Pseudicius femineus, Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013

Wesołowska, Wanda & Haddad, Charles R., 2013, New data on the jumping spiders of South Africa (Araneae: Salticidae), African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 177-177 : 217-218

Pseudicius femineus sp. n.

Figs 127, 128

Etymology: From Latin femineus (womanly), referring to discovery of the female only.

Diagnosis: The female is slightly similar to that of Pseudicius maculatus Haddad & Wesołowska, 2011 from the Free State in South Africa, but may be recognized by the position of the epigynal depression, which is placed posteriorly (versus medially). Male unknown.

Description:

Female.

Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 2.1, width 1.6, height 0.7. Abdomen: length 3.4, width 2.2. Eye field: length 0.8, anterior width 1.0, posterior width 1.1.

Carapace oval, flat, brown, with black eye field; surface clothed in dense grey hairs, with longer brown bristles only near eyes. Anterior median eyes encircled by creamy-white scales. Lateral carapace margins fringed with thin black lines, with white stripes above these lines. Stridulatory apparatus present. Sternum and mouthparts dark brown, tips of endites paler, clypeus with white hairs.Abdomen elongate, dark grey, with pattern composed of four pairs of transverse patches submarginally and ill-defined paler median area in anterior half of abdomen. Venter pale. Spinnerets grey. Legs yellow, bearing darker hairs. Epigyne very broad, with deep posterior excavation plugged with waxy secretion; anterior part of excavation forming a deep pocket, with gonopores placed laterally in excavation ( Fig. 127); seminal ducts short, spermathecae strongly sclerotized, single-chambered ( Fig. 128).

Holotype: ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: Port Elizabeth, Lovemore Park , 34°00.282'S 25°31.597'E, night collecting, bark and foliage, 1.i.2010, C. Haddad ( NMBA).

Distribution: Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 139).

Habitat and biology: The holotype was collected in a suburban garden at night, hanging from the bark of a tree by a silk dragline.