Heliophanus fascinatus Wesolowska, 1986

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 : 44-45

Heliophanus fascinatus Wesolowska, 1986

Figs 76–80

Heliophanus fascinatus: Wesolowska 1986: 23 , figs 186–198; Logunov 2004: 86.

Redescription:

Measurements (male/female): Carapace length 1.4/1.6–1.7, width 1.1–1.4/1.1–1.2, height 0.5/0.6. Abdomen length 1.4/1.8–2.1, width 0.7–0.8/1.2–1.4. Eye field length 0.6–0.7/0.8, anterior width 0.9–1.0/1.0–1.1, posterior width 1.0–1.1/1.1–1.2.

Male.

Small spider. Carapace brown with black eye field; light scale-like hairs forming white transverse band on eye field, along anterior median eyes; two large, poorly contrasted light spots on ocular area centrally; light patch formed by white hairs on foveal area, extending to light streak running to posterior edge of carapace; lateral margins of carapace framed by white lines. Mouthparts and sternum dark brown, only tips of endites yellowish.Abdomen dark brown or black with white median band; venter yellow, with two dark patches at base of spinnerets; narrow dark lines along sides; spinnerets dark. Legs whitish yellow, spines and leg hairs brown. Pedipalps brown; patellar apophysis long, dorsal tibial apophysis spike-like ( Figs 76–78); embolus short ( Figs 76, 79).

Female.

Slightly larger than male and lighter coloured. Abdomen brown with longitudinal light band composed of five pairs of light patches; light coloured spots also on sides. Epigyne with rectangular depression at posterior edge ( Fig. 80).

Material examined:1ơ 1^Crocodile Farm, Pongola R. floodplain, 26 ° 54.426'S: 32 ° 19.185'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 6.ii.2005 (NCA 2008/623); 3^Eastern shore of Shokwe Pan, 26 ° 52.516'S: 32 ° 12.407'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 16.vi.2005 (NCA 2008/1861); 1^same data but 24.i.2006 (NCA 2008/632); 1ơ 6^same data but 24.i.2006 (NCA 2008/1868); 1^Southern shore of Hotwe Pan, 26 ° 52.730'S: 32 ° 18.452'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 7.ii.2005 (NCA 2008/647); 1ơ 1^same data but 27.i.2006 (NCA 2008/654); 1ơ 1^Western shore of Nyamiti Pan, 26 ° 53.767'S: 32 ° 16.557'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 6.ii.2005 (NCA 2008/603).

Distribution: Species known from Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, recently reported from Sudan (Logunov 2004). Recorded here for the first time from South Africa.

Habitat and biology: This species was only collected from fever tree bark in AX, and occurred in four of the five sites sampled. It was less common than H. debilis in this habitat. Silk retreats were constructed beneath the bark.