Pignus pongola, Wesolowska & Haddad, 2009

Wesolowska, Wanda & Haddad, Charles R., 2009, Jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of the Ndumo Game Reserve, Maputaland, South Africa, African Invertebrates 50 (1), pp. 13-103 : 73-74

Pignus pongola sp. n.

Figs 147–151, 224

Etymology: The specific name is a noun in apposition, referring to the type locality.

Diagnosis:A distinctive species. Male recognised by the unique shape of the chelicerae and the structure of the male pedipalp, with a large lobe of the tegulum at the embolus base. Female unknown.

Description:

Male.

Measurements: Carapace length 3.6, width 3.0, height 1.7. Abdomen length 3.4, width 2.4. Eye field length 1.6, anterior and posterior width 2.5.

General appearance as in Figs 147, 224; medium-sized spider. Carapace oval, dark brown, with broad white streaks composed of light hairs along lateral margins; lighter spot in foveal area; reddish scales cover anterior part of eye field and form small patches in front of posterior lateral eyes; some brown bristles on eye field; clypeus very low, with some white hairs; below anterior lateral eyes, on ‘cheeks’, two parallel thin lines. Endites and labium brown with yellow tips; sternum orange; chelicerae very large, longer than in congeners, with long fang; promargin with two teeth, retromargin with single large tooth placed close to base of fang ( Fig. 148); chelicerae dark brown with metallic lustre. Abdomen oval, brownish grey with irregular lighter band medially; sparse long bristles on abdominal dorsum; venter dark, with four lines composed of light dots; spinnerets light brown. Legs brown, but coxae orange; femora darker than remaining segments; leg hairs dense, dark brown, among them some whitish ones. Pedipalps small, brownish, clothed in long hairs; tibial apophysis narrow and long, tegulum with large semicircular lobe at base of embolus, embolus long ( Figs 149–151). Holotype: ơ Pongola R. floodplain, 26 ° 54.323'S: 32 ° 19.435'E, riverine forest, beating foliage, 27.vi.2006 ( NCA 2006 /1221).

Habitat and biology: The specimen was collected from foliage in riverine forest.

Remarks: The pedipalp structure of the species shows similarities to that in the genus Philaeus Thorell, 1869 , but the shape of the body, colour pattern and especially the form of the chelicerae are typical of the genus Pignus .