Asceua radiosa Jocqué, 1986

Jocqué, Rudy & Henrard, Arnaud, 2024, A revision of Afrotropical Asceua (Araneae, Zodariidae), ant-eating spiders with puzzling distributions, African Invertebrates 65 (2), pp. 161-198 : 161-198

Asceua radiosa Jocqué, 1986

Figs 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 24

Asceua radiosa Jocqué, 1986: 309.

Type material.

Holotype: Comoros • ♂; Grande Comore, Moroni ; 12°15'S, 43°45'E; 4. VIII. 1981; litière de jardin, (radio Comores); R. Jocqué leg.; RMCA_164051 .

Paratypes: • 4 ♀♀; same data as for holotype; RMCA_155294 .

Other material examined.

Comoros: • 1 ♀; Mohéli, Hagnamouada ; 12°15'S, 43°45'E, 25. V. 2003; forest edge, under rocks; D. Van den Spiegel, and R. Jocqué leg.; RMCA_213294 ; • 1 ♂; Grande Comore, en face de l’Ile des Tortues ; 11°35'S, 43°20'E; 31. X. 1983; sous pierres; R. Jocqué leg.; RMCA_160659 ; • 2 ♂♂; Mayotte, Mbouanatsa, pick-nick place near beach ; 12°56'32"S, 45°6'5"E; 15. II. 1999; concrete slab with small dead leaves and gravel; R. Jocqué and G. De Smet leg.; RMCA_208557 .

Diagnosis.

Males and females of A. radiosa are easily recognised by the intricate abdominal pattern (Figs 18 A, F , 20 D , 21 A – C ). Males are further recognized by the cymbial fold reaching only half the length of the cymbium and the relatively short, non-sinuous embolus (Figs 19 A – D , 20 A – C ); females are characterised by the absence of a scape in the epigyne, the relatively short copulatory ducts and the spherical spermathecae (Figs 19 E, F , 20 E ).

Description.

For description see Jocqué (1986: 309).

Distribution.

Known from three islands of the Comoro Archipelago: Grande Comore, Mohéli, Mayotte (Fig. 24 ).

Figures

Figure 18. Asceua radiosa Jocqué, 1986, male and female habitus A – D holotype male E, F paratype female (RMCA _ 155294) A, E dorsal view B ventral view C frontal view D, F lateral view G, H female specimen photographed in vivo on Mayotte (Photo by Arnaud Henrard). Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Figure 19. Asceua radiosa Jocqué, 1986, male and female genitalia A – D holotype male (right palp mirrored) E, F paratype female (RMCA _ 155294) A palp, dorsal view B idem, prolateral view C idem, ventral view D idem, retrolateral view E epigyne, ventral view F vulva, dorsal view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 20. Asceua radiosa Jocqué, 1986, drawings A – C holotype male (right palp mirrored) D, E paratype female (RMCA _ 155294) A palp, dorsal view B idem, ventral view C idem, retrolateral view D Abdomen, dorsal view E epigyne, ventral view. Scale bars: 0.1 mm (A – C, E); 0.5 mm (D).

Figure 21. Asceua ventrofigurata sp. nov, male and female habitus (paratypes RMCA _ 173168) A – C male D – F female A, D dorsal view B, E ventral view C, F lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 24. Distribution map of Asceua species occurring in the Afrotropics.