Amblyothele latedissipata, Russell-Smith & Jocqué & Alderweireldt, 2009

Russell-Smith, Tony, Jocqué, Rudy & Alderweireldt, Mark, 2009, A revision of the African wolf spider genus Amblyothele Simon, ZooKeys 16 (16), pp. 149-180 : 168-171

Amblyothele latedissipata sp. n.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:BADCC224-DC23-4619-840A-C2634A0B2745

Figs 20-27 , 41 , Map 6

Diagnosis. The male may be recognised by the shape of the median apophysis, the proximal end of which tapers to a point and lacks any forward pointing lobe. The female differs from other members of the genus in possessing a broadly cordate central plate in the epigyne and by the shape and position of the spermathecae as seen through the cuticle.

Etymology. The specific name is derived from the Latin for “widely distributed” and refers to the wide separation of the three known localities for the species.

Type material. Holotype. Male. TANZANIA: Mkomazi Game Reserve , 4°00’S, 38°00’E, 26.XI.1994, pitfall traps in open Acacia / Commiphor a bushland, A. Russell- Smith leg. ( MRAC 225507 ).

Paratypes. TANZANIA: 8 ♁ 3 ♀: together with Holotype ( MRAC 225508 ) ; MOZAMBIQUE: 2 ♀: near Marracuene , Blue Anchor Inn, 50 m a.s.l. 25°35.124’S 32°39.568’E, 28.XI.2007, sifting leaf litter, savannah, C. Haddad and R. Fourie leg. ( NCA) ; SOUTH AFRICA: 2 ♀: Tembe Elephant Park , Muzi Swamps, 27°01’S 32°24’E, pitfall traps, 22.I.2002, C. Haddad leg. ( NCA) .

Other material examined. TANZANIA: 7 ♁ 8 ♀: Mkomazi game Reserve, near Ibaya camp, 4°00’S, 38°00’E, IV.1995, A. Russell-Smith leg. ; 4 ♁ 2 ♀: same site, IV. 1995; 2 ♁: same site, IV.1995; 2 ♁: same site, VI.1995; 2 ♁ 2 ♀: same site, XI.1995; 3 ♁ 1 ♀: same site, XII.1995; 2 ♁ 1 ♀: same site, III.1996; 10 ♁ 4 ♀: Mkomazi Game Reserve, Ibaya camp, IV.1995, from pitfall traps, in mixed grassland on footslope, A. Russell-Smith leg. ; 13 ♁ 7 ♀: same site, V.1995; 1 ♁: same site, VI.1995; 6 ♁ 2 ♀: same site, VI.1995; 2 ♁ 1 ♀: same site, XI.1995; 1 ♀: same site, III.1996; 3 ♀: Kyela , 09°35’S 033°48’E, 18.XI.1991, cashew nut litter, sieved, R. Jocqué leg. ( MRAC 173507 ) . SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♁: Kwazulu-Natal Province. Sani Pass , 29°39’S 029°27’E, 1200 m, 20.I.2008, pitfall trap, D. Prentice leg. ( NCA) ; 2 ♁: same data as previous ( NCA) ; 1♀: 15 km N of Richard’s Bay , 10.XII.1966, rehabilitated coastal forest, T. Wassenaar leg. ( NCA 97 /946) ; 1♀: Kwazulu-Natal, Ndumo Game Reserve, Eastern shore of Shokwe Pan , 26º52.516’S 32º12.407’E, wandering around in leaf litter, C. Haddad leg. ( MRAC 226176 ) ; 1♁: Kwazulu-Natal, Ndumo Game Reserve , 26º52.464’S 32º16.050’E, subtropical bush, Acacia nigrescens woodland, C. Haddad leg. ( MRAC 226177 ) .

Description. Male. Total length, 3.75 mm. Carapace. Length 1.64 mm, width 1.24 mm. Colour pale yellow-brown with a feint paler longitudinal median band extending from behind the head region to hind margin. With some darker striae radiating from the fovea. Fovea relatively long (ca. 20% of carapace length). Head region not noticeably elevated. Eyes. Anterior row straight or very slightly procurved. AME 2.7 × diameter of

