Drassodella melana Tucker, 1923

Mbo, Zingisile & Haddad, Charles R., 2019, A revision of the endemic South African long-jawed ground spider genus Drassodella Hewitt, 1916 (Araneae: Gallieniellidae), Zootaxa 4582 (1), pp. 1-62 : 25-28

Drassodella melana Tucker, 1923

Figs 64 , 80 , 99, 100 , 126–130

Drassodella melana Tucker, 1923: 310 , fig. 38 (Holotype ♀: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal Province: Mfongosi, 28°42'S, 30°50'E, II.1918, leg. W.E Jones, SAM ENW-X008521—examined).

Diagnosis. Drassodella melana females are most similar to those of D. venda sp. nov., but can be distinguished by the anterior hood having only a slightly convex anterior margin ( Fig. 64 ), while strongly convex in D. venda sp. nov. ( Fig. 69 ), and by lateral margins of ST I being slightly broader than those of ST II, while ST II are slightly broader in D. venda sp. nov.. Males of D. melana are most similar to those of D. guttata sp. nov., but can be distinguished by the absence of abdominal markings (white spots present in D. guttata sp. nov.), the spatulate rather than subtriangular shape of the ventral prong in prolateral view (compare Fig. 128 with 118), and the RTA that in retrolateral view is more slender with a slightly curved tip as opposed to broad basally and tapering to a point distally (compare Fig. 130 with 120).

Description. Female (Ngome Nature Reserve, NCA 94/364). Measurements: CL 2.52, CW 1.74, AL 3.56, AW 2.1, TL 6.24 (4.90–9.85), FL 0.41, SL 1.37, SW 1.12, CH 0.13, AME-AME 0.08, AME-ALE 0.16, ALE-ALE 0.21, PME-PME 0.10, PME-PLE 0.10, PLE-PLE 0.44, PERW 0.52, MOQAW 0.20, MOQPW 0.21, MOQL 0.28.

Length of leg segments: I 1.52 + 0.76 + 1.12 + 1.06 + 0.86 = 5.32, II 1.32 + 0.64 + 0.98 + 0.96 + 0.82 = 4.72, III 1.20 + 0.56 + 0.84 + 1.14 + 0.80 = 4.54, IV 1.80 + 0.80 + 1.42 + 1.94 + 0.96 = 6.92.

General appearance as in Fig. 99 . Carapace dark brown, with black mottling; thin white line of feathery setae diverging from fovea towards fourth legs, not reaching margin; few white feathery setae from eye region to posterior fovea. Clypeus height equal to 1.63 AME diameter; AME smaller than ALE; AME separated by distance equal to their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance twice AME diameter; PME smaller than PLE; PME separated by distance equal to 1.43 their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 1.43 PME diameter. Chelicerae dark-brown, orange around fang; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest; retromargin with two teeth, distal tooth largest. Endites with two light patches anteriorly and posteriorly, dark fringe mesally, cream around maxillar hair tuft. Labium as broad as long. Sternum with elongate setae evenly spread across surface. Legs dark-brown, with mottling proximally, distal segments orange. Leg spination: femora: I do 2 pl 1, II do 2 pl 1, III do 6, IV do 2; patellae: I spineless, II rl 1 vt 1, III vt 1, IV rl 1; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 2 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 1; metatarsi: I & II spineless, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 3 vt 3; palpal spination: femora pl 2; patellae do 1; tibiae pl 1 do 2 plv 2; tarsi do 1. Abdomen uniformly dark brown ( Fig. 99 ); two lateral sclerites above booklungs; venter light brown. Spinnerets light brown. Epigyne with deep anterior hood, anterior and posterior margins convex, lateral ends terminating abruptly; lateral hoods curved, close to copulatory openings; ST II orange, connecting ducts and ST I orangebrown; ST II slightly larger than ST I, ST II elongate-oval ( Figs 64 , 126, 127 ).

Male (Ngome State Forest, NCA 2002/420). Measurements: CL 2.10, CW 1.58, AL 2.32, AW 1.16, TL 4.72 (4.20–6.90), FL 0.39, SL 1.12, SW 0.98, CH 0.13, AME-AME 0.07, AME-ALE 0.02, ALE-ALE 0.19, PME-PME 0.07, PME-PLE 0.10, PLE-PLE 0.37, PERW 0.44, MOQAW 0.15, MOQPW 0.19, MOQL 0.24.

Length of leg segments: I 1.52 + 0.76 + 1.12 + 1.06 + 0.86 = 5.32, II 1.32 + 0.64 + 0.98 + 0.96 + 0.82 = 4.72, III 1.20 + 0.56 + 0.84 + 1.14 + 0.80 = 4.54, IV 1.80 + 0.80 + 1.42 + 1.94 + 0.96 = 6.92.

