Smeringopus kalomo, Huber, 2012

HUBER, BERNHARD A., 2012, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Afrotropical endemic genus Smeringopus Simon, 1890 (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 3461 (1), pp. 1-138 : 106-109

Smeringopus kalomo new species

Figs. 564–565, 571 , 580–581 , 600–601 , 655–662 , 667–672

“ Smeringopus peregrinus Strand ” (misidentification): Kraus 1957: 223–224, figs. 11–16.

Type. Male holotype from Zambia, Southern Province, Kalomo (17°02’S, 26°29’E), 8.–9.iii.1995 (W.J. Pulawski), in CAS .

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

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners by tip of procursus (distinctive sclerotized and membranous elements, prolateral flap; Figs. 655–657 ; similar S. chibububo ), shape of embolus ( Figs. 658–660 ; distinctive prolateral view); from S. peregrinoides also by longer and more downward directed cheliceral apophyses (similar S. peregrinus ; cf. Figs. 614, 615 ) and absence of v-shaped or u-shaped structure frontally in female internal genitalia ( Fig. 600 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 6.0, carapace width 2.0 (slightly deformed). Leg 1: 56.3 (14.7 + 0.9 + 15.1 + 22.9 + 2.7), tibia 2: 10.3, tibia 3: 7.7, tibia 4: 10.3; tibia 1 L/d: 66. Habitus as in Fig. 564 . Carapace ochre-yellow with brown median and lateral marks, clypeus with pair of dark stripes, sternum brown with light marks near bases of coxae 2–4 and medially, legs light brown, femora and tibiae with lighter tips and subdistal dark rings, abdomen ochre-gray with distinct dorsal and ventral pattern. Distance PME-PME 185 µm, diameter PME 160 µm, distance PME-ALE 90 µm, distance AME-AME 55 µm, diameter AME 160 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae as in S. peregrinus (cf. Figs. 614, 615 ), with one pair of distal apophyses, each provided with one modified hair at tip ( Fig. 667 ). Palps as in Figs. 580 and 581 , coxa with distinct retrolateral apophysis and shallow wide furrow, trochanter barely modified, femur with retrolateral furrow with distinct rim proximally, procursus with distinctive distal elements (prolateral membranous flap; Figs. 655–657 ), bulb with distinctively shaped prolateral process on embolus ( Figs. 658–660 ). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, with curved hairs on tibiae and metatarsi 1 and 2, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 3%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1. Gonopore with two epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 670 ); ALS with eight spigots each ( Fig. 671 ).

Variation. In the male from Bulawayo, the proximal part of the distal procursus spine (arrow in Fig. 655 ) is slightly more projecting. In the males from Madagascar, both sclerotized projections of the bulb (arrows in Fig. 658 ) are slightly shorter. Tibia 1 in 24 males: 10.1–16.7 (mean 12.9).

Female. In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 46 females: 8.8–15.2 (mean 11.0). Epigynum very similar S. peregrinus ( Figs. 600 , 672 ); frontal ‘valve’ in internal genitalia less curved ( Figs. 601 , 661, 662 ; very similar S. chibububo , S. similis ).

Distribution. Widely distributed in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique; apparently introduced to Madagascar ( Fig. 608 ).

Material examined. ZAMBIA: Southern Prov.: Kalomo : 1♂ type above; same data, 1♂ 10♀ in CAS . Eastern Prov.: Kacholola (14°46’S, 30°36’E), 110 km E Petauke, 16.iii.1995 (W.J. Pulawski), 8♂ 7♀ in CAS . Lusaka Prov.: Lusaka [25°25’S, 28°17’E], in house, 20.iii.1982, collector not given, 1♂ in AMNH . 25 km E Lusaka (15°21’S, 28°30’E), 3.iii.1995 (W.J. Pulawski), 2♀ in CAS . Central Prov. : 6 km W Mumbwa (15°02’S, 27°00’E), 30.iii.1995 (W.J. Pulawski), 1♂ 3♀ in CAS . Broken Hill [=Kabwe, 14°27’S, 28°27’E], 20.iv.1911 (P. Timm), 1♂ 1♀ in ZMH . 8 mi NE Kapiri Mposhi [13°54’S, 28°46’E], 1280 m a.s.l., 10.ii.1958 (E.S. Ross, R.E. Leech), 1♀ in CAS .

