Stenaelurillus zambiensis Wesołowska, 2014

Logunov, Dmitri V. & Azarkina, Galina N., 2018, Redefinition and partial revision of the genus Stenaelurillus Simon, 1886 (Arachnida, Araneae, Salticidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 430, pp. 1-126 : 108-110

Stenaelurillus zambiensis Wesołowska, 2014

Figs 488–498 , 513

Stenaelurillus zambiensis Wesołowska, 2014b: 618 , figs 14A–G (D♂ ♀); ♂ holotype from the California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, USA; not examined.

Diagnosis

This species can easily be distinguished from all other species of Stenaelurillus by the unique, hookshaped RTA that is bent laterad ( Figs 492–493 ) in the male, and by the conformation of the female copulatory organs: viz., the epigyne with two large rounded fossae and the thin, tube-shaped and straight insemination ducts directed anteriad (see Wesołowska 2014b: figs 14F–G).

Material examined

MALAWI: 3 ♂♂, Central Region, Lilongwe, Lilongwe Nature Reserve, ca 13°58′ S, 33°47′ E, on path, Combretum Loeffling & Schreb. woodland, 25 May 1991, A. Russell-Smith leg. ( MMUE G7583.7).

Description

Male

Measurements: carapace: 2.60 long, 2.05 wide, 1.25 high. Abdomen: 2.50 long, 2.00 wide. Ocular area: 1.00 long, 1.50 wide anteriorly, 1.45 wide posteriorly. Chelicerae length 0.70. Clypeus height 0.25. Diameter of AME 0.40. Length of leg segments: I 1.20 + 0.70 + 0.80 + 0.55 + 0.50 (3.75); II 1.25 + 0.70 + 0.80 + 0.50 + 0.50 (3.75); III 2.00 + 1.00 + 1.25 + 1.30 + 0.90 (6.45); IV 1.80 + 0.90 + 1.25 + 1.55 + 0.80 (6.30). Leg formula III,IV,II/I. Leg spination: I: Fm d 0-1-1-5; Pt pr 0-1-0; Tb pr 1-1, v 1-0-2ap; Mt pr 1-1ap, rt 0-1ap or 1-1ap, v 2-2ap. II: Fm d 0-1-2-5; Pt pr 0-1-0; Tb pr 1-1, v 1-0-2ap; Mt pr and rt 1-1ap, v 2-2ap. III: Fm d 1-2-5; Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb d 1-0-0, pr and rt 1-1-1-1, v 1-0-2ap; Mt d 1-1- 0, pr 1-1-2ap, rt 1-0-2ap, v 0-2-2ap. IV: Fm d 1-1-5; Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb d 1-0-0, pr and rt 1-1-1-1, v 1-0-2ap; Mt d 1-1-0, pr 1-2-2ap, rt 1-0-2ap, v 1-2-2ap. Coloration (in alcohol; Figs 488–491 ). Carapace brownish yellow, covered with brownish recumbent scales, with two longitudinal stripes of white scales running from PLEs towards the rear end of the carapace. Eye field dark brown, covered with brown shining recumbent scales. Sternum yellow. Endites and labium yellow. Chelicerae brownish yellow, sparsely covered with brownish hairs Abdomen: dorsum brown, with the scutum occupying ¾ of its length and covered with brown shining scales, venter yellow with rows of poorly marked grey-brown dots in its caudal part. Spinnerets brown-yellow, the dorsal pair apically dark brown. Male palp as in

Figs 492–498 : VTA poorly developed. almost invisible; RTA hook-shaped, bent laterad; cymbial lateral process absent; the tegulum small, poorly marked, without a tegular process; the functional tegulum swollen, with well-developed distal (DP) and proximal (PP) projections; the embolus short, spineshaped, with a ribbed base.

Female

See Wesołowska (2014b).

Distribution

Three localities in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe ( Fig. 513 ) ( Wesołowska 2014b; present data). New record for Malawi.

Figures

Figs 488–498. Stenaelurillus zambiensis Wesołowska, 2014, ♀ from Malawi (Lilongwe NR). 488– 491. General appearance. 492. Male palp, ventral view. 493. Male palp, retrolateral view. 494. RTA, dorsal view. 495–498. Embolic division. 495. Prolateral view. 496. Retrolateral view. 497. Dorsal view. 498. Ventral view. Scale bars: 488–491 = 1 mm; 492–498 = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 513. Collecting localities of six African species of Stenaelurillus Simon, 1885.