very small ALE and touching them. Middle eyes 2.25 × diameter of AME and about 0.33 × their own diameter apart. PLE 0.66 × diameter of PME and widely spaced, by ca. 2.0 × their own diameter. Immediate region of eyes densely black pigmented. Chelicerae. Long and narrow with a small fang. Coloured as carapace. Posterior margin with two very small teeth, anterior margin toothless. Maxillae and labium. Maxillae ca. 2 × length of labium, slightly broadened and strongly truncate distally. Colour very pale yellow. Labium slightly longer than broad, sub-quadrate, coloured as the maxillae and with a scattering of dark setae. Sternum. Shield shaped, slightly longer than broad, coloured as maxillae and with a scattering of dark setae. Legs. Typical of genus, long and thin, especially in male. Leg IV 1.27 × length of leg I. All segments pale yellow without any darker pigmentation. Ventral spines of leg I; metatarsus 2-2-(2), tibia 2-2-(2). Spines long, thin and pale. With three tarsal claws, the outer pair with five long thin teeth, the central claw small, on a raised pad and having two long serrated bristles adjacent. Abdomen. Dark grey-brown with a pale orange folium dorsally and, posterior to this, a pattern of chevrons with adjacent pale spots. The dorsal part densely clothed in dark setae. Ventrally pale whitish-yellow. Spinnerets. The PLS long, almost 2 × length of AMS. Basal segment of PLS ca. 2 × length of terminal segment. Coloured as abdomen. Palp. Figs 20-24 . Median apophysis situated distally, anterior lobe sickle-shaped, posterior lobe without a forward pointing projection on the proximal end, which tapers to a point. Embolus also situated distally, relatively narrow, the tip obscured by a narrow functional conductor.

Female. Total length 4.58 mm. Carapace. Length 1.75 mm, width 1.24 mm. Colour as in male but somewhat darker. Pattern more diffuse than in male. Head region not at all elevated. Eyes. Anterior row slightly recurved, all eyes touching. AME 1.66 × diameter of ALE. Middle eyes 1.8 × diameter of AME, separated by 0.33 × their own diameter. PLE 0.55 × diameter of PME and widely separated by 2.73 × their own diameter. Immediate region of eyes suffused with black. Chelicerae. Similar to those of male in coloration and shape but slightly broader. Posterior margin with two small teeth, anterior margin with one very minute tooth. Maxillae and labium. Maxillae similar to those of male in colour and shape but rather broader in relation to length. Labium broader than in male but otherwise similar. Sternum. Identical in shape and colour to that of male. Legs. Similar of those of male but relatively shorter. Spination as in male but spines shorter, darker and more robust. Tarsal claws as in male but teeth longer and more robust. Abdomen. Dorsally, similar in colour to that of male but pattern much more indistinct. Ventrally, pale whitish yellow. Spinnerets. Long, proportions and coloration as in male. Epigyne. Figs 31, 32 , 41 . Central plate broadly cordate in shape with posterior margin slightly indented. Outline of spermathecae relatively small and positioned near the anterior end of central plate. Dorsal view Fig. 32 .

Variation. Total length, males 3.50-4.17 mm (10 specimens), females 3.83-5.00 mm (9 specimens). There is some variation in the depth of pigmentation between individuals and in the distinctness of the dorsal pattern of the abdomen, with females generally having a less well defined pattern. The appearance of the female epigyne varies somewhat with the internal structures more visible through the cuticle in some specimens than others.

Distribution. Known from Mkomazi Game Reserve, Tanzania, Marracuene, Mozambique and Tembe Elephant Park, South Africa ( Map 6 ).

Biology. Over one hundred specimens of this species were taken in pitfall traps in Mkomazi Game Reserve between April 1995 and March 1996. Traps were operated for four days in each month in both Acacia /Commiphora bushland on a hillside and tall grassland on a footslope below. Amblyothele latedissipata was found in both habitats but was most abundant in bushland that had not been recently burnt. It also occurred commonly in a grassland area that had been burnt a few months previously but was almost absent from recently burnt bushland. It showed a peak of activity in all habitats in the wet months of April and May with a second minor peak in October.

Figures

Map 6. Localities of A. latedissipata.

Figures 20-27. Amblyothele latedissipata sp. n. 20-21, 25 specimen from Ndumo, South Africa 22-24, 26-27 from Tanzania 20, 22 left male palp, ventral view 21, 23 left male palp, prolateral view 24 male palp, retrolateral view 25, 26 epigyne, ventral view 27 epigyne, dorsal view, cleared.Scales:20-24 0.5mm 25-27 0.1 mm.

Figures 39-42. Epigynes, cleared, dorsal view 39 Amblyothele togona sp. n. (Masako, Congo DR) 40 Amblyothele longipes sp. n. (Mbé, Ivory Coast) 41 Amblyothele latedissipata sp. n. (Mkomazi, Tanzania) 42 Amblyothele albocincta (Okavango). Scale = 0.1 mm.

Figures 28-32. Amblyothele longipes sp. n. (male holotype; female paratype) 28 right male palp, ventral view 29 right male palp, retrolateral view 30 right male palp, prolateral view 31 epigyne, ventral view 32 epigyne, dorsal view, cleared. Scales: 28-30 0.5 mm 31-32 0.1 mm.