Myrmarachne galea sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 12B90BE7-CB0B-4DCE-A0CA-86841497B6F5

Fig. 39

Diagnosis

The species is distinctive in the shape of the body, unlike an ant, with a very convex cephalic part of the carapace (Fig. 39B). Legs relatively shorter than those in its congeners, a characteristic colouration of the abdomen, generally light with brownish grey patches on the sides.

Etymology

The specific epithet is a noun in apposition. It is Latin, meaning ‘helmet’, referring to the shape of the carapace.

Material examined

Holotype IVORY COAST • ♀; Lamto; 6°13′ N, 5°01′ W; 30 Dec. 1975; “savane non-brulée, base des herbes”; MNHN.

Paratype IVORY COAST • 1 ♀; same collection data as for holotype; 3 Jan. 1976; MNHN .

Description

Male

Unknown.

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Cephalothorax length 1.5–1.9, height 0.6–0.8. Eye field length 0.7–0.8, anterior width 0.9–1.0, posterior width 1.0–1.1. Abdomen length 1.4–1.7, width 1.1–1.2. General appearance as in Fig. 39A–B. Small, stocky spider, shape of body not ant-like.

CARAPACE. High, cephalic part strongly arched, hemispherical, thoracic part rather short. Eye field pitted, dark brown, black near eyes, with metallic shine; thoracic part yellowish with large brown triangular patches. Carapace clothed in thin colourless hairs, some white hairs and two trichobotria in constriction. Sternum and mouthparts light brown, endites with whitish tips. Chelicerae with 5 small teeth on promargin and 6 on retromargin.

ABDOMEN. Oval, light yellow with greyish brown pattern composed of short median streak at anterior edge and two lateral irregular streaks formed of several patches (Fig. 39A), venter light brown. Abdominal hairs brown and whitish. Spinnerets yellow.

LEGS. Relatively shorter than in other Myrmarachne spp., yellow, femur I and II with dark lines on prolateral surface, tibia I with dark line on both lateral surfaces. Legs III and IV with brownish rings at base and mid-point of femora and at basal end of tibiae. First leg with two pairs of ventral spines on metatarsus, five pairs on tibia and a single ventral spine on patella.

EPIGYNE. Very small, with triangular median pocket (Fig. 39C–D), spermathecae looped (Fig. 39E).

Distribution

Only known from the type locality, Lamto, Ivory Coast.