Ekapa curvipes (Purcell, 1902) Ríos-Tamayo & Lyle & Sole, 2023

Rios-Tamayo, Duniesky, Lyle, Robin & Sole, Catherine L., 2023, Ekapa, a new genus of mygalomorph spiders (Araneae, Entypesidae) from South Africa, African Invertebrates 64 (1), pp. 1-12 : 1

publication ID	https://dx.doi.org/10.3897/afrinvertebr.64.97018
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1BBCC36B-FB24-4D32-8332-F5B3528431B4
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/DABC2CBC-5435-56A2-B580-BB79A5593734
treatment provided by	African Invertebrates by Pensoft
scientific name	Ekapa curvipes (Purcell, 1902)
status	comb. nov.

Treatment

Ekapa curvipes (Purcell, 1902) comb. nov.

Figs 1 View Figure 1 , 2 View Figure 2 , 3 View Figure 3 , 4 View Figure 4 , 5 View Figure 5

Hermacha curvipes Purcell, 1902: 377; Tucker 1917: 106.

Hermacha nigra Tucker, 1917: 110; Hewitt 1919: 109. new synonymy.

Type material.

Syntypes, 2 ♂♂: Hermacha curvipes (SAM-ENW-X006011, Fig. 1A-I View Figure 1 ): Western Cape, Simonstown (Waterfall) (34.18333°S, 18.43333°E), Jul 1899, Purcell, W. coll. Syntypes, 2 ♀♀: Hermacha nigra (SAM-ENW-X013899, Fig. 3A-F View Figure 3 ), Bergvliet Flats, Cape Peninsula (34.05°S, 18.45°E), Sept 1904, Purcell, W. coll.

Additional material examined.

Western Cape , Cape Town , Aug 1965, collector not indicated, 1 ♂ (NM 16639); Bergvliet flats, Constantia, (34.05°S, 18.45°E), Oct 1902, collector not indicated, 1 ♀ (SAM-ENW-X012166), erroneously identified as Hermacha purcelli ; Table Mountain, 1 Aug 2005, J. Pryke, C. coll., 3 ♂♂ (NCA 2008/770) GoogleMaps .

Synonymy.

Purcell (1902), described Hermacha curvipes from Simonstown (Cape Town), based on two male specimens. Fifteen years later, Tucker (1917) described several female specimens from the same locality, as the unknown females of H. curvipes . Tucker (1917) gave no catalog number for these specimens, and it is therefore impossible to identify which specimens the author used in his description. In the same article, Tucker (1917: 110) described the species H. nigra Tucker, 1917, based on two females, from Bergvleit Flats, Cape Town which is 16 km from the type locality of H. curvipes . These two species have characters both similar and different to those found in the genus Hermacha (see Ríos-Tamayo et al. 2021) such as: fovea shape, cheliceral teeth distribution, ocular pattern, presence of preening combs and a relatively close geographical distance. The examination of additional male and female specimens (belonging to a new undescribed species) collected from Knysna Forest, with the same combination of characters, support our conclusion that the female of Hermacha nigra and the male of Hermacha curvipes are conspecific; with H. nigra as junior synonym.

Remarks.

The holotype specimen (male, SAM-ENW-X006011) is not in the best condition; possesses a pallid coloration (seems to be discolored), with legs very soft (Figs 1A-G View Figure 1 , 2A-E View Figure 2 ). To preserve the holotype specimen and prevent any damage resulting from manipulation of the specimen, descriptions were made based on the male specimen NCA 2008/770 from Table Mountain (about 25 km N from the type locality), 1 Aug 2005, J. Pryke, C. coll., 3 ♂♂, which shares all the characteristics observed in the holotype (Figs 3 View Figure 3 -F, 4A-I).

Diagnosis.

As for the genus.

Description.

