Stenaelurillus iubatus Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011

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 : 62-65

Stenaelurillus iubatus Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011

Figs 264–279 , 512

Stenaelurillus iubatus Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011: 594 , figs 155–160, 241–243 (D♂ ♀); ♂ holotype from BMNH, not examined.

Stenaelurillus pilosus Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011: 595 (D♂ ♀); in part, ♀ paratype (BMNH) (misidentification).

Diagnosis

This species can be distinguished from all other species of Stenaelurillus by the ribbon-shaped embolus with a very massive, swollen base and a characteristic bunch of long orangish brown hairs on the eye field ( Figs 264–273 ) in the male, and by the transverse-oriented copulatory openings situated close to the epigastric furrow in the female ( Fig. 278 ; see also Wesołowska & Russell-Smith 2011: figs 159–160).

Material examined

NIGERIA: 1 ♂, Oyo State, Ibadan, IITA, 7°22′39.1″ N, 3°56′49.3″ E, fallow bush, 27 Apr. 1973, A. Russell-Smith leg. ( MMUE G7583.3); 1 ♂, same locality, on Zea mays , 21 Jul. 1981, A. Russell- Smith leg. ( MMUE G7583.4); 1 ♀, Ibadan, road verge, 20 May 1973, A. Russell-Smith leg. ( BMNH, paratype of S. pilosus ).

Remarks

One female paratype from the type series of S. pilosus (8 ♂♂, 7 ♀♀), designated by Wesołowska & Russell-Smith (2011), turned out to belong to S. iubatus (see Figs 274–279 ); its description is given below.

Description

Male (MMUE G7583.4)

Measurements: carapace: 2.70 long, 1.80 wide, 1.60 high. Abdomen: 2.30 long, 1.65 wide. Ocular area: 0.90 long, 0.95 wide anteriorly, 0.90 wide posteriorly. Chelicerae length 0.50. Clypeal height 0.35. Diameter of AME 0.45. Length of leg segments: I 1.10 + 0.70 + 0.80 + 0.60 + 0.45 (3.65); II 1.20 + 0.70 + 0.80 + 0.65 + 0.45 (3.80); III 2.00 + 1.00 + 1.40 + 1.55 + 0.60 (6.55); IV 1.55 + 0.75 + 1.10 + 1.50 + 0.65 (5.55). Leg formula III,IV,II,I. Leg spination: I: Fm d 0-1-1-5; Pt pr 0-1-0; Tb pr 1-1-1, v 1-1-2ap; Mt pr 1-1ap, rt 0-1ap, v 2-2ap. II: Fm d 0-1-2-5; Pt pr 0-1-0; Tb pr 1-1, rt 0-1, v 1-1-2ap; 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 and rt 1-0-2ap, v 0-2-2ap. IV: Fm d 1-1-4; 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 1-1-2ap. Coloration (in alcohol; Figs 264–267 ). Carapace dark brown, covered with dark brown recumbent scales, with two longitudinal stripes of white scales on thorax; lateral sides of carapace covered with long white hairs that are especially dense on the ocular area. The front area of the eye field with a bunch of long orange brownish hairs directed anteriad. Clypeus and cheeks brown, densely covered with rather long brownish hairs. Sternum brownish. Endites and labium brownish. Chelicerae brown, covered with dark brown hairs. Abdomen yellowish brown, ventrally with longitudinal rows of yellow spots; dorsum dark brown, with dark brown scutum occupying 2/3 of the frontal part of the abdomen. Spinnerets dark brown. Legs I–II: femora yellow, remaining segments brown. Legs III–IV dark brown. Palpal femora brown, covered with brown hairs. Palpal Pt, Tb and cymbium dark brown, covered with short brownish hairs. Cymbium yellow apically. Male palp as in Figs 268–273 : VTA wide and low, looking like two bulges; RTA thorn-shaped, with a wide base, directed anteriad; the cymbium without a cymbial lateral process; the tegulum is relatively small, with poorlydeveloped, obtuse tegular process (TP); the functional tegulum well-marked, with a spoon-shaped distal projection (DP) and a long, wide distal projection (DP); the embolus wide and flat, ribbon-shaped, with a wide, massive swollen base.

