Hortipes mesembrinus, BOSSELAERS & JOCQUÉ, 2000

BOSSELAERS, JAN & JOCQUÉ, RUDY, 2000, Hortipes, A Huge Genus Of Tiny Afrotropical Spiders (Araneae, Liocranidae), Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History 2000 (256), pp. 4-4 : 4-

Hortipes mesembrinus , new species Figures 15h , 16d ; Map 4

TYPES: Female holotype in pitfall trap in natural bush, elev. 300 m, Pineapple Research Station, East London, South Africa S33°01', E27°58' (December 1981; G. Petty) ( NCA 92 /121) .

ETYMOLOGY: The species’ epithet is a latinization of the classical Greek word μeơημβpινos meaning southern. Hortipes mesembrinus is the southernmost species known in the genus.

DIAGNOSIS: Females can be recognized by the heart­shaped entrance chamber of the vulva and by the second part of the ID making a rounded, almost orthogonal bend before entering ST1.

MALE: Unknown.

FEMALE: Measurements. Total length 2.11. Carapace 0.95 long, 0.76 wide; length of fe: I 0.78, II 0.81, III 0.59, IV 0.92. Leg spination. Fe: I rv 2; IV plt 0 rlt 0; ti: I, II vsp 6; mt: III plt 0 vt 0 rlt 0; IV plt 0 vt 1 rlt 0. Coloration. Carapace yellow, lighter at the fovea. Legs yellow, chelicerae and sternum pale yellow. Abdomen yellowish white, no pattern. Genitalia. Vulva: first stretches of IDs fused into one weakly sclerotized heart­shaped entrance chamber with entrance toward posterior side. Anterior ends of this weakly sclerotized stretch merge into two more heavily sclerotized, inward­pointing tips, attached to the stalked, subglobular ST2. From this point on second, normally sclerotized stretch of the ID first makes outward nal bend before entering the small, piriform ST1 (figs. 15h; 16d).

DISTRIBUTION: Known only from the type locality.

Hortipes luytenae Bosselaers and Ledoux Figures 15 a­c, 16f; Map 4

Hortipes luytenae Bosselaers and Ledoux, 1998: 151 , figs. 3A–D (male holotype from Ngome forest, Natal, South Africa, examined).

DIAGNOSIS: Males of H. luytenae are recognized by the RTA with two sharp, subequal, parallel prongs pointing up in combination with the strongly curved MA of which the distal part points forward. Females can be recognized by the large, ellipsoidal ST2 with stalk attached to the anterior side, in combination with the simple, almost straight second stretch of the ID and the presence of a plt spine on mt III and plt and rlt spines on mt IV.

MALE: Measurements. Total length 2.08; carapace 0.86 long, 0.73 wide; length of fe: I 0.68, II 0.73, III 0.59, IV 0.86. Leg spination. Fe: I rv 2; IV plt 0 rlt 0; ti: I, II vsp 5; mt: III plt 0 vt 0 rlt 0; IV plt 0 vt 1 rlt 0. Coloration. Carapace, legs, chelicerae and sternum orange brown. Abdomen pale apricot, no pattern. Palp. RTA a ventrolateral swelling, its retrolateral side provided with two sharp, subequal, parallel prongs pointing up; cymbium fairly elongate, without retrolateral concavity or series of long curved setae; sperm duct fairly narrow over entire course, slightly more narrowed toward embolus, with sharp turn before entering triangular swelling at base of embolus; MA originating in center of tegulum, with fairly narrow, short, transverse base, sharply curved forward, then backward, ending in evenly curved part pointing forward; embolus originating on triangular extension on posterior part of tegulum, whiplike, looped over slightly less than 360° (fig. 15a, b).

FEMALE: Measurements. Total length 2.57; carapace 1.13 long, 0.92 wide; length of fe: I 1.00, II 1.05, III 0.86, IV 1.19. Leg spination. Fe: I rv 2; IV plt 0 rlt 0; ti: I, II vsp 6; mt: III plt 1 vt 0 rlt 0; IV plt 1 vt 1 rlt 1. Coloration. Carapace, legs, chelicerae

54 BULLETIN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 256 2000 BOSSELAERS AND JOCQUÉ: HORTIPES 55 56 BULLETIN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 256

0.1 mm.

