Hexophthalma Karsch, 1879

Lotz, Leon N., 2018, An update on the spider genus Hexophthalma (Araneae: Sicariidae) in the Afrotropical region, with descriptions of new species, European Journal of Taxonomy 424, pp. 1-18 : 3-4

Genus Hexophthalma Karsch, 1879

Key to the species of Hexophthalma

1. Females ............................................................................................................................................. 2

– Males ................................................................................................................................................. 9

2. Enlarged dorsal setae on femora raised on a slight mound and scoop-shaped ( Fig. 23 ); female spermathecae consist of numerous tubes, each ending in one or more spherical vesicles ( Fig. 16 ) .. ................................................................................................................ H. spatulata ( Pocock, 1900)

– Enlarged dorsal setae on femora not raised on a slight mound and not scoop-shaped; spermathecae consist of one or more finger-like tubes ( Figs 1–15 ) ........................................................................ 3

3. Inner spermathecae consist of one main finger-like tube on each side ( Fig. 10 ) ................................ .................................................................................................. H. dolichocephala ( Lawrence, 1928)

– Inner spermathecae consist of more than one finger-like tube on each side ..................................... 4

4. Spermathecae without outer spermathecae near uterus externus and without reduced outer spermathecae ( Fig. 9 ) ..................................................................... H. damarensis ( Lawrence, 1928)

– Spermathecae with outer spermathecae near uterus externus or with reduced outer spermathecae ... ........................................................................................................................................................... 5

5. Spermathecae with outer spermathecae near uterus externus ........................................................... 6

– Spermathecae with reduced outer spermathecae .............................................................................. 7

6. Inner spermathecae with long finger-like tubes ( Figs 6–8 ) ............... H. albospinosa ( Purcell, 1908)

– Inner spermathecae with shorter, more bulbous, finger-like tubes ( Figs 11–15 ) ................................ ...................................................................................................................... S. hahni ( Karsch, 1878)

7. Inner spermathecae hammer-like, bent slightly laterally ( Fig. 1 ) ..................... H. binfordae sp. nov.

– Inner spermathecae not hammer-like, bent more or less medially ................................................... 8

8. Inner spermathecae with two finger-like tubes, outer spermathecae relatively round ( Fig. 5 ) ........... .................................................................................................................................. H. leroyi sp. nov.

– Inner spermathecae with three or more finger-like tubes, outer spermathecae long ( Figs 2–4 ) ......... ............................................................................................................... H. goanikontesensis sp. nov.

9. Embolus with a broad, blunt apex ( Fig. 22 ) .......................................... H. spatulata ( Pocock, 1900)

– Embolus with a narrow apex ( Figs 17–21 ) ..................................................................................... 10

10. Embolus with a short, flattened apex ( Fig. 20 ) ........................ H. dolichocephala ( Lawrence, 1928)

– Embolus with a thin, sharp apex ......................................................................................................11

11. Broader, basal part of embolus straight-edged ( Figs 18, 21 ) .......................................................... 12

– Broader, basal part of embolus with a hump along one edge ( Figs 17, 19 ) .................................... 13

12. Thin apical part of embolus almost as long as thicker basal part ( Fig. 17 ) ........................................ ............................................................................................................ H. albospinosa ( Purcell, 1908)

– Thin apical part of embolus much shorter than thicker basal part ( Fig. 21 ) ....................................... ...................................................................................................................... H. hahni ( Karsch, 1878)

13. Thin apical part of embolus without embolus keel at base ( Fig. 19 ) .................................................. ........................................................................................................ H. damarensis ( Lawrence, 1928)

– Thin apical part of embolus with embolus keel at base ( Fig. 18 ) ......... H. goanikontesensis sp. nov.

Figures

Figs 17–23. 17–22. Male palps (right side prolateral). 17. Hexophthalma albospinosa (Purcell, 1908). 18. H. goanikontesensis sp. nov. 19. H. damarensis (Lawrence, 1928). 20. H. dolichocephala (Lawrence, 1928). 21. H. hahni (Karsch, 1878). 22. H. spatulata (Pocock, 1900). 23. H. spatulata, enlarged femoral seta (not to scale). Scale bars=1 mm.

Figs 9–16. Female internal genitalia. 9. Hexophthalma damarensis (Lawrence, 1928). 10. H. dolichocephala (Lawrence, 1928). 11–15. H. hahni (Karsch, 1878). 16. H. spatulata (Pocock, 1900). Scale bar =1mm.

Figs 1–8. Female internal genitalia. 1. Hexophthalma binfordae sp. nov. 2–4. H. goanikontesensis sp. nov. 5. H. leroyi sp. nov. 6–8. H. albospinosa (Purcell, 1908). Scale bar =1 mm.