Pachyballus ornatus, Wesołowska & Azarkina & Wiśniewski, 2020

Wesolowska, Wanda, Azarkina, Galina N. & Wisniewski, Konrad, 2020, A revision of Pachyballus Simon, 1900 and Peplometus Simon, 1900 (Araneae, Salticidae, Ballini) with descriptions of new species, ZooKeys 944, pp. 47-98 : 47

Pachyballus ornatus sp. nov. Figures 2 , 75-80 , 81-85 , 86-91 , 92-97 , 195

Holotype.

Tanzania • ♂; Tanga region, Usambara Mts, Amani Nature Reserve, Mbomole Hill; 5°05'S, 38°37'E; 1000 m a.s.l.; 5-8.XI.1995; C. Griswold, N. Scharff, D. Ubick leg.; CAS.

Paratypes.

Congo D.R. • 1♂; Equateur, Bokuma; 0°06'S, 18°42'E; in 1952; R. P. Lootens leg.; MRAC 85 126 • 1♂; Mayombe, Bas Congo, Luki Forest Reserve; 5°37'S, 13°05'E; 7.XI.2006; D. De Bakker and J. P. Michiels leg.; primary rainforest, fogging; MRAC 226 115 • 1♂; Kivu, Ibanda [Bukavu]; 2°29'S, 28°50'E; SMF. Tanzania • 2♂ 2♀ (1 of females - black form); together with the holotype; CAS • 1♂; Mufindi distr., Iringa region, Uzungwa Scarp Forest Reserve; 8°32'S, 35°54'E; 750 m a.s.l.; 8.III.1996; McKamey leg.; canopy fogging; UCZM • 1♂; the same locality, by Chita village; 1300-1400 m a.s.l.; 26.X-14.XI.1984; N. Scharff leg.; montane rain forest; UCZM • 3♂ 4♀ (2 of females - black form); 11 km SE Masisiwe Kihanga Stream; 8°32'S, 35°58'E; 1800 m a.s.l.; 17-27V.1997; canopy; UCZM • 1♂; Uluguru Mts, Kimboza Forest Reserve; 7°20'S, 37°47'E; 250 m a.s.l.; 18.VII.1981; M. Stoltze and N. Scharff leg.; UCZM.

Diagnosis.

A characteristic body pattern allows an easy recognition of this species; the abdomen is light with dark margins and a dark streak or central patch (Figs 78 , 81 ). Some specimens, probably young adult females (soon after moulting), can be uniformly black and resemble females of P. flavipes , but they are distinguishable in having dark palps (that are yellow in the latter species).

Etymology.

The specific name is Latin and means decorated, which refers to the characteristic colour pattern.

Description.

Male. Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 1.2-1.7, width 1.5-1.8, height 0.5-0.6. Eye field: length 0.8-1.0, anterior width 1.1-1.4, posterior width 1.5-1.8. Abdomen: length 1.7-2.3, width 1.8-2.4.

General appearance as in Figs 75-80 . Body flat, integument strongly sclerotised, clearly pitted. Carapace wider than long, eye field trapezoid (distance between anterior lateral eyes shorter than between posterior laterals), occupies about half of carapace. Colouration of carapace brown, black around eyes, in some specimens with two large yellowish patches in eye field (Figs 76 , 78 , 80 ). Dense bristles at eyes of first row and at lateral edges of carapace. Chelicera with three short teeth on promargin and saw-shaped tooth with four tips on retromargin. Labium and endites brownish with lighter tips, sternum rounded, brown. Abdomen very flat, triangular to heart-shaped, wider than long, its anterior margin almost straight. Colouration of abdomen yellow, brown on the edges, with brown longitudinal median streak (Fig. 77 ), which is reduced to round patch positioned centrally in some specimens (Fig. 79 ). Variation of pattern as presented in Figs 76-80 . Abdomen with typical ventral scuta (Figs 2 , 75 ). Spinnerets yellow. First pair of legs slightly stouter than other legs, femora enlarged, tibiae slightly thickened, brown, only tarsi light. Other legs yellowish to light brown, femora darker. Palps as in Figs 86 , 87 , embolic coil low, but basal loop high.

Female. Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 1.3-1.5, width 1.4-1.8, height 0.5-0.6. Eye field: length 0.6-0.8, anterior width 1.1-1.2, posterior width 1.4-1.5. Abdomen: length1.9-2.1, width 2.0-2.2.

General appearance as in Figs 81-84 . Body shape and colouration similar to that in male. First legs not enlarged. Palps dark. Epigyne with anterior semi-circular depression divided by a median septum (Figs 88-91 ). Copulatory ducts very long, form several loose loops, spermathecae oval (Figs 92-97 ).

Distribution.

Tanzania and Congo D.R. (Fig. 195 ).

Remarks.

Some specimens, probably young females (soon after the moulting), were dark, almost black (Fig. 84 ). They appear to become brighter with age due to guanine accumulation (light spots are formed by guanine crystals stored under integument). Black females were collected together with light specimens. Internal structure of epigynes similar in light, Figs 92-94 , and black, Figs 85 , 95-97 specimens. Colouration seems to turn brighter in the course of life also in males.

Figures

Figures 1 - 6. Some morphological characters of Pachyballus and Peplometus 1 Pach. flavipes (specimen from Gabon), male, ventral abdominal scuta 2 Pach. ornatus (specimen from Tanzania), female, ventral abdominal scuta 3 Pach. flavipes (specimen from Congo), embolus 4 Pepl. biscutellatus (specimen from Ivory Coast), palpal organ in ventral view 5 Pach. flavipes (specimen from Zimbabwe), epigyne with broken embolus in copulatory opening 6 Pach. castaneus, pitted integument of abdomen.

Figures 75 - 80. Pachyballus ornatus sp. nov., male, habitus 75 ventral view 76 - 80 dorsal view (all specimens from Tanzania).

Figures 81 - 85. Pachyballus ornatus sp. nov., female, 81 - 84 habitus, dorsal view 85 epigyne (all specimens from Tanzania).

Figures 86 - 91. Pachyballus ornatus sp. nov., copulatory organs 86 palpal organ, ventral view 87 palpal organ, lateral view 88 - 91 epigyne (89, 91 black form 89, 90 specimens from Usambara Mts).

Figures 92 - 97. Pachyballus ornatus sp. nov., internal structure of epigyne 92, 94, 95, 97 ventral view, 93, 96 dorsal view (specimens 94 - 96 from Usambara Mts, lower row - black form).

Figures 193 - 198. Distribution maps of Pachyballus and Peplometus species. 193 circle - Pachyballus caelestis, square - P. castaneus, triangle - P. variegatus 194 P. flavipes 195 circle - P. miniscutulus, square - P. mombasensis, triangle - P. ornatus 196 P. transversus 197 circle - Peplometus biscutellatus, square - P. chlorophthalmus 198 circle - P. nimba, square - P. oyo, triangle - P. congoensis.