Kikongo, Rodrigues & Rheims, 2020

Rodrigues, Bruno V. B. & Rheims, Cristina A., 2020, An overview of the African genera of Prodidominae spiders: descriptions and remarks (Araneae: Gnaphosidae), Zootaxa 4799 (1), pp. 1-80 : 58-64

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4799.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E295AAC9-09C8-48A3-8C5F-402117381B80
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/03EE8789-3B66-A14F-6AEC-FD4FAB23F995
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Kikongo
status	gen. nov.

Treatment

Kikongo View in CoL gen. nov.

Etymology. The generic name is a noun in apposition that refers to the Kikongo language. According to the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo, it is one of the national languages of the country. The gender is masculine.

Type species. Kikongo ruwenzori View in CoL sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Species of Kikongo gen. nov. are distinguished from those of other Prodidominae genera by the robust cymbium of male palp and with the distal end subquadrate retrolaterally ( Figs 49E View FIGURE 49 , 50A View FIGURE 50 , 51A View FIGURE 51 , 52A View FIGURE 52 ), alveolus completely covered by tegulum ( Figs 49D View FIGURE 49 , 50B View FIGURE 50 , 51B View FIGURE 51 , 52B View FIGURE 52 ), and the conductor hyaline, arising distally from tegulum and only accommodating the embolus tip ( Figs 49F View FIGURE 49 , 51B View FIGURE 51 ); female epigyne with wide, C-shaped copulatory openings ( Figs 50D View FIGURE 50 , 51D View FIGURE 51 , 52D View FIGURE 52 ); vulva with secondary spermathecae rounded and connecting ducts enlarged close to secondary spermathecae ( Figs 50E View FIGURE 50 , 51E View FIGURE 51 , 52E View FIGURE 52 ).

Description. Total length of males 1.75–2.37, females 1.70–2.46. Carapace and legs yellow pale, abdomen slightly gray (colouration in ethanol) ( Figs 45 View FIGURE 45 A–F). Carapace longer than wide, slightly narrowed at cephalic region, almost oval ( Figs 45A View FIGURE 45 , 46A View FIGURE 46 ). Fovea absent. Eight eyes; posterior eye row strongly procurved, anterior eye row approximately straight ( Fig. 45C View FIGURE 45 ); PME and PLE irregular; AME dark; interdistance contiguous of AME–ALE, PME–PLE, ALE–PLE. Chilum absent. Chelicerae relatively small (0.22–0.31) without boss; without teeth ( Figs 46D, E View FIGURE 46 ); fang with shaft serrula ( Fig. 46F View FIGURE 46 ). Endites slightly convergent anteriorly ( Figs 45D View FIGURE 45 , 46B View FIGURE 46 ), with few hairs on internal margin ( Fig. 46C View FIGURE 46 ); serrula absent; labium longer than wide ( Fig. 45D View FIGURE 45 ). Sternum longer than wide, anterior margin straight, rebordered anteriorly and laterally ( Fig. 45D View FIGURE 45 ); posterior region strongly protruding between coxae IV, with numerous long and erect setae; intercoxal setae absent and precoxal triangles present ( Fig. 45D View FIGURE 45 ). Pedicel with anterior region truncate. Leg formula 4123. All species with spines on femora I and II, and spines on femora, tibiae and metatarsi III and IV. Patella I larger than the others, length similar to tibia I. All tarsi and metatarsi without scopulae. Trichobothria present on dorsal tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, arranged in two rows ( Fig. 47B View FIGURE 47 ); bothrium with 5 ridges on proximal plate ( Fig. 47E View FIGURE 47 ). Tarsal organ capsulate, with oval opening, located dorsally and distally on tarsi ( Fig. 47F View FIGURE 47 ). Two smooth claws ( Fig. 47C View FIGURE 47 ); claw tufts composed of slightly widened tenent setae inserted in well-delimited plate; solid claw tuft clasper present ( Figs 47C, D View FIGURE 47 ). Abdomen oval, longer than wide ( Figs 45A, B View FIGURE 45 ), without scales; dorsum of abdomen anteriorly with long, dark, posteriorly curved setae. Six spinnerets; ALS longer than wide, separated from each other by less than their diameter ( Figs 45E, F View FIGURE 45 , 48A View FIGURE 48 ), piriform gland spigots cracked and elongated, with associated setae ( Figs 48 View FIGURE 48 A–D, 49A), major ampulate gland spigot field on well-defined conical structure ( Figs 45E, F View FIGURE 45 , 48A, B View FIGURE 48 ), male and female with two major ampulate gland spigots; PLS and PMS conical and short, PLS larger than PMS ( Fig. 48A View FIGURE 48 ); PLS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and four aciniform gland spigots ( Fig. 49B View FIGURE 49 ), females with one minor ampulate gland spigot, nine aciniform gland spigots and, apparently, one cylindrical gland spigot ( Fig. 48E View FIGURE 48 ); PMS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and three aciniform gland spigots ( Fig. 49C View FIGURE 49 ), females with one minor ampulate gland spigot, three aciniform gland spigots and two cylindrical gland spigots ( Fig. 48F View FIGURE 48 ). Female palp: tarsus truncated, with apical chemosensory patch and claw reduced to nubbin ( Fig. 47A View FIGURE 47 ). Male palp: femur unmodified, without spines; tibia short, less than half cymbium length, RTA single ( Figs 49E View FIGURE 49 , 51C View FIGURE 51 , 52C View FIGURE 52 ) and VTA absent, except in K. buta sp. nov. ( Fig. 52B View FIGURE 52 ); cymbium robust, with distal part forming a right angle retrolaterally, and with apical scopula restricted to this area ( Figs 50 View FIGURE 50 A–C); alveolus not visible ventrally ( Figs 51B View FIGURE 51 , 52B View FIGURE 52 ); bulb ovoid, with distal part narrower than basal part ( Figs 50B View FIGURE 50 , 52B View FIGURE 52 ), except in K. rutshuru sp. nov., which has distal part wider than basal part ( Fig. 51B View FIGURE 51 ); sperm duct with reservoir at center of tegulum, with one retrolateral curve ( Figs 50B View FIGURE 50 , 51B View FIGURE 51 , 52B View FIGURE 52 ); embolus long and slender, arising prolaterally and fused to tegulum ( Fig. 50B View FIGURE 50 ); conductor small and hyaline, arising at 12 o’clock position ( Figs 50B View FIGURE 50 , 52B View FIGURE 52 ), except in K. rutshuru sp. nov., in which it arises between 1–2 o’clock position ( Fig. 51B View FIGURE 51 ). Epigyne: positioning ridge of copulatory opening C-shaped, well-defined; copulatory duct and secondary spermathecae visible ventrally ( Figs 50D View FIGURE 50 , 51D View FIGURE 51 , 52D View FIGURE 52 ). Vulva: copulatory duct with curves and slender ( Figs 50E View FIGURE 50 , 51E View FIGURE 51 , 52E View FIGURE 52 ); secondary spermathecae rounded ( Fig. 51E View FIGURE 51 ); primary spermathecae lateral and separated from each other ( Fig. 50E View FIGURE 50 ); fertilization ducts laterad ( Fig. 52E View FIGURE 52 ).