Male (NCA 2008/770, Figs 3A-F View Figure 3 , 4A-I View Figure 4 ): Total length: 14.74. Cephalothorax (Fig. 3A View Figure 3 ): length 7.09, width 5.36, with lateral dark marginal bristles, and dorsal pubescence. Cephalic region: length 4.27; clypeus short, with 6 bristles on the edge, seven bristles in front (the central bigger) and 4 on the back of the OQ. Fovea: width 0.69, recurved and divided. Eyes, diameters and interdistances (Fig. 3F View Figure 3 ): AME 1.08, ALE 2.09, PME 1.60, PLE 1.90, OQ length 3.83, 7.03 width; AME-ALE 0.57, PME-PLE 0.17, AME-PME 0.48, ALE-PLE 0.37, AME-AME 0.84, OMP-OMP 2.73. Chelicerae: length 3.38, width 1.94, with dark dorsal-anterior bristles, rastellum formed by setae; intercheliceral tumescence small, well-marked and with setae (Fig. 3E View Figure 3 ). Cheliceral furrow with 10 promarginal teeth and 20 mesobasal denticles. Labium: length 0.82, width 1.84. Maxillae: length 4.19, width 1.75, with 124 cuspules on inner corner, prolateral face curved, soft area small, with long uniformly distributed hairs. Sternum (Fig. 3B View Figure 3 ): length 6.96, maximum width 4.98. Abdomen (Fig. 3C View Figure 3 ): length 6.07, covered with small hairs and dark bristles. Spinnerets (Fig. 3D View Figure 3 ): PMS: length 2.28; PLS: length of basal:medial:apical segments 3.03:2.35:4.18. Lengths of legs and palp: I: 6.90, 4.09, 4.87, 4.97, 3.18, 24.01. II: 5.13, 2.96, 3.62, 3.74, 2.41, 17.86. III: 4.58, 2.53, 2.97, 4.08, 2.33, 16.49. IV: 5.73, 2.88, 4.13, 5.44, 2.59, 20.77; Palp: 7.39, 3.98, 5.04, -, 2.72, 19.13.

Chaetotaxy: Leg I: femur, 1-1-1 P, 1-1-1-1 D, 1-1 R; patella, 1-1 P; tibia, 1-1 P, 1 R (1/2 B), 2-1-2 V, and a strong apical spine (ventral posterior); metatarsus, 1-1 P, 1-2 V (1/2 A), strongly curved with a well-marked retrolateral elbow. Leg II: femur, 1-1-1 P, 1-1-1-1 D, 1-1-1-1 R; patella, 0; tibia, 1-1 P, 2-1-3 V; metatarsus, 1 P, 1-1 D, 1 RM, 2-2-2 V. Leg III: femur, 1-1-1 P, 1-1-1-1 D, 1-1-1 R; patella, 1-1 P, 1 R; tibia, 1-1-1 P, 1-1 D, 1-1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 1-1-1 D-P, 1-1-1 D-R, 2-2-3 V. Leg IV: femur, 1-1-1-1 P, 1-1-1-1 D, 1-1-1-1 R; patella, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1 DB, 1-1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 1-1-1 D-P, 1-0-1 D-R, 1-1-9-1 R, 2-1-1-3 V. Pedipalp: femur, 1 PA, 1-1-1 d; patella, 1 PA; tibia, 1-2-2 P, 1 D, 1 RA, developed retroventral projection (Fig. 4E View Figure 4 ); tarsus, 0. Copulatory bulb tapering, with two developed flags (center with a large spoon-like depression), with the distal portion truncate continuing with a short, slender and curved tip, with two strong posterior keels (Fig. 4A-D View Figure 4 ). Scopula: Metatarsi: I, dense, distributed throughout the segment (more abundant 1/2 A); II, dense, distributed throughout the segment; III, sparse apical, divided by setae; IV, 0. Tarsi: I-II, dense, uniformly distributed throughout the segment; III-IV, dense, uniformly distributed and divided by a wide band of setae (narrow on III). Trichobothria: Tibiae: I 11-12; II 11-10; III 10-11; IV 13-12. Metatarsi: I 1(5)1(3)1(3)1(4); II 1(5)2(4)1(2)1(5); III 1(5)1(3)1(2)1(1)1(4); IV 1(6)1(5)1(7). Tarsi: I-III 14; IV 15. Preening combs: III 3 RV-3 PV, IV 2 PV-3RV. Color: Entire body reddish-brown, first leg darker. Sternum and coxae lighter. All tarsi with ventral and laterals pallid, but not flexuous. Abdomen brown with dorsal chevrons (Fig. 3C View Figure 3 ); spinnerets with same color as abdomen.

