Heriaeus muizenberg, Niekerk & Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2013

Niekerk, P. van & Dippenaar-Schoeman, A. S., 2013, A revision of the crab spider genus Heriaeus Simon, 1875 (Araneae: Thomisidae) in the Afrotropical Region, African Invertebrates 54 (2), pp. 447-447 : 465-466

Heriaeus muizenberg sp. n.

Figs 9 , 37, 38 , 58

Etymology: The species name is a noun in apposition derived from the name of the type locality.

Diagnosis: The species is recognized by the combination of short abdominal setae with blunt tips ( Fig. 9 ) arranged in a distinct pattern, the male palp with the embolus having a slender straight tip, and a very long RTA with a very long sharp distal tooth ( Figs 37, 38 ). Palp resembles that of H. foordi sp. n., but the RTA is longer in this species. Female unknown.

Description:

Male (holotype).

Size: TL 3.16, CL 1.49, CW 1.42. Colour: Carapace with two ill­defined longitudinal brown stripes; setae dark brown; clypeus white, white clypeal mark extending to above AMEs; eye region brown; eye tubercles greyish brown. Abdomen brown, slightly mottled, bearing brown setae; with two transverse bands across posterior half; bases of setae dark, forming a regular pattern ( Fig. 9 ); laterally with two white longitudinal curved lines. Legs yellow-brown, spotted; setae pale brown; femur I and coxae I–IV with white markings; distal end of femora II and IV with dark markings, also present on proximal and distal ends of tibia IV; metatarsi III and IV with brown marks distally. Carapace: Eye measurements: AME–AME 0.19, ALE–AME 0.11, PME–PME 0.14, PLE–PME 0.20, AME–PME 0.20, MOQL AME–PME 0.25, MOQAW AME–AME 0.24, MOQPW PME–PME 0.23. Leg measurements: leg I Fe 2.06, Pat 0.73, Tib 1.74, Mt 1.65, Ta 0.74, total 6.92; leg II Fe 1.28, Pat 0.59, Tib 1.17, Mt 1.16, Ta 0.66, total 4.86; leg III Fe 0.52, Pat 0.35, Tib 0.62, Mt 0.48, Ta 0.37, total 2.34; leg IV Fe 0.90, Pat 0.42, Tib 0.66, Mt 0.49, Ta 0.38, total 2.85. Abdomen: Round, truncated anteriorly, decorated with approx. 24 short, brown blunt setae. Male palp: Embolus winding around three-quarters of tegulum; tip slender and straight; VTA small and two-lobed; RTA very long, longer than length of bulb, with very long sharp distal tooth and small depression near its base ( Figs 37, 38 ).

Holotype: ♂ SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: Muizenberg (34.09°S 18.50°E), 29.ix–13.x.1991, R. Legg, north dunes ( MRAC 173.842 ).

Paratype: ♂ same data as holotype ( MRAC 173.820 ) .

Distribution: Western Cape Province of South Africa ( Fig. 58 ).

Natural history: Males collected on coastal dunes during September and/or October.

Figures

Figs 1–9. Heriaeus spp., habitus:(1) Heriaeus sp. long spiniform abdominal setae; (2) H.allenjonesi antoni sp. n. female; (3) H.antoni sp. n. female; (4) H.copricola sp. n. male; (5) H. crassispinus Lawrence, 1942 male; (6) H. foordi sp. n. male; (7) H. latifrons Lessert, 1919 female; (8) H.madagascar sp. n. male; (9) H. muizenberg sp. n. female.

Figs 37–44. (37, 38) Heriaeus muizenberg sp. n.: (37) male palp, ventral view; (38) male palp, lateral view; (39–42) Heriaeus peterwebbi sp. n.: (39) male palp, ventral view; (40) male palp, lateral view; (41) epigyne, ventral view; (42) epigyne, dorsal view; (43, 44) Heriaeus sossusvlei sp. n.: (43) epigyne, ventral view; (44) epigyne, dorsal view.

Figs 57–59. Distribution of Heriaeus spp. in the Afrotropical Region.