Messapus tropicus, Haddad, Charles R. & Mbo, Zingisile, 2015

Haddad, Charles R. & Mbo, Zingisile, 2015, Five new species of the Afrotropical dark sac spider genus Messapus Simon, 1898 (Araneae: Corinnidae), Zootaxa 4057 (3), pp. 385-398 : 395-398

Messapus tropicus sp. n.

Figs 9, 10 , 36, 39, 40 , 51–54

Type material. Holotype ♀: D.R. CONGO: Mayombe, Bas-Congo, Luki Forest Reserve, 05°37'S, 13°05'E, leg. D. de Bakker & J.P. Michiels, 16.IX.2007 (beating near fogging site 3) ( MRAC 223134).

Paratype: D.R. CONGO: Masako, 00°35'N, 25°11'E, leg. J. Juakaly, 20.VII.2001 (old secondary rainforest), 1♂ ( MRAC 211889).

Etymology. From Latin tropicus (tropical), referring to its equatorial distribution.

Diagnosis. Messapus tropicus sp. n. females are recognised by the outward-curved epigynal ridges and the spermathecae with large, posteriorly directed lateral lobes ( Figs 36 , 51, 52 ). The embolus of male Messapus tropicus sp. n. is somewhat similar to that of M. martini , but the species can be separated by the very different structures of the RTA (compare Figs 39, 40 , 53, 54 with Haddad 2013: figs 37, 38).

Female (holotype, Mayombe, MRAC 223134). Measurements: CL 3.65, CW 3.21, AL 5.93, AW 4.05, TL 9.60, FL 0.40, SL 1.69, SW 1.71, CH 0.10, AME–AME 0.14, AME–ALE 0.04, ALE–ALE 0.71, PME–PME 0.22, PME–PLE 0.19, PLE–PLE 1.02, PERW 1.29, MOQAW 0.63, MOQPW 0.65, MOQL 0.66.

Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 3.85 + 1.50 + 2.98 + 2.85 + 1.65 = 12.83; II 3.55 + 1.45 + 2.60 + 2.60 + 1.55 = 11.75; III 3.50 + 1.30 + 2.50 + 2.90 + 1.60 = 11.80; IV 4.30 + 1.46 + 3.23 + 3.75 + 1.70 = 14.44.

General appearance as in Fig. 9 . Carapace yellow-brown, with mediolateral black markings, more prominent in posterior half of carapace, mottled dark spots behind PER, narrow line medially in front of fovea, black lateral spots between coxal pairs; markings covered in black feathery setae, cream feathery setae on rest of carapace. All eyes surrounded by black rings; clypeus height equal to distance 0.42 times AME diameter; AER slightly procurved; AME slightly larger than ALE; AME separated by distance 0.60 times their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance 0.15 times AME diameter; PER slightly procurved; PME very slightly larger than PLE; PME separated by distance equal to their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance 0.86 times PME diameter. Chelicerae orange-brown, with dark-brown setae on paturon; CPPM present; promargin with three teeth, proximal largest, distal smallest, median and distal adjacent, proximal and median slightly separated; retromargin with six teeth, decreasing in size from proximal to distal. Endites yellow-brown, cream prolaterally and distally, with scattered setae; serrula distinct; labium yellow-brown, cream distally. Sternum shield-shaped, broader than long, with black median marking anteriorly and scattered erect setae. Legs yellow, with scattered short straight brown setae, black markings covered in black feathery setae; femora with band at 2/3 their length and narrow distal black ring dorsally; patellae with weak black mottling proximally, distally and laterally; tibiae and metatarsi with broad median band; tarsi yellow-brown. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1 do 2, II pl 1 do 2 rl 1, III pl 1 do 3 rl 2, IV do 3 rl 1; tibiae: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III plv 2, IV plv 2 rlv 1; metatarsus: I plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, II rlv 2 vt 3, III plv 1 rlv 2 vt 3, IV plv 2 rlv 1 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2; patellae: pl 1; tibiae: pl 2 plv 1; tarsi: plv 1. Abdomen dorsum creamy-grey, with mottled black patches anteriorly, faint chevron markings medially in posterior half, scattered mottled patches laterally; markings with black feathery setae, cream feathery setae between them; venter creamy-grey, with scattered brown straight setae and cream feathery setae. Epigyne with sclerotised epigynal ridges situated medially, curving outwards, with CO posteriorly in ridges ( Figs 36 , 51 ); ST with lateral lobes directed posteriorly ( Fig. 52 ).

