Andromma aethiopicum Simon, 1893

Bosselaers, Jan & Jocqué, Rudy, 2022, Studies in the Liocranidae (Araneae): revision of Andromma Simon, 1893, European Journal of Taxonomy 850, pp. 1-78 : 9-13

Andromma aethiopicum Simon, 1893

Figs 3–5 , 38

Andromma aethiopicum Simon, 1893: 390 , figs 346–348 (description ♂ ♀).

Diagnosis

Andromma aethiopicum differs from all other known species of Andromma by the complete absence of posterior median eyes in both males and females, by the RTA which is close to that of A. albinovani sp. nov. but differs from it by being bifid in ventral view and hooked in retrolateral view, and by the widely separated transversely oval copulatory openings.

Material examined

Lectotype (here designated)

ETHIOPIA • ♂; Agaos ; M.A. Raffray leg.; MNHN AR1678 .

Paralectotype

ETHIOPIA • 1 ♀; same collection data as for lectotype; MNHN AR1678 .

Note

Precise date and locality unknown.

Description

The specimens are completely bleached and the description is therefore restricted to some essential details; limits of secondary eyes, chilum, spines and clypeal setae are invisible. The translation of the original Latin description of Simon (1893) and his drawings are provided.

Translation of original description

Cephalothorax yellowish orange, smooth and hairless. Anterior median eyes black, with black margin. Abdomen short, ovate, dorsum pale grey, with many yellowish dots, venter pale with epigastric area yellow, slightly coriaceous. Sternum, mouthparts and legs bright yellow, labium darker. Palp pale yellow with extremities somewhat darker; femur fairly long, narrow and almost straight; patella almost twice as long as wide; tibia slightly shorter than patella, somewhat tapering, provided with a minute distal prolateral tooth and a retrolateral dark, very sharp apophysis, which is hooked at the tip. Ventrally a subspherical apophysis, which is anteriorly concave and ridged. Tarsus longer than tibia plus patella, rounded at base, with tapered, fairly long tip, widely surpassing bulbus.

Female similar to male, but dorsum of abdomen darker. Palp fairly long, tibia much longer than patella, tarsus slightly longer and thicker than tibia. Epigyne a fairly large, transversely oval, reddish and shiny area, on either side with large subcircular shallow depression. Original Latin text: Simon (1893: 390).

Additional description data

Male (lectotype, Fig. 4 )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 3.05. Carapace length 1.35, width 1.07, height 0.71.

COLOUR ( Fig. 4A–B ). Entirely pale.

EYES. Only the AMEs are visible. AME 0.08, AME–AME: 0.02. Clypeus vertical, 0.08. Sternum 0.50 long, 0.71 wide.

LEG I MEASUREMENTS. Fe: 0.92; P: 0.36; T: 0.85; Mt: 0.78; t: 0.64; total: 3.55.

LEG FORMULA. 4123.

MALE PALP ( Fig. 4C–F ). VTA and RTA hook-shaped: RTA a deeply incised hook, VTA with swollen base, tip tapered, turned in anterior direction ( Fig. 4D ). Embolus originating prolaterally on base of tegulum, slender, with curved tip accompanied by small membranous conductor ( Fig. 4F ). Sperm duct surfacing at two spots retrolaterally in tegulum ( Fig. 4D, F ).

Female (paralectotype, Fig. 5 )

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 2.77. Carapace length 1.28, width 0.99, height 0.71.

COLOUR ( Fig. 5A–B ). Entirely pale.

EYES. Anterior eyes visible, posterior eyes absent; AME 0.10,; AME–AME: 0.02. Clypeus vertical, 0.10, Sternum 0.71 long, 0.85 wide.

LEG I MEASUREMENTS. Fe: 0.99; P: 0.43; T: 0.85; Mt: 0.85; t: 0.71; total: 3.83.

EPIGYNE ( Fig. 5C–D ). A wide rectangular sclerotised area; oval copulatory openings separated by three times their short axis; internal structure vaguely visible in transparency.

Distribution

The type locality ‘Agaos’ could not be found; the spot on the distribution map ( Fig. 38 ) is in Central Ethiopia.

Figures

Fig. 3. Andromma aethiopicum Simon, 1893. Original drawings and legend from Simon (1893).

Fig. 4. Andromma aethiopicum Simon, 1893, ♂, lectotype (MNHN AR1678). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Cephalothorax, ventral view. C–D. ♂, left palp, retrolateral view. E–F. Same, ventral view. Abbreviations: C =conductor; E =embolus; RTA=retrolateral tibial apophysis; SD =sperm duct; VTA=ventral tibial apophysis. Scale bars: A= 1 mm; B=0.5 mm; C–F = 0.2 mm.

Fig. 5. Andromma aethiopicum Simon, 1893, ♀, paralectotype (MNHN AR1678). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Same, ventral view. C–D. Epigyne, ventral view. Abbreviation: CO=copulatory opening. Scale bars: A–B =1 mm; C–D=0.2 mm.

Fig. 38. Distribution map of species of Andromma Simon, 1893. A. aethiopicum Simon, 1893 (yellow), A. alvoculatum sp. nov. (red), A. anacardium sp. nov. (green), A. bouvieri Fage, 1936 (black), A. cyamos sp. nov. (blue), A. cycnotrachelos sp. nov. (fuchsia), A. didrepanum sp. nov. (orange) and A. divinagraciae sp. nov. (white).