Thyenula rufa sp. nov.

Figs 211–221

Holotype: male, SOUTH AFRICA, KwaZulu-Natal Province, Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve, 30°16'S: 30°37'E, canopy fogging Vepris lanceolata, 26 November 2012, leg. J.A. Neethling (NCA 2013 /663).

Paratypes: together with holotype, 1 male, 3 females; Eastern Cape Province, Transkei coast, Mzimhlava river mouth, 31°22'S: 29°35'E, coastal evergreen forest, 2 males, February 1980, leg. M. Baddeley (MRAC 166 643) .

Diagnosis. The species is related to other large sized members of the genus, its characteristic feature is the presence of coppery coloured hairs on the abdomen. The male may be distinguished by the characteristic large chelicerae with single prolateral tooth (other species possesses two prolateral teeth). The structure of the epigyne is similar to that of T. aurantiaca (Simon, 1902), but the seminal ducts are longer with wide initial part.

Etymology. The specific name is Latin for red-haired, refers to the presence of coppery coloured hairs on the body.

Description. Measurements (male/female). Cephalothorax: length 4.8–5.2/3.9–4.2, width 3.6–4.2/3.4–3.6, height 2.4–2.6/2.0–2.4. Abdomen: length 4.6–4.8/3.1–4.1, width 2.7–3.4/2.3–2.6. Eye field: length 1.9–2.0/ 1.6–1.8, anterior and posterior width 2.7–3.0/2.7–2.9.

Male. General appearance as in Fig. 211. Large spider with robust chelicerae. Carapace oval, orange brownish, almost naked, only with some short brown hairs on thoracic part, fovea clearly visible. Eye field short, eyes surrounded by black rings, few longer bristles near eyes. Clypeus very low, brown. Chelicerae large, robust, light brown, with single tooth on promargin and bicuspid tooth on retromarginal edge, fang short (Figs 212, 213). Endites and labium light brown with cream tips, sternum yellow. Abdomen ovoid, greyish brown with wide light median band, clothed in dense reddish hairs, denser on sides and anterior margin, among them long brown bristles. Venter and spinnerets light yellowish. Legs yellowish brown, bearing dark brown hairs and spines. Pedipalps relatively small. Bulb short, without proximal lobe, embolus thin, with close basal loop (Fig. 214), tibial apophysis wide (Fig. 215).

Female. Generally similar to male (Figs 216, 217), slightly smaller. Some white hairs near eyes. Chelicerae robust, with two promarginal teeth and large bicuspid retrolateral tooth (Figs 218, 219). Coloration of abdomen varied, from uniformly yellowish brown to ornamented by a few pairs of black patches (Fig. 216), reddish hairs always present. Epigyne weakly sclerotized, with small anterolateral depressions (Fig. 220). Seminal ducts short, broad in initial part, two pairs of accessory glands, first fall into distal part of seminal ducts, second placed in spermatheca wall (Fig. 221).

Distribution. Southeastern coast of South Africa.