General appearance as in Fig. 100 . Carapace dark-brown with black mottling; white feathery setae spread across surface, forming distinct medial line that diverges behind fovea, forming upsilon shape; male with more dense white feathery setae than female. Clypeus height equal to 2.17 AME diameter; AME smaller than ALE; AME separated by distance slightly larger than their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance 0.33 AME diameter; PME equal to PLE; PME separated by distance equal to 1.17 their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 1.67 PME diameter. Chelicerae dark-brown; promargin with three evenly spaced subequal teeth; retromargin with two widely separated subequal teeth; base of fang orange. Endites and labium as for female. Sternum with dark-brown markings; setae spread, strongly concentrated around edges. Legs with dark-brown proximal segments, distally segments orange; legs with white feathery setae on proximal segments only. Leg spination: femora: I do 2 rl 1, II do 3, III do 5 rl 1, IV do 4; patellae: spineless; tibiae I & II spineless, III pl 2 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I & II spineless, III do 2 rl 3 rlv 2 plv 2 vt 2, IV do 1 pl 2 plv 2 vt 3 rl 4 rlv 3; palpal spination: femora do 3; patellae pl 3 do 1 rl 1; tibiae do 3 rl 2 plv 2; tarsi do 1. Abdomen brown ( Fig. 100 ); sub-oval sclerite laterally above booklungs; venter light brown; two rows of tiny sclerites running from epigastric furrow to spinnerets. Spinnerets pale. Palp yellow-brown; RTA moderately long, largely obscured in ventral view by retrolateral heel of cymbium; in retrolateral view triangular, with broad base and slightly curved tip; cymbium quite narrow, 1.8 times longer than wide, narrowed to rounded point distally; ventral embolic prong spatulate; dorsal prong narrow, slightly curved in prolateral view, aligned with palpal axis in ventral view; median apophysis narrow, hook-shaped ( Figs 80 , 128–130 ).

Additional material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal Province: 15 km ENE of Louwsberg on R69, 27°31.801'S, 31°25.386'E, 1025 m a.s.l., 5.II.2005, C. Haddad (leaf litter, Eucalyptus plantation), 1♂ 2♀ (NCA 2016/2822); Good Hope, Midlands, 28°15'S, 30°42'E, I.2014, leg. I. Yekwayo, 1♀ (2015/1550); Ithala Game Reserve, Ntshodwe Camp, 27°32.699'S, 31°16.911'E, 26.I.2014, leg. C. Haddad & Z. Mbo (sifting leaf litter, short forest), 2♀ ( NCA 2013/5006); Same as previous but 27.I.2014, 3♀ ( NCA 2013/4938); Ithala Game Reserve, Onverdacht picnic site, 27°31.967'S, 31°18.984'E, 29.I.2014, leg. C. Haddad (base of grass tussocks), 1♀ ( NCA 2013/5094); Jackson’s Falls on Mhlatuzana River, 29°48'S, 30°45'E, 18.XII.1990, leg. V. & B. Roth, 1♀ (CAS, CASENT 9072379); Krantzkloof Nature Reserve, 29°46'S, 30°49'E, 24.VII.2002, leg. C. Haddad (leaf litter on hillside), 1♂ 1♀ (NCA 2002/420); Krantzkop, 28°58'S, 30°52'E, XI.1917, leg. K.H. Barnard, 3♀ (SAMC ENW- B003610); Vryheid, Ngome State Forest, 27°49'S, 31°26'E, I.1992, leg. M. van der Merwe (pitfall traps, grass), 2♂ 6♀ (NCA 94/364); Same data as previous but II.1992, 2 ♂ 3♀ (NCA 94/366), 2♀ 1imm. (NCA 94/369), 2♀ (NCA 94/372); Same data as previous but III.1992, 1 ♀ (NCA 94/394); Same data as previous but IV.1992, 1 ♀ (NCA 94/ 371), 3♂ 8♀ (NCA 94/380); Same data as previous but V.1992, 2 ♂ 1 imm. (NCA 94/378); Same data as previous but VI.1992, 1 ♂ 1 imm. (NCA 94/368), 1♀ (NCA 94/391); Same data as previous but VII.1992, 1 ♂ 1♀ 2 imm. (NCA 94/363), 3♂ 3♀ (NCA 94/390); Same data as previous but VIII.1992, 2 ♂ 2♀ (NCA 94/377), 1♂ (NCA 94/ 385); Same data as previous but IX.1992, 1 ♂ 8♀ (NCA 94/367), 1♂ (NCA 94/384), 1♂ 1♀ (NCA 94/388); Same data as previous but X.1992, 1 ♂ 2♀ (NCA 94/374), 1♂ 4♀ 2 imm. (NCA 94/392); Same data as previous but XI.1992, 7 ♀ (NCA 94/381); Same data as previous but XII.1992, 3 ♂ 8♀ (NCA 94/382); Same data as previous but I.1993, 5 ♂ 8♀ (NCA 94/383), 3♀ (NCA 94/365), 5♂ 8♀ (NCA 94/3813), 5♂ 9♀ (NCA 94/386); Vryheid, Ngome State Forest, 27°49'S, 31°26'E, IX.1992, leg. M. van der Merwe (pitfall traps, dense forest), 1♀ (NCA 94/422), 1♂ (NCA 94/507); Vryheid, Ngome State Forest, 27°49'S, 31°26'E, IX.1992, leg. M. van der Merwe (pitfall traps, pine plantation), 1♀ (NCA 94/379); Same data as previous but I.1993, 1 ♂ (NCA 94/370). Limpopo Province: Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve, The Downs, 24°08'S, 30°18'E, 19.I.2009, leg. S.H. Foord, 1♂ (NCA 2015/3708). Mpumalanga Province: Mariepskop State Forest, Drakensberg, 23°35.06'S, 30°51.81'E, 1350 m a.s.l., 13.X.1999, leg. D. Ubick & S. Prinsloo, 1♀ (CAS, CASENT 9072381); Same locality, XI.2013, leg. L. Taylor, 2♂ 1♀ 1 imm. (NCA 2015/4009), 1♀ (NCA 2015/4915), 2♂ 3♀ (NCA 2015/4918), 2♂ 3♀ (NCA 2015/4974); Same data as previous but I.2013, 3 ♀ 2 imm. (NCA 2015/4917); Same data as previous but II.2014, 1 ♀ (NCA 2015/4916).

