Smeringopina tebe, 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 : 18

Smeringopina tebe new species

Figs. 26 , 133–137 , 167, 177 , 225–239

Type. ♂ holotype from Gabon, Ogooué-Ivindo, N Tébé (0°02.3’S, 13°40.9’E), 550 m a.s.l., forest along brook, 17.viii.2011 (B.A. & S.R. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10201).

Other material examined. GABON: Ogooué-Ivindo: N Tébé , same data as holotype, 8♂ 3♀ 1 juv. in ZFMK (Ar 10202); same data, 2♀ 1 juv. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gab 164).

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

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from congeners by highly distinctive frontal apophyses on male chelicerae ( Figs. 228–229 , 232 ) and by pair of (probably functionally corresponding) deep pockets in anterior epigynal plate ( Fig. 230 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 3.8, carapace width 1.2. Leg 1: 38.1 (8.8 + 0.4 + 9.1 + 18.0 + 1.8), tibia 2: 5.5, tibia 3: 3.8, tibia 4: 5.7; tibia 1 L/d: 89. Distance PME-PME 125 µm, diameter PME 115 µm, distance PME- ALE 60 µm, distance AME-AME 25 µm, diameter AME 95 µm. Carapace ochre-yellow with brown triangular mark posteriorly and brown lateral margins; ocular area posteriorly brown, clypeus and sternum brown; legs light brown, femora with dark rings subdistally, tibiae with dark rings proximally and subdistally; abdomen ochre-gray with dark pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally, ventral dark bands with lateral constriction. Habitus as in Figs. 133–134 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus with pointed and slightly hooked apophysis between AME and rim; deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in Figs. 228–229 , with lateral apophyses in very distal position, with distinctive frontal apophyses consisting of anterior lobe with granulate surface and posterior lobe with smooth surface ( Figs. 232– 233 ), without modified hairs. Palps as in Figs. 135–137 ; coxa with distinct retrolateral apophysis; trochanter barely modified; femur with large retrolateral apophysis directed toward ventrally, with sclerotized hump at prolateral joint to trochanter, with weakly sclerotized ventral projection distally; prolateral femur-patella joint strongly shifted toward ventrally; tarsus with some longer and slightly stronger hairs dorsally, tarsal organ capsulate and on short stalk ( Fig. 235 ); procursus as in Figs. 225–226 , with complex membranous and sclerotized structures ventrally ( Figs. 234, 236 ), without hinge; bulb with simple weakly sclerotized process ( Fig. 227 ; sperm duct apparently opens at basis of this process). 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. ALS with eight spigots each ( Fig. 237 ); gonopore with two epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 238 ).

Variation. Some males with indistinct additional (third) wide darker ring on tibiae. Tibia 1 in 8 other males: 8.0–9.3 (mean: 8.7).

Female. In general similar to male; clypeus unmodified. Tibia 1 in three females: 6.0, 6.3, 6.3. Epigynum anterior plate triangular with pair of deep pockets ( Figs. 167 , 230 ); posterior plate laterally with overhanging folds; internal genitalia as in Figs. 177 , 231 , 239 .

Natural history. Litter-dwelling species, very common in humid litter near a brook at the type locality.

Distribution. Known from type locality only ( Fig. 114 ).

Figures

FIGURE 114. Known distribution of the lekoni species group. Question marks denote females of undescribed species (in MRAC and MCZ) that may belong to this species group.

FIGURES 17 – 31. Smeringopina, webs and alive specimens in their natural habitats. 17. S. guineensis, web (Diéké, Guinea). 18. S. kribi, web with nematocerous flies (S Kribi, Cameroon). 19. S. kala, male (Mt. Kala, Cameroon). 20. S. bamenda, pair (Bamenda, Cameroon). 21 – 22. S. nyasoso, male and female with eggsac (Mt. Koupé, Cameroon). 23. S. mbouda, male (near Lake Oku, Cameroon). 24. S. attuleh, female with eggsac (Essotah, Cameroon). 25. S. kinguele, female with juveniles (Monts de Cristal, Gabon). 26. S. tebe, male (N Tébé, Gabon). 27. S. lekoni, female with eggsac (at Lekoni River, Gabon). 28. S. moudouma, mating pair (Moudouma, Gabon). 29 – 30. S. fang, male (Djidji, Gabon) and female with eggsac (Mayebout, Gabon). 31. S. ankasa, female with eggsac (Ankasa N. P., Ghana).

FIGURES 133 – 142. Smeringopina tebe n. sp. (133 – 137) and S. lekoni n. sp. (138 – 142). 133 – 134, 138 – 139. Males, dorsal and ventral views. 135 – 137, 140 – 142. Left male palps, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views.

FIGURES 163 – 183. Female abdomens, ventral views, and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views, lekoni species group. 163, 173. Smeringopina kinguele n. sp. 164, 174. S. mohoba n. sp. 165 – 166, 175 – 176. S. fang n. sp. from Djidji (165, 175) and Ndjolé (166, 176). 167, 177. S. tebe n. sp. 168, 178. S. lekoni n. sp. 169, 179. S. iboga n. sp. 170, 180 – 181. S. moudouma n. sp. from Moudouma (170, 180) and Iboundji (181). 171, 182. S. ndjole n. sp. 172, 183. S. kikongo n. sp. Arrows point at lateral constriction of dark band (165) and at laterally overhanging fold (180).

FIGURES 225 – 231. Smeringopina tebe n. sp. 225 – 226. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 227. Left bulbal process, prolateral view. 228 – 229. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 230. Epigynum, ventral view; arrow points at lateral overhanging fold. 231. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 (227), 0.5 (225 – 226, 228 – 231).

FIGURES 232 – 245. Smeringopina tebe n. sp. (232 – 239) and S. kinguele n. sp. (240 – 245). 232. Male chelicerae, oblique view. 233. Sculpture on male cheliceral apophysis. 234. Left procursus, retrolateral view. 235. Male palpal tarsal organ. 236. Membranous processes on left procursus. 237. Male ALS. 238. Male gonopore. 239. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. 240. Male gonopore. 241. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. 242. Left procursus (and trochanter apophysis), prolateral view. 243. Left bulb, distal view; arrow points at sperm duct opening. 244. Female ALS and PMS. 245. Epigynum, ventral view. Abbreviations: pr: procursus; tr: trochanter. Scale lines: 10 µm (233), 20 µm (235 – 237, 244), 30 µm (240), 50 µm (238), 60 µm (242 – 243), 100 µm (232, 234, 241), 200 µm (239, 245).