Austrachelas incertus Lawrence, 1938

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 : 17-19

Austrachelas incertus Lawrence, 1938

( Figs 2, 3 , 54–57 )

Austrachelas incertus Lawrence, 1938: 504 , fig. 28. (Ƥ) Diagnosis. The female of A. incertus can be recognised by the very broad distinctive semi-circular anterior hood ( Fig. 54 ); males closely resemble A. kalaharinus n. sp., but can be distinguished by the size and position of the denticles on the distal margin of the embolus ( Fig. 56 ), and by the simple retrolateral tibial apophysis (with two denticles in A. kalaharinus n. sp.).

Female. Measurements: CL 4.20–4.62, CW 2.98–3.22, FL 0.40–0.42, AL 4.65–7.50, AW 2.30–4.20, SL 2.33–2.55, SW 1.60–1.70, TL 8.85–12.25, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.40, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.16, PLE–PLE 0.68.

Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 2.65 + 1.73 + 2.20 + 1.65 + 1.08 = 9.31; II 2.48 + 1.62 + 2.03 + 1.63 + 1.00 = 8.76; III 2.30 + 1.30 + 1.38 + 1.87 + 1.00 = 7.85; IV 2.98 + 1.63 + 2.30 + 2.70 + 1.20 = 10.81.

Carapace deep red-brown, dark orange-red along midline ( Fig. 2 ); AER strongly procurved, laterals larger than medians; AME separated by distance equal to their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance equal to ½ AME diameter; clypeus height equal to 1½ times AME diameter at AME, equal to ¾ ALE diameter at ALE; PER straight, laterals larger than medians; PME separated by distance equal to their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 1½ times PME diameter. Chelicerae deep red-brown; promargin with three teeth, proximal tooth smallest, median tooth largest; median and distal teeth closest together; retromargin with two small subequal teeth, situated close to fang base. Legs all yellow-orange, slightly darker distally. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1 do 1, II pl 1 do 1, III pl 1 do 2–3 rl 1, IV do 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 2–3 do 0–1 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 do 2 rl 5 plv 1 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 6 rl 5 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2; palp: femora pl 1 do 2, patellae spineless, tibiae pl 3 r1 2, tarsus pl 3 do 1 rl 1 plv 1 rlv 1. Abdomen dark grey dorsally, with cream chevron markings ( Fig. 2 ), cream laterally and ventrally; dorsum and venter lacking scutum or other sclerites. Female epigyne with broad semi-circular anterior hood ( Fig. 54 ); copulatory openings anterolaterally situated, entering median ST 2; ST 1 oval, posteriorly situated, distinctly separated ( Fig. 55 ).

Male. Measurements: CL 4.23, CW 2.98, FL 0.42, AL 4.35, AW 2.25, SL 2.33, SW 1.57, TL 8.98, AME–AME 0.12, AME–ALE 0.05, ALE–ALE 0.35, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.16, PLE–PLE 0.65.

Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 3.18 + 1.78 + 2.45 + 1.95 + 1.18 = 10.54; II 3.00 + 1.68 + 2.25 + 1.90 + 1.20 = 10.03; III 2.58 + 1.30 + 1.53 + 2.01 + 1.08 = 8.50; IV 3.45 + 1.68 + 2.53 + 3.08 + 1.20 = 11.94.

Carapace deep orange-brown, paler along midline ( Fig. 3 ); AER strongly procurved, laterals larger than medians; AME separated by distance equal to 1½ times their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance equal to ¾ AME diameter; clypeus height equal to 2¼ AME diameter at AME, equal to ALE diameter at ALE; PER straight, laterals larger than medians; PME separated by distance equal to ¾ their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 1½ times PME diameter. Chelicerae pale yellow-orange; promargin and retromargin with single small tooth; promarginal tooth larger, retromarginal tooth closer to fang base. Legs all yellow-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 1 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. 3 ), cream laterally and ventrally; small anterior dorsal scutum present, venter without any sclerites. Male palp with broad rounded prolateral tibial apophysis and simple triangular retrolateral tibial apophysis; median tegular apophysis hook-shaped; embolus curved in broad arc, with curved tooth-like prolateral and hook-like retrolateral projection on distal margin of embolus ( Figs 56, 57 ); palpal spination: femora do 2, tarsi pl 1.

Type material: Holotype Ƥ, deposited in NMSA (examined): SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Bulwer [29°48'S, 29°45'E], V.1936, R.F. Lawrence ( NMSA 120).

Additional material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Cathkin Peak [29°04'S, 29°21'E], 5800ft a.s.l., no further information, 1 sa 3, 1 sa Ƥ ( NMSA 2161) [leg spination corresponds with other specimens]; Hilton, near Pietermaritzburg [29°33'S, 30°18'E], Grounds of St Anne’s Diocesan School, 6.V.1991, P. Croeser & Members of Wildlife Club, 1Ƥ ( NMSA 21892); Karkloof, 50km NNW of Pietermaritzburg, 29°26'S, 30°19'E, 4600ft a.s.l., 20.X.1985, C. Griswold, T. Griswold & J. Doyen (forest), 2Ƥ ( NMSA 21893); Ndumeni forest, Cathedral Peak, 4800 ft a.s.l., 28°57'S, 29°12'E, 21-24.II.1984, C. Griswold & T. Meikle-Griswold, 13 ( NMSA 21894); Pietermaritzburg [29°37'S, 30°22'E], Chase Valley, III. 1937, R.F. Lawrence, 1 sa Ƥ ( NMSA 1712) [leg spination corresponds with holotype].

Distribution. Known from the KwaZulu-Natal midlands and uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Mountains ( 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.