Female (paratype of S. pilosus , BMNH)

Measurements: carapace: 2.95 long, 2.15 wide, 1.25 high. Abdomen: 3.25 long, 2.55 wide. Ocular area: 1.18 long, 1.53 wide anteriorly, 1.53 wide posteriorly. Cheliceral length 0.55. Clypeal height 0.28. Diameter of AME 0.45. Length of leg segments: I 1.45 + 0.68 + 0.75 + 0.63 + 0.50 (4.01); II 1.40 + 0.55 + 0.78 + 0.68 + 0.50 (3.91); III 2.30 + 0.95 + 1.53 + 1.68 + 0.63 (7.09); IV 1.98 + 0.88 + 1.30 + 1.70 + 0.78 (6.64). Leg formula III,IV,I,II. Leg spination: I: Fm d 0-1-1-5; Pt pr 0-1-0; Tb pr 1-1, v 2-2-2ap; Mt pr and rt 1ap, v 2-2ap. II: Fm d 0-1-2-5; Pt pr 0-1-0; Tb pr 1-1, v 1-1-2ap; Mt pr 1-1ap, rt 1ap, v 2-2ap. III: Fm d 1-2-4; Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb d 1-0-0, pr 0-2-1ap, rt 1-2-1ap, v 0-1-2ap; Mt d 1-1, pr and rt 1-0- 2ap, v 0-1-2ap. IV: Fm d 0-1-1-4; Pt pr and rt 0-1-0; Tb d 1-0-0, pr and rt 1-1-1-1, v 1-2ap; Mt pr 1-1- 2ap, rt 1-1-1-2ap, v 1-1-2ap. The specimen is shabby. Coloration (in alcohol; Figs 274–277 ). Carapace brownish yellow, with wide yellow marginal stripes. Eye field dark brown, densely covered with small brown protruding bristles. Clypeus light brown. Sternum light yellow, densely covered with white hairs. Labium and endites light yellow. Chelicerae yellow, tinged with brown. Abdomen: dorsum brown, with a wide yellow marginal stripe along its rear half and a large central yellow spot; sides and venter yellow, with sparse brownish longitudinal stripes of scales. Book-lung covers light yellow, spinnerets yellowish grey. All legs yellow, with numerous brownish patches and (semi)rings. Palps yellow, with a dorso-basal brown spot on Tb and basal transverse brown stripes on Tr. Epigyne and spermathecae as in Figs 278–279 : the epigynal plate flat; the copulatory openings as transverse, widely separated slits; epigynal pocket present, narrow and not very deep; insemination ducts very thick, C-shaped; primary spermathecae large and round.

Distribution

Two localities in Nigeria ( Fig. 512 ) ( Wesołowska & Russell-Smith 2011; present data).

Figures

Figs 264–273. Stenaelurillus iubatus Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011, ♂, from Nigeria (Ibadan). 264–267. General appearance. 268. Male palp, ventral view. 269. Male palp, retrolateral view. 270– 273. Embolic division. 270. Retrolateral view. 271. Median view. 272. Ventral view. 273. Dorsal view. Scale bars: 264–267 = 1 mm; 268–273 = 0.1 mm.

Figs 274–279. Stenaelurillus iubatus Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011, ♀ (paratype of Stenaelurillus pilosus Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2011) from Nigeria (Ibadan). 274–277. General appearance. 278. Epigyne, ventral view. 279. Spermathecae, dorsal view. Abbreviations: see Material and methods. Scale bars: 258–261 = 1 mm; 262–263 = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 512. Collecting localities of six African species of Stenaelurillus Simon, 1885.