Diploglena capensis Purcell, 1904

Haddad, Charles R., 2015, A revision of the southern African two-eyed spider genus Diploglena (Araneae: Caponiidae), African Invertebrates 56 (2), pp. 343-343 : 353-355

Diploglena capensis Purcell, 1904

Figs 15, 20 , 51–53 Diploglena capensis Purcell, 1904: 170 , pl. 11, figs 36–38 (♂ lectotype and 1♂ 1♀ paralectotypes, here designated: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: St Helena Bay [32°46'S 18°01'E], Stompneus ,

leg. J. Goold, v–vi.1902, SAMC 11687, SAM/Aran 1579 – examined); Platnick & JÄger 2008:

10 (misidentified).

Diagnosis: Males of D. capensis are most closely related to D. arida sp. n., but can be separated by the shape of the tegular apophysis (slightly curved distally rather than subtriangular), the presence of only a small membranous conductor (larger and triangular in D. arida sp. n.), and the relative orientation of the embolus and tegular apophysis (compare Figs 51–53 with Figs 48–50 ). Females can be recognised by the ESTR of 1:0.78, which is considerably larger than that in the other species (<1:0.71).

Redescription:

Male (MRAC 124959).

Measurements: CL 1.78, CW 1.39, SL 1.10, SW 0.95, AL 2.50, AW 1.38, TL 4.18 (4.18–6.30, n=3), CLER 1:0.17 (1:0.17–1:0.17).

Length of leg segments, seQuence from femur to tarsus, and total: I 1.25 + 0.68 + 0.96 + 0.65 + 0.42 = 3.96; II 1.05 + 0.62 + 0.78 + 0.65 + 0.45 = 3.55; III 0.86 + 0.50 + 0.60 + 0.66 + 0.45 = 3.07; IV 1.18 + 0.70 + 0.92 + 0.90 + 0.60 = 4.30.

Carapace and chelicerae yellow-brown; sternum and mouthparts yellow, darker around margins; leg I yellow, metatarsi and tarsi slightly darker, legs II–IV creamy-yellow; abdomen cream dorsally and ventrally. Palpal femora and patellae yellow, tibiae and cymbium yellow-orange; palpal tegulum with straight embolus, more than twice as long as broad, directed prolaterally distally at approximately 10 o’clock; membranous conductor small, indistinct, tongue-like, directed dorsally; embolus and tegular apophysis orientated at slightly obtuse angle relative to one another; tegular apophysis with strongly sclerotised base, tip slightly curved and translucent, directed retrolaterally distally at approximately 1 o’clock; tip of tegular apophysis clearly more distal than embolus tip ( Figs 51–53 ).

Female (MRAC 124959).

Measurements: CL 1.95, CW 1.50, SL 1.22, SW 1.07, AL 2.85, AW 1.70, TL 4.55 (4.55–6.50, n=2), CLER 1:0.17 (1:0.15–1:0.17).

Length of leg segments, sequence from femur to tarsus, and total: I 1.27 + 0.75 + 1.00 + 0.69 + 0.45 = 4.16; II 1.13 + 0.62 + 0.84 + 0.70 + 0.48 = 3.77; III 0.95 + 0.58 + 0.62 + 0.72 + 0.50 = 3.37; IV 1.25 + 0.78 + 1.00 + 0.95 + 0.62 = 4.60.

Carapace yellow; chelicerae yellow-orange; sternum and mouthparts creamy-yellow, darker around margins; leg I creamy-yellow, legs II–IV cream; abdomen cream dorsally and ventrally. Palpal femora and patellae creamy-yellow, tibiae and tarsi yellow. External genitalia with weakly sclerotised anterior plate, with broad subtriangular unsclerotised patch in front of paired slightly recurved sclerotised strips ( Fig. 15 ); ESTR 1:0.78.

Other material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Cederberg, Clanwilliam district, 32°21'S 19°10'E, leg. J. Smith, vii.1957 (in humus under bushes or big stones), 1♂ 1♀ (MRAC 124959); St Helena Bay [32°46'S 18°01'E], leg. J. Goold, 1901, 1sa ♀ (SAMC 12904, SAM/Aran 1580) .

Remarks:The syntypes are in poor condition and are entirely bleached, making it difficult to reliably redescribe the species from the types. The male specimen with both palps intact is designated here as the lectotype, and the second male (missing the right palp) and female are designated as paralectotypes. The original description of D. capensis mentions three males, four females and two juveniles from St Helena Bay, but only two males and a single female were found in SAMC on request of the types. Another subadult female from St Helena Bay (SAMC 12904) was not labeled as a type. The female specimen mentioned from Malmesbury is a subadult female, while the female specimen listed from Cape Peninsula could not be traced.

Distribution: Known only from two localities in the Western Cape Province, South Africa ( Fig. 63 ).

Diploglena dippenaarae sp. n.

Figs 16, 21 , 54–56

Etymology: The species is named for Ansie Dippenaar-Schoeman, in recognition of her outstanding efforts in promoting research on African arachnids.

