Ballomma neethlingi, Jocqué, Rudy & Henrard, Arnaud, 2015

Jocqué, Rudy & Henrard, Arnaud, 2015, Ballomma, a new Afrotropical genus in the Cryptothelinae (Araneae, Zodariidae): eyes on the run, European Journal of Taxonomy 163 (163), pp. 1-24 : 17-22

Ballomma neethlingi gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A55B7447-0792-4709-8ED2-E639C6B472A7

Figs 11 A–E, 12A–C, 13A–C, 14

Diagnosis

The male of D. neethlingi gen. et sp. nov. is easily recognized by the field of spines in front of the epigastric fold and the palp with a retrolateral patellar swelling and a broad triangular transparent RTA. The female has a characteristic epigyne in which the ducts in transparency are in the shape of an X with a slight extension where upper and lower parts of X meet.

Etymology

The species name is a patronym for Jan Neethling a pseudoscorpion specialist and the collector of the holotype.

Type material

Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA: ♀, Limpopo Province, Medike Mountain Reserve , 22°59’39” S 29°36’52” E, 8 Nov. 2012, montane bushveld , sifting litter, J.A. Neethling ( NCA 2015/3484 ; ex MRAC 241635) .

Paratype

SOUTH AFRICA: 1 ♂, Haenertsburg , 23°56’ S 29°57’ E, 5 Mar. 1976, under leafs , E. Hartwig ( NCA 76/1048 ) .

Other material examined

SOUTH AFRICA: 5 juveniles, same data as holotype .

Description

Male (paratype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 7.53; carapace 3.34 long, 1.07 high, 2.20 wide, narrowed to 1.07 in eye region.

COLOUR. Carapace, sternum and chelicerae medium brown without silvery setae ( Fig. 11 A–C); chelicerae slightly darker at base than in distal half; legs pale yellowish brown; abdomen ( Fig. 11 A–B): dorsum and sides pale with complex dark pattern on dorsum hidden by paler suffusion, provided with four dark apodemes; venter pale with complex dark pattern, yellow sclerotized area in front of epigastric fold; spinnerets pale yellow.

CARAPACE. Smooth ( Fig. 11 A), strongly narrowed in front; flat, fovea long, in shallow depression. Chilum double, each sclerite 0.05 high, 0.12 wide; no setae. Sternum shield-shaped, 1.35 long, 1.21 wide.

EYES. AME: 0.10; ALE: 0.13; ALE–ALE: 0.00; AME–ALE: 0.07; PME: 0.10; PLE: 0.13; PME–

PME: 0.07; PME–PLE: 0.18. Clypeus 0.38 or 2.9 times width of ALE, retreating.

LEGS. Anterior tarsi fusiform; no hinged hairs.

SPINATION.

F P T Mt

I d1 - v1-2 -2 v2-2 - 1 II d1 - v1-2 -2 v2-1 - 2 III d2 d1rl1 pl2d3rl2 v2-2 -2 10disp dw 6 IV d2 d1rl1 pl3d3rl3 v2-2 -2 12disp dw6

LEG MEASUREMENTS.

F P T Mt t total I 2.03 0.84 1.40 1.26 1.05 6.58 II 1.33 0.77 1.12 1.12 0.77 5.11 III 1.61 0.70 1.05 1.19 0.70 5.25 IV 1.75 0.70 1.47 1.75 0.91 6.58

ABDOMEN ( Fig. 11 A–B). Area in front of epigastric fold with 20 small spines. Spinnerets as for genus.

MALE PALP ( Figs 12 A–B; 13A–B). Patella with small haired ventrolateral swelling; tibia with clusters of hair on dorsal margin and on ventrolateral swelling; RTA roughly triangular, transparent, with rebordered dorsal margin; cymbium densely haired with eight truncated spines near tip; broad, basolateral, folded flange; subtegulum with three ridges and basal notch; tegulum with distoventral protrusion, prolaterally concave accommodating thin, slightly curved embolus; distal part of tegulum with dorsal quadrangular conductor.

Female (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 5.75; carapace 2.41 long, 1.48 wide, 0.92 high, narrowed to 0.71 in eye region.

COLOURATION. Carapace, chelicerae and sternum brownish orange ( Fig. 11 D–E); legs brownish yellow; abdomen ( Fig. 11 D–E): dorsum and sides pale with complex dark pattern; venter pale with few dark spots; spinnerets pale yellow.

CARAPACE ( Fig. 11 D). Smooth, thinly haired; fovea in shallow depression. Clypeus with dispersed setae. Chilum double, each sclerite 0.07 high, 0.16 wide; no setae. Sternum shield-shaped, 0.99 long, 0.85 wide.

EYES. AME: 0.07;ALE: 0.10;ALE–ALE: 0.0; AME–ALE: 0.0; PME: 0.07; PLE: 0.08; PME–PME: 0.03;

PME–PLE: 0.16. Clypeus 0.21 or 3 times width of ALE.

LEGS. Hinged hair on TI and TII.

SPINATION.

F P T Mt I d1 - - v 1 II d1 - v1-1 v1-1 - 2 III d1 d1rl1 pl2d2rl2 v1-2 -2 6disp dw 6 IV d1 d1rl1 pl2d3rl2 v1-1 -2 10disp dw6

LEG MEASUREMENTS.

F P T Mt t total I 2.03 0.84 1.40 1.26 1.05 6.58 II 1.33 0.77 1.12 1.12 0.77 5.11 III 1.61 0.70 1.05 1.19 0.70 5.25 IV 1.75 0.70 1.47 1.75 0.91 6.58

Palp with tarsus triangular and ventrally flat; provided with many prolateral and few retrolateral spines; pectinated claw turned inward over> 30°.

EPIGYNE ( Figs 12 C, 13C). Roughly rounded area with ducts visible in transparency forming X-shaped pattern, slight extension where top and bottom parts meet.

Distribution

Known from the Limpopo Province in the northern part of South Africa ( Fig.14 ).

Figures

Fig. 11. Ballomma neethlingi gen. et sp. nov. A – C. Paratype, ♂ (NCA 76 / 1048) D – E. Holotype, ♀. A. Habitus, dorsal view. B. As preceding, ventral view. C. As preceding, detail. D. Habitus, dorsal view. E. As preceding, ventral view. Scale bars: 1 mm.

Fig. 12. Ballomma neethlingi gen. et sp. nov. A – B. ♂ (NCA 76 / 1048) C. Holotype, ♀. A. Male palp, retrolateral view. B. As preceding, ventral view. C. Epigyne, ventral view. Scale bars: 0.5 mm.

Fig. 14. Distribution of species of Ballomma gen. nov.: B. erasmus gen. et sp. nov. (), B. haddadi gen. et sp. nov. (), B. legala gen. et sp. nov. () and B. neethlingi gen. et sp. nov. ().