Falcaranea amatola, Haddad & Lyle, 2024

Haddad, Charles R. & Lyle, Robin, 2024, Three new genera of arboreal dark sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Trachelidae), Zootaxa 5399 (5), pp. 451-504 : 478-481

Falcaranea amatola sp. nov.

Figs 150, 151 , 156–159

Etymology. This species is a noun in apposition referring to the Amatola Mountains in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, where most of the specimens were collected.

Diagnosis. Males of this species can be recognised by the slightly undulating embolus that is directed distally, without a pronounced curve near the middle of its length, and by the short thumb-like dorsal RTA ( Figs 156, 157 ). Females share with F. maputensis sp. nov. the secondary spermathecae that are clearly smaller than the primary spermathecae, but can be distinguished by the clear space between them (almost touching in F. maputensis sp. nov.) and by the shape of the secondary spermathecae, almost square in F. amatola sp. nov. ( Fig. 158 ) but teardrop-shaped in F. maputensis sp. nov. ( Fig. 167 ). Furthermore, the scape is significantly smaller and not tongue-like in shape like that of T. gladius sp. nov. ( Figs 144 , 162 ) and T. maputensis sp. nov. ( Fig 149 , 167 ).

Male (paratype, Hogsback, TMSA 23867). Measurements: CL 1.37, CW 1.10, AL 1.73, AW 1.03, TL 3.13, FL 0.21, SL 0.86, SW 0.63, AME-AME 0.035, AME-ALE 0.015, ALE-ALE 0.22, PME-PME 0.71, PME-PLE 1.03, PLE-PLE 0.43. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 0.98 + 0.54 + 0.76 + 0.61 + 0.39 = 3.28; II 0.84 + 0.44 + 0.67 + 0.59 + 0.37 = 2.91; III 0.71 + 0.36 + 0.49 + 0.60 + 0.29 = 2.45; IV 1.03 + 0.41 + 0.83 + 0.82 + 0.33 = 3.42.

Carapace bright yellow-brown ( Fig. 150 ); surface texture finely tuberculate, covered with short, fine setae; fovea long, distinct, deep orange-brown, at ¾ CL. Eye region brown, with black rings around eyes; AER slightly procurved; clypeus height approximately ¾ AME diameter; AME slightly larger than ALE; AME separated by distance equal to ⅓ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance equal to ⅙ AME diameter; PER recurved; PLE slightly larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal to ⅘ their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 1⅕ PME diameter. Chelicerae orange-brown; labium and endites yellow-brown; sternum yellow-brown, darker around borders. Abdomen elongate-oval, dorsum cream with faint grey mottling, with slightly darker heart mark and fine cream chevrons in posterior third ( Fig. 150 ); two pairs of elongate-oval sigilla, first pair at ¼ AL and second pair at midpoint of abdomen, each comprising two or three ovoid sclerites; dorsum covered in fine appressed brown setae; venter creamy-grey. Legs uniform yellow, I and II darker than III and IV, metatarsi and tarsi slightly darker than other segments. Palp with narrow cymbium tapering distally; embolus originating prolaterally on oval tegulum, slightly curved along its length, sword-like, directed distally; ventral RTA forming a broad shallow lamina, dorsal tibial apophysis short, stout, thumb-like ( Figs 156, 157 ).

Female (holotype, Hogsback, NCA 2007/3838). Measurements: CL 1.30, CW 1.10, AL 1.60, AW 1.08, TL 3.00, FL 0.08, SL 0.83, SW 0.80, AME-AME 0.03, AME-ALE 0.01, ALE-ALE 0.20, PME-PME 0.08, PME-PLE 0.08, PLE-PLE 0.38. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 0.98 + 0.53 + 0.68 + 0.63 + 0.40 = 3.22; II 0.88 + 0.48 + 0.68 + 0.60 + 0.25 = 2.89; III 0.73 + 0.33 + 0.50 + 0.63 + 0.30 = 2.35; IV 1.10 + 0.38 + 0.88 + 0.83 + 0.35 = 2.51.

Carapace pale brown ( Fig. 151 ); surface texture finely wrinkled, covered with short, fine setae; fovea short, narrow, indistinct, at two thirds CL. AER slightly recurved; clypeus height equal to less than AME diameter; AME slightly larger than ALE; AME separated by distance approximately equal to ¾ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance equal to ½ AME diameter; PER recurved, PLE larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal to their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance equal to ¾ PME diameter. Chelicerae brown, anterior surface covered in scattered short, fine setae. Sternum pale yellow, slightly darker towards border. Abdomen oval, pale grey dorsally; two pairs of brown sigilla, first pair pale, at approximately ¼ AL, second pair darker, posterior to midpoint. Legs pale brown; anterior legs slightly darker than posteriors. Epigyne with narrow fingernail-like triangular hood anteriorly; small, globular ST II connected to subrectangular ST I by connecting ducts at 60º angle to epigastric fold ( Figs 158, 159 ).

