Smeringopina ndjole, Huber, Bernhard A., 2013

Huber, Bernhard A., 2013, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Guineo-Congolian spider genus Smeringopina Kraus (Araneae, Pholcidae, Zootaxa 3713 (1), pp. 1-160 : 21-22

Smeringopina ndjole new species

Figs. 153–157 , 171, 182 , 281–286

Type. ♂ holotype from Gabon, Moyen-Ogooué, near Ndjolé , “site 1” (0°09.0’S, 10°40.0’E), 120 m a.s.l., forest near brook, 11.viii.2011 (B.A. & S.R. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10215).

Other material examined. GABON: Moyen-Ogooué: near Ndjolé , same data as holotype, 1♀, prosoma in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gab 231), abdomen together with male holotype.

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

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners with anterior epigynal ridge and heavily sclerotized and serrated male palpal trochanter ( S. moudouma , S. kikongo ) by distinctive ventral spine on procursus and serrated hairs distally on procursus ( Figs. 281–282 ); from S. kikongo also by absence of large frontal apophyses on male chelicerae ( Fig. 283 ) and epigynum with short anterior projection ( Fig. 285 ); from S. moudouma also by epigynum with large dark shallow depressions bordered medially by ridges leading to anterior epigynal ridge ( Fig. 285 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 4.9, carapace width 1.5. Leg 1: 49.8 (11.8 + 0.5 + 11.6 + 23.8 + 2.1), tibia 2: 7.4, tibia 3: 5.2, tibia 4: 7.4; tibia 1 L/d: 101. Distance PME-PME 135 µm, diameter PME 135 µm, distance PME-ALE 70 µm, distance AME-AME 45 µm, diameter AME 115 µm. Carapace ochre-yellow with brown triangular mark posteriorly and brown lateral margins; ocular area posteriorly brown, clypeus and sternum brown; legs light brown, femora with two dark rings (medially, subdistally), tibiae with four dark rings (proximally, subdistally, and two in-between); abdomen ochre-gray with dark pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally, ventral dark bands with lateral constriction. Habitus as in Figs. 153–154 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with very indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus with pointed and slightly hooked apophysis near rim; deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in Fig. 283 , with lateral apophyses in very distal position, without frontal modification, without modified hairs. Palps as in Figs. 155–157 ; coxa with wide rounded retrolateral apophysis; trochanter with large, heavily sclerotized ventral apophysis serrated ventrally; femur with large retrolateral apophysis directed toward ventrally, without prolateral modification, with weakly sclerotized ventral projection distally; prolateral femur-patella joint only slightly shifted toward ventrally; tarsus with some longer but barely stronger hairs dorsally; procursus as in Figs. 281–282 , with complex membranous and sclerotized structures prolatero-ventrally, with distinctive ventral spine, without hinge; bulb with simple process ( Fig. 284 ; sperm duct apparently opens at basis of this process). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 1.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegments barely visible.

Female. In general similar to male; clypeus unmodified. Tibia 1: 8.1. Epigynum anterior plate with distinct anterior ridge ( Figs. 171 , 285 ), with large dark shallow depressions bordered medially by ridges leading to anterior epigynal ridge; posterior plate laterally with overhanging folds; internal genitalia as in Figs. 182 and 286 . Natural history. Litter-dwelling species that shares the leaf-litter at the type locality with the widespread and superficially very similar S. fang .

Distribution. Known from type locality only ( Fig. 114 ).

Figures

FIGURE 114. Known distribution of the lekoni species group. Question marks denote females of undescribed species (in MRAC and MCZ) that may belong to this species group.

FIGURES 153 – 162. Smeringopina ndjole n. sp. (153 – 157) and S. kikongo n. sp. (158 – 162). 153 – 154, 158 – 159. Males, dorsal and ventral views. 155 – 157, 160 – 162. Left male palps, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. Arrow points at serrated trochanter.

FIGURES 163 – 183. Female abdomens, ventral views, and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views, lekoni species group. 163, 173. Smeringopina kinguele n. sp. 164, 174. S. mohoba n. sp. 165 – 166, 175 – 176. S. fang n. sp. from Djidji (165, 175) and Ndjolé (166, 176). 167, 177. S. tebe n. sp. 168, 178. S. lekoni n. sp. 169, 179. S. iboga n. sp. 170, 180 – 181. S. moudouma n. sp. from Moudouma (170, 180) and Iboundji (181). 171, 182. S. ndjole n. sp. 172, 183. S. kikongo n. sp. Arrows point at lateral constriction of dark band (165) and at laterally overhanging fold (180).

FIGURES 281 – 286. Smeringopina ndjole n. sp. 281 – 282. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 283. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 284. Left bulbal process, prolateral view. 285. Epigynum, ventral view. 286. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 (284), 0.5 (281 – 283, 285 – 286).