Smeringopina bomfobiri, 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 : 26-27

Smeringopina bomfobiri new species

Figs. 354–358 , 362 , 378–383

Type. ♂ holotype from Ghana, Ashanti Region, Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary (6°57.7’N, 1°11.4’W), 240 m a.s.l., among rocks in canyon, 3.iii.2013 (B.A. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10236).

Other material examined. GHANA: Ashanti Region: Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary: same data as type, 4♂ 6♀ 1 juv. in ZFMK (Ar 10237-38); same data, 3♀ 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 130). Eastern Region: Atewa Hills, Atewa Atwirebu Reserve (6°13.8’N, 0°33.5’W), 740 m a.s.l., 25.ii.2013 (B.A. Huber), 3♂ 8♀ 1 juv. in ZFMK (Ar 10239-40); same data, 4♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 133). Near Mpraeso (6°34.1’N, 0°43.9’W), 370 m a.s.l., degraded forest near road, 10.iii.2013 (B.A. Huber), 2♂ 4♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10241); same data, 1♀ 5 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 154). 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), 10♂ 16♀ 2 juvs. (4 vials) in ZFMK (Ar 10242-45); same data but night collecting, 2♂ 2♀ 2 juvs. in ZFMK (Ar 10246); same data, 5♀ 5 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 144). Volta Region: Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary, Wli waterfall (7°06.2’N, 0°36.0’E), ~ 300 m a.s.l., forest near waterfall, 27.ii.2013 (B.A. Huber), 2♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10247); same data, 2♀ 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 162).

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

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from S. ankasa and other known congeners by distinctive shape of procursus ( Figs. 378–379 ), male chelicerae (distal apophyses; Fig. 380 ), and by epigynum with weakly protruding, deeply indented anterior plate ( Fig. 362 , 383 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 3.4, carapace width 1.3. Leg 1: 33.7 (7.8 + 0.5 + 8.1 + 15.5 + 1.8), tibia 2: 4.9, tibia 3: 3.4, tibia 4: 5.2; tibia 1 L/d: 65. Distance PME-PME 170 µm, diameter PME 125 µm, distance PME- ALE 55 µm, distance AME-AME 35 µm, diameter AME 95 µm. Carapace ochre with darker median mark and lateral margins; ocular area ochre, clypeus with indistinct pair of dark bands, sternum dark brown; legs ochre, with dark rings on femora subdistally and tibiae proximally and subdistally; abdomen ochre with darker pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally. Habitus as in Figs. 354–355 , 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. 380 , with lateral proximal apophyses and distinctive distal apophyses, with large and small modified (cone-shaped) hairs. Palps as in Figs. 356–358 ; coxa with rounded retrolateral hump; trochanter with simple 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 sclerotized and membranous processes ( Figs. 378– 379 ), distal part appears hinged (most clearly in dorsal view: Fig. 357 ); bulb with weakly sclerotized conical embolus with subdistal branch ( Fig. 381 ). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2%; 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. Males from Kakum N.P. differ minimally in several respects: their palps are almost identical but the shape of the distal sclerotized procursus apophysis is slightly different; the distal cheliceral apophyses are slightly more slender; the legs are more slender and tend to be shorter. Tibia 1 in 11 males from Kakum N.P.: 6.4–8.4 (mean 7.6); in 8 males from all other localities: 7.8–9.4 (mean 8.9).

Female. In general similar to male. Tibia 1 in 18 females from Kakum N.P.: 5.0–6.8 (mean 5.8); in 18 females from all other localities: 5.8–9.0 (mean 7.2). Epigynum consisting of weakly protruding anterior plate with deep posterior indentation ( Figs. 362 , 383 ) and large posterior plate; internal genitalia as in Fig. 382 .

Distribution. Known from several localities in southern Ghana ( Fig. 293 ).

Figures

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

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 378 – 383. Smeringopina bomfobiri n. sp. 378 – 379. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 380. Male chelicerae, frontal view. 381. Left embolus, prolateral view. 382. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. 383. Epigynum, ventral view. Scale lines: 0.2 (381), 0.5 (378 – 380, 382 – 383).