Austrachelas kalaharinus, Haddad, Charles R., Lyle, Robin, Bosselaers, Jan & Ramirez, Martin J., 2009

Haddad, Charles R., Lyle, Robin, Bosselaers, Jan & Ramirez, Martin J., 2009, A revision of the endemic South African spider genus Austrachelas, with its transfer to the Gallieniellidae (Arachnida: Araneae), Zootaxa 2296, pp. 1-38 : 19-20

Austrachelas kalaharinus n. sp.

( Figs 4 , 58, 59 )

Etymology. This species is named for the Kalahari Desert, which has its southernmost reaches near the type locality.

Diagnosis. This species is closely related to A. sexoculata n. sp., but the two species can be distinguished by the eight eyes of A. kalaharinus n. sp. (six in A. sexoculata n. sp.) and the presence of denticles on the retrolateral tibial apophysis of A. kalaharinus n. sp. ( Fig. 58 ), which are absent in A. sexoculata n. sp..

Male. Measurements: CL 3.58, CW 2.58, FL 0.35, AL 3.60, AW 1.90, SL 2.00, SW 1.40, TL 7.20, AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.37, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.12, PLE–PLE 0.54.

Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 2.45 + 1.37 + 1.83 + 1.40 + 0.90 = 7.95; II 2.35 + 1.35 + 1.70 + 1.33 + 0.85 = 7.58; III 2.00 + 1.03 + 1.13 + 1.48 + 0.73 = 6.37; IV 2.70 + 1.33 + 2.00 + 2.38 + 0.90 = 9.31.

Carapace uniform deep red-brown, black along margins ( Fig. 4 ); AER strongly procurved, laterals slightly larger than medians; AME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter, AME nearly touching ALE, separated from ALE by distance equal to ½ AME diameter; clypeus height equal to 1½ times AME diameter at AME, equal to ALE diameter at ALE; PER straight, laterals slightly larger than medians; PME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to PME diameter. Chelicerae deep red-brown, anterior surface with coarse ridges; promargin with four teeth, proximal tooth smallest, second tooth largest; large space before third and fourth teeth, close to fang base and intermediate in size; retromargin with single small denticle, situated close to third promarginal tooth. Legs all deep orange, slightly paler distally. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1 do 1, II pl 1 do 1, III pl 1 do 2 rl 1, IV do 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I & II spineless, strongly scopulate, III & IV scopulate in distal half, III pl 6 rl 4 plv 1 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 6 rl 5 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2. Abdomen grey with cream chevron dorsally ( Fig. 4 ), cream laterally and ventrally; small anterior dorsal scutum present, venter without any sclerites. Male palp with broad spoon-shaped prolateral tibial apophysis and triangular retrolateral tibial apophysis with two denticles on inner margin; median tegular apophysis hook-shaped; embolus curved in broad arc, with tooth-like prolateral and hook-like retrolateral projections on outer margin of embolus ( Figs 58, 59 ); palpal spination: femora do 2.

Type material: Holotype 3: SOUTH AFRICA: Free State Province, near Kimberley, Farm “Benfontein” [28°53'S, 24°50'E], III.1981, S. Erasmus (pitfall traps) (NCA 2008/2763).

Distribution. Known only from the type locality ( Fig. 82 ).

Figures

FIGURE 82. Distribution of the genus Austrachelas, endemic to South Africa.

FIGURES 1 – 15. Digital microscope photographs of the habitus of Austrachelas species: (1) A. bergi n. sp., female; (2) A. incertus Lawrence, 1938, female; (3) same, male; (4) A. kalaharinus n. sp., male; (5) A. merwei n. sp., female; (6) same, male; (7) A. natalensis Lawrence, 1942, female; (8) same, male; (9) A. pondoensis n. sp., female; (10) same, male; (11) A. reavelli n. sp., female; (12) same, male; (13) A. sexoculata n. sp., male; (14) A. wassenaari n. sp., female; (15) same, male. Scale bars = 2.0 mm.

FIGURES 52 – 59. Genitalic morphology of Austrachelas species. (52 – 53) A. bergi n. sp.: female epigyne, ventral view (52), dorsal view (53); (54 – 57) A. incertus Lawrence, 1938: female epigyne, ventral view (54), dorsal view (55), male palp, ventral view (56), retrolateral view (57); (58 – 59) A. kalaharinus n. sp., male palp, ventral view (58), retrolateral view (59). Scale bars = 0.1 mm.