Planochelas neethlingi, Khoza, Thembile T. & Lyle, Robin, 2019

Khoza, Thembile T. & Lyle, Robin, 2019, Four new species of the sac spider genus Planochelas Lyle & Haddad, 2009 (Araneae, Trachelidae) from central and southern Africa, African Invertebrates 60 (2), pp. 147-164 : 156-161

Planochelas neethlingi sp. nov. Figs 7-8 , 24-28

Etymology.

The species is named after Mr Jan Andries Neethling who collected the type specimen.

Diagnosis.

Males of this species can be recognised by the contorted femoral apophysis that extends the length of the femoral apophysis ( Fig. 26 ). This apophysis is similar in length to that of P. haddadi sp. nov. and P. neethlingi sp. nov., but the fold (indicated by arrow in Fig. 26 ) is a unique character to this species. The female of P. neethlingi can be recognised by its large, bean-shaped ST2 ( Fig. 27 ) that is significantly more widely separated than the other females described in this paper.

Description.

Male Measurements: body: CL - 3.46; CH - 0.35; CW - 3.19; AL - 4.88; AW - 2.98; TL - 8.34; FL - 0.27; SL - 4.68; SW - 3.48. Eyes: AME-AME - 0.17; AME-ALE - 0.07; AMED - 0.30; ALE-ALE - 0.65; PME-PME - 0.31; PME-PLE - 0.24; PMED - 0.23; PLE-PLE - 1.224. Length of leg segments (sequence from coxa, trochanter, femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus and total): I 2.42 + 0.44 + 2.22 + 1.31 + 2.13 + 1.57 + 1.25 = 11.34; II 2.11 + 0.40 + 2.23 + 1.19 + 1.77 + 1.56 + 1.00 = 10.23; III 1.69 + 0.41 + 1.83 + 0.73+ 1.36 + 1.38 + 0.82 = 8.22; IV 2.20 + 0.36 + 1.71 + 1.15 + 1.61 + 1.75 + 0.95 = 9.73.

Carapace: brown, flattened, last three-quarters rounded, last quarter slightly flattened; surface finely pitted; fovea medium, indistinct, situated two-thirds of CL ( Fig. 7 ). Clypeus: CH more than AME diameter. Eyes: ocular region brown, with black rings around eyes; AER procurved, almost straight; ALE larger than AME; AME separated by distance smaller than their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance smaller than their diameter; PER almost straight; PME smaller than PLE; PME separated by distance larger than their diameter; PLE separated from PME by distance larger than their PME diameter. Chelicerae: brown, anterior surface covered in long setae; one promarginal tooth situated distally, two retromarginal teeth, one situated distally and the other promarginal situated. Sternum: brown; shield-like, darker towards border; shiny, with fine long setae. Abdomen: dark brown, oval-like and slightly elongated. Legs: light brown; femur light to dark; patella and tibia ventral side light to dark; all segments covered with short, distinct setae; no spines or cusps. Palp: dark brown, embolus tapering into fine point, distally on tegulum ( Fig. 24 ); palpal femur with large, contorted femoral apophysis, extending length of segment ( Fig. 26 ); patellar and tibial apophysis absent ( Fig. 25 ).

Female. Measurements: body: CL - 3.62; CH - 0.02; CW - 3.10; AL -4.11; AW - 2.60; TL - 7.74; FL - 0.57; SL - 5.26; SW -3.70. Eyes: AME-AME 0.33-; AME-ALE -0.06; AMED - 0.13; ALE-ALE - 0.63; PME-PME - 0.36; PME-PLE - 0.24; PMED - 0.18; PLE-PLE - 1.25. Length of leg segments (sequence from coxa, trochanter, femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, tarsus and total): I missing; II 0.26 + 0.12 + 0.59 + 0.38 + 0.55 + 0.35 + 0.27 = 2.52; III 0.21 + 0.11 + 0.44 + 0.30 + 0.37 + 0.28 + 0.16 = 1.87; IV 0.28 + 0.10 + 0.47 + 0.36 + 0.57 + 0.34 + 0.21 = 2.33.

