Smeringopina mbouda, Huber, Bernhard A., 2013

Huber, Bernhard A., 2013, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Guineo-Congolian spider genus Smeringopina Kraus (Araneae, Pholcidae, Zootaxa 3713 (1), pp. 1-160 : 23-24

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.3713.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C5F0BC11-92C0-4B30-9DB3-200882AC8950

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6162003

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/B20287ED-FFF2-FF8D-B990-C108FAE139A1

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Smeringopina mbouda
status

sp. nov.

Smeringopina mbouda View in CoL new species

Figs. 23 View FIGURES 17 – 31 , 299–303 View FIGURES 294 – 303 , 307–309 View FIGURES 304 – 317 , 324–342 View FIGURES 324 – 329 View FIGURES 330 – 342

Type. ♂ holotype from Cameroon, West Region, near Mbouda , Bamboutos (5°37.3’N, 10°06.7’E), 2100 m a.s.l., among rocks, near ground, 19.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10221).

Other material examined. CAMEROON: West Region: near Mbouda , Bamboutos , same data as holotype, 7♂ 8♀ (2 vials) in ZFMK (Ar 10222-23); same data, 1♀ 4 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Cam 154). Northwest Region: near Lake Oku (6°11.2’N, 10°27.9’E), 2400 m a.s.l., in hollows of large trees, 16.iv.2009 (B.A. & J.C. Huber), 7♂ 9♀ (2 vials) in ZFMK (Ar 10224-25); same data, 3♀ 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Cam 119). Near Lake Oku (6°12’N, 10°27’E), 2150 m a.s.l., 7.–13.ii.1992 (C. Griswold, S. Larcher, N. Scharff, C. Wanzie), 4♂ 7♀ 1 juv. in CAS; same data, 4♀ 3 juvs. (2 vials) in USNM. At Lake Oku (6°12.1’N, 10°27.6’E), 2300 m a.s.l., near ground, 16.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), 4♂ 1♀ 1 juv. in ZFMK (Ar 10226). Near Oku (6°14.2’N, 10°31.5’E), ~ 2200 m a.s.l., near ground, 17.iv.2009 (B.A. & J.C. Huber), 1♂ 1♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10227); same data, 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Cam 84). Mount Oku, forest of Podocarpus / Arundinaria at 2450 m a.s.l. (6°12.9’N, 10°29.9’E), 14.ii.1992 (Griswold, Scharff, Larcher, Menzepoh, Tame), 1♂ in CAS. Near Bamenda , at Lake Awing (5°51.7’N, 10°12.0’E), 2100 m a.s.l., near ground, 15.iv.2009 (B.A. Huber), 2♀ in pure ethanol, ZFMK (Cam 110).

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from most congeners by distinctive male cheliceral armature (very densely packed modified hairs on distinctively shaped apophyses; Figs. 326 View FIGURES 324 – 329 , 335 View FIGURES 330 – 342 ) and procursus with ventral indentation occupied by complex membranous structures ( Figs. 325 View FIGURES 324 – 329 , 331 View FIGURES 330 – 342 ); from the very similar S. attuleh by longer male cheliceral apophyses ( Fig. 326 View FIGURES 324 – 329 ), complex embolus ( Figs. 327 View FIGURES 324 – 329 , 338 View FIGURES 330 – 342 ), absence of dorso-distal process on procursus ( Fig. 325 View FIGURES 324 – 329 ), and anterior epigynal plate without process (in lateral view; Fig. 308 View FIGURES 304 – 317 ) and rounded posterior edges (in ventral view; Figs. 307 View FIGURES 304 – 317 , 328 View FIGURES 324 – 329 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 6.0, carapace width 2.0. Leg 1: 52.4 (12.3 + 0.8 + 12.4 + 23.2 + 3.7), tibia 2: 8.5, tibia 3: 6.1, tibia 4: 9.1; tibia 1 L/d: 54. Distance PME-PME 195 µm, diameter PME 175 µm, distance PME- ALE 90 µm, distance AME-AME 35 µm, diameter AME 160 µm. Carapace ochre-yellow with dark brown triangular mark posteriorly connected with brown ocular area and brown lateral margins; clypeus light brown, sternum brown; legs light brown, indistinct darker rings subdistally on femora and tibiae and in patella area; abdomen ochre-gray with dark pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally. Habitus as in Figs. 299–300 View FIGURES 294 – 303 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with very indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus unmodified; deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit ( Figs. 330, 334 View FIGURES 330 – 342 ). Chelicerae as in Figs. 326 View FIGURES 324 – 329 and 335 View FIGURES 330 – 342 , with lateral proximal apophyses connected to distal apophyses, the latter and with ~35 modified (cone-shaped) hairs on each side ( Fig. 326 View FIGURES 324 – 329 ). Palps as in Figs. 301–303 View FIGURES 294 – 303 ; coxa unmodified; trochanter with short wide conical retrolatero-ventral apophysis; femur with retrolateral flap and large whitish area ventrally, without prolateral modification; prolateral femur-patella joint strongly shifted toward ventrally (hidden by bulb in Fig. 301 View FIGURES 294 – 303 ); tarsus with some longer but barely stronger hairs dorsally; procursus with posterior indentation occupied by complex membranous structures, without hinge ( Figs. 324–325 View FIGURES 324 – 329 , 331–332, 337 View FIGURES 330 – 342 ); bulbal process with sclerotized distal apophysis and complex toothed prolateral ridge ( Figs. 327 View FIGURES 324 – 329 , 338 View FIGURES 330 – 342 ). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegments barely visible. ALS with eight spigots each ( Fig. 341 View FIGURES 330 – 342 ); male gonopore with two epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 340 View FIGURES 330 – 342 ).

Variation. Toothed ridge of embolus slightly variable in shape. Tibia 1 in 20 other males: 9.9–15.1 (mean 12.3).

Female. In general similar to male. Tibia 1 in 26 females: 8.3–11.1 (mean 9.3). Epigynum anterior plate wide and short ( Figs. 307 View FIGURES 304 – 317 , 328 View FIGURES 324 – 329 ), almost flat in lateral view ( Fig. 308 View FIGURES 304 – 317 ), some females with pair of low humps near rim and another pair at round sclerotized areas, posterior edges rounded; large posterior plate; internal genitalia as in Figs. 309 View FIGURES 304 – 317 and 329 View FIGURES 324 – 329 . Spinnerets as in male ( Fig. 342 View FIGURES 330 – 342 ).

Natural history. At Lake Awing, S. mbouda was found in cavities of roadcuts, near Lake Oku in large hollow trees, and at Lake Oku and in Bamboutos in dark, protected spaces near the ground where the spiders were difficult to reach. Unlike its smaller sister species ( S. attuleh ) it was never found under dead leaves on the ground.

Distribution. Known from several localities in Cameroon, West and Northwest Regions ( Fig. 293 View FIGURE 293 ).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Pholcidae

Genus

Smeringopina

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