Type material. Holotype: ♀: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: Amatola Mountains, Hogsback, Afromontane forest , 32°36'17.1''S, 26°56'34.8''E, 25.III.2007, leg. C. Haddad (beats, foliage) ( NCA 2007 /3838).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: Amatola Mountains, Hogsback, Pine plantation, 32°35.508'S, 26°56.538'E, 1210 m a.s.l., 1.IV.2012, leg. C. Haddad & J. Neethling (canopy fogging, Podocarpus falcatus ), 4♁ 14♀ ( NMBA 16267 ) ; Same locality, Never Daunted Guest House , 32°35.6'S, 26°55.5'E, 10.IV.2010, leg. C. Haddad (night collecting), 1♁ 2♀ ( TMSA 23867 ) ; Fort Fordyce Nature Reserve, 32°41.133'S, 26°29.875'E, 1090 m a.s.l., 30.XI.2013, leg. C. Haddad & J. Neethling (canopy fogging, Afromontane forest , mixed canopy), 3♀ ( NCA 2013 /4418) .

Other material. SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: Amatola Mountains, Hogsback , 32°35.770'S, 26°55.843'E, 1250 m a.s.l., 7.I.2010, leg. C. Haddad, C. Griswold & H. Wood (canopy fogging, exotic chestnut), 4♁ 5♀ ( TMSA 23993 ) ; Same locality, Arboretum , 32°35.388'S, 26°56.123'E, 1200 m a.s.l., 26.III.2011, leg. C. Haddad, V. Swart, D. Fourie & R. du Preez (canopy fogging 1, P. falcatus ), 5♀ ( TMSA 23994 ) ; Same locality, Arboretum, 32°35.283'S, 26°56.151'E, 1250 m a.s.l., 1.IV.2012, leg. C. Haddad & J. Neethling (canopy fogging, P. falcatus ), 2♀ ( NCA 2014 /748); Same data but 3.IV.2012, 1♀ ( NCA 2014 /681), 1♁ 1♀ ( NCA 2014 /682); Same locality, Pine plantation, 32°35.508'S, 26°56.538'E, 1210 m a.s.l., 1.IV.2012, leg. C. Haddad & J. Neethling (canopy fogging, P. falcatus ), 2♀ ( NCA 2014 /748); Same locality, Pine plantation, 32°35.519'S, 26°55.965'E, 1400 m a.s.l., 21.III.2013, leg. C. Haddad & R. du Preez (canopy fogging, Pinus radiata ), 3♀ ( NCA 2014 /293); Same locality, Tyume Forest , 32°35.987'S, 26°55.880'E, 1140 m a.s.l., 3.IV.2012, leg. C. Haddad, J. Neethling, A. van Rooyen & R. du Preez (canopy fogging, Afromontane forest , Xymalos monospora ), 1♁ 2♀ ( NCA 2014 /453), 2♁ 3♀ ( NCA 2014 /479); Same locality, Never Daunted guest house, 32°35.683'S, 26°55.854'E, 1250 m a.s.l., 23.IV.2013, leg. C. Haddad, J. Neethling & R. du Preez (night collecting), 1♀ ( NCA 2014 /409); Amatola Mountains , 7 km S of Hogsback on R345, 32°38.831'S, 26°55.375'E, 715 m a.s.l., 1.X.2011, leg. J. Neethling & C. Luwes (canopy fogging, isolated tree, roadside), 5♁ 2♀ ( NCA 2012 /1884) . KwaZulu-Natal: Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve, Samango Waterfall trail, 30°42.612'S, 30°16.182'E, 200 m a.s.l., 13.I.2011, leg. C. Haddad (canopy fogging, mixed forest trees), 1♁ 1♀ ( TMSA 23988 ) ; Vernon Crookes Nature Reserve , 30°16'S, 30°37'E, 458 m a.s.l., 26.XI.2012, leg. J. Neethling (canopy fogging, Vepris lanceolata ), 5♁ 6♀ ( NCA 2013 /936) .

Distribution. Known only from the Eastern Cape and southern KwaZulu-Natal provinces, South Africa ( Fig. 169 ).

Figures

FIGURE 169. Distribution of Falcaranea amatola sp. nov. (red circles), F. gladius sp. nov. (blue triangles) and F. maputensis sp. nov. (green triangles) in southern Africa.

FIGURES 150–155. Digital microscope photographs of dorsal habitus of Falcaranea spp. 150, 151. F. amatola sp. nov., male (150) and female (151); 152, 153. F. gladius sp. nov., male (152) and female (153); 154, 155. F. maputensis sp. nov., male (154) and female (155). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 156–159. Falcaranea amatola sp. nov. male (156, 157) and female (158, 159). 156. Left palp, ventral view; 157. Same, retrolateral view; 158. Epigyne, ventral view; 159. Same, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 165–168. Falcaranea maputensis sp. nov. male (165, 166) and female (167, 168). 165. Left palp, ventral view; 166. Same, retrolateral view; 167. Epigyne, ventral view 168. Same, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 141–149. Scanning electron micrographs of Falcaranea gladius sp. nov. male (141–143) and female (144–146) and F. maputensis sp. nov. male (147, 148) and female (149). 141, 142. Right palp, dorsal (141) and prolateral (142) views; 143, 147. Left palp, ventral view; 144, 145, 149. Epigyne, ventral view; 146. Detail of copulatory opening. 148. Right palpal patella, white and black arrows indicating pro- and retrolateral lyriform organs, respectively.

FIGURES 160–164. Falcaranea gladius sp. nov. male (160, 161) and female (162–164). 160. Left palp, ventral view; 161. Same, retrolateral view; 162, 163. Epigyne, ventral view, showing variations in scape lengths, whole (162) and broken off (163); 164. Same, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.