Smeringopina bayaka, Huber, Bernhard A., 2013

Huber, Bernhard A., 2013, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Guineo-Congolian spider genus Smeringopina Kraus (Araneae, Pholcidae, Zootaxa 3713 (1), pp. 1-160 : 48-49

Smeringopina bayaka new species

Figs. 673–677 , 705–707 , 829–835

Type. ♂ holotype from Gabon, Moyen-Ogooué, near Ndjolé , “site 2” (0°05.9’S, 10°52.4’E), 140 m a.s.l., forest near brook, 11.viii.2011 (B.A. & S.R. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10305).

Other material examined. GABON: Moyen-Ogooué: near Ndjolé , same data as holotype, 3♂ 5♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10306); same data, 3 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gab 227). Near Ndjolé , “site 1” (0°09.0’S, 10°40.0’E), 120 m a.s.l., forest near brook, 11.viii.2011 (B.A. & S.R. Huber), 1♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10307); same data, 4 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gab 232).

Etymology. Named for the Bayaka (or Aka) pygmies in Cameroon and Gabon; noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners (large species with long abdomen, cone-shaped modified hairs on male chelicerae, embolus with sclerotized proximal part, transversal light element ventrally on abdomen) by male chelicerae (two pairs of frontal projections; slender distal apophyses; distribution of modified hairs; Figs. 832–833 ), shape of bifid procursus ( Figs. 829–830 ; similar S. tchimbele ), unmodified male clypeus (in contrast to S. kribi ), shape of sclerotized proximal part of embolus ( Fig. 831 ), and anterior epigynal plate trapezoidal, evenly curved in lateral view (weakly protruding), with pair of low humps ( Figs. 705–706 , 834 ).

Male (other males). Total body length 6.8, carapace width 1.8. Leg 1: 79.8 (18.7 + 0.8 + 17.7 + 38.9 + 3.7), tibia 2: 12.1, tibia 3: 8.0, tibia 4 missing; tibia 1 L/d: 100. Distance PME-PME 185 µm, diameter PME 185 µm, distance PME-ALE 90 µm, distance AME-AME 45 µm, diameter AME 170 µm. Carapace ochre-yellow with brown lateral margins and brown triangular mark posteriorly connected with brown ocular area, clypeus brown except below eyes, sternum dark brown; legs light brown, dark rings subdistally on femora and tibiae and in patella area, tips of femora and tibiae whitish; abdomen ochre-gray with distinct dark pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally. Habitus as in Figs. 673–674 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with distinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus unmodified but hairs longer than usual; deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in Figs. 832–833 , with lateral proximal apophyses, slender distal apophyses, and two pairs of distinctive frontal apophyses, distal and frontal apophyses and frontal cheliceral face provided with modified (cone-shaped) hairs. Palps as in Figs. 675–677 ; coxa unmodified; trochanter with simple ventral apophysis; femur proximally with shallow ventral pocket bordered retrolaterally by strong sclerotized ridge, with small retrolateral apophysis, without prolateral modification; prolateral femur-patella joint very prominent and strongly shifted toward ventrally; tarsus with some stronger hairs dorsally; procursus with very indistinct hinge between proximal and distal part, ventral branch not visibly separated from proximal part ( Figs. 829–830 ); bulb with widened and sclerotized proximal part of embolus ( Fig. 831 ). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 1%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegments barely visible.

Variation. Tibia 1 in 3 other males: 15.5, 18.7, 20.3.

Female. In general similar to male; clypeus with shorter hairs. Tibia 1 in 4 females: 13.1, 14.0, 15.1, 16.1. Epigynum large, consisting of wide, roughly trapezoidal anterior plate with pair of low humps laterally, and large posterior plate ( Figs. 705–706 , 834 ); internal genitalia as in Figs. 707 and 835 .

Natural history. While large trees with buttresses provided plenty of spaces for this species at “site 2”, the lack of large trees at the otherwise similar “site 1” made it very difficult to find adult specimens. At “site 1”, S. bayaka shared the forest with two small, litter-dwelling species of Smeringopina ( S. fang and S. ndjole ).

Distribution. Known from two localities in Gabon ( Fig. 627 ).

Figures

FIGURE 627. Known distribution of the beninensis species group.

FIGURES 668 – 677. Smeringopina tchimbele n. sp. (668 – 672) and S. bayaka n. sp. (673 – 677). 668 – 669, 673 – 674. Males, dorsal and ventral views. 670 – 672, 675 – 677. Left male palps, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views.

FIGURES 703 – 715. Smeringopina tchimbele n. sp. (703 – 704), S. bayaka n. sp. (705 – 707), and S. chaillu n. sp. (708 – 715). 703 – 706, 708 – 709. Female abdomens, ventral and lateral views. 707, 710. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 711 – 712. Male, dorsal and ventral views. 713 – 715. Left male palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views.

FIGURES 829 – 835. Smeringopina bayaka n. sp. 829 – 830. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 831. Left embolus, prolateral view. 832 – 833. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 834. Epigynum, ventral view. 835. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.5.