: Known only from its type locality.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Photographs of Thomisidae. A Borboropactus nyerere sp. nov., female; B ditto, male; C Borboropactus sp., female; D Cebrenninus srivijaya sp. nov., male; E Geraesta mkwawa sp. nov., male; F ditto, female.

FIGURE 19. Borboropactus nyerere sp. nov. (USNM). A – B male palp (A prolateral, B retrolateral); C epigynum, ventral view; D – E vulva (D ventral, E dorsal). Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURE 22. Scanning electron micrographs of Borboropactus nyerere sp. nov. (USNM). A – F male palp (A, F retrolateral, B, E ventral, C, D prolateral). Scale bars = 100 µm.