Thaumastella new species

(Figs 9–10, 13)

Material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: about 45 km SSE of the town Beaufort West, 1 ♂ 1 ♀, unbaited pitfall traps, D. Jacobs lgt. & det. (DHJS). This species has the general facies of Th. elizabethae, but the male genital capsule shows significant differences .

Habitat. The locality where it was collected is more or less 400 km ESE of the type locality of Th. elizabethae . It is situated in the Gamka Karoo of the Lower Karoo Bioregion of the Nama Karoo Biome (Mucina & Rutherford 2006). It is a dry part of the Karoo with an annual rainfall of about 170 mm. The vegetation of the area can be classified as Stony plains vegetation (Fig. 8). This community occurs on stony footslopes away from mountains. Tall shrubs are sparsely scattered in a lower matrix of Karoo bushes. The canopy cover is sparse (about 30%). The cover is dominated by Ruschia spinosa [ Aizoaceae] and Pentzia incana [ Asteraceae]. Other characteristic species are Euphorbia stellispina [ Euphorbiaceae], Hermannia desertorum [ Malvaceae], Limeum aethiopicum [ Limeaceae] and Pteronia adenocarpa [ Asteraceae] (D. Jacobs, pers. observ.).

Distribution (Figs 9, 10). South Africa: Western Cape (this paper).

Note. The new species will be described later by D. Jacobs.