Andromma cycnotrachelos sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: 418B3B49-91D6-43CD-B116-2E2DDF9BE601

Figs 13–14, 38

Diagnosis

The male of Andromma cycnotrachelos sp. nov. is characterized by the shape of the RTA with a fairly long, slender, sharp tipped prong, curved upwards. The female has an epigyne with a long, tightly wound copulatory duct and kidney-shaped copulatory openings with transverse longest axis.

Etymology

The species name is a noun in apposition from the Greek ‘κύκνος’, meaning ‘swan’, and ‘τρᾰχηλος’, meaning ‘neck’, because the spike of the RTA resembles the neck of a swan (Fig. 13D).

Type material

Holotype

D.R. CONGO • ♂; Kivu, Plaine de la Ruindi, Bulemba; 0°47′ S, 29°47′ E; 15 Jun. 1972; M. Lejeune leg.; termitière; BE_RMCA_ARA. Ara 247532.

Paratypes

D.R. CONGO • 1 ♂, 7 ♀♀; same collection data as for holotype; BE_ RMCA _ARA.Ara 144678 .

Description

Male (holotype, Fig. 13)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 3.60. Carapace length 1.42, width 1.21, height 0.57.

COLOUR (Fig. 13A–B). Cephalic area of carapace and chelicerae yellowish orange, thoracic part, legs and mouthparts pale yellow; AME rim dark; fovea reddish; sternum pale yellow with thin pale brown rim; abdomen including spinnerets pale cream.

PROSOMA. Fovea pronounced, length 0.18, anterior end 0.78 from PME. MOQ length 0.15, anterior width 0.18, posterior width 0.18. AER straight from above, width 0.36, PER procurved from above, width 0.39. All eyes circular; AME 0.08, ALE 0.07, PLE 0.05, PME 0.03; AME–AME: 0.08, AME– ALE: 0.03, ALE–PLE: touching, PME–PME: 0.13. Clypeus vertical, 0.05, without long setae. Chilum absent. Chelicerae: anterior margin with two teeth.

LEG SPINATION. All femur with one dorsal spine, Fe I pl 1; T I v 2-2-2-2-2; Mt I v2-2-2; T II v 2-2-2-2; Mt II v 2-2-2; T III v 2; Mt III v 2; T IV v 1-2; Mt IV v 2.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. Fe: 1.07, P: 0.43, T: 0.85, Mt: 0.78, t: 0.64; total: 3.77.

MALE PALP (Fig. 13C–F). RTA with long, slender, sharp tipped prong, curved dorsally in retrolateral view; VTA with intricate extrusions; bulbus occupying ⅔ of cymbium length; embolus with thick base, originating on posterior end of tegulum, following the tegulum contour ending on distal retrolateral side; sperm duct visible retrolaterally, S-shaped. Conductor indistinct.

Female (paratype, Fig. 14)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.05. Carapace length 1.63, width 1.28, height 0.64.

COLOUR (Fig. 14A–B). Similar to male.

PROSOMA. Fovea pronounced, length 0.20, anterior end 0.88 from PME. MOQ length 0.16, anterior width 0.23, posterior width 0.18. AER straight from above, width 0.41, PER procurved from above, width 0.46. All eyes circular; AME 0.08, ALE 0.07, PLE 0.05, PME 0.03; AME–AME: 0.05, AME– ALE: 0.03, ALE–PLE: touching, PME–PME: 0.13. Clypeus vertical, 0.07, with four long setae. Chilum absent. Chelicerae: anterior margin with two teeth.

LEG SPINATION. All femora with one dorsal spine, Fe I pl 1; T I v 2-2-2-2-2; Mt I v 2-2-2; T II v 2-2-2-2; Mt II v 2-2-2; T III v1-2; Mt III v 2-2; T IV v 1-2; Mt IV v 2-2.

LEG MEASUREMENTS. Fe: 1.35, P: 0.57, T: 1.07, Mt: 0.99, t: 0.71; total: 4.69.

PALP. Female palpal tarsus slightly curved, with sparse scopula.

EPIGYNE (Fig. 14C–F). Roughly rectangular area, wider than long, with kidney shaped copulatory openings separated by their longest axis; copulatory ducts consisting of three loosely wound coils followed by a tightly wound helicoidal stretch ending in the drop shaped lateral spermathecae.

Distribution

Known only from the type locality in D.R. Congo (Fig. 38). The species is termitophilous.