Australutica africana, Jocqué, 2008

Jocqué, Rudy, 2008, A new candidate for a Gondwanaland distribution in the Zodariidae (Araneae): Australutica in Africa, ZooKeys 1, pp. 59-66 : 63-64

Australutica africana n. sp.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:40BD6CA4-1A94-445F-9CDA-BE42EFF39DB6

Figures 1-7

Type material Holotype: male: South Africa, Limpopo Province, Soutpansberg, Lajuma , 23°02’29”S 029°26’45”E, 17.XI.2004, pitfalls in woodland, M. Mafadza ( NCA 2006 /1002).

Paratypes: 4 ♁: together with holotype (1 ♁ in MRAC 223765).

Other material examined None.

Diagnosis Males of this species are recognized by the slightly swollen tibiae and metatarsi I, with spiniform scopulae on tarsi I and by details of the palp: the inferior prong of the RTA is rounded; the distal tegular apophysis is very large and has an angular prolateral edge; the median apophysis is tapered towards the tip.

Etymology This species is the first representative of the genus on the African continent.

Description Male: total length 5.00 mm; carapace 2.68 mm long, 1.88 mm wide, TI + PI: 1.92.

Colour: carapace yellow, darkened along margin and with two black longitudinal bands and a black spot behind the fovea ( Figs 1 , 7 ); fovea orange. Sternum pale yellow, slightly suffused with black along lateral margins. Chelicerae brownish yellow. Legs yellow except femora with broad dark distal rings on all pairs and smaller dark patches at the base of posterior pairs; tibiae with faint darker suffusion on sides. Abdomen pale; dorsum with faint darker pattern delimiting pale chevrons on posterior part. Spinnerets pale yellow.

Carapace smooth; in profile slightly elevated in cephalic area; with cluster of short setae in front of anterior eyes and in median ocular area ( Fig. 3 ).

Eyes: AME: 0.08; ALE: 0.10; PME: 0.08; PLE: 0.08; AME-AME: 0.05 AME - ALE: 0.05; PME-PME: 0.05; PME-PLE: 0.10. MOQ: AW = 1.00 PW; AW = 0.87 L; clypeus 0.15 mm high or 1.8 times diameter of ALE. Sternum: 1.12 mm wide, 1.32 mm long ( Fig. 2 ). Chilum single, oval, with a few setae: 0.26 mm wide, 0.08 mm high. Chelicerae with dense cover of setae ( Fig. 3 ), fang three times as long as wide at base, promargin with three teeth.

Legs fairly short. Tarsi all cylindriform, with strong spiniform scopulae sensu Jocqué 1991 (p. 13). Metatarsi I with spiniform setae. Tibiae I and metarsi I slightly swollen. Spines numerous on anterior legs, very numerous and long on posterior ones.

Spination:
	Fe	P	T	Mt	t
I	pl1d1-1-2rl1	–	pl3v1-2-2	pl1rl1v1-2	–
II	d1-1-2rl1	pl1	pl3v1-2-2	pl1rl1v2-1-2	–
III	pl1d1-1-1-2	pl5d4-1rl2	pl1-1-1d1-1-2rl3v1-1-2	10disp dw6	10disp
IV	d1-1-1-1-2	pl5d1-1rl2	pl1-1d1-1-1r13v1-1-2	14disp dw6	12disp

Palp ( Figs 4-6 ): Cymbium with dispersed thin spines. Tibia with well developed retrolateral apophysis with two short prongs curved towards each other, dorsal one with sharp, inferior one with rounded tip; tegulum broad, sclerotized at base; base of sickle shaped embolus with long prong pointing forward, covering base of terminal distal apophysis which is widened towards tip; median apophysis tapered towards extremity.

Female unknown.

Distribution Only known from type locality.

Figures

Figs 1-6. Australutica africana n. sp. male 1. cephalothorax, dorsal view; 2. cephalothorax, ventral view; 3. cephalothorax, frontal view; 4. right male palp, retrolateral view; 5. right male palp, ventral view; 6. right male palpal tibia, dorsal view. (scale bars: 0.5 mm).

Figs 7-8. 7. Australutica africana, male habitus, dorsal view; 8. Australutica normanlarseni, male habitus, dorsal view. (scale bars: 0.5 mm).