Fuchiba tortilis, Haddad & Lyle, 2008

Haddad, Charles R. & Lyle, Robin, 2008, Three new genera of tracheline sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Corinnidae), African Invertebrates 49 (2), pp. 37-37 : 53-54

Fuchiba tortilis sp. n.

Figs 12 , 43, 44 , 49

Etymology: From Latin tortilis (twisted), the name refers to the structure of the entrance ducts of the epigyne.

Diagnosis: This species can be recognised by the distinctively coiled entrance ducts and the poorly developed circular ridges in the epigyne. Male unknown.

Description:

Female.

Measurements: CL 1.70, CW 1.50, AL 2.17, AW 1.77, TL 3.68, FL 0.07, SL 0.92, SW 0.82, AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.04, ALE–ALE 0.42, PME–PME 0.11, PMEPLE 0.16, PLE–PLE 0.63. Length of leg segments: I 1.00+0.56+0.77+0.57+0.45=3.35; II 0.93+0.52+0.65+0.55+0.42=3.07; III 0.73+0.47+0.50+0.56+0.28=2.54; IV 1.13+0.50+?+?+?=?.

Carapace, including eye region, deep red-brown, slightly darker laterally ( Fig. 12 ); carapace gradually rounded with highest point at 2/3 its length, last quarter with steep decline; surface finely granular, covered in dense, short fine setae; fovea short, distinct, slightly thickened, at 2/3 carapace length. Eyes surrounded by black rings; AER procurved, eyes subequal; clypeus height equal to AME diameter; AME separated by approx. 0.66× their diameter;AME separated from ALE by approx. 0.5× AME diameter; PER strongly recurved, median eyes slightly larger than laterals; PME separated by distance slightly larger than their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 1.5× PME diameter. Chelicerae bright orange; anterior surface with scattered short and long fine setae; promargin with three widely spaced teeth, median and distal teeth subequal, proximal tooth smallest; retromargin with three subequal teeth sharing single base. Sternum yellow-brown, darker along border, with pale grey mottling; surface smooth, with scattered short fine setae. Abdomen: cream dorsally with distinct grey chevron markings, branches merging laterally ( Fig. 12 ); grey with cream mottling laterally, cream ventrally; oval, tapering posteriorly, broadest at half its length, slightly longer than wide; dorsal scutum absent; surface covered in short fine setae, interspersed with long erect setae; dorsum with three pairs of sigilla present, first at 1/3 abdomen length, posterior pairs smaller, close together at midpoint; venter with indistinct small oval sclerites, running in two paired lines from epigastric fold to spinnerets. Legs I to IV pale orange, anterior pairs slightly darker than posterior pairs; moderately dense scopulae on metatarsi and tarsi, remaining leg segments covered in fine, less dense setae interspersed with long erect setae; leg spines and cusps absent. Epigyne with subrectangular ridges posteriorly, slightly curved along margins; copulatory openings situated anterolaterally in these depressions ( Fig. 43 ); entrance ducts coiled twice before entering ST II medially; ST II large, oval, anteriorly situated; ST I small and laterally situated, with fine duct leading to fertilisation ducts posteriorly ( Fig. 44 ).

Holotype: ♀SOUTH AFRICA: “ Farm Ulster , / Near Fort Brown / 1.xii.1993 / M. Burger / on soil, pittrap //” ( NCA, 96/68).

Figures

Figs 5–14. General habitus of Fuchiba gen. n. species: (5, 6) F. aquilonia sp. n., male, Ndumo Game Reserve, and female, Marracuene; (7, 8) F. capensis sp. n., De Hoop Nat. Res., male and female; (9, 10) F. montana sp. n., male, Mohale Lodge, and female, Mohale Dam; (11) F. similis sp. n., female, Ngome State Forest; (12) F. tortilis sp. n., female, Fisherhaven; (13, 14) F. venteri sp. n., Jakobsbaai, male and female. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Figs 41–44. Female epigyne: (41, 42) Fuchiba similis sp. n., ventral and dorsal views; (43, 44) F. tortilis sp. n., ventral and dorsal views. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 49. Distribution of Fuchiba similis sp. n., F. tortilis sp. n. and F. venteri sp. n.