Mystaria oreadae, Honiball Lewis & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2014

Honiball Lewis, Allet S. & Dippenaar-Schoeman, Ansie S., 2014, Revision of the spider genus Mystaria Simon, 1895 (Araneae: Thomisidae) and the description of a new genus from the Afrotropical region, Zootaxa 3873 (2), pp. 101-144 : 126

Mystaria oreadae sp. n.

Figs 29, 30 , 69, 70 , 95–98 , 122

Type material: Holotype: ♀, RWANDA: Nord Province , Rwankuba [01°45’S, 29°51’E], alt. 2200 m, 23 August 1953, A.E. Bertrand (MRAC 78855).

Paratypes: 2 ♀, same locality data as holotype (MRAC 78856-7). DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO ( DRC): Orientale Region, 1 ♀, Ituri, Mount Bugera [00°10’S, 29°14’E], November 1953, R.P. Bergmans & R.P. Celis (MRAC 76630) .

Etymology. This species, which was sampled exclusively from mountainous regions is named after ‘Oread’, a mountain nymph in old Greek mythology. Noun in genitive case.

Diagnosis. Females can be recognised by the colour patterns on body. Femora I–IV infuscated totally or partially with brown band ( Figs 29, 30 ). Epigyne with atrium rim horseshoe-shaped, small hood centrally ( Fig. 69 ). Male unknown.

Description. Female. Size, measurements (n = 3). TL: 3.20 (2.74–3.53); CL: 1.14 (1.01–1.27); CW: 1.09 (0.97–1.22); CI: 1.05 (1.04–1.07); CH: 0.66 (0.63–0.70); CLL: 0.23 (0.20–0.26); MOQ-L: 0.24 (0.24–0.25). Colour. Carapace varies from red to orange copper, may be tinted darker on thoracic region with paler triangles postero-laterally or darkened on posterior edge, colour and patterns varies between individuals; chelicerae orange to copper, with tinted black tips; sternum dark copper; abdomen dorsally pale white, may have a median longitudinal band which extends to spinnerets and striae; ventrally uniformly metallic blue to turqoise or slightly dark pink; striae blue-grey; all legs segments except femora I–IV uniform orange-yellow ( Fig. 30 ). Carapace. Slightly granular; setae present on clypeal edge and laterally of ALE and PLE. Sternum. SL: 0.48; SW: 0.53; SI: 0.91. Eye s. Eye measurements: AME–AME: 0.22; ALE–AME: 0.31; AME–AME/AME–ALE: 0.72; PME–PME: 0.37; PLE–PME: 0.28; PME–PME/PME–PLE: 1.35; ALE/AME: 1.40; PLE/PME: 0.74; MOQ-AW/MOQ-PW: 0.60; MOQ-L/MOQ-W: 0.41; Clyp/AME–AME: 1.04. Legs. Short setae present on all legs; spiniform setae present on the following segments: femora laterally with two or three medium-length setae; tibia ventrally or dorsally with many scattered, erectile and long setae; tibiae ventrally with two fairly long setae situated distally; tarsal claws as in Figs 95–98 ; leg formula: II:I:IV:III; leg measurements: leg I—Fe 1.75, Pat 0.30, Tib 0.59, Mt 0.50, Ta 0.40, total 2.53; II—Fe 0.75, Pat 0.30, Tib 0.62, Mt 0.50, Ta 0.40, total 2.57; III—Fe 0.58, Pat 0.26, Tib 0.43, Mt 0.34, Ta 0.29, total 1.89; IV—Fe 0.66, Pat 0.24, Tib 0.50, Mt 0.42, Ta 0.30, total 2.12. Abdomen. Slightly wider posteriorly; AL: 2.06; AW: 1.80; AI: 1.14. Epigyne. Intromittent orifices small, open antero-laterally ( Fig. 69 ); intromittent canals visible ventrally, postero-laterally to rim; intromittent canals as in Fig. 70 .

Male. Unknown.

Natural history. Specimens have been sampled from mountainous regions. Females were found to occur from August to November.

Distribution. Rwanda and Democratic Republic of Congo ( DRC) ( Fig. 122 ).

Figures

FIGURES 25–42. Microscope photographs of dorsal and lateral views of Mystaria species. 25 Mystaria mnyama sp. n. male from Tembe Elephant Park (dorsal view); 26–28 Mystaria occidentalis (Millot, 1942) comb. n. (26, 27 female from Democratic Republic of Congo, Kaisola antero-and latero-dorsal views, 28 male from Rwanda, Butare dorsal view); 29–30 Mystaria oreadae sp. n. female from Rwanda, Rwankuba antero-and latero-dorsal views; 31–32 Mystaria rufolimbata Simon, 1895 (31 female from Democratic Republic of Congo, Walikale dorsal view, 32 male from Gabon, Kinguélé dorsal view); 33–35 Mystaria savannensis sp. n. (33, 34 female from South Africa, Soutpansberg antero-and latero-dorsal views, 35 male from Soutpansberg dorsal view); 36–37 Mystaria soleil sp. n. (36 female from Kenya, Kakamega dorsal view, 37 male from Kakamega dorsal view); 38–39 Mystaria stakesbyi sp. n. (38 female from Ghana, Legon dorsal view; 39 male from Democratic Republic of Congo, Semliki dorsal view). 40–42 Mystaria variabilis (Lessert, 1919) comb. n. (40, 41 female from Democratic Republic of Congo, Kisantu antero-and latero dorsal views, 42 male from Democratic Republic of Congo, Butembo dorsal view).

FIGURES 69–82. Line drawings of copulatory organs in male and female Mystaria species, with ventral- (left) and retrolateral (right) views of male palps and ventral- (left) and dorsal (right) views of female epigynes. 69–70 Mystaria oreadae sp. n. female epigyne; 71–74 Mystaria rufolimbata Simon, 1895 (71, 72 male left palp, 73, 74 female epigyne); 75–78 Mystaria savannensis sp. n. (75, 76 male left palp, 77, 78 female epigyne); 79–82 Mystaria soleil sp. n. (79, 80 male left palp, 81, 82 female epigyne). Scales = 10mm.

FIGURES 91–102. SEM photographs of tarsal claws and tufts on leg I–IV of female Mystaria species. 91–94 M. rufolimbata Simon, 1895 from South Africa, Hellsgate; 95–98 M. oreadae sp. n. from Rwanda, Rwankuba; 99–102 M. savannensis sp. n. from South Africa, Kruger National Park, Letaba Camp. Scale lines = 100 µm (91–94). 10 µm (95–102).

FIGURES 119–122. Recorded geographical distribution of Mystaria species. 119 Mystaria lindaicapensis sp. n.; 120 Mystaria mnyama sp. n.; 121 Mystaria occidentalis (Millot, 1942) comb. n.; 122 Mystaria oreadae sp. n. Scale lines = 800 km (119), 640 km (120), 2400 km (121), 1120 km (122).