ZIMBABWE: Bulawayo Prov.: Bulawayo [20°10’S, 28°35’E], xi.1964 – i.1965 (S. Bucklin), 1♂ 1♀ in MRAC (128095) . Matabeleland North: Victoria Falls (17°56’S, 25°50’E), 19.–22.xii.1995 (W. Pulawski), 3♂ 3♀ in CAS ; same locality, 29.xi.1996 (W. Pulawski, V. Ahrens), 4♂ 11♀ in CAS . Mashonaland West: Kariba [16°31’S, 28°51’E], 16.x.1990 (V. D. & B. Roth), 1♀ in CAS . Harare Prov.: Harare (17°49’S, 31°05’E), in store-room, ii.1999 (M. Cumming), 1♀ in ZFMK .

MOZAMBIQUE: Sofala: Nova Choupanga [near Chemba?, ~ 17°10’S, 34°53’E], leg. P. Lesne, date not given, 2♂ 4♀ in MHNG ; same data, 2♂ 3♀ in SMF (9811/5) . Manica: Vila Pery [=Chimoio, 19°07’S, 33°28’E], leg. P. Lesne, date not given, 3♂ 7♀ in MHNG .

MADAGASCAR: Toamasina: 70 km E Antananarivo [18°54.0’S, 48°06.7’E], zoo, 23.ix.1999 (P. Horak) 1♂ in CPH (Ma 99-96). Tamatave, Foulpointe [17°41’S, 49°31’E], iii.1993 (A. Pauly), 1♀ in MRAC (200075). Foulpointe, forêt, 28.vii.1993 (A. Pauly), 1♂ 2♀ in MRAC (206271); Foulpointe, forêt d’Analalava, i.1995 (A. Pauly), 1♂ in MRAC (207264) .

Figures

FIGURE 608. Known distribution of the peregrinus group. S. butare and S. peregrinus are represented by triangles in order to facilitate distinction from S. peregrinoides. Squares: further undescribed species.

FIGURES 558–571. Smeringopus peregrinus group, habitus and male prosomata, oblique frontal views. 558–559. S. peregrinus, male, dorsal and ventral views. 560–561. S. peregrinoides, female, dorsal view and male, ventral view. 562. S. butare, male dorsal view. 563. S. similis, male, dorsal view. 564–565. S. kalomo, male and female, dorsal views. 566–567. S. chibububo, male, dorsal view and female, ventral view. 568. S. katanga, male, dorsal view. 569. S. moxico, male, dorsal view. 570. S. chibububo. 571. S. kalomo.

FIGURES 572–583. Smeringopus peregrinus group, left male palps, prolateral and retrolateral views. 572–573. S. peregrinus. 574–575. S. peregrinoides. 576–577. S. butare. 578–579. S. katanga. 580–581. S. kalomo. 582–583. S. chibububo.

FIGURES 592–607. Smeringopus peregrinus group, epigyna, ventral views and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 592–593. S. peregrinus. 594–595. S. peregrinoides. 596–597. S. butare. 598–599. S. katanga. 600–601. S. kalomo. 602–603. S. chibububo. 604–605. S. dundo. 606–607. S. similis.

FIGURES 655–662. Smeringopus kalomo. 655. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view (arrow points to variable structure; see text). 656–657. Left procursus, prolateral and dorsal views. 658–660. Left embolus, prolateral (slightly ventral), prolatero-dorsal, and dorsal views (arrows point to variable structures; see text). 661–662. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views (661: Kalomo; 662: Harare). Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 663–672. Smeringopus butare (663–666) and S. kalomo (667–672). 663. Male cheliceral apophysis. 664. Male gonopore. 665. Male ALS. 666. Epigynum. 667. Male cheliceral apophysis. 668–669. Left procursus, retrolatero-dorsal and dorsal views. 670. Male gonopore. 671. Male ALS. 672. Epigynum. Scale lines: 10 µm (663, 667), 20 µm (671), 30 µm (665), 60 µm (668), 80 µm (664, 669), 100 µm (670), 200 µm (666, 672).

FIGURES 609–616. Smeringopus peregrinus. 609. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view. 610. Left procursus, prolateral view. 611–613. Left embolus, prolateral, dorsal, and ventral (slightly prolateral) views (arrow points to variable structure; see text). 614–615. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 616. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.