Tusitala cornuta, Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2022

Wesołowska, Wanda & Russell-Smith, Anthony, 2022, Jumping spiders from Ivory Coast collected by J. - C. Ledoux (Araneae, Salticidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 841 (1), pp. 1-143 : 125-126

Tusitala cornuta sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A73607A7-5A3E-4119-9444-B678D4FB982B

Figs 73–74

Diagnosis

This species is closely related to Tusitala lutzi Lessert, 1927 . The male palps of both species are similar, but they are distinguished by the shape of the tibial apophysis, which is long and shovel-like in T. lutzi but short in Tusitala cornuta sp. nov. with a sinuous distal margin. The species also differ in the chelicerae. The chelicerae of T. lutzi are covered with white scales on the anterior surface, have a protuberance on the outside margin and no outgrowth on the inside edge. Those of T. cornuta have very long bristles on the anterior surface, the outer margin is smooth but there is a triangular outgrowth near the apex of the inner edge. The chelicerae of the newly described species are similar to those in Tusitala hirsuta Peckham & Peckham, 1902 , but the male palp of this last species has a pointed tibial apophysis, a distinctly longer embolus and a bulb without a posterior lobe.

Etymology

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘horned’, and refers to the shape of cheliceral appendix.

Material examined

Holotype IVORY COAST • ♂; surroundings of Man ; 7°24′ N, 7°33′ W; 10 Nov. 1975; “forêt brousse, sur branches”; MNHN.

Paratypes IVORY COAST • 1 ♂; Man , road to Mt Tonkoui; 13 Nov. 1975; “forêt degradée, sur branches”; MNHN • 1 ♂; Lamto ; 25 Aug. 1975; “marigot salé, sur branches au soleil”; MNHN .

Description

Male

MEASUREMENTS. Cephalothorax length 2.9, width 2.1, height 1.2. Eye field length 1.4, anterior and posterior width 2.0. Abdomen length 3.1, width 1.5.

CARAPACE. Brown, clothed in short greyish hairs, long brown bristles scattered on eye field. Eyes surrounded by black areas and encircled by short scale-like fawn hairs from above and whitish from bottom. Median orange streak on thoracic part, light hairs form whitish patch at posterior edge of eye field and transverse line behind anterior eyes. Clypeus with some white hairs. Chelicerae long, dark brown, bicuspid tooth on both margins, long triangular process on top of inner edge ( Figs 73A–B , 74A ). Dense, stiff, very long bristles form a distinct ‘basket’ on the anterior surface of chelicerae.

ABDOMEN. Ovoid, brownish with light band on anterior margin spreading to sides. Venter light. Spinnerets brownish.

LEGS. Yellow, their hairs and spines brown.

PEDIPALPS. As in Figs 73C–E , 74B–C . Tibial apophysis shovel-shaped, bulb irregular with small posterior appendix.

Female

Unknown.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality, near Man, Ivory Coast.

Figures

Fig. 73. Tusitala cornuta sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (MNHN). A. Chelicera, ventral view. B. Chelicerae, frontal view. C. Palpal organ, ventral view. D. Palpal organ, lateral view. E. Palpal organ, laterodorsal view.

Fig. 74. Tusitala cornuta sp. nov., paratype, ♂ (MNHN). A. Chelicera, ventral view. B. Palpal organ, ventral view. C. Palpal organ, lateral view.