Carapace: brown, flattened, last three-quarters rounded, last quarter slightly flattened; surface finely pitted; fovea medium, indistinct, situated two-thirds of CL ( Fig. 8 ). Clypeus: CH less than AME diameter. Eyes: ocular region brown, with black rings around eyes; AER procurved, almost straight; ALE larger than AME; AME separated by distance larger than their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance smaller than their diameter; PER almost straight; PME smaller than PLE; PME separated by distance larger than their diameter; PLE separated from PME by distance larger than PME diameter. Chelicerae: brown, anterior surface covered in long setae; one promarginal tooth situated distally, two retromarginal teeth, one situated distally and other promarginal situated. Sternum: brown; shield-like; darker towards border; shiny, with fine long setae. Abdomen: mottled grey, oval-like and slightly elongated. Legs: light brown; femur light, patella and tibia ventral side light to dark; all segments covered in short, distinct setae; no spines or cusps. Genitalia: weakly sclerotized, with small elliptical ST1 connect by narrow dusts to large, sausage-shaped ST2 ( Fig. 27 ); ST2 widely separated; round copulatory opening ( Fig. 28 ).

HOLOTYPE ♀. South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal Province, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, 28°14'07.5"S, 32°29'21.0"E, 14m a.s.l., NCA 2018/344, J.A. Neethling and C. Luwes, 14.V.2012, canopy fogging 6 (fog 6), Wetland, Syzygium cordatum , Time: 11:00 pm, Height 6m, sheeting 54m2.

ALLOTYPE ♂. South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal Province, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, St. Lucia, 28°23'02.3"S, 32°24'25.7"E, NCA 2018/343, J.A. Neethling & C. Luwes, 13. V.2012, canopy fogging (fog 4, coastal forest, Trichilia dregeana (forest mohogany)), 13:00 pm, 22m, sheeting 54m2.

PARATYPES. South Africa: KwaZulu-Natal Province, iSimangaliso Wetland Park, 28°14'07.5"S, 32°29'21.0"E, 14m a.s.l, ♂, NCA 2018/344, J.A. Neethling & C. Luwes, 14.V.2012, canopy fogging (fog 6, Syzygium cordatum ), 11:00am, 6m, sheeting 54m2; iSimangaliso Wetland Park, 28°21'24.4"S, 32°25'11.0"E; 14.V.201, ♂, 2♀, NCA 2018/345, J.A. Neethling and C. Luwes, canopy fogging (fog 7, Breonadia salicina (Matumi)), 13:00 pm, 12m, Sheeting 54m2.

Distribution.

Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 29 ).

Biology.

Due to the nature in which the specimens were collected, this species is considered arboreal.

Updated key to species of the genus Planochelas Lyle & Haddad, 2009

Figures

Figure 29. Distribution of the four new species Planochelas brevis, P. haddadi, P. jocquei and P. neethlingi.

Figures 1 - 8. Digital automontage photograph of somatic morphology of P. brevis sp. nov. 1 male and 2 female; P. haddadi sp. nov. 3 male and 4 female; P. jocquei sp. nov. 5 male and 6 female; P. neethlingi sp. nov. 7 male and 8 female.

Figures 24 - 28. Genitalic morphology of P. neethlingi sp. nov.: 24 - 26 male and 27 - 28 female 24 Palp, ventral view 25 Palp, retrolateral view 26 Femoral apophysis 27 Epigyne, ventral view 28 Epigyne, dorsal view. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Figures 9 - 13. Genitalic morphology of P. brevis sp. nov.: 9 - 11 male and 12 - 13 female 9 Palp, ventral view 10 Palp, retrolateral view 11 Femoral apophysis 12 Epigyne, ventral view 13 Epigyne, dorsal view. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Figures 14 - 18. Genitalic morphology of P. haddadi sp. nov.: 14 - 16 male and 17 - 18 female; 14 Palp, ventral view 15 Palp, retrolateral view 16 Femoral apophysis 17 Epigyne, ventral view 18 Epigyne, dorsal view. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.

Figures 19 - 23. Genitalic morphology of P. jocquei sp. nov.: 19 - 21 male and 22 - 23 female 19 Palp, ventral view 20 Palp, retrolateral view 21 Femoral apophysis 22 Epigyne, ventral view 23 Epigyne, dorsal view. Scale bar: 0.1 mm.