Heriaeus xanderi, Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2013

Niekerk, P. van & Dippenaar-Schoeman, A. S., 2013, A revision of the crab spider genus Heriaeus Simon, 1875 (Araneae: Thomisidae) in the Afrotropical Region, African Invertebrates 54 (2), pp. 447-447 : 471-472

Heriaeus xanderi sp. n.

Figs 12 , 49–52 , 59

Etymology: The species is named for Xander Combrink, who has made an important contribution in sampling spiders in KwaZulu-Natal.

Diagnosis: The species is recognized by a combination of short, blunt abdominal setae ( Fig. 12 ) and the shape of the genitalia. In the male palp the embolus is long, with a U-shaped tip, RTA short and broad-based with distal tooth ( Figs 49, 50 ); in the female the epigyne has a dome-shaped central hood and internal organs visible as very dark ear-shaped structures ( Fig. 51 ).

Description:

Female (allotype).

Size: TL 3.20, CL 1.36, CW 1.31. Colour: Carapace with dark brown setae; two longitudinal brown stripes extending to PLEs; faint white mark centrally in posterior half; chelicerae brown with white marks; clypeus brown, some white mottling centrally; eye region brown, some white mottling centrally, eye tubercles greyish white; palps with white marks.Abdomen brown dorsally, mottled with white and dark brown; dark brown marks form transverse lines in posterior half; setae brown or dark brown ( Fig. 12 ). Legs dark with brown markings at both ends of femur I, distal end of femora II–IV, and at both ends of metatarsi and tarsi I and II; white marks at distal edge of femora I–IV, white spots on coxae. Carapace: Eye measurements: AME–AME 0.15, ALE–AME 0.10, PME–PME 0.17, PLE–PME 0.22, AME–PME 0.16, MOQL AME–PME 0.20, MOQAW AME–AME 0.19, MOQPW PME–PME 0.21. Leg measurements: leg I Fe 1.17, Pat 0.60, Tib 0.75, Mt 0.87, Ta 0.53, total 3.92; leg II Fe 1.05, Pat 0.57, Tib 0.69, Mt 0.81, Ta 0.49, total 3.61; leg III Fe 0.68, Pat 0.37, Tib 0.45, Mt 0.41, Ta 0.37, total 2.28; leg IV Fe 0.83, Pat 0.38, Tib 0.54, Mt 0.51, Ta 0.38, total 2.64. Abdomen: Oval, truncated anteriorly; setae short and club-shaped. Epigyne: Small dome-shaped, central hood; internal organs visible as very dark ear-shaped structures that enclose hood; copulatory ducts tubular and folded on themselves, with associated membranes and extensions ( Figs 51, 52 ).

Male (holotype).

Size: TL 2.54, CL 1.19, CW 1.15. Colour: Carapace with two longitudinal brown bands extending to PLEs; slight white mark centrally in posterior half, setae dark brown; chelicerae with brown mark distally; clypeus with dark brown marks; eye region white centrally. Abdomen brown dorsally, mottled with white and dark brown; dark brown marks form transverse lines in posterior half, setae brown; venter yellow-brown; laterally with brown lines. Legs with dark brown marks at both ends of femur I, distal end of femora II–IV, and at both ends of metatarsi I–IV and tarsi II–IV. Carapace: Eye measurements: AME–AME 0.08, ALE–AME 0.08, PME–PME 0.08, PLE–PME 0.09, AME–PME 0.11, MOQL AME–PME 0.17, MOQAW AME–AME 0.15, MOQPW PME–PME 0.15. Leg measurements: leg I Fe 1.45, Pat 0.68, Tib 1.18, Mt 1.22, Ta 0.73, total 5.26; leg II Fe 2.29, Pat 0.95, Tib 1.52, Mt 1.55, Ta 0.75, total 7.06; leg III Fe 0.93, Pat 0.68, Tib 1.01, Mt 0.53, Ta 0.45, total 3.60; leg IV Fe 1.45, Pat 0.60, Tib 1.12, Mt 0.97, Ta 0.50, total 4.64. Abdomen: Oval, truncated anteriorly; setae short and club-shaped. Male palp: Embolus long, winding once around tegulum, tip slender and curved (U-shaped); VTA short and digitiform; RTA short and broad-based with distal tooth ( Figs 49, 50 ).

Holotype: ♂ TANZANIA: Mkomazi Game Reserve , between Ndeya & Mabula (4.18°S 38.23°E), 22.xi.1999, A. Russell-Smith, sweepnetting woodland ( NCA 97 /504a).

Allotype: ♀ same data as holotype ( NCA 97 /504b).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu­Natal: 1♀ Umkhuze Game Reserve (27.63°S 32.25°E), 17.vii.2008, X. Combrink, pitfall traps ( NCA 2011 /2047) ; 1♀ Hluhluwe Nat. Res. (28.09°S 32.1°E), 2.xii.2007, M. Mgobozi, by hand ( NCA 2007 /1599). Mpumalanga : 1♀ Klaserie, Bokmakierie Game Farm (24.33°S 31.02°E), 8.iv.2001, R. Jocqué, open grassy area ( MRAC 210.094 ) . TANZANIA: 1♂ Mkomazi Game Reserve, Ndeya (4.18°S 38.23°E), 21–24.ix.1994, A. Russell­Smith, Acacia senegal woodland ( MRAC 215.509 ) ; 1♂ 1♀ same data but 21–22.xi.1994 ( MRAC 215.510 ) .

Distribution: South Africa (KwaZulu­Natal and Mpumalanga) and Tanzania ( Fig. 59 ). Natural history: Collected on grass and trees. Females were collected in April, July, November and December and males in September and November.

Figures

Figs 10–13. Heriaeus spp., habitus: (10) H. peterwebbi sp. n. female; (11) H. transvaalicus Simon, 1895 female; (12) H. xanderi sp. n. female; (13) H. zanii sp. n. female.

Figs 45–52. (45–48) Heriaeus transvaalicus Simon, 1875: (45) male palp, ventral view; (46) male palp, lateral view; (47) epigyne, ventral view; (48) epigyne, dorsal view; (49–52) Heriaeus xanderi sp. n.: (49) male palp, ventral view; (50) male palp, lateral, view; (51) epigyne, ventral view; (52) epigyne, dorsal view.

Figs 57–59. Distribution of Heriaeus spp. in the Afrotropical Region.