Smeringopus lydenberg, Huber, 2012

HUBER, BERNHARD A., 2012, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Afrotropical endemic genus Smeringopus Simon, 1890 (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 3461 (1), pp. 1-138 : 61-62

Smeringopus lydenberg new species

Figs. 249–250, 254 , 272–273 , 292–293 , 357–361

Type. Male holotype from South Africa, Mpumalanga, Misty Mountain Hotel , ca. 32 km E Lydenberg (25°10’S, 30°40’E), forest, 1890 m a.s.l., 3.–5.xii.1996 (C.E. Griswold), in CAS .

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from most congeners (except S. hanglip ) by two black lines ventrally on abdomen (versus three; Fig. 250 ); from similar congeners ( S. hanglip , S. ndumo , S. mlilwane ) by shapes of bulbal processes ( Figs. 359, 360 ); from other close relatives by long process near palpal tarsal organ ( Fig. 357 ), ventrally strongly curved procursus ( Figs. 273 , 357 ), and prolateral process on procursus tip ( Fig. 358 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 6.9, carapace width 2.7. Leg 1: 62.5 (16.7 + 1.1 + 15.6 + 26.0 + 3.1), tibia 2: 11.2, tibia 3: 8.4, tibia 4: 11.7; tibia 1 L/d: 59. Habitus as in female (cf. Figs. 249, 250 ). Carapace ochre-yellow with distinct dark pattern (median and lateral bands, no submarginal marks), clypeus with pair of indistinct dark stripes, sternum posterior half darker brown, legs with indistinct darker rings subdistally on femora and tibiae, abdomen dorsally with distinct dark pattern, ventrally with two dark lines behind gonopore, dark area in front of gonopore not divided. Distance PME-PME 220 µm, diameter PME 205 µm, distance PME-ALE 90 µm, distance AME-AME 45 µm, diameter AME 185 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with very indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae very similar S. hanglip (cf. Figs. 340, 341 ; slightly smaller but apophyses slightly larger). Palps as in Figs. 272 and 273 , coxa without retrolateral apophysis, trochanter barely modified, femur with deep and wide retrolateral furrow with distinct rim proximally, cymbium with long projection near tarsal organ ( Fig. 357 ), procursus ventrally strongly curved ( Figs. 273 , 357 ), with prolateral process at tip ( Fig. 358 ), bulb with three distinctively shaped processes ( Figs. 359, 360 ). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, with curved hairs on tibiae and metatarsi 1 and 2, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 3%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1.

Variation. Tibia 1 in other male: 14.7 (missing in third male).

Female. In general similar to male; tibia 1 missing in both females. Epigynum a simple plate without pockets ( Fig. 292 ), laterally whitish, very similar to close relatives ( S. lydenberg , S. mlilwane ) but frontally with pair of distinct sclerotized areas; internal genitalia as in Figs. 293 and 361 (also similar to close relatives, with internal pockets).

Distribution. Only known from type locality in northeastern South Africa ( Fig. 299 ).

Material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Mpumalanga: Misty Mountain: 1♂ holotype above ; same data, 2♂ 2♀ + juvs. in CAS .

Figures

FIGURE 299. Known distribution of the natalensis group except S. natalensis (cf. Fig. 298). Squares: further undescribed species.

FIGURES 243–255. Smeringopus natalensis group, habitus and male prosomata, oblique frontal views. 243–244. S. natalensis, male, dorsal and ventral views. 245–246. S. koppies, male, dorsal and ventral views. 247–248. S. hanglip, male, dorsal and ventral views. 249–250. S. lydenberg, female, dorsal and ventral views. 251. S. natalensis. 252. S. blyde. 253. S. hanglip. 254. S. lydenberg. 255. S. mlilwane.

FIGURES 268–277. Smeringopus natalensis group, left male palps, prolateral and retrolateral views. 268–269. S. blyde. 270–271. S. hanglip. 272–273. S. lydenberg. 274–275. S. mlilwane. 276–277. S. ndumo.

FIGURES 278–297. Smeringopus natalensis group, epigyna, ventral views and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 278–279. S. natalensis. 280–281. S. koppies. 282–283. S. badplaas. 284–285. S. florisbad. 286–287. S. lesnei. 288–289. S. blyde. 290–291. S. hanglip. 292–293. S. lydenberg. 294–295. S. mlilwane. 296–297. S. ndumo.

FIGURES 357–366. Smeringopus lydenberg (357–361) and S. mlilwane (362–366). 357, 362. Left cymbia and procursi, retrolateral views. 358, 363. Left procursi, dorsal views. 359–360, 364–365. Left bulbal processes, prolateral and dorsal views. 361, 366. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views (arrows point to internal pockets). Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 336–342. Smeringopus hanglip. 336. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view. 337. Left procursus, dorsal view. 338–339. Left bulbal processes, prolateral and dorsal views. 340–341. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 342. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view (arrow points to internal pocket). Scale lines: 0.3 mm (336–339), 0.5 mm (340–342).