Austrachelas reavelli, 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 : 24-26

Austrachelas reavelli n. sp.

( Figs 11, 12 , 72–75 )

Diagnosis. Females of this species is can be distinguished by the very broad anterior hood and widely separated lateral hoods of the epigyne (far from the spermathecae), and the whirled ST 1 ( Figs 72, 73 ); males can be recognised by the lobed projection along the distal margin of the male palp ( Fig. 74 ) and the bifid lobe of the retrolateral tibial apophysis ( Fig. 75 ).

Etymology. The species epithet is a patronym in honour of Peter Reavell, who collected the holotype, in recognition of the large quantity of valuable spider material that he has collected in South Africa, particularly from KwaZulu-Natal.

Female. Measurements: CL 3.30, CW 2.38, FL 0.32, AL 3.55, AW 2.10, SL 1.88, SW 1.40, TL 7.05, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.29, PME–PME 0.05, PME–PLE 0.11, PLE–PLE 0.49. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 2.33 + 1.40 + 1.80 + 1.30 + 0.78 = 7.61; II 2.20 + 1.30 + 1.65 + 1.21 + 0.75 = 7.11; III 1.90 + 0.93 + 1.10 + 1.48 + 0.71 = 6.12; IV 2.55 + 1.20 + 1.90 + 2.38 + 0.90 = 8.93.

Carapace orange-brown, paler along midline ( Fig. 11 ); AER strongly procurved, laterals larger than medians; AME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance equal to ¼ AME diameter; clypeus height equal to AME diameter at AME, equal to ½ ALE diameter at ALE; PER straight, laterals larger than medians; PME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to PME diameter. Chelicerae deep orange; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest, proximal tooth smallest; teeth evenly spaced; retromargin with single small tooth, closest to fang base of all teeth. Legs all uniform yellow-orange in colour. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1 do 1, II pl 1 do 1, III pl 2 do 3 rl 1, IV do 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 3 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I & II spineless, strongly scopulate, III & IV scopulate in distal half, III pl 6 rl 6 plv 1 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 6 rl 6 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2; palp: femora do 2, patellae spineless, with prominent pl 1 rl 1 setae, tibiae pl 3 rl 2, tarsus pl 3 do 1 rl 2 plv 1 rlv 1. Abdomen grey dorsally with mottled pale grey chevron ( Fig. 11 ), paler laterally and ventrally; dorsum and venter lacking scutum or other sclerites. Female epigyne with very broad anterior hood, lateral hoods widely separated from spermathecae ( Fig. 72 ); copulatory openings anterolaterally situated, entering ST 2 broadly; ST 2 anteriorly situated, curved with small globular lateral extensions, connected broadly to whirled posterior ST 1 ( Fig. 73 ).

Male. Measurements: CL 2.33, CW 1.72, FL 0.22, AL 2.23, AW 1.25, SL 1.38, SW 0.95, TL 4.70, AME–AME 0.05, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.23, PME–PME 0.04, PME–PLE 0.07, PLE–PLE 0.34.

Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 1.70 + 0.95 + 1.20 + 0.90 + 0.70 = 5.45; II 1.43 + 0.90 + 1.12 + 0.93 + 0.65 = 5.03; III 1.30 + 0.70 + 0.75 + 1.03 + 0.55 = 4.33; IV 1.85 + 0.93 + 1.40 + 1.65 + 0.73 = 6.56.

Carapace orange-brown, yellow-orange along midline ( Fig. 12 ); AER strongly procurved, laterals much larger than medians; AME separated by distance equal to ¾ their diameter, separated from ALE by distance equal to ¼ AME diameter; clypeus height equal to 1¼ AME diameter at AME, equal to ½ ALE diameter at ALE; PER very slightly recurved, nearly straight, laterals larger than medians; PME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to PME diameter. Chelicerae deep orange-brown, anterior margin with coarse ridges; promargin with three evenly spaced teeth, proximal tooth largest and distal tooth smallest; retromargin with single small denticle, situated close to median promarginal tooth. Legs all yellow-orange, paler yellow distally. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1 do 1, II pl 1 do 1, III pl 2 do 2 rl 1, IV do 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 3 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I & II spineless, strongly scopulate, III & IV scopulate in distal half, III pl 5 rl 4 plv 1 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 6 rl 5 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2. Abdomen grey with paler mottling dorsally ( Fig. 12 ), cream laterally and ventrally; dorsum with small anterior scutum, venter without sclerites. Male palp with broad, hook-like median apophysis; embolus arc-shaped, with slight lobe on distal margin of embolus ( Fig. 74 ); palpal tibia with folded hook-like retrolateral apophysis with two small retrolateral dorsal tooth-like projections and bifid intermediate lobe ( Fig. 75 ); palpal spination: femora do 2.

Type material: Holotype Ƥ: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Zululand, Ngoye Forest, 2831DC, VIII.1981, P. Reavell ( NMSA 14055). Allotype 3: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park, 28°00'S, 31°43'E, 20.VI.2006, M. Mgobozi (pitfall traps) (NCA 2006/1352).

Distribution. Known from northern parts of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa ( 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 68 – 75. Genitalic morphology of Austrachelas species. (68 – 71) A. pondoensis n. sp.: female epigyne, ventral view (68), dorsal view (69), male palp, ventral view (70), retrolateral view (71); (72 – 75) A. reavelli n. sp.: female epigyne, ventral view (72), dorsal view (73), male palp, ventral view (74), retrolateral view (75). Scale bars = 0.1 mm.