Smeringopina mohoba, 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 : 16

Smeringopina mohoba new species

Figs. 120–124 , 164, 174 , 190–196

Type. ♂ holotype from Gabon, Ogooué-Ivindo, near Mohoba Mozeye (0°16.8’N, 13°20.9’E), 510 m a.s.l., forest along road, 17.viii.2011 (B.A. & S.R. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10192).

Other material examined. GABON: Ogooué-Ivindo: near Mohoba Mozeye, same data as holotype, 1♀ together with holotype; same data, 1♀ 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gab 167).

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

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from congeners by distinctive process of clypeus (cylindrical, weakly sclerotized; Fig. 190 ) and frontal apophyses on male chelicerae ( Figs. 194 ; similar S. lekoni but much shorter), by sclerotized bulbal process ( Fig. 193 ) and by oval anterior epigynal plate with pair of round, heavily sclerotized areas ( Figs. 164 , 195 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 2.9, carapace width 1.0. Leg 1: 23.8 (5.7 + 0.4 + 5.9 + 10.3 + 1.5), tibia 2: 3.7, tibia 3: 2.5, tibia 4: 4.0; tibia 1 L/d: 67. Distance PME-PME 90 µm, diameter PME 105 µm, distance PME- ALE 45 µm, distance AME-AME 25 µm, diameter AME 80 µm. Carapace ochre-yellow with brown triangular mark posteriorly and brown lateral margins; ocular area posteriorly brown, clypeus with indistinct brown pattern, sternum dark brown; legs light brown, femora with indistinct darker rings subdistally, tibiae with indistinct darker rings proximally and subdistally; abdomen ochre-gray with dark pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally, ventral dark bands with lateral constriction. Habitus as in Figs. 120–121 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus with cylindrical, weakly sclerotized process near rim ( Fig. 190 ); deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in Fig. 194 , with lateral apophyses in very distal position, with distinctive, strongly ridged frontal apophyses, without modified hairs. Palps as in Figs. 122–124 ; coxa with retrolateral apophysis; trochanter with strong but simply rounded ventral apophysis; femur with large retrolateral apophysis directed toward ventrally, with small apophysis at prolateral trochanter-femur joint, without slender ventral projection distally; prolateral femur-patella joint strongly shifted toward ventrally (hidden by bulb in Fig. 122 ); tarsus with some longer and slightly stronger hairs dorsally; procursus as in Figs. 191–192 , with complex membranous and sclerotized structures ventrally, without hinge; bulb with distinctive sclerotized process ( Fig. 193 ; sperm duct opening not seen). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs (many hairs missing); retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 1.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegments barely visible.

Female. In general similar to male; clypeus unmodified. Tibia 1: 4.0. Epigynum anterior plate oval with pair of round, heavily sclerotized areas ( Fig. 164 , 195 ); posterior plate laterally with overhanging folds; internal genitalia as in Figs. 174 and 196 .

Natural history. Litter-dwelling species.

Distribution. Known from type locality only ( Fig. 114 ).

Figures

FIGURE 114. Known distribution of the lekoni species group. Question marks denote females of undescribed species (in MRAC and MCZ) that may belong to this species group.

FIGURES 115 – 124. Smeringopina kinguele n. sp. (115 – 119) and S. mohoba n. sp. (120 – 124). 115 – 116, 120 – 121. Males, dorsal and ventral views. 117 – 119, 122 – 124. Left male palps, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views.

FIGURES 163 – 183. Female abdomens, ventral views, and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views, lekoni species group. 163, 173. Smeringopina kinguele n. sp. 164, 174. S. mohoba n. sp. 165 – 166, 175 – 176. S. fang n. sp. from Djidji (165, 175) and Ndjolé (166, 176). 167, 177. S. tebe n. sp. 168, 178. S. lekoni n. sp. 169, 179. S. iboga n. sp. 170, 180 – 181. S. moudouma n. sp. from Moudouma (170, 180) and Iboundji (181). 171, 182. S. ndjole n. sp. 172, 183. S. kikongo n. sp. Arrows point at lateral constriction of dark band (165) and at laterally overhanging fold (180).

FIGURES 190 – 196. Smeringopina mohoba n. sp. 190. Male clypeus and ocular area, oblique frontal view. 191 – 192. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 193. Left bulbal process, prolateral view. 194. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 195. Epigynum, ventral view. 196. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.2 (193), 0.3 (194), 0.5 (190 – 192, 195 – 196).