Phintella occidentalis sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 7265C71F-FF5D-4061-8533-3E92E2DF632C

Figs 46–47

Diagnosis

This species may be distinguished by the striped pattern of the abdomen. The structure of the genital organs is somewhat similar to those in Phintella popovi (Prószyński, 1979) from the Far East of the Palaearctic, but the male palp has a longer tibial apophysis and the female seminal ducts connect to the spermathecae mesially vs laterally in the former species.

Etymology

The name is Latin meaning ‘western’ and describes the fact that the type locality of this species lies in western Africa.

Material examined

Holotype IVORY COAST • ♂; Lamto, Bandama Forest; 29 Nov. 1975; “ branches ”; MNHN.

Paratype IVORY COAST • 1 ♀ (together with holotype); same collection data as for holotype; MNHN .

Description

Male

MEASUREMENTS. Cephalothorax length 2.8, width 2.2, height 1.1. Eye field length 1.4, anterior width 1.9, posterior width 1.8. Abdomen length 3.5, width 1.7. General appearance as in Fig. 46A.

CARAPACE. Dark brown with slightly lighter semicircular area behind black eye field, some very short white hairs on sides. Eyes fringed by fawn hairs, long brown bristles at anterior row of eyes. Chelicerae unidentate, prolateral teeth very small. Mouthparts light brown, sternum yellowish brown.

ABDOMEN. Elongated, yellow with dark lines on sides and wide median dirty-grey streak, darker laterally. Abdominal dorsum clothed in hairs that correspond with background colour. Venter yellow with four lines formed by dark dots. Spinnerets brown.

LEGS. Thin and long, first pair longest. Femora dark brown, patellae and metatarsi with proximal halves yellow and brown distally. Other segments yellow. Leg III and IV slightly lighter and tibiae of first legs dark grey, other podomeres light yellowish.

PEDIPALPS. Brown, bearing white hairs on tip of tibia and base of cymbium. Palpal organ as in Figs 46B– C, 47A–B.

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Cephalothorax length 2.3, width 2.0, height 1.0. Eye field length 1.1, anterior width 1.7, posterior width 1.6. Abdomen length 3.1, width 2.0. Similar to male, slightly smaller and lighter coloured. General appearance as in Fig. 46D.

CARAPACE. Light brown, eye field darker, eyes with black rings. White hairs on sides, below eye field and on clypeus. Mouthparts yellowish brown.

ABDOMEN. Yellow with two wide longitudinal brown stripes and thin brown stripes laterally (Fig. 46D). Venter and spinnerets yellow.

LEGS. Yellow with brown spines and hairs. Hairs denser on distal segments.

EPIGYNE. As in Figs 46E, 47C. Seminal ducts initially diverge and draw closer before joining large, spherical spermathecae (Fig. 47D).

Distribution

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