Asceua luki, Jocqué & Henrard, 2024

Jocqué, Rudy & Henrard, Arnaud, 2024, A revision of Afrotropical Asceua (Araneae, Zodariidae), ant-eating spiders with puzzling distributions, African Invertebrates 65 (2), pp. 161-198 : 161-198

Asceua luki sp. nov.

Figs 14 , 15 , 16 , 24

Type material.

Holotype: D. R. Congo • ♂: Bas-Congo, Mayombe, Luki Biosphere Reserve ; 5°38'S, 13°04'E; 22. IX. 2007; canopy fogging, secondary rainforest; D. De Bakker, and J. P. Michiels leg.; RMCA_247723 . Paratypes: • 4 ♂♂ 3 ♀; as holotype; RMCA_235130 ; • 1 ♂ 1 ♀; 21. IX. 2007; further as holotype; RMCA_235129 ; • 3 ♂♂ 1 ♀; 20. IX. 2007; further as previous; RMCA_235128 .

Diagnosis.

Males and females of this species differ from those of A. incensa by the pale venter of the abdomen (Fig. 14 C, F ) and the triangular shape, as wide as high, of the chilum. In the male palp of A. luki the cymbial fold reaches the very tip of the cymbium and is strongly narrowed at the extremity (Figs 15 B, C , 16 B ), but it does not in A. incensa (Figs 8 C , 9 B ). In addition, the palp of A. luki is similar to that of A. lejeunei but differs by some details: in A. luki , the median prong of the tibial apophysis is provided with a prolateral triangular tooth visible in transparency (Fig. 15 D, E ); in A. lejeunei the tooth on the slightly wider median prong of the tibial apophysis is thinner and curved (Figs 12 C , 13 B ). Females are recognised by the structure of the epigyne similar to that of A. palustris : in A. luki the scapus is longer and narrower and not strongly widened at the posterior tip, and the copulatory openings are in front of the scapus tip, whereas behind it in A. palustris (Figs 15 F , 16 C vs. Fig. 17 D, G ); the posterior copulatory ducts are large and tightly wound, in A. luki they are narrower, loosely wound and crossing at the start in A. palustris (Fig. 15 G, H vs. Fig. 17 E, F ). Females of A. luki differ from A. lejeunei by the scape, which is not indented (Fig. 16 C vs. Fig. 13 D ).

Etymology.

The species name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Description.

Male Holotype. Fig. 14 A – D . Total body length 2.68. Colour in ethanol: carapace brownish orange, with faint darker ‘ X’ in front of fovea, dark rings around eyes and dark clypeus; chelicerae pale brown; endites and labium medium brown with pale frontal margin; sternum yellowish brown with darker margins; legs: femora proximal third of Fe white, distal 2 / 3 yellow with dark prolateral stripe and extra retrolateral stripe on Fe IV; remainder of legs yellow with dark ventral stripe on patellae, tibiae and metatarsi; abdomen: dorsum sepia with transparent brown scutum, two longitudinal, oval pale spots in anterior half and two transverse oval spots in the middle; sides dark as dorsum; venter pale in anterior 2 / 3; spinnerets yellow surrounded by dark area continuing from dorsum. Carapace 1.32 long, 0.99 wide, 0.92 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME: 0.09; ALE: 0.10; AME – AME: 0.07; AME – ALE: 0.02; PME: 0.10: PLE: 0.12; PME – PME: 0.07; PME – PLE: 0.11. MOQ: frontal width 0.25, posterior width 0.26, length 0.28. Clypeus 0.30 high. Chilum: triangular poorly defined sclerite 0.07 wide and as high. Sternum shield-shaped, 0.64 long, 0.61 wide. Legs: all femora with one short dorsal spine in proximal half;; measurements in Table 6 .

Palp (Figs 15 A – C , 16 A, B ): large: length including Ti 0.61 times carapace length. Tibia with three apophyses: dorsal prong (DP) wide, concave in prolateral view, curved forward, with distal, spine-shaped prong pointing forward at an angle of 45 °, inserted on apophysis tip; median prong (MD) roughly square with prolateral tooth (Ex); ventral prong (VP) short, straight with rounded extremity; cymbium laterally compressed with large retrolateral semicircular fold (CF), strongly narrowed at extremity reaching cymbial tip, with small, retrobasal button-like process (RCP) fitting DP concavity and sharp conical prolateral extension (PCP); tegulum with ventral part provided with small tooth (TT) anteriorly; median apophysis (MA) rounded and concave opening towards the front; embolus long and whip shaped, its base smoothly tapered in retrolateral view, a broad triangle in ventral view.

Female Paratype ( RMCA _235130 ). Fig. 14 E – H . Total body length 3.43. Colour as in male but for the absence of a scutum, pale dorsal spots larger and rounded, venter with smaller paler area behind epigastric fold. Carapace 1.73 long, 1.20 wide, 0.91 high. Eye sizes and interdistances: AME: 0.09; ALE: 0.10; AME – AME: 0.05; AME – ALE: 0.05; PME: 0.10: PLE: 0.10; PME – PME: 0.07; PME – PLE: 0.12. MOQ: frontal width 0.23, posterior width 0.26, length 0.31. Clypeus 0.28 high. Chilum: triangular, 0.10 wide and as high; shape as in male. Sternum shield-shaped, 0.67 long, 0.58 wide. Legs: all femora with one short dorsal spine in proximal half; measurements in Table 7 .

