Sphericula globulifera, Wesołowska & Russell-Smith, 2022

Wesołowska, Wanda & Russell-Smith, Anthony, 2022, Jumping spiders from Ivory Coast collected by J. - C. Ledoux (Araneae, Salticidae), European Journal of Taxonomy 841 (1), pp. 1-143 : 107-109

Sphericula globulifera gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:7B7EC46A-FB7C-4128-A062-A146B80AEACA

Fig. 63

Diagnosis

The species is distinctive in having a characteristic pattern of the abdomen and body shape (both the carapace and the abdomen are very convex and the legs relatively short – Fig. 63A–B ). The structure of the female genitalia is characteristic, with very short seminal ducts and large spermathecae.

Etymology

The specific name is Latin, meaning ‘globular’, referring to the shape of the carapace.

Material examined

Holotype IVORY COAST • ♀; Lamto ; 6°13′ N, 5°01′ W; 28 Aug. 1974; “savane mal-brulée avec buissons, au sol”; MNHN.

Description

Male

Unknown.

Female

MEASUREMENTS. Cephalothorax length 0.7, width 0.7, height 0.4. Eye field length 0.4, anterior width 0.5, posterior width 0.6. Abdomen length 0.9, width 0.8. General appearance as in Fig. 63A–B . Diminutive spider, approximately 2.0 mm length.

CARAPACE. Almost globular, high and abruptly sloping posteriorly. Eye field yellow with traces of two longitudinal darker lines, eyes surrounded by black rings, anterior eyes framed by small white scales, white hairs near eyes. Thoracic part russet-brown, two darker triangular patches on posterior slope, dark brown patches on border of carapace at bases of legs III and IV, sparse long brown bristles on thorax. Clypeus yellow, naked. Chelicerae unidentate. Sternum and mouthparts light brown.

ABDOMEN. Spherical, yellowish orange with two pairs of brown patches on anterior half of dorsum and pair of submarginal patches, end of abdomen black. A few long bristles on abdomen. Venter yellowish, book-lung covers dark brown. Spinnerets yellowish.

LEGS. Legs and palps yellow with blackish rings on distal ends of segments. EPIGYNE. With two small round depressions surrounded by delicate collars ( Fig. 63C–D ). Internal structure simple, as in Fig. 63E , seminal ducts short, spermathecae spherical, large.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality, Lamto, Ivory Coast.

Figures

Fig. 63. Sphericula globulifera gen. et sp. nov., holotype, ♀ (MNHN). A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. Habitus, dorsolateral view. C–D. Epigyne. E. Internal structure of epigyne.