Cebrennus aethiopicus Simon, 1880

Jäger, Peter, 2014, Cebrennus Simon, 1880 (Araneae: Sparassidae): a revisionary up-date with the description of four new species and an updated identification key for all species, Zootaxa 3790 (2), pp. 319-356 : 330-332

Cebrennus aethiopicus Simon, 1880

Figs 24–31 , 55–62 , 70–75 , 82–86 , 173

Cebrennus aethiopicus Simon, 1880: 334 (description of male; holotype male, Eritrea, Massaua, MNHN 1613-3274, examined). Fage 1921: 162, figs 1d–e (illustration of male); Jäger 2000: 176, figs 49–55 (illustration of male, description of female); Jäger and Kunz 2005: 169, figs 283–291 (illustration of male and female from A [Ain/Al/As?] Sefza [Sefra/ Safra?].

Material examined. SUDAN: Red Sea: 1 male (PJ 3474), open alkaline plain, Gowb, C. Dewhurst leg. March 2001 ( RMCA 236151). ERITREA: Anseba: 1 female (PJ 3408), Gheleb, RII 12975 ( SMF 9912975). Northern Red Sea: Holotype male (PJ 3441), Massaua, 1613-3274 ( MNHN); 1 female (PJ 3473), Red Sea Coast, in sand on Red Sea, C. Dewhurst leg. 9 November 1996 ( RMCA 236132). DJIBOUTI. 1 male (PJ 3442; + 1 immature), Djibouti, 1613-1944 ( MNHN).

Diagnosis. Medium-sized Sparassinae, body length of males: 10.5–11.1, females: 12.7–17.5. Copulatory organ similar to those of C. wagae , C. castaneitarsis and C. flagellatus spec. nov. in having a very long embolus with distal loop as long as the tegulum or larger ( Figs 24–31 ). Distinguished from C. flagellatus spec. nov. by the absence of an additional flagellum at the embolus kink. In males, the RTA in retrolateral view is as long as the tibia or slightly longer, i.e. the ratio RTA/tibia ranges from 1.00 to 1.16, which is intermediate between C. castaneitarsis and C. flagellatus spec. nov. on the one hand and C. wagae on the other hand. Moreover, males differ from those of the three other species by having the embolus arising in a 3 to 3.30 o’clock-position from tegulum, embolus base reaching the retrolateral margin of tegulum. Females ( Figs 55–62 ): Epigynal field’s ratio width/length ranges from 1.46 to 1.58, i.e. generally wider than the other Cebrennus spp. Lateral epigynal ledges with their posterior ends closer to each other than anterior ends or as close as these. Males and females with 5 to 6 cheliceral posterior teeth ( Figs 70–75 ).

Description. See Jäger (2000). Additional data of PJ 3474 as following (with data, if present, of holotype in parentheses): Male. PL 5.8 (6.2), PW 5.3 (5.0), AW 3.4 (3.6), OL 4.7 (4.9), OW 3.7 (3.3). Spination: Palp: 130, 0 0 0, 1000 [thin bristle]; legs: femur I–III 323, IV 322(3); patella I–IV 000; tibia I–IV 2024; metatarsus I–III 3034, IV 3036. Ventral metatarsi I–IV with scopula in distal half, without spines or bristles distally. Measurements leg I: 29.9 (8.6, 2.7, 7.7, 8.7, 2.2). Chelicerae with 2 anterior teeth and with 5 (6) posterior teeth. Margin of chelicerae close to fang base with 5 bristles ( Figs 73, 75 ).

Colouration: pale yellowish brown, without distinct pattern, but chelicerae, dorsal prosoma and opisthosoma with indistinct markings; distal appendages slightly darker.

