Tusitala guineensis Berland & Millot, 1941

Fig. 75

Tusitala guineensis Berland & Millot, 1941: 395, fig. 89.

Material examined

IVORY COAST • 1 ♀; Cavally Forest; 19 Nov. 1975; “sur branches au bord de la route”; MNHN • 1 ♀; Man, road to Mt Tonkoui; 7°27′ N, 7°38′ W; 900–1000 m a.s.l.; 11 Nov. 1975; “branches au bord de la route”; MNHN .

Diagnosis

The female of this species differs from the congeners in the structure of the epigyne. The seminal ducts are short and do not form loops, while in other species they are always coiled.

Redescription

Male

Unknown.

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Cephalothorax length 2.5–2.7, width 1.9–2.0, height 1.1–1.2. Eye field length 1.2–1.3, anterior and posterior width 1.8–1.9. Abdomen length 3.0–3.1, width 2.1. General appearance as in Fig. 75A.

CARAPACE. Oval, gently sloping behind eye field, dark brown with longitudinal thin lighter streak on thoracic part. Black rings around eyes, anterior eyes encircled by fawn scales from above and whitish from below, long brown bristles at first row of eyes. Carapace clothed in fine whitish grey hairs, white hairs form patch at posterior edge of eye field and transverse line behind anterior eyes. Clypeus with white hairs, three thin white lines beneath anterior lateral eyes. Chelicerae long, dark brown with dentition typical for members of this genus (two teeth on promargin and two-apex tooth on retromargin). Labium and endites brown with whitish tips, sternum light brown.

ABDOMEN. Brownish with white streak on anterior edge overlaping to sides, wide yellowish serrated streak on dorsum, numerous brown bristles on dorsal surface. Venter laterally brown, medially creamy with brownish streak in the middle. Spinnerets brownish.

LEGS. Brown, spines and leg hairs brown. EPIGYNE. As in Fig. 75B–C, with a pair of troughs leading to copulatory openings. Seminal ducts broad and short, forming strongly sclerotized reservoirs preceding spermathecae (Fig. 75D).

Remarks

Tusitala guineensis was described on the base of single female from Guinea.Although the type specimen is lost, the original description, especially the figure of the epigyne, allow identification of this species.

Distribution

Hitherto known only from Guinea.