2000 BOSSELAERS AND JOCQUÉ: HORTIPES 57

stretches of IDs fused into one weakly sclerotized, deeply bifurcated entrance chamber with entrance toward posterior side. Anterior ends of this weakly sclerotized chamber merge into two more heavily sclerotized tips recurved in caudal direction, and attached to the large, stalked, ellipsoidal ST2. Stalk attached to anterior end of ST2. End of recurved sclerotized tip of entrance chamber also connected to second, normally sclerotized, almost straight part of ID, running in posterior direction and connected to the small, subglobular ST1 (figs. 15c, 16f).

MATERIAL EXAMINED: Male holotype from Ngome Forest, Natal, South Africa, S27°52', E31°24' (January 1954; C.L. Davies) ( MRAC 133.056 ) ; 5♀ in humus, S27°52', E31°24' (October 1960; N. Leleup) ( MRAC) ; 36, 3♀ in pitfall trap in dense forest, S27°49', E31°26' (April 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA; 16, 1♀ in AMNH) ; 16 in pitfall trap in open forest (August 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 1♀ in pitfall trap in dense forest (June 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 46, 1♀ in pitfall trap in dense forest (March 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA), 16 ; in pitfall trap in open forest (November 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16 in pitfall trap in open forest (November 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 3♀ in pitfall trap in dense forest (June1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 76, 2♀ in pitfall trap in pine plantation (October 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 1♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (August 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16 in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (September 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16 in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (June 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 36, 3♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (March 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 26 in pitfall trap in open forest (September 1992; M. v. d. Merwe, NCA) ; 76, 3♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (May1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 26 in pitfall trap in dense forest (May 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 26 in pitfall trap in open forest (September 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 2♀ in pitfall trap in dense forest (March 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16, 2♀ in pitfall trap in dense forest (May 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 36 in pitfall pine plantation (April 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA), 1♀ ; in pitfall trap in open forest (May 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16 in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (June 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 1♀ in pitfall trap in pine plantation (May 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 136 in pitfall trap in open forest (October 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 26, 1♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (October 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16, 2♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (June 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 56, 1♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (November 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16 in pitfall trap in open forest (August 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 26 in pitfall trap in open forest (June 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 56, 2♀ in pitfall trap in pine plantation (October 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 26, 2♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (April 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 56, 3♀ in pitfall trap in open forest (June 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 1♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (February 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 2♀ in pitfall trap in dense forest (April 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 26, 3♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (January 1993; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 26, 1♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (May 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 46, 4♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (November 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 46, 3♀ in pitfall trap in open forest (March 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16 in pitfall trap in dense forest (December 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16 in pitfall trap in dense forest (October 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 1♀ in pitfall trap in pine plantation (July 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 36, 1♀ in pitfall trap in dense forest (January 1993; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16, 3♀ in pitfall trap in ecotone pine forest (May 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 16, 1♀ in pitfall trap in open forest (January 1993; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 46, 5♀ in pitfall trap in open forest (April 1992; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) ; 26 in pitfall trap in dense forest (January 1993; M. v. d. Merwe) ( NCA) .

VARIABILITY: The transparency of the vulva and details in the shape of the thin­walled

58 BULLETIN AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY NO. 256

DISTRIBUTION: Ngome State Forest, Kwazulu­Natal, South Africa.

Figures

Map 4. Distribution of Hortipes species in South Africa. Hortipes aelurisiepae V, H. atalante h, H. coccinatus •, H. contubernalis O, H. griswoldi., H. hyakutake, H. irimus, H. licnophorus D, H. luytenae Δ, H. merwei *, H. mesembrinus, H. rothorum v, H. schoemanae n, and H. wimmertensi ^.

Fig. 15. a–c. Hortipes luytenae. a, b. Male left palp, ventral and retrolateral views. c. Epigyne. d. Hortipes irimus, new species, epigyne. e–g. Hortipes coccinatus, new species. e, f. Male left palp, ventral

Figs. 16. a. Hortipes echo, new species, vulva, ventral view. b. Hortipes creber, new species, vulva, ventral view. c. Hortipes orchatocnemis, new species, vulva, ventral view. d. Hortipes mesembrinus, new species, vulva, ventral view. e. Hortipes contubernalis, new species, vulva, ventral view. f. Hortipes luytenae, vulva, ventral view. g. Hortipes coccinatus, new species, vulva, ventral view. Scale line: