Fuchibotulus bicornis, Haddad & Lyle, 2008

Haddad, Charles R. & Lyle, Robin, 2008, Three new genera of tracheline sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Corinnidae), African Invertebrates 49 (2), pp. 37-37 : 59-62

Fuchibotulus bicornis sp. n.

Figs 50–52 , 56, 57 , 59–66 , 71

Etymology: From Latin bicornis (forked), the name refers to the bifid RTA of the male palp.

Diagnosis: This species can be recognised by the bifid RTA of the male palp and embolus shape, and the shorter ST II, which do not project posteriorly as far as the anterior margin of the copulatory openings.

Description:

Male.

Measurements: CL 1.40–1.52, CW 1.20–1.33, AL 1.75–1.87, AW 1.25–1.31, TL 3.12– 3.28, FL 0.09–0.10, SL 0.77–0.83, SW 0.67–0.71, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.26, PME–PME 0.07, PME–PLE 0.13, PLE–PLE 0.51. Length of leg segments: I 1.13+0.57+0.96+0.73+0.47=3.86; II 0.99+0.53+0.79+0.63+0.39=3.33; III 0.77+0.43+0.55+0.62+0.27=2.64; IV 1.07+0.50+0.84+0.93+0.30=3.64.

Carapace, including eye region, deep orange, slightly darker laterally ( Fig. 50 ); carapace slightly rounded anteriorly with highest point at 1/3 its length, flat dorsally, sloping very slightly to 4/5 its length, last fifth with steep decline ( Fig. 59 ); surface coarsely granulate, covered in very short fine setae; fovea short, distinct, slightly thickened, at 3/4 carapace length. Eyes surrounded by black rings; AER procurved, lateral eyes larger than medians; clypeus height slightly larger than AME diameter ( Fig. 60 ); AME separated by distance slightly larger than 0.5× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by slightly less than 0.25× AME diameter; PER strongly recurved, median eyes slightly larger than laterals; PME separated by 0.66× their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 1.33× PME diameter. Chelicerae red-brown; anterior surface granular, with scattered short fine setae; promargin with three teeth, median and distal teeth subequal, proximal tooth smallest; retromargin with three teeth on single base, proximal and median teeth subequal, distal tooth smallest and blunt. Sternum bright orange, darker along border; surface smooth, with scattered short fine setae. Abdomen: pale grey throughout, with indistinct grey dorsal chevron markings; oval, distinctly notched anteriorly, tapering posteriorly, broadest at half its length, longer than wide ( Fig. 50 ); dorsal scutum absent; surface finely granulate, covered in short stout setae anteriorly, becoming finer towards posterior; two pairs of large elongate dorsal sigilla present, first pair at 1/3 abdomen length, second pair near midpoint, with several pairs of tiny oval intermediary sclerites posterior to each pair ( Fig. 52 ); venter with small oval sclerites running in two paired lines from epigastric fold to spinnerets; small broad inframamillary sclerite present. Legs I to IV orange-brown, tarsi slightly paler; weakly developed scopulae on metatarsi and tarsi, remaining leg segments covered in short fine setae; leg spines and cusps absent. Palp with small retrolateral tibial apophysis with split tip, and small secondary tooth-like dorsal apophysis ( Figs 57 , 61, 62 ); embolus fine, originating prolaterally on tegulum, curling around tegulum, ending in sharp tip retrolaterally ( Fig. 56 ); conductor narrow and membranous, reaching embolus tip ( Fig. 61 ).

Female.

Measurements: CL 1.33–1.58, CW 1.14–1.30, AL 1.90–2.13, AW 1.54–1.60, TL 3.28– 3.55, FL 0.09–0.10, SL 0.76–0.85, SW 0.65–0.73, AME–AME 0.09, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.26, PME–PME 0.08, PME–PLE 0.11, PLE–PLE 0.48. Length of leg segments: I 0.97+0.57+0.73+0.63+0.42=3.32; II 0.93+0.50+0.67+0.59+0.38=3.07; III 0.80+0.44+0.53+0.63+0.27=2.67; IV 1.09+0.53+0.83+0.96+0.33=3.74.

