Pellolessertia castanea ( LESSERT, 1927 )

Szűts, T. & Scharff, N., 2005, Redescriptions Of Little Known Jumping Spider Genera (Araneae: Salticidae) From West Africa, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 51 (4), pp. 357-378 : 364-366

Pellolessertia castanea ( LESSERT, 1927)

( Fig. 4 )

Avakubia castanea LESSERT, 1927: 412–414 .

Pellolessertia castanea ( LESSERT, 1927) : STRAND 1929: 14; PRÓSZYŃSKI 1984: 169.

Diagnosis – The species is characterized by the two tibial apophyses of the palp ( Fig 4B ). The embolus short and wide ( Fig 4A ).

Diagnosis – Male: Large and hairy spiders, with a characteristic carapace shape ( Fig. 4D ). Carapace yellowish chestnut-brown, covered with white hairs. Thoracic region also yellowish brown, covered sparsely with white hairs. Chelicerae darker, rather hairy, delicate, clypeus with a dense white moustache. Chelicerae, gnathocoxae, labium and sternum yellowish brown. Legs almost equal for habitus drawings in length, except for third femur, which is noticeably longer ( Fig. 4D, E ). Legs with darker tibiae and metatarsi. Tarsi yellowish with darker longitudinal black stripes. Spination: metatarsus I with two ventral pairs and two lateral pairs (a proximal and a distal pair) of spines. Tibia I with four pairs ventral and two lateral pairs of spines. All patellae with a lateral pair of spines (a pro- and retrolateral piece). All spines fine and long. Palpal femur with one dorsal spine.

Measurements – Male: total length 6.05. Carapace 2.75 long, 2.5 wide, 1.75 high at PLE. AEW 2.25, PEW 2.35, OCA 1.5 long. Abdomen 3.25 long 1.85 wide.

Palp – simple ( Figs 4 A-B). All palpal segments covered with thick, white, retrolateral brushes and long fine brown prolateral hairs. Tibia with a strong short black apophysis. Tegulum sclerotized, with a paler central area, sperm duct visible. Embolus straight, short and stout.

Female: see LESSERT 1927, PRÓSZYŃSKI 1984.

Distribution – Republic of the Congo and Cameroon.

Material examined – Cameroon: 1 male from “ Reserve forêstière de Makak (Campement

Despierres), 12–23.VIII.1949, leg. J. BIRKET-SMITH ( ZMUC) .

Figures

Fig. 4. Pellolessertia castanea. A= palp, ventral view, B= same, retrolateral view, C= habitus, fronto-lateral view, D= same, dorsal view, E= same, lateral view. Scales 0.1 mm for palps, 1.0 mm