Smeringopus isangi, Huber, 2012

HUBER, BERNHARD A., 2012, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Afrotropical endemic genus Smeringopus Simon, 1890 (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 3461 (1), pp. 1-138 : 90-91

Smeringopus isangi new species

Figs. 534–537, 542–544 , 552–557

Type. Male holotype from Congo D.R., Tshopo Province, Yaekama (Isangi) (0°46’N, 24°18’E), young secondary forest, “Fog 13”, 7.vi.2009 (D. de Bakker), in MRAC.

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from close relatives by details of male and female genitalia: from S. cylindrogaster by absence of proximal apophyses on male chelicerae ( Fig. 556 ), shapes of bulbal processes ( Figs. 554, 555 ; very distinctive proximal pointed projection) and epigynum ( Figs. 542, 543 ; distinctive lateral projections); from S. luki by shapes of procursus and bulbal processes, smaller cheliceral apophyses, deep epigynal pockets, and lateral epigynal projections.

Male (holotype). Total body length 5.3, carapace width 1.4. Leg 1: 46.2 (11.6 + 0.7 + 11.1 + 21.6 + 1.2), tibia 2: 7.1, tibia 3: 4.8, tibia 4: 7.1, tibia 1 L/d: 84. Habitus as in Figs. 534 and 535 ; carapace pale ochre-yellow with some small black lateral marks, clypeus with small black spots under eye triads, sternum with black marks at bases of coxae 2–4 and posteriorly, legs with many small black marks on femora and tibiae, patellae and tibia-metatarsus joints brown, abdomen pale ochre-grey, dorsally with some indistinct white spots, ventrally with distinctive pattern of brown and black marks. Distance PME-PME 170 µm, diameter PME 160 µm, distance PME-ALE 95 µm, distance AME-AME 35 µm, diameter AME 115 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with distinct ‘pseudo-lenses’ (cf. Fig. 539 ); thoracic pit small but distinct. Chelicerae as in Fig. 556 , with single pair of small apophyses, each provided with one large modified hair. Palps as in Figs. 536 and 537 , coxa with retrolateral apophysis, trochanter unmodified, femur with retrolateral furrow with distinct proximal rim, tibia almost globular, cymbium with rounded projection ventrally, dorsal elongation with several macrosetae, procursus rather simple, only distally with some distinctive membranous and sclerotized elements ( Figs. 552, 553 ), bulb with short membranous embolus with small dorsal apophysis and distinctive proximal pointed projection ( Fig. 554, 555 ). Legs without spines and curved hairs, few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 1.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae. Gonopore with two epiandrous spigots.

Variation. Tibia 1 in other male: 10.9 (missing in third male).

Female. In general similar to male, some females with distinct dark pattern on clypeus (pair of black bands); tibia 1 in 3 females: 8.5, 8.7, 9.6. Epigynum weakly sclerotized narrow plate with pair of distinct pockets and very distinctive pair of lateral epigynal projections each provided with sclerotized pocket ( Figs. 542, 543 ); internal genitalia as in Figs. 544 and 557.

Distribution. Known from three localities in central and northern Congo D.R. ( Fig. 545 ).

Material examined. CONGO D.R.: Tshopo Prov. : Yaekama (Isangi): 1♂ holotype above; same data, 1♂ 4♀ in MRAC ; same data, 1♀ 3 juvs in pure ethanol, in MRAC . Basoko (Bokungu) (1°14’N, 23°36’E), old palm plantation (60 years old), “Fog 11”, 7.iii.2009 (D. de Bakker), 1♂ 2 juvs in MRAC . Sankuru Prov. : 22 mi SW of Lusambo [~ 5°05’S, 23°23’E], 11.viii.1957 (E.S. Ross, R. E. Leech), 1♀ in CAS .

Figures

FIGURE 545. Known distribution of the cylindrogaster group.

FIGURES 530–544. Smeringopus cylindrogaster group. S. luki (530–533, 538–541) and S. isangi (534–537, 542–544). 530–531, 534–535. Males, dorsal and ventral views. 532–533, 536–537. Left male palps, prolateral and retrolateral views. 538. Male prosoma, frontal oblique view. 539. Male ocular area. 540–544. Female epigyna and cleared female genitalia, dorsal (541, 544) and ventral (543) views (arrows point to median and lateral pockets).

FIGURES 552–557. Smeringopus isangi. 552. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view. 553. Left procursus, dorsal view. 554–555. Left embolus, prolateral and dorsal views (arrow points to distinctive process). 556. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 557. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.