Male (paratype, Masako, MRAC 211889). Measurements: CL 3.45, CW 3.05, AL 4.25, AW 2.40, TL 7.35, FL 0.38, SL 1.63, SW 1.75, CH 0.15, AME–AME 0.14, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.76, PME–PME 0.19, PME–PLE 0.13, PLE–PLE 0.92, PERW 1.25, MOQAW 0.62, MOQPW 0.61, MOQL 0.68.

Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 4.30 + 1.65 + 3.45 + 3.32 + 1.95 = 14.67; II 3.80 + 1.42 + 2.85 + 3.03 + 1.83 = 12.93; III 3.85 + 1.35 + 2.80 + 3.25 + 1.90 = 13.15; IV 4.55 + 1.48 + 3.38 + 4.10 + 2.05 = 15.56.

General appearance as in Fig. 10 ; colouration, markings and cheliceral morphology as for female, except markings darker and bolder, especially on legs. Clypeus height equal to 0.58 AME diameter; AER slightly procurved; AME larger than ALE; AME separated by distance equal to 0.56 times their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance 0.13 times AME diameter; PER slightly procurved; PME very slightly larger than PLE; PME separated by distance 0.86 times their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance 0.57 times PME diameter. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1 do 2, II pl 1 do 2, III pl 1 do 3 rl 2, IV do 3 rl 1; tibiae: I plv 3 rlv 2, II rlv 2, III plv 2 rlv 2, IV plv 2 vt 2; metatarsus: I plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, II rlv 2 vt 3, III plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV plv 2 rlv 1 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora pl 1 do 2, patellae pl 1, tibiae plv 1. Male palp light yellow, tibia with two small teeth-like ventral apophyses and larger, slightly curved triangular retrolateral apophysis; embolus originating prolaterally distally, curved and flattened; conductor absent ( Figs 39, 40 , 53, 54 ).

Distribution. Known only from two localities in D. R. Congo ( Fig. 55 ).

Figures

FIGURE 55. Distribution of Messapus megae sp. n. (black circle), M. meridionalis sp. n. (black star), M. seiugatus sp. n. (black square), M. tigris sp. n. (open circles) and M. tropicus sp. n. (open squares) in the Afrotropical Region.

FIGURES 3 – 10. Digital microscope photographs of Messapus species, female right chelicerae in posterior view (3) and dorsal habitus (4 – 10): 3, 8 M. tigris sp. n., female; 4 M. megae sp. n., female; 5 Same, male; 6 M. meridionalis sp. n., female; 7 M. seiugatus sp. n., female; 9 M. tropicus sp. n., female; 10 Same, male. Scale bars: 3 = 1 mm, 4 – 10 = 2 mm. Abbreviations: CPPM—cheliceral promarginal pronounced mound; F—fang; P—paturon; PMT—promarginal teeth; RMT—retromarginal teeth.

FIGURES 32 – 40. Digital microscope photographs of Messapus species, cleared female epigynes in ventral view (32 – 36) and male palps in ventral (37, 39) and retrolateral views (38, 40): 32, 37, 38 M. megae sp. n.; 33 M. meridionalis sp. n.; 34 M. seiugatus sp. n.; 35 M. tigris sp. n.; 36, 39, 40 M. tropicus sp. n.. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

FIGURES 51 – 54. Genitalic morphology of Messapus tropicus sp. n.: 51 Female epigyne, ventral view; 52 Same, dorsal view; 53 Male palp, ventral view; 54 Same, retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.