Female (SAM-ENW-X013899, Fig. 5A-E View Figure 5 ): Total length: 17.61. Cephalothorax (Fig. 5A View Figure 5 ): length 5.15, width 3.88. Cephalic region: length 3.43, clypeus small (almost absent), with 4 marginal bristles; 12 bristles in front of the OQ, with a line of setae reaching as far as the fovea. Fovea: width 0.77, straight (slightly recurved). Eyes, diameters and interdistances (Fig. 5C View Figure 5 ): AME 0.10, ALE 0.26, PME 0.18, PLE 0.24, OQ length 0.49, width 0.89; AME-ALE 0.07, PME-PLE 0.02, AME-PME 0.11, ALE-PLE 0.05, AME-AME 0.17, PME-PME 0.42. Chelicerae: length 3.81, width 2.68; with dorsal-retrolateral dark bristles, rastellum with numerous rough bristles. Fang groove with 9 promarginal teeth and 16 mesobasal denticles. Labium: length 0.48, width 0.94, with 2 cuspules. Maxillae: length 2.16, width 0.92, with 133 cuspules on inner corner, prolateral face slightly curved, soft area small, with long uniformly distributed hairs, no serrula. Sternum (Fig. 5B View Figure 5 ): length 2.74, maximum width 2.29. Abdomen: length 8.74, covered with small hairs and setae. PMS: length 0.68; PLS: length of basal:medial:apical segments 1.26:0.79:0.86. Lengths of legs and palp: I: 3.93, 2.45, 2.68, 2.41, 1.62, 13.71. II: 3.71, 2.24, 2.32, 2.84, 1.57, 12.68. III: 2.97, 1.79, 1.68, 2.46, 1.44, 10.34. IV: 3.39, 2.22, 3.06, 3.55, 1.54, 14.30. Palp: 2.89, 1.59, 1.69, -, 2.00, 8.17.

Chaetotaxy: Leg I: femur, 1 PA; patella, 1 PA; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1-3 V; metatarsus, 2-1-1 V. Leg II: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1 PA; patella, 1-1 P; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1-2 V; metatarsus, 1-1 P (1/2 B), 2-2-2 V. Leg III: femur, 1 db, 1-1 P, 1 RA; patella, 1-1-1 P, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 P, 1-1 D, 1-1 R, 2-2-3 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 1-1-1 D-P, 1-1-1 D-R, 2-2-3 V. Leg IV: femur, 1-1-1-1 d, 1 PA; patella, 1 R; tibia, 1-1 R, 2-2-2 V; metatarsus, 1-1-1 P, 1-1 D-P (1/2 ANT), 1-1-1-1 D-R, 2-1-1-1-3 V. Pedipalp: femur, 1 PA; patella, 1-1 p; tibia, 2-1-1-3 P, 1-2-3 V; tarsus, 2 P, 1 VB. Spermathecae: complete, a high base with two lateral stalks, with an elongated receptacle (Fig. 5D, E View Figure 5 ). Scopula: Metatarsi: I, dense, uniformly distributed; II, dense, 3/4 A, divided by setae; III-IV, 0. Tarsi: I, dense, uniformly distributed; II, dense, uniformly distributed and divided by setae; III-IV, sparse, uniformly distributed (III divided by a wide band and IV by a very wide band of setae). Trichobothria: Tibiae: palp 8-9; I 9-9; II 6-5; III 8-8; IV 9-9. Metatarsi: I 1(5)1(4)1(2)1(3); II 1(4)1(3)1(1)1(3); III 1(4)1(3)1(1)1(4); IV 1(5)1(2)1(2)1(1)1(5). Tarsi: palp 10; I 14; II-III 12; IV 14. Preening combs: II 2 PV, III 3 PV, IV 3 RV-2 PV. Color: Entire body reddish-brown (chelicerae darker), legs same color as cephalothorax. Abdomen brown, with a mottled pattern dorsally; spinnerets same color as abdomen.

Distribution.

Known from the Western Cape Province.