Diagnosis: Males of D. dippenaarae sp. n. are most similar to those of D. karooica sp. n., sharing the presence of a rounded basal lobe of the tegular apophysis. However, this structure is more pronounced in D. dippenaarae sp. n. and bears a larger triangular distal lobe than in D. karooica sp. n. Further, the embolus of D. dippenaarae sp. n. is straight while that of D. karooica sp. n. is slightly curved (compare Figs 54–56 with Figs 57–59 ). The shape of the epigyne in the females resembles that in D. arida sp. n., but the unsclerotised patch on the anterior plate of the epigyne is as broad as the lateral margins of the posterior spiracles, while it is only as broad as the transverse sclerotised strips in D. arida sp. n. (compare Fig. 16 with Fig. 17 ). Description:

Male (holotype, NCA 2008/418).

Measurements: CL 2.45, CW 1.94, SL 1.52, SW 1.30, AL 3.40, AW 1.88, TL 5.70 (4.70–6.20, n=3), CLER 1:0.17 (1:0.17–1:0.17).

Length of leg segments, sequence from femur to tarsus, and total: I 1.78 + 0.98 + 1.39 + 0.94 + 0.55 = 5.64; II 1.43 + 0.90 + 1.15 + 0.93 + 0.59 = 5.00; III 1.31 + 0.75 + 0.85 + 1.03 + 0.65 = 4.59; IV 1.73 + 0.98 + 1.38 + 1.33 + 0.90 = 6.32.

Carapace and chelicerae bright orange, pits on carapace yellow-orange, giving mottled appearance; sternum and mouthparts yellow-orange, darker around margins; leg I bright yellow-orange, metatarsi and tarsi slightly darker, legs II–IV yellow, tarsi creamy-yellow; abdomen cream dorsally and ventrally. Palpal femora and patellae bright yellow-orange, tibiae and cymbium orange; palpal tegulum with slightly curved embolus, twice as long as broad, directed distally at approximately 12 o’clock; membranous conductor triangular, directed dorsally; embolus and distal lobe of tegular apophysis at slightly obtuse angle relative to one another; tegular apophysis comprising rounded basal lobe distally on tegulum, with triangular distal lobe directed retrolaterally ventrally at approximately 3 o’clock; tip of embolus slightly more distal than tip of tegular apophysis ( Figs 54–56 ). Female (paratype, NCA 2008/385).

Measurements: CL 2.45, CW 1.90, SL 1.48, SW 1.34, AL 4.10, AW 2.40, TL 5.95 (5.95–6.30, n=2), CLER 1:0.19 (1:0.18–1:0.19).

Length of leg segments, seQuence from femur to tarsus, and total: I 1.65 + 0.92 + 1.18 + 0.85 + 0.50 = 5.10; II 1.38 + 0.88 + 1.02 + 0.90 + 0.52 = 4.70; III 1.30 + 0.80 + 0.80 + 0.99 + 0.67 = 4.56; IV 1.66 + 0.98 + 1.36 + 1.35 + 0.75 = 6.10.

Coloration as in male. Palpal femora and patellae yellow-orange, tibiae and tarsi orange. External genitalia with weakly sclerotised anterior plate, with broad arch-shaped unsclerotised patch in front of paired slightly recurved sclerotised strips ( Fig. 16 ); ESTR 1:0.54–1:0.71.

Holotype ♂: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Jacobsbaai , 32°57.770'S 17°53.494'E, leg. C. Haddad & R. Lyle, 2.x.2007 (night collection) (NCA 2008/418).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Jacobsbaai, 32°57.770'S 17°53.494'E, leg. C. Haddad & R. Lyle, 2.x.2007 (leaf litter, coastal fynbos), 1♂ 1♀ (NCA 2008/385); Same data (leaf litter, shrubs), 1♂ (NCA 2008/439); Saldanha Bay [33°00'S 17°56'E], leg. B. Malkin, 18.xi.1949, 1♀ (CAS, CASENT 9057492) .

Distribution: Known only from two localities in the vicinity of Saldanha Bay in the Western Cape Province, South Africa ( Fig. 63 ).

Figures

Figs14–25.Digital microscope photographsof female Diploglena genitaliain ventral (14–18) and dorsalview (19–25): (14, 19) D. arida sp. n.; (15, 20) D. capensis Purcell, 1904; (16, 21) D. dippenaarae sp. n.; (17, 22, 23) D. karooica sp. n.; (18, 24, 25) D. major Lawrence, 1928. Abbreviations: lt – lateral sieve trachea; mt – anterior branches of paired median tubular tracheae; pb – posterior branches of paired median tubular tracheae; r – seminal receptacle; s – membranous sac extending from seminal receptacle; sd – distance between lateral ends of transverse sclerotised strips; td – distance between lateral ends of posterior tracheal spiracles. Scale bars = 0.5 mm.

Figs 48–53. Left male palps of Diploglena arida sp. n. (48–50) and D. capensis Purcell, 1904 (51–53): (48, 51) prolateral view; (49, 52) ventral view; (50, 53) retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

Fig. 63. Distribution of Diploglena arida sp. n. (black circles), D. capensis Purcell, 1904 (open circles), D. dippenaarae sp. n. (black squares), D. karooica sp. n. (open squares), D. major Lawrence, 1928 (black triangles), D. proxila sp. n. (white circle) and undetermined Diploglena immatures (open triangles) in southern Africa.

Figs 54–59. Left male palps of Diploglena dippenaarae sp. n. (54–56) and D. karooica sp. n. (57–59): (54, 57) prolateral view; (55, 58) ventral view; (56, 59) retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.