Ekapa, Ríos-Tamayo & Lyle & Sole, 2023

Rios-Tamayo, Duniesky, Lyle, Robin & Sole, Catherine L., 2023, Ekapa, a new genus of mygalomorph spiders (Araneae, Entypesidae) from South Africa, African Invertebrates 64 (1), pp. 1-12 : 1

Genus Ekapa gen. nov.

Type species.

Hermacha curvipes Purcell, 1902, by present designation.

Etymology.

The new name " Ekapa " is taken from the type locality and means "Cape Town" in the Xhosa language. The gender is neutral.

Diagnosis.

The new genus can be distinguished from all other related genera in the family Entypesidae by the presence of a retroventral projection in the male palpal tibia (absent in all other entypesid genera; Figs 2D , 4E ). Males of Ekapa gen. nov. can also be distinguished from Hermachola and Brachytheliscus by the presence of retrolateral apical megaspines on tibia I (Figs 1F , 4H ), similar to Afropesa and Hermacha . They can be differentiated from Afropesa by the male palpal bulb morphology which is piriform, with dorsal keels and strong flanges (Figs 2A-C , 4A-D ) and from Hermacha by the presence of preening combs in both sexes. Ekapa gen. nov., differs from Lepthercus by the lack of a megaspine on a raised cuticular spur on tibia I of males. Females possess spermathecae with a high basal portion (fused or not) and stalks that open in oval apical receptacles (Fig. 5D, E ).

Relationships.

Given the morphological characters presented here, this new genus shows affinities with Afropesa , Hermacha and the Australian genus Stanwellia Rainbow & Pulleine, 1918 (currently belonging to the family Pycnothelidae ), since they all present a retrolateral apical megaspine on tibia I. Nevertheless, Ekapa gen. nov. differs from them due to its characteristic retroventral projection on the male palpal tibia. Stanwellia spp, demonstrate a similar shape of the spermathecae (with a high base), but differ from Ekapa gen. nov. since they possess flexuous leg tarsi, and a straight thoracic fovea ( Harvey et al. 2018).

Description.

Cephalothorax and legs covered with short bristles; cephalothorax with dark setae on the margin, more abundant towards the posterior part. Thoracic fovea short, straight or slightly recurved. Eyes group broader than long, anterior row slightly procurved and posterior row recurved (Figs 1C , 3F , 5C ); clypeus short. Abdomen covered with short black hairs, with a pattern of yellow chevrons (Fig. 3C ). Sternum oval, covered with black hairs, with posterior sigilla well defined and separated from the sternal margin. Labium broad, with few cuspules (principally in females), labiosternal sigilla consisting of a pair of well-marked sigilla. Maxillae with strong cuspules on the posterior inner edge. Stout short bristles as a rastellum, chelicerae with bristles on dorsal and retrolateral face. Chelicerae with a continuous line of equidistant teeth on the promargin, with many small basal denticles (no equidistant line with a few basal denticles in Hermacha ). Male intercheliceral tumescence well-marked and setose (Fig. 3E ). Serrula absent in both sexes. Leg formula 4123; all legs sparsely covered with hairs. Legs with all tarsi aspinose. Tibia I of male with a megaspine, and with a series of spines, all of which are almost the same size (Figs 1F , 4H ). Palpal tibia slightly swollen, with prolateral spines, ventrally with some rigid setae and a projection on the retroventral side (Figs 2D , 4E ). Cymbium short without spines. Copulatory bulb piriform, flanged, with long dorsal keels and with a short slightly curved embolus (Figs 2A-C , 4A-D ). Scopulae: on metatarsi I-II distributed in the entire segment; III sparse, apical; IV absent. Present on tarsi I-II, throughout each segment (dense in females), III-IV sparse. Trichobothria: filiform in two rows from basal to anterior; metatarsi with one straight line, tarsi with a narrow zigzag row along length. Metatarsal preening combs present in legs II-IV. Spermathecae: receptacles with a high base (fused or not), and with stalk that ends in the oval apical receptacle (Fig. 5D, E ).

Species included.

Ekapa curvipes (Purcell, 1902), comb. nov.

Figures

Figure 1. Ekapa curvipes (Purcell, 1902) comb. nov., male holotype (SAM-ENW-X 006011) A cephalothorax, dorsal view B sternum, labium, maxillae, ventral view C ocular pattern, dorsal view D spinnerets, ventral view E-G tibia I E prolateral view F ventral view G retrolateral view.

Figure 2. Ekapa curvipes (Purcell, 1902) comb. nov., male holotype (SAM-ENW-X 006011) A-C copulatory bulb A retrolateral view B ventral view C prolateral view D, E distal segments of right pedipalp D retrolateral view, arrow indicates the projection in the retroventral side E prolateral view.

Figure 3. Ekapa curvipes, male (NCA 2008 / 770) A cephalothorax, dorsal view B sternum, labium, maxillae, ventral view C abdomen, dorsal view D spinnerets, lateral view E chelicerae, prolateral view, arrow indicate the intercheliceral tumescence F ocular pattern, dorsal view.

Figure 4. Ekapa curvipes, male (NCA 2008 / 770) A-D copulatory bulb A retrolateral view B ventral view C prolateral view D closeup of the tip, arrows indicate the two keels E, F distal segments of right pedipalp E retrolateral view, arrow indicates the projection in the retroventral side F prolateral view G-I tibia I G prolateral view H ventral view I retrolateral view.

Figure 5. Ekapa curvipes, female (SAM-ENW-X 013899) A overall dorsal view B sternum, labium, maxillae, ventral view C ocular pattern, dorsal view D, E spermathecae D female from Bergvliet Flats, Western Cape (SAM-ENW-X 013899) E female from same locality (SAM-ENW-X 012166).