Distribution. Found in the KwaZulu-Natal, Mpumalanga and Limpopo Provinces of South Africa ( Fig. 140 ).

Figures

FIGURE 140. Distribution of Drassodella melana Tucker, 1923 (circles), D. montana sp. nov. (stars) and D. tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938 (squares) in southern Africa.

FIGURES 60–77. Female epigynes of Drassodella species in the D. melana species group (60–68) and D. salisburyi species group (69–77) in dorsal view: 60 D. flava sp. nov.; 61 D. guttata sp. nov.; 62 D. lotzi sp. nov.; 63 D. maculata sp. nov.; 64 D. melana Tucker, 1923; 65 D. montana sp. nov.; 66 D. tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938; 67 D. tolkieni sp. nov.; 68 D. transversa sp. nov.; 69 D. venda sp. nov.; 70 D. amatola sp. nov.; 71 D. aurostriata sp. nov.; 72 D. purcelli Tucker, 1923; 73 D. quinquelabecula Tucker, 1923; 74 D. salisburyi Hewitt, 1916; 75 D. septemmaculata (Strand, 1909); 76 D. trilineata sp. nov.; 77 D. vasivulva Tucker, 1923. Abbreviations: AH—anterior hood; FD—fertilisation duct; MS—median septum; STspermatheca(e). Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 78–92. Male palps of Drassodella species of the D. melana species group (78–85) and D. salisburyi species group (86–92) in ventral view: 78 D. flava sp. nov.; 79 D. guttata sp. nov.; 80 D. melana Tucker, 1923; 81 D. montana sp. nov.; 82 D. tenebrosa Lawrence, 1923; 83 D. tolkieni sp. nov.; 84 D. transversa sp. nov.; 85 D. venda sp. nov.; 86 D. amatola sp. nov.; 87 D. aurostriata sp. nov.; 88 D. baviaans sp. nov.; 89 D. quinquelabecula Tucker, 1923; 90 D. salisburyi Hewitt, 1916; 91 D. septemmaculata (Strand, 1909); 92 D. vasivulva Tucker, 1923. Abbreviations as follows: DP—dorsal embolic prong; EMembolus; MA—median apophysis; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis; VP—ventral embolic prong. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.

FIGURES 93–110. Dorsal habitus photographs of Drassodella species in the melana species group: 93, 94 female and male of D. flava sp. nov.; 95, 96 female and male of D. guttata sp. nov.; 97 female of D. lotzi sp. nov.; 98 female of D. maculata sp. nov.; 99, 100 female and male of D. melana Tucker, 1923; 101, 102 female and male of D. montana sp. nov.; 103, 104 female and male of D. tenebrosa Lawrence, 1938; 105, 106 female and male of D. tolkieni sp. nov.; 107, 108 female and male of D. transversa sp. nov.; 109, 110 female and male of D. venda sp. nov. Scale bars = 1 mm.

FIGURES 126–130. Genitalic morphology of Drassodella melana Tucker, 1923: 126 female epigyne, ventral view; 127 same, dorsal view; 128 male palp, prolateral view; 129 same, ventral view; 130 same, retrolateral view. Scale bars = 0.25 mm.