Female (n=2): PL 7.1–7.7, PW 5.6–6.5, AW 4.5–5.5, OL 8.3–10.4, OW 7.4–8.2; AME 0.45–0.56, ALE 0.35–0.47, PME 0.31–0.41, PLE 0.28–0.42, AME–AME 0.30–0.39, AME–ALE 0.32–0.39, PME–PME 0.62–0.67, PME–PLE 0.93–1.21, AME–PME 0.42–0.47, ALE–PLE 0.89–0.93, clypeus AME 0.24–0.31, clypeus ALE 0.29–0.38 ( Figs 83, 85 ). Spination: Palp: 130, 0 0 0, 1000 (0001), 1000 (0002); legs: femur I–II 323, III 323(2), IV 322; patella I–IV 000; tibia I 202(1)4, II–IV 2024; metatarsus I 2024 (3034), II 2024 (2034, median prolateral missing), III 2024 (3034), IV 3036. Ventral metatarsi I–IV with sparse scopula in distal half, without spines or bristles distally. Measurements leg I: [n=2] 23.1–28.3 (6.6–7.8, 2.7–3.4, 5.5–7.0, 6.5–8.0, 1.8–2.1). Palpal claw with 8 to 9 teeth. Margin of chelicerae close to fang base with 3–5 bristles ( Figs 70–72, 74 ).

Colouration: (pale) yellowish brown, without distinct pattern, dorsal opisthosoma with indistinct dots; chelicerae (light) reddish brown, distal appendages slightly darker.

Distribution. Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Ethiopia [not mapped], Saudi Arabia ( Fig. 173 ).

Figures

FIGURE 173. Distribution records of Cebrennus spp. (according to Jäger 2000 and references therein, this paper and Reimoser 1919). Note that the exact locality for C. laurae spec. nov. is unknown.

FIGURES 24 – 29. Cebrennus aethiopicus Simon, 1880, males (24 – 25 holotype male, Massaua, Eritrea, 26 – 27 Djibouti, 28 – 29 “ A Sefza ”). Left male palp (24, 26, 28 ventral, 25, 27, 29 retrolateral). EB—embolus base.

FIGURES 30 – 35. 30 – 31 Cebrennus aethiopicus Simon, 1880, male from Sudan; 32 – 35 Cebrennus flagellatus spec. nov., holotype male from Nangarhar Province, E Afghanistan. 30 – 33 Left male palp (30, 32 ventral, 31, 33 retrolateral); 34 Embolic kink showing flagellum, proximal; 35 Embolus tip, ventral. F—flagellum at embolus kink.

FIGURES 55 – 62. Cebrennus aethiopicus Simon, 1880, females (55 – 57 “ A Sefza ”, 58 – 60 Gheleb, Eritrea, 61 – 62 Eritrea). 55, 58, 61 Epigyne, ventral; 56, 59, 62 Vulva, dorsal; 57, 60 Schematic course of internal duct system, dorsal.

FIGURES 63 – 76. Cebrennus spp., cheliceral dentition, ventral. 63 Cebrennus spec. B, female, S Morocco; 64 – 69 Cebrennus wagae (Simon, 1874) (64 female from Algeria, 65 male from Libya, 66 male from Tunisia, 67 female from Malta, 68 – 69 female from Tunisia); 70 – 75 Cebrennus aethiopicus Simon, 1880 (70 – 71 female from “ A Sefza ”, 72 female from Eritrea, 73 holotype male from Eritrea, 74 female from Eritrea, 75 male from Sudan); 76 Cebrennus flagellatus spec. nov., holotype male from Afghanistan.

FIGURES 77 – 87. Cebrennus spp., eye arrangement, dorsal. 77 – 81 Cebrennus wagae (Simon, 1874) (77 female from Algeria, 78 female from Malta, 79 male from Tunisia, 80 female from Tunisia, 81 male from Libya); 82 – 86 Cebrennus aethiopicus Simon, 1880 (82 male from “ A Sefza ”, 83 female from Eritrea, 84 female from A Sefza?, 85 female from Eritrea, 86 male from Sudan); 87 Cebrennus flagellatus spec. nov., holotype male from Afghanistan.