Carapace, including eye region, deep orange ( Fig. 51 ); carapace slightly rounded anteriorly with highest point at 1/3 its length, flat dorsally, sloping very slightly to 4/5 its length, last fifth with steep decline ( Fig. 63 ); surface coarsely granulate, covered in very short fine setae; fovea short, distinct, slightly thickened, at 3/4 carapace length. Eyes surrounded by black rings; AER procurved, lateral eyes much larger than medians; clypeus height equal to 1.33× AME diameter; AME separated by approx. 1.25× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by approx. 0.25× AME diameter ( Fig. 64 ); PER strongly recurved, median eyes larger than laterals; PME separated by 0.75× their diameter; PME separated from PLE by approx. 1.25× PME diameter. Chelicerae orangebrown; anterior surface granular, with scattered short and long fine setae; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest, proximal tooth smallest; median and distal teeth closest together; retromargin with three subequal teeth sharing single base. Sternum pale orange-brown with faint grey mottling, darker along border; surface smooth, covered in short fine setae. Abdomen: pale grey throughout, with indistinct dorsal chevron markings; oval, distinctly notched anteriorly, tapering posteriorly, broadest at half its length, longer than wide ( Fig. 51 ); dorsal scutum absent; surface finely granulate, covered in short stout setae anteriorly, becoming finer towards posterior; dorsum with two pairs of elongate sigilla present, first pair at 1/3 abdomen length, second pair at midpoint, latter pair sometimes fragmented into several smaller sclerites; several pairs of small intermediate sclerites posterior to each pair; venter with small oval sclerites, running in two paired lines from epigastric fold to spinnerets; small subrectangular inframamillary sclerite present. Legs I to IV brown, slightly paler distally; weakly developed scopulae on metatarsi and tarsi, remaining leg segments covered in short fine setae; leg spines and cusps absent. Epigyne with small median hood, copulatory openings situated medially in short curved ridges ( Fig. 65 ); entrance ducts twisted anteriorly before entering ST II, with corresponding twisted ducts leading from long sausage-like ST II to posterior ST I; ST I comprising two small oval lateral receptacles, linked to fertilisation ducts by short narrow duct ( Fig. 66 ).

Holotype: ♂ SOUTH AFRICA: “R.S.A., Western Cape / De Hoop Nat. Reserve / Koppie Alleen / 34°28.534'S, 20°30.349'E / C. Haddad, 5.iv.2004 / Under rocks in fynbos / HOLOTYPE ♂ / Fuchibotulus bicornis / NCA 2008/567 //” ( NCA, 2008/567).

Allotype: ♀“ R.S.A., Western Cape Prov. / Fisherhaven, near Hermanus / 34°21.430'S, 19°07.557'E / 30.ix.2007, R. Lyle & C. Haddad / Sifting leaf litter // ALLOTYPE ♀/ Fuchibotulus / bicornis / NCA 2008/ 218 //” ( NCA, 2008/218 ).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 1 ♂ Bergvliet , ix.1904, W.F. Purcell ( SAMC, 14190 ); 1 ♂ Cape of Good Hope Nat. Res., Olifantsbos, nr Skaife Centre , alt. 20 m, 34°15.76'S: 18°23.13'E, x.1998, H. Robertson, Winkler traps ( SAMC, C005504 ); 1 imm. 1♀De Hoop Nat. Res., Bitou number 2, 34°27.194'S: 20°24.250'E, 25.ix.2007, C. Haddad & R. Lyle, sifting leaf litter ( NCA, 2007/3898 ); 3 imm. 1 ♂ 1♀ Fisherhaven, nr Hermanus , 34°21.430'S: 19°07.557'E, 19.iii.2004, C. Haddad, sifting leaf litter ( NCA, 2008/ 566 ); 1♀Hermanus, Vermont , 16.vii.2007, V. Hamilton-Atwell, in litter ( NCA, 2008/449 ) .

Distribution: Endemic to Western Cape ( Fig. 71 ).

Biology: This species was primarily collected from leaf litter in fynbos habitats.

Figures

Figs 50–55. General habitus of Fuchibotulus gen. n. species: (50–52) F. bicornis sp. n., Fisherhaven: (50) male, (51) female, (52) male abdomen, indicating anterior notch (AN), intermediate sclerites (IS) and sigilla (SI); (53–55) F. kigelia sp. n.: (53) male, Magaliesberg, (54) female, Ndumo Game Reserve, (55) female abdomen. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Figs 56–58. Scanning electron micrographs of Fuchibotulus gen. n. males: (56, 57) F. bicornis sp. n., palpal tegulum and retrolateral tibial apophysis in ventral view; (58) F. kigelia sp. n., retrolateral tibial apophysis, dorsal view.

Figs 59–66. Fuchibotulus bicornis sp. n., male (59–62) and female (63–66): (59, 63) carapace, lateral view; (60, 64) eye region, anterior view; (61, 62) palp, ventral and retrolateral views; (65, 66) female epigyne, ventral and dorsal views. Scale bars: 1.0 mm in Figs 59, 63; 0.1 mm in Figs 60–62, 64–66.

Fig. 71. Distribution of Fuchibotulus gen. n. species.