Veissella durbani (Peckham & Peckham, 1903)

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 : 95-96

Veissella durbani (Peckham & Peckham, 1903)

Figs 205–209

Portia durbani: Peckham & Peckham 1903: 183 , pl. 19, fig. 2; Wanless 1978 c: 109, figs 13a–g.

Veissella durbani: Wanless 1984 b: 190 , figs 27a–g.

See Wanless (1978 c) for description of both sexes.

Redescription:

Male.

Measurements: Carapace length 3.0, width 2.5, height 1.8. Abdomen length 3.5, width 1.9. Eye field length 1.3, anterior width 1.8, posterior width 1.5.

Medium-sized spider; general appearance as in Fig. 205. Carapace high with gently sloping thoracic part ( Fig.206); posterior median eyes relatively large, set on low tubercles; anterior eyes fringed with white hairs; carapace brown, eyes surrounded by black rings; clypeus high, brownish, clothed in white hairs. Chelicerae with three teeth on promargin and four on retromargin ( Fig. 207); labium and sternum brown, endites with slightly paler inner margins.Abdomen ovoid, brownish grey, sparsely covered with brown setae; venter grey, with two light longitudinal lines; spinnerets brown. Legs long, slender, brown, with darker femora, bearing dark hairs and numerous spines; first femur and tibia with very long, dense hairs ventrally. Pedipalp with pronounced tubercle on venter of femur distally and smaller one on patella proximally ( Fig. 209); tibial apophyses short, ventral one small, retrolateral one wide and blunt; tegulum ovoid, with small lobe on distal haematodocha, embolus sinuous ( Fig. 208).

Material examined: 1ơ 26 ° 52.464'S: 32 ° 16.050'E, subtropical bush, A. nigrescens woodland, beats, foliage, 8.xii.2000 ( NCA 2008 /2762) .

Distribution: Species known only from South Africa.

Habitat and biology: This species is presumed to be arachnophagous, belonging to the Spartaeinae , and was collected from the foliage of dense thickets.