Palindroma sinis, Rudy Jocqué & Arnaud Henrard, 2015

Rudy Jocqué & Arnaud Henrard, 2015, The new spider genus Palindroma, featuring a novel synapomorphy for the Zodariidae (Araneae), European Journal of Taxonomy 152, pp. 1-33 : 22-27

Palindroma sinis gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:920F08EE-1F07-47FB-AE12-5124D27E7AB5

Figs 14 A–E, 15 A–C, 16

Diagnosis

The male of P. sinis gen. et sp. nov. is easily recognized by the characters of the palp: the very simple RTA, which is a tiny protrusion, the short sharp, embolus and whitish setae on legs and abdomen.

Etymology

The species name is an arbitrary combination of letters forming a noun in apposition and containing ‘sin’ (Spanish for ‘without’) referring to the virtual absence of an RTA.

Material examined

Holotype

TANZANIA: ♂, Morogoro Region, Kimboza Forest Reserve , 7°01’ S, 37°44’ E, Jan.–Mar. 1994, Frontier Tanzania ( ZMUC) .

Paratypes

TANZANIA: 2 ♂♂, together with holotype ( ZMUC) ; 2 ♂♂, together with holotype ( MRAC 244093 ) .

Other material

TANZANIA: 1 ♂, Mandeni District, Genda-Genda South Forest , 5°33’ S, 38°38’ E, 29 Jun.–28 Sep. 1991, Frontier Tanzania ( ZMUC) ; 2 ♂♂, Tanga District, Muneza Region, Magrotto Hill , 5°07’ S, 38°45’ E, Jul.–Sep. 1994, Frontier Tanzania ( ZMUC) .

Description

Male (holotype)

Total length 8.38; carapace 4.19 long, 2.56 wide, narrowed to 1.49 in eye region.

Colour: carapace dark chestnut brown with silvery setae in eye region and around fovea ( Fig. 14 A–C); chelicerae, sternum and legs medium orange-brown; anterior tarsi yellow; sparse dorsal white hairs on all T and Mt and on t II, dense on t I. Abdomen: dorsum dark grey with five small pale spots in anterior half, and large one in posterior half, all covered with white setae; four apodemes well developed; sides dark grey with sparse white hairs in anterior half; venter pale grey, well separated from sides by oblique pale band on either side; with two rows of apodemes; spinnerets yellowish brown.

Carapace finely reticulated, with conspicuous dip at level of fovea.

Eyes: AME: 0.13; ALE: 0.16; ALE-ALE: 0.20; AME-ALE: 0.15; PME: 0.13; PLE: 0.15; PME-PME: 0.10; PME-PLE: 0.30. Clypeus 0.46 or 2.4 times width of ALE.

Chilum double, each sclerite 0.10 high, 0.25 wide; no setae. Chelicerae with distomesal membranous swelling. Sternum shield-shaped, 1.56 long, 1.35 wide.

Legs: anterior tarsi shorter than metatarsi.

Spination

Leg measurements

Abdomen with well developed epiandrum; posterior margin with two semi-circular extensions, each preceded by tiny pit with membranous bottom.

Male palp ( Figs 14 D–E, 15 A–C): RTA a tiny protrusion; tegulum with longitudinal cleft; prolateral part with sinuous sperm duct visible in transparency, retrolateral part with sharp, back-pointing knob; embolus short, straight, with sharp tip pointing forward. Without MA and conductor.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution

Known from Morogoro Region, Tanga District and Muheza District in Tanzania ( Fig. 16 ).

Figures

Fig. 14. Palindroma sinis gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♂. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Idem, ventral view. C. Idem, lateral view. D. Palp, retrolateral view. E. Idem, ventral view. Scale bars: A – C = 2 mm, D – E = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 16. Distribution map of P. avonova gen. et sp. nov. (●), P. aleykyela gen. et sp. nov. (●), P. morogorom gen. et sp. nov. (●), P. obmoimiombo gen. et sp. nov. (■) and P. sinis gen. et sp. nov. (▲).