Epigyne (Figs 15 F – H , 16 C ): quadrangular area, as wide as long; scape (Sc) long, slightly narrower in anterior half, clearly widened at tip; copulatory openings in front of scape tip; ducts relatively wide, strongly wound, posterior part a short dense spire, anterior part with three densely superposed loops.

Variation.

Males (n = 8): TL 2.16–2.77; CL 1.28–1.73; white spots on dorsum sometimes narrower. Females (n = 4): TL 2.92–3.43, CL 1.21–1.68; white spots on dorsum wide.

Distribution.

The species is known from the type locality in western DR Congo (Fig. 24 ).

Figures

Figure 8. Asceua incensa sp. nov., genitalia A – C male holotype D, E male paratype (RMCA _ 235127) F – H female paratype (RMCA _ 234808) A palp, prolateral view B idem, slightly ventral C idem, retrolateral view D idem, SEM view, details E idem, detail of palpal tibial apophyses F epigyne, ventral view G idem, cleared H vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: MA = median apophysis; MP = median prong of palpal tibial apophysis; TT = tegular triangular tooth; VP = ventral prong of palpal tibial apophysis. Scales bars: 0.2 mm (A – C); 0.1 mm (D – H).

Figure 9. Asceua incensa sp. nov., genitalia drawings A, B male holotype C female paratype (RMCA _ 234808) A palp, retrolateral view B idem, prolateral view C epigyne, ventral view. Abbreviations: CF = cymbial fold; DP = dorsal prong of palpal tibial apophysis MA = median prong of palpal tibial apophysis; Sc = scape. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 12. Asceua lejeunei Jocqué, 1991, male and female genitalia A – C holotype male D – G paratype females (RMCA _ 144436) A palp, prolateral view B idem, ventral view C idem, retrolateral view D epigyne, ventral view E idem, another female F idem, cleared G vulva, dorsal view. Abbreviations: CF = cymbial fold; DP = dorsal prong of palpal tibial apophysis; MA = median apophysis; MP = median prong of palpal tibial apophysis; Sc = scape; TT = tegular tooth; VP = ventral prong of palpal tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm.

Figure 13. Asceua lejeunei Jocqué, 1991, drawings A, B holotype male C, D paratype females (RMCA _ 144436) A palp, prolateral view B idem, retrolateral view C female abdomen, dorsal view D epigyne, ventral view. Abbreviations: C = conductor; CF = cymbial fold; E = embolus; Ex = small prolateral extension of the median prong; DP = dorsal prong of palpal tibial apophysis; MA = median apophysis; MP = median prong of palpal tibial apophysis; TT = tegular tooth; Sc = scape; VP = ventral prong of palpal tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, B, D); 1 mm (C).

Figure 14. Asceua luki sp. nov., male and female habitus A holotype male B – D paratype male (RMCA _ 235130) E – H paratype female (RMCA _ 235130). A, B, E. dorsal view. C, F, G. ventral view D, H lateral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Figure 15. Asceua luki sp. nov., male and female genitalia A, B paratype male (RMCA _ 235130) C holotype male D – F paratype female (RMCA _ 235130) A palp, prolateral view B, C idem, retrolateral view D detail of the palpal tibial apophyses E idem, SEM view F epigyne, ventral view G idem, cleared H vulva, dorsal view. The arrows point to Ex. Abbreviations: CF = cymbial fold; DP = dorsal prong of palpal tibial apophysis; Ex = small prolateral extension of the median prong; MA = median apophysis; MP = median prong of palpal tibial apophysis; PCP = probasal cymbial process; RCP = retrobasal cymbial process; TT = tegular tooth; Sc = scape; VP = ventral prong of palpal tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.2 mm (A, B, F); 0.1 mm (D, E, G, H).

Figure 16. Asceua luki sp. nov., drawings A, B paratype male (RMCA _ 235130) C paratype female (RMCA _ 235130) A palp, retrolateral view B idem, prolateral view C epigyne, ventral view. Abbreviations: CF = cymbial fold; DP = dorsal prong of palpal tibial apophysis; MA = median apophysis; MP = median prong of palpal tibial apophysis; Sc = scape; VP = ventral prong of palpal tibial apophysis. Scale bars: 0.1 mm.

Figure 17. Asceua palustris sp. nov. A – D, G, H holotype female (RMCA _ 113670). E, F, I. paratype female (RMCA _ 113489) A habitus, dorsal view B idem, ventral view C idem, lateral view D, G epigyne, ventral view E idem, cleared F vulva, dorsal view H, I abdomen, dorsal view. Abbreviations: Sc = scape. Scale bars: 1 mm (A – C, H, I); 0.1 mm (D – G).

Figure 24. Distribution map of Asceua species occurring in the Afrotropics.