CALLITRICHIA PICTA (CAPORIACCO, 1949) COMB. NOV.

(FIGS 19E, 22E, 24E, 33; SUPPORTING INFORMATION, FIG. S2C)

Toschia picta di Caporiacco, 1949: 363, fig. 26a–c (Dmf).

Rhaebothorax hadzji Caporiacco, 1949: 368, fig. 30a–c (Dm).

Toschia picta Holm, 1962: 157, fig. 58a–e, pl. V, figs 14, 15 (mf).

Toschia picta van Helsdingen, 1982: 178 .

Mecynargus hadzji, Brignoli, 1983: 345 .

Oedothorax pictus Brignoli, 1983: 350 .

Examined material: D. R. Congo, Kivu-N. Province, Mt. Muleke (00°17’ S, 029°15’ E), 1820 m, 1♂ 5.vii.1963, coll. M, J. Celis, det. A. Holm, 1967 (RMCA) .

Diagnosis:

Males: This species shows no external prosomal modification, which distinguishes it from the congeners with prosomal modifications; the presence of a long, scaly ventral radical process distinguishes it from other Callitrichia species lacking external prosomal modification, except Ca. casta and Ca. hirsuta; can be further distinguished from the former by its slightly laterally extended distal retrolateral margin of the palpal tibial prolateral apophysis. Males of this species are morphologically identical to Ca. hirsuta based on the inspection of figs 62–66 in Jocqué & Scharff (1986).

Females: Can be identified by the following combination of features: opisthosoma dark brownish grey, dorsal with a pale longitudinal stripe like in male; an obvious loop can be seen in the part of copulatory duct ectal to the spermathecae from ventral view of the vulva of epigyne (fig. 58E in Holm 1962); distance between the copulatory openings longer than in other species with the previous feature.

Description:

Male (RMCA): Total length: 2.17. Prosoma: 0.97 long, 0.68 wide, without modification (Fig. 19E). Eyes: AME- AME: 0.04, AME width: 0.02, AME-ALE: 0.07, ALE width: 0.07, ALE-PLE: 0.01, PLE width: 0.07, PLE- PME: 0.05, PME width: 0.07, PME-PME: 0.05. Clypeus not hirsute, one sub-AME seta. Sternum: 0.53 long, 0.53 wide. Chelicerae: mastidia absent; stridulatory striae ridged, rows compressed and evenly spaced (Fig. 22E). Legs: dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I, II, III and IV 1.74, 2.14, 2.43 and 3.30 times diameter of tibia, respectively; Tm I: 0.70. Pedipalp: patella prolateral proximal vertical macrosetae absent; TPA large, distal part slightly dilated and truncate at tip (Fig. 33C); PC base not visible from dorsal view, distal setae close to distal clasp, distal-setae-bearing area wide, externally protruded into a high blunt elevation, distal clasp extended apically (Fig. 33A); T without papillae, PT truncated, apical part without papillae; TS absent (Fig. 33D); MSA present; DSA wide, round at tip (Fig. 33A); EM broad and flat, without papillae, not exceeding ARP; ARP pointed, with groove hosting E; LER absent; VRP long, with papillae between ARP and VRP; TP long, triangular; E short and stout, slightly retrolaterally curved, median part dorsally elevated (Fig. 33B). Opisthosoma: dorsal pattern see Fig. 24E; PMS with mAP, two AC; PLS with triad, 3+ AC (Fig. 33G).

Female (RMCA 111987): Total length: 2.61. Prosoma: 1.02 long, 0.77 wide. Eyes: AME-AME: 0.03, AME width: 0.04, AME-ALE: 0.04, ALE width: 0.6, ALE-PLE: 0.02, PLE width: 0.06, PLE-PME: 0.06, PME width: 0.06, PME-PME: 0.07. Clypeus: not hirsute, one sub- AME seta. Sternum: 0.62 long, 0.58 wide. Legs: dorsal proximal macroseta on tibia I, II, III and IV 2.19, 2.36, 2.74 and 3.38 times diameter of tibia, respectively; Tm I: 0.65. Epigyne: (Fig. 33E, F). Opisthosoma: singlecoloured grey; PMS with mAP, two AC, CY; PLS with triad, two CY, 3+ AC.

Distribution: Congo, Kenya.

Remarks: Besides structures corresponding to anterior radical process, radical tailpiece and ventral radical process, Holm (1962) described the embolic division of this species as having a short mesal process close to the embolus, probably referring to the embolic membrane (Fig. 33B, D). This species is similar to Ca. hirsuta from Tanzania [compare Figs 33 and 19E with figs 62–66 in Jocqué and Scharff (1986)]. It is even possible that Ca. hirsuta is a junior synonym of Ca. picta, which will require examining the male of Ca. hirsuta . Following the results of our phylogenetic analysis, this species is transferred to Callitrichia, a placement also consistent with morphological traits of the species.