Smeringopina ankasa, 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 : 25-26

Smeringopina ankasa new species

Figs. 31 , 349–353 , 359–361 , 372–377

Type. ♂ holotype from Ghana, Western Region, Ankasa National Park (5°13.0’N, 2°39.1’W), 180 m a.s.l., forest near entrance, day collecting, 22.ii.2013 (B.A. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10229).

Other material examined. GHANA: Western Region: Ankasa National Park, same data as type, 2♂ 19♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10230-31); same data but night collecting, 2♂ 3♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10232); same data, 3♀ in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 160); Ankasa National Park (~ 5°15.1’N, 2°38.4’W), ~ 100 m a.s.l., forest along Big Tree Trail, 23.ii.2013 (B.A. Huber), 1♂ 2♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10233).

IVORY COAST: Appouesso, Forêt classée de la Bossematié [6°36.9’N, 3°27.1’W], night, 13.iii.1997 (T. Steyn), 1♂ in MRAC (207400); same locality, dense forest, in webs between tree buttresses, 30.xi.1993 (R. Jocqué), 1♀ in MRAC (177613 part); same locality, forest, pitfall, 15./ 29.i.1995 (Jocqué, Tanoh), 3♂ (3 vials) in MRAC (204444-46).

LIBERIA: Bong: Bong Range forest [6°49’N, 10°17’W], pitfalls in rainforest, 15.ii.–6.xi.2005 (D. Flomo), 2♂ 5♀ (7 vials) in MRAC (216603, 612, 636, 801, 217571, 218124, 219184).

Assigned tentatively: GHANA: Central Region: Kakum National Park (5°20.9’N, 1°23.0’W), 160 m a.s.l., forest near entrance, day collecting, 19.–20.ii.2013 (B.A. Huber), 1♂ 5♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10234-35).

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

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from S. bomfobiri and other known congeners by distinctive shape of procursus ( Figs. 372–373 ), male chelicerae (no distal apophyses; Fig. 374 ), and by epigynum with strongly protruding anterior plate ( Figs. 359–360 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 3.9, carapace width 1.4. Leg 1: 43.4 (10.2 + 0.5 + 10.5 + 20.2 + 2.0), tibia 2: 6.2, tibia 3: 4.3, tibia 4: 6.6; tibia 1 L/d: 85. Distance PME-PME 140 µm, diameter PME 140 µm, distance PME- ALE 80 µm, distance AME-AME 45 µm, diameter AME 135 µm. Carapace ochre with darker triangular mark posteriorly and lateral margins; ocular area ochre, clypeus with indistinct dark bands, sternum dark brown; legs ochre, with barely visible darker rings; abdomen ochre with darker pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally. Habitus as in Figs. 349–350 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with very indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus unmodified; deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in Fig. 374 , with lateral proximal apophyses and frontal projections arising from bases of lateral apophyses, without distal apophyses, with large and small modified (cone-shaped) hairs. Palps as in Figs. 351–353 ; coxa with distinct retrolateral hump; trochanter with ventral sclerotized hump; femur with whitish ventral area bordered retrolaterally by weakly sclerotized flap, without prolateral modification; prolateral femur-patella joint strongly shifted toward ventrally; tarsus with some barely stronger hairs dorsally; procursus with several distinctive processes ( Figs. 372– 373 ), distal part appears hinged (most clearly in dorsal view: Fig. 352 ); bulb with weakly sclerotized conical embolus ( Fig. 375 ). 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. Gonopore apparently with two epiandrous spigots (not confirmed by SEM).

Variation. Number and position of modified hairs on chelicerae slightly variable even within localities. In males from Liberia the rows of modified hairs on the chelicerae are closer to the median line. The male from Kakum N.P. differs slightly in the shape of the procursus (shape of prolateral distal flap) and is therefore assigned tentatively (see also females below). Tibia 1 in 8 other males: 8.6–10.8 (mean: 9.6).

Female. In general similar to male. Tibia 1 in 28 females: 6.5–8.4 (mean 7.5). Epigynum with strongly protruding anterior plate and large posterior plate ( Figs. 359–360 , 376 ); internal genitalia as in Figs. 361 and 377 . Females from Kakum N.P. with posterior border of anterior epigynal plate less strongly indented and with distinct hump on anterior epigynal plate.

Distribution. Widely distributed in southwestern Ghana, Ivory Coast, and Liberia ( Fig. 293 ).

Figures

FIGURE 293. Known distributions of the attuleh and ankasa species groups, and of S. fon and S. ngungu.

FIGURES 17 – 31. Smeringopina, webs and alive specimens in their natural habitats. 17. S. guineensis, web (Diéké, Guinea). 18. S. kribi, web with nematocerous flies (S Kribi, Cameroon). 19. S. kala, male (Mt. Kala, Cameroon). 20. S. bamenda, pair (Bamenda, Cameroon). 21 – 22. S. nyasoso, male and female with eggsac (Mt. Koupé, Cameroon). 23. S. mbouda, male (near Lake Oku, Cameroon). 24. S. attuleh, female with eggsac (Essotah, Cameroon). 25. S. kinguele, female with juveniles (Monts de Cristal, Gabon). 26. S. tebe, male (N Tébé, Gabon). 27. S. lekoni, female with eggsac (at Lekoni River, Gabon). 28. S. moudouma, mating pair (Moudouma, Gabon). 29 – 30. S. fang, male (Djidji, Gabon) and female with eggsac (Mayebout, Gabon). 31. S. ankasa, female with eggsac (Ankasa N. P., Ghana).

FIGURES 349 – 358. Smeringopina ankasa n. sp. (349 – 353) and S. bomfobiri n. sp. (354 – 358). 349 – 350, 354 – 355. Males, dorsal and ventral views. 351 – 353, 356 – 358. Left male palps, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views.

FIGURES 359 – 371. Smeringopina ankasa n. sp. (359 – 361), S. bomfobiri n. sp. (362), and S. ibadan n. sp. (363 – 371). 359 – 360, 362, 368. Female abdomens, ventral and lateral views. 361, 363. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 364. Male prosoma, frontal view. 365 – 367. Male, dorsal, ventral, and lateral views. 369 – 371. Left male palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views; arrow points at procursus hinge.

FIGURES 372 – 377. Smeringopina ankasa n. sp. 372 – 373. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 374. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 375. Left embolus, prolateral view. 376. Epigynum, ventral view. 377. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.2 (375), 0.5 (372 – 374, 376 – 377).