Torrenticola fasciata (K. Viets, 1916)

(Figs. 5A–E, 12E–F, 14E–F)

Atractides damkoehleri fasciata K. Viets 1916: 267 .

New records. Ghana: unnamed creek crossing road to Ankasa NP, 5º 11.435 N, 2º 39.429 W, alt. 20 m asl, 27.ii.2011, Smit, 19/0 (1/1/0 mounted); Ankasa River, Ankasa NP, 5º 13.011 N, 2º 39.126 W, alt. 60 m asl., 13.ii.2013, Smit, 0/1/0; Supon stream near Asiakwa, Atewa Hills, 6º 15.530 N, 0º 30.642 W, 7.iii.2011, Smit, 1/1/0.

Morphology. General features —Idiosoma roundish; shoulder platelets fused to the large dorsal plate; dorsal shield with colour pattern as illustrated in Figs. 12E–F; gnathosomal bay U-shaped, proximally pointed; Cxgl-4 far posterior at margin of Cx-I/II near insertion of II-L; Vgl-2 on the margin of primary sclerotization, excretory pore posterior to Vgl-2 (Fig. 5B); gnathosoma with curved ventral margin; P-2 nearly equal in length as P-4, P-2 ventral margin straight, P-2 ventrodistal protrusion, bluntly pointed and cone-shaped, curved towards distal; P-3 ventrodistal protrusion pointed and cone-shaped; P-4 with well developed ventral protuberances, ending in two tips separated by a concavity (Figs. 5D–E). Male: medial suture line of Cx-II+III moderately long; posterior suture line of Cx-IV distinct, medially starting from posterior margin of genital field in a right angle to the main idiosoma axis; genital field large and subrectangular in shape; ejaculatory complex conventional in shape (with well developed anterior keel and proximal arms—Fig. 5C); postgenital area short. Female: posterior suture line of Cx-IV curved and extending more posterior from the genital field than in male, genital field pentagonal in shape.

Measurements. Male (from unnamed creek crossing road to Ankasa NP, n = 1)—Idiosoma (ventral view: Figs. 5B, 14E) L 559, W 442; dorsal shield (Fig. 5A, 12E) L 453, W 359, L/W ratio 1.26; dorsal plate L 427; frontal platelets L 103, W 50, L/W ratio 2.1. Gnathosomal bay L 125, Cx-I total L 225, Cx-I mL 100, Cx-II+III mL 102; ratio Cx-I L/Cx-II+III mL 2.2; Cx-I mL/Cx-II+III mL 0.98. Genital field L/W 142/119, ratio 1.2; ejaculatory complex L 213; distance genital field-excretory pore 78, genital field-caudal idiosoma margin 88. Gnathosoma vL 252; chelicera total L 323; palp total L 289–291, dL/H, dL/H ratio: P-1, 34–35/35–36, 0.97; P-2, 89/49, 1.8; P-3, 58–59/46, 1.27; P-4, 88/32, 2.7; P-5, 20/14, 1.43; P-2/P-4 ratio 1.02; dL of I-L-4–6: 86, 94, 92; I-L-6 H 31, dL/H I- L-6 ratio 3.0.

Female (from unnamed creek crossing road to Ankasa NP, n = 1)—Idiosoma (ventral view: Fig. 14F) L 634, W 475; dorsal shield (Fig. 12F) L 510, W 397, L/W ratio 1.28; dorsal plate L 477; frontal platelets L 117–119, W 50–52, L/W ratio 2.3. Gnathosomal bay L 141, Cx-I total L 241, Cx-I mL 100, Cx-II+III mL 69; ratio Cx-I L/Cx- II+III mL 3.5; Cx-I mL/Cx-II+III mL 1.5. Genital field L/W 150/144, ratio 1.04; distance genital field-excretory pore 147, genital field-caudal idiosoma margin 152. Gnathosoma vL 295; chelicera total L 375; palp total L 318–320, dL/H, dL/H ratio: P-1, 41–42/41–42, 1.0; P-2, 97/57, 1.7; P-3, 61–62/50, 1.23; P-4, 99/34, 2.9; P-5, 20/ 15, 1.3; P-2/P-4 ratio 0.98; dL of I-L-4–6: 94, 102, 97; I-L-6 H 32, dL/H I-L-6 ratio 3.0.

Remarks. Torrenticola fasciata belonged to the former subgenus Rusetria, characterized by the fusion of the shoulder platelets with the large dorsal plate. This group includes six rather similar African species: T. fasciata, T. ima K.O. Viets, 1974, T. obtusidens Lundblad, 1951, T. procera K.O. Viets, 1965, T. proxima Lundblad, 1951, and T. solitaria K.O. Viets, 1974 . The combination of the characteristic colour pattern on the dorsal shield (Figs. 12E–F) and Cxgl–4 far posterior, at the margin between Cx-I and Cx-II, separates T. fasciata from all other members of this group.

Distribution. Cameroon (K. Viets 1916), Liberia (Cook 1966), Kenya (Lundblad 1952).