Poachelas solitarius, Haddad & Lyle, 2008

Haddad, Charles R. & Lyle, Robin, 2008, Three new genera of tracheline sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Corinnidae), African Invertebrates 49 (2), pp. 37-37 : 71-72

Poachelas solitarius sp. n.

Figs 74 , 96, 97 , 100

Etymology: From Latin solitarius (solitary), as this species is known from a single male only.

Diagnosis: This species can be recognised from P. striatus sp. n. by the male embolus, which does not reach the cymbial tip, and by more ventrally-placed RTA. Female unknown.

Remark: Most of the paired ventral leg spines on the anterior legs are missing from the holotype, but the spine bases give an accurate idea of the spine arrangement.

Description:

Male.

Measurements: CL 1.78, CW 1.22, AL 2.55, AW 1.13, TL 4.23, FL 0.08, SL 1.16, SW 0.77, AME–AME 0.03, AME–ALE 0.015, ALE–ALE 0.22, PME–PME 0.10, PME– PLE 0.10, PLE–PLE 0.44. Length of leg segments: I 1.73+0.83+1.57+1.03+0.53=5.69; II 1.28+0.64+1.05+0.79+0.51=4.27; III 0.84+0.47+0.54+0.57+0.37=2.79; IV 1.57+0.66+1.50+1.18+0.47=5.38.

Carapace bright yellow, paler posteriorly, with dark grey stripe from between PME to midpoint, forming small rectangular grey marking medially ( Fig. 74 ); carapace flattened with highest point at posterior eye row, sloping gently to posterior, last fifth declining more steeply; surface smooth with scattered short and long fine setae; fovea indistinct, lying in shallow median depression, at 2/3 carapace length. Eyes surrounded by black rings; AER procurved, lateral eyes larger than medians; clypeus height equal to approx. 0.5× AME diameter; AME separated by 0.33× their diameter;AME separated from ALE by approx. 1/8× AME diameter; PER recurved, median eyes slightly larger than laterals; PME separated by distance equal to their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance equal to PME diameter. Chelicerae bright yellow; anterior surface smooth, with scattered short and long fine setae; promargin with three small teeth, distal tooth largest, proximal tooth smallest; retromargin with two subequal teeth sharing single broad base. Sternum pale yellow, slightly darker along border; surface smooth, with scattered short fine setae. Abdomen: cream, with very fine black median stripe dorsally running along abdomen, expanding laterally above spinnerets ( Fig. 74 ); elongate, more than twice as long as wide, broadest at half its length; dorsal scutum absent; surface covered in short fine setae; two pairs of indistinct oval sigilla present, either side of midpoint of abdomen; venter without sclerites. Legs I to IV yellow; tibiae and metatarsi I, II and IV with dark grey distal bands; legs covered in short fine setae; metatarsi III and IV with terminal preening comb; leg spination: femora: I pl 4; patellae: I plv 3 rlv 1; tibiae: I plv 9 rlv 9 spines, plv 3–4 rlv 1 cusps, II rlv 6 spines; metatarsi: I plv 6 rlv 4 spines, plv 3 cusps, II rlv 4 spines, plv 1 cusp; tarsi: I plv 2 rlv 1–2 cusps. Male palp with fine curved retrolateral tibial apophysis ( Figs 96, 97 ); tegulum round, embolus fine, originating distally, curving around tegular margins before looping retrolaterally, curving along distal retrolateral margin of cymbium ( Fig. 97 ).

Holotype: ♂ “ Zimbabwe 2028D1 / Maleme Rest Camp / J. Minshull 4.ii.1987 / NMZ/A5522 // HOLOTYPE ♂ / Poachelas solitarius //” ( NMZA, A5522 ).

Biology: Unknown, but presumably associated with grass.

Figures

Figs 72–75. General habitus of Poachelas gen. n. species: (72, 73) P. striatus sp. n., male, Erfenis Dam Nat. Res., and female, Bloemfontein; (74) P. solitarius sp. n., male, Maleme Rest Camp; (75) P. montanus sp. n., female, Platberg Nat. Res. Scale bars = 1.0 mm.

Figs 96–99.(96, 97) Poachelas solitarius sp. n., male palp, ventral and retrolateral views; (98, 99) P. montanus sp. n., female epigyne, ventral and dorsal views. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 100. Distribution of Poachelas gen. n. species.