Ajaraneola Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011

Szűts, Tamás & Maddison, Wayne Paul, 2021, New species of the monotypic thiratoscirtine genera Ajaraneola and Nimbarus (Araneae: Salticidae: Aelurillini: Thiratoscirtina), Zootaxa 4915 (1), pp. 119-126 : 120-121

Ajaraneola Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011

[urn:lsid:nmbe.ch:spidergen:04037]

Ajaraneola Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011: 558 .

Type species. A. mastigophora Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011: 558 (♁ Holotype, deposited in the Natural History Museum [London]: NIGERIA: Cross River State, Obudu Plateau [06.41°N, 09.36°E], 1900 m a.s.l., leg. A. Russell-Smith, 2.XII.1974 [mist forest] – not examined). By original designation.

Diagnosis. The males of the genus can be recognized by the bifid RTA, the wide and blunt DTA ( Figs 1–4 , 10–12 ), and the extremely long filiform embolus ( Figs 2 , 10 ). A bifid RTA is found also in Longarenus Simon, 1903 , Pochytoides and Kakameganula , but Ajaraneola can be distinguished from those by the long (at least three times as long as the circumference of the rounded tegulum) and filiform embolus. A long embolus is also found in other Afrotropical genera such as Bacelarella Berland & Millot, 1941 , Pignus Wesołowska, 2000 , Ureta Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013 and Ansienulina Wesołowska, 2015 . Ajaraneola males differ from these genera by having a bifid RTA and lacking any apophyses or outgrowths on the bulb. Bacelarella tanohi Szűts & Jocqué, 2001 also has a bifid RTA with a very long filiform embolus, but can be distinguished by the larger relative size of the tegulum (compared with the cymbium: Fig. 10 vs. Szűts & Jocqué 2001: fig. 3N), by the presence of a tegular apophysis, and by the lack of a DTA. Tegulum small (85% of the width of the cymbium) and without any outgrowth or visible appendages or apophyses (contra to Longarenus , Pochytoides , Kakameganula and B. tanohi ).

Females of the type species can be recognized by the wider-than-long epigyne, large epigynal windows, with a small posterior plate and sperm duct looping back above the frontal atria of the epigynum, as seen from the ventral side. This is also similar to the B. tanohi Szűts & Jocqué, 2001 female, but it can be differentiated by the wider-thanlong epigyne (see Wesołowska & Russell-Smith 2011: fig. 20) vs longer-than-wide of B. tanohi ( Szűts & Jocqué 2001: fig. 5C).

Description. For detailed description see Wesołowska & Russell-Smith 2011: 559. Unident thiratoscirtines. Males with elongated chelicerae (strongly elongated in A. mastigophora , slightly in A. pajakwandy sp. nov.). Carapace more-or-less oval, high (height 70% of carapace length), generally dark brown. Ocular area light brown, black around yes, yellowish around fovea. Light brown stripe on thoracic region. Clypeus low, with row of white hairs. Chelicerae brown; endites and coxae yellow. Sternum dark brown. Abdomen oval. Leg II thicker than others, leg II shortest. Leg IV (also femur IV) longer than leg III (also femur III). Patellae with prolateral macroseta. Palps brown, tegulum rounded, without any outgrowth; embolus long, whip-shaped, wrapped around tegulum. RTA bifid, with group of thick, long setae near its base; dorsal tibial apophysis present.

Distribution. Known from Nigeria and Uganda ( Fig. 21 ).

Figures

FIGURE 21. Map of central Africa showing geographical locations of specimens studied (based on public domain image from NASA/JPL/NIMA).

FIGURES 1–6. Ajaraneola pajakwandy sp. nov. (male holotype). 1–4 Palp, prolateral, ventral, retrolateral and dorsal views. 5–6 Habitus, fronto-lateral and frontal views. Scale bars = 0.4 mm (1–4), 1.0 mm (5–6).

FIGURES 7–12. Ajaraneola pajakwandy sp. nov. (male holotype). 7–9 Habitus, dorsal, lateral, ventral views. 10–12 Palp drawings, ventral, retrolateral and dorsal views. Scale bars = 1.0 mm (7–9), 0.4 mm (10–12).