Heriaeus sossusvlei, Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2013

Niekerk, P. van & Dippenaar-Schoeman, A. S., 2013, A revision of the crab spider genus Heriaeus Simon, 1875 (Araneae: Thomisidae) in the Afrotropical Region, African Invertebrates 54 (2), pp. 447-447 : 468-469

Heriaeus sossusvlei sp. n.

Figs 43, 44 , 59

Etymology: The species name is a noun in apposition derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis: The species is recognized by the combination of their short, blunt abdominal setae, as well as the unsclerotized epigyne with a hood resembling a half dome ( Fig. 43 ), integument below hood wrinkled and internal organs visible as two large dark spots posteriorly ( Fig. 44 ). Male unknown.

Description:

Female (holotype).

Size: TL 6.06, CL 2.03, CW 1.99. Colour: Carapace with two longitudinal light brown stripes extending to PEs; medially with two longitudinal white stripes extending into eye region and a third longitudinal light brown stripe medially, extending to PMEs; sides mottled with white; setae transparent; sternum mottled with white along edge; endites and labium with some white marks; clypeus white; eye region white. Abdomen white, with transparent setae with yellow-brown spots at setal bases; sometimes with 6 brown setae in posterior half; venter white. Legs yellow-brown. Palp with white markings on femur and patella. Carapace: Eye measurements: AME–AME 0.20, ALE–AME 0.15, PME–PME 0.21, PLE–PME 0.33, AME–PME 0.22, MOQL AME–PME 0.28, MOQAW AME–AME 0.28, MOQPW PME–PME 0.30. Leg measurements: leg I Fe 2.44, Pat 1.07, Tib 1.83, Mt 1.72, Ta 0.91, total 7.97; leg II Fe 2.29, Pat 0.95, Tib 1.52, Mt 1.55, Ta 0.75, total 7.06; leg III Fe 0.93, Pat 0.68, Tib 1.01, Mt 0.53, Ta 0.45, total 3.60; leg IV Fe 1.45, Pat 0.60, Tib 1.12, Mt 0.97, Ta 0.50, total 4.64. Abdomen: Round, truncated anteriorly, narrower across posterior ⅓; with numerous, short, blunt abdominal setae; venter with fine hairs. Epigyne: Hood shaped like a half dome; integument below hood wrinkled; copulatory ducts two C-shaped tubes with folds and slightly enlarged anterior ends ( Figs 43, 44 ).

Holotype: ♀ NAMIBIA: 5 km of Sossusvlei (24.70°S 15.42°E), 22.iv.1979, E. Holm, hand sampled from plants ( NCA 88 /330).

Paratype: 1♀ SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Beaufort West, Bokvlei Farm (32.73°S 23.59°E), 14.xii.2007, D.H. Jacobs, pitfall trap ( NCA 2008 /4693) .

Distribution: Namibia and South Africa (Western Cape) ( Fig. 59 ).

Natural history: Collected on plants and a from pitfall trap in April and December.

Figures

Figs 37–44. (37, 38) Heriaeus muizenberg sp. n.: (37) male palp, ventral view; (38) male palp, lateral view; (39–42) Heriaeus peterwebbi sp. n.: (39) male palp, ventral view; (40) male palp, lateral view; (41) epigyne, ventral view; (42) epigyne, dorsal view; (43, 44) Heriaeus sossusvlei sp. n.: (43) epigyne, ventral view; (44) epigyne, dorsal view.

Figs 57–59. Distribution of Heriaeus spp. in the Afrotropical Region.