Pellenes tharinae Wesolowska, 2006

Wesolowska, Wanda & Haddad, Charles R., 2009, Jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of the Ndumo Game Reserve, Maputaland, South Africa, African Invertebrates 50 (1), pp. 13-103 : 69

Pellenes tharinae Wesolowska, 2006

Pellenes pulcher Wesolowska, 1999 a: 165 , figs 57–59 (nec Logunov, 1995). Pellenes tharinae: Wesolowska 2006 b: 248 , figs 93–101. Syn. n.

See Wesolowska (2006 b) for description of both sexes.

Remarks: Although the specimen is not mature, the characteristic colouration allows for its determination. Pellenes pulcher was described from Zimbabwe (Wesolowska 1999 a) and P. tharinae was described from Namibia (Wesolowska 2006 b). During the present study we have discovered that both names apply to the same species, i.e. P. tharinae is a junior subjective synonym of P. pulcher . Since P. pulcher Wesolowska, 1999 is a junior homonym of P. pulcher Logunov, 1995 , according to Art. 60 (ICZN 1999) the first available name for this species should be used, i.e. P. tharinae .

Material examined: ơ 1 subadult Fontana camp, 26 ° 51.911'S: 32 ° 09.586'E, Acacia grassland, leaf litter, 2.vii.2002 ( NCA 2008 /2747) .

Distribution: Hitherto known from Zimbabwe and Namibia; recorded for the first time from South Africa.

Habitat and biology: Collected from leaf litter in Acacia tortilis grassland savannah.