Andromma velum, Bosselaers & Jocqué, 2022

Bosselaers, Jan & Jocqué, Rudy, 2022, Studies in the Liocranidae (Araneae): revision of Andromma Simon, 1893, European Journal of Taxonomy 850, pp. 1-78 : 69-73

Andromma velum sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:655BAB38-F318-48FC-BC06-5AE8D26EABFA

Figs 36–37 , 40

Diagnosis

The male of Andromma velum sp. nov. is characterized by the VTA which looks like a sail pointing in retrolateral direction, the female by the epigyne with typical ear-shaped sclerotised plates.

Etymology

The species name is from the Latin ‘ velum’, meaning ‘sail’, and referring to the VTA, resembling a sail ( Fig. 36C–D ).

Type material

Holotype

MALAWI • ♂; Nkhata Bay, Nkwazi evergreen forest; 11°36′ S, 34°18′ E; 23 Nov.–19 Dec. 1978; R. Jocqué leg.; BE_RMCA_ARA.Ara 153251 .

Paratype

MALAWI • 1 ♀; 7 Apr. 1978; further collection data as for holotype; BE_ RMCA _ARA.Ara 153005 .

Description

Male (holotype, Fig. 36 )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 5.68. Carapace length 2.84, width 2.49; height 0.85.

COLOUR ( Fig. 36A–B ). Carapace, chelicerae, sternum and legs orange; endites with paler distal margin; abdomen pale grey.

PROSOMA. Fovea 0.69 long at 1.28 from PME. AER straight from above, width 0.66. AME 0.16, ALE 0.08, PME 0.03, PLE 0.08; AME–AME: 0.03, AME–ALE: 0.07, ALE–PLE: 0.15, PME–PLE: touching. Clypeus vertical, 0.18, with four long setae. Chilum two sclerites, each 0.05 high, 0.16 wide. Sternum 1.78 long, 1.56 wide. Chelicerae: promargin with five teeth, the first and third the smallest and slightly out of line towards back.

LEG SPINATION. All femora with one dorsal spine, T I pl 1 v 2-2-2-2-2; Mt I v 2-2-2; T II pl 1-1 rl 1-1 v 2-2-2-2; Mt II v 1-2-2; T III pl 1-1 rl 1-1 v 2-2; Mt III pl 1 rl 1 v 2-2; T IV pl 1 rl 1 v 2-2; Mt IV none.

LEG I MEASUREMENTS. Fe: 2.84, P: 1.21, T: 2.70, Mt: 2.41, t: 1.42; total: 10.58.

MALE PALP ( Fig. 36C–F ). VTA sail-shaped in ventral view, consisting of two complicated, platelike sclerites, RTA small, subtriangular with a slightly hooked tip. Bulbus about half as long as cymbium, sinuous sperm duct visible in retrolateral part of tegulum. Embolus originating on posterior part of tegulum, running along its prolateral edge, ending in a sharp, ventrally curved tip accompanied by a lancet-shaped membranous conductor positioned retrolaterally on anterior rim of bulbus.

Female (paratype, Fig. 37 )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 6.39. Carapace length 2.84, width 2.49, height 1.07.

COLOUR ( Fig. 37A–B ). Carapace orange, gradually paler towards posterior margin; AME rim dark; fovea reddish; chelicerae orange; endites yellowish orange, paler along median and anterior margins; labium orange, paler in distal half; sternum orange with brownish precoxal triangles; legs yellowish orange; abdomen cream, spinnerets yellowish orange.

PROSOMA. Fovea pronounced, length 0.47, anterior end 1.41 from PME. MOQ length 0.33, anterior width 0.34, posterior width 0.38. AER straight from above, width 0.72, PER procurved from above, width 0.79. All eyes circular; AME 0.13, ALE 0.08, PLE 0.07, PME 0.06; AME–AME: 0.08, AME–ALE: 0.10, ALE–PLE: touching, PME–PME: 0.26. Clypeus vertical, 0.21, with six long setae. Chelicerae: promargin with five teeth as in male. Chilum: two sclerites, each 0.05 high, 0.20 wide. Sternum 1.78 long, 1.63 wide.

LEG SPINATION. All femora with one dorsal spine; T I v 2-2-2-2-2; Mt I v 2-2-2; T II pl 1-1 rl 1-1 v 2-2-2-2; Mt II pl 1 v 2-2; T III pl 1-1 v 2-2-2; Mt III pl 1-1 rl 1 v 2-2; T IV v 2-2; Mt IV pl 1-1 rl 1 v 2-2.

LEG I MEASUREMENTS. Fe: 2.98, P: 1.14, T: 2.49, Mt: 2.27, t: 1.49; total: 10.37.

FEMALE PALPAL TARSUS. Curved, with sparse scopula.

EPIGYNE ( Fig. 37C–F ). Roughly square area with two ear-shaped heavily sclerotised plates, each containing a longitudinally oval depression provided with a small, inconspicuous copulatory opening; copulatory ducts with straight part running forward and coiled part running backward ending in poorly delimited spermathecae slightly wider than last part of copulatory ducts; fertilisation ducts short, wide, straight.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality in central Malawi ( Fig. 40 ).

Figures

Fig. 36. Andromma velum sp. nov., ♂, holotype (BE_RMCA_ARA.Ara 153251). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Same, ventral view. C–D. Left palp, ventral view. E–F. Left palp, retrolateral view. Scale bars: A=2 mm; B–C =1 mm; D–F =0.2 mm.

Fig. 37. Andromma velum sp. nov., ♀, paratype (BE_RMCA_ARA.Ara 153005). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Same, ventral view. C–D. Epigyne, ventral view. E–F. Same cleared, dorsal view. Abbreviations: CD= copulatory duct; CO=copulatory opening; FD =fertilisation duct; ST =spermatheca. Scale bars: A–B =1 mm; C–D= 0.2 mm; E–F= 0.1 mm.

Fig. 40. Distribution map of species ofAndromma Simon, 1893 (circles if shape of symbol not specified). A. anochetorum Simon, 1909 (white), A. deogratias sp. nov. (blue), A. dicranobelos sp. nov. (black), A. ghesquierei sp. nov. (fuchsia), A. heligmos sp. nov. (green triangle), A. juakalyi sp. nov. (yellow triangle), A. katangensis sp. nov. (green), A. ophiophagum sp. nov. (white squares), A. raffrayi Simon, 1899 (red) and A. velum sp. nov. (yellow).