Afroceto capensis, Lyle & Haddad, 2010

Lyle, Robin & Haddad, Charles R., 2010, A revision of the tracheline sac spider genus Cetonana Strand, 1929 in the Afrotropical Region, with descriptions of two new genera (Araneae Corinnidae), African Invertebrates 51 (2), pp. 321-321 : 346-348

Afroceto capensis sp. n.

Figs 7, 8 , 56–61

Etymology: This species is named after the Western Cape Province, where the entire type series was collected.

Diagnosis: The female can easily be recognised by the M­shaped anterior epigynal hood ( Fig. 56 ). It has ST II that appear bilobed and are obscured by the large posterior subtriangular ST I ( Figs 57, 58 ). The male of this species can easily be recognised by the well curved retrolateral embolus and the sharply pointed tapering prolateral tegular extension ( Fig. 60 ).

Description:

Female.

Measurements: CL 2.60–2.70, CW 2.10–2.28, AL 2.80–3.80, AW 1.90–2.50, TL 5.80–6.50, FL 0.15–0.20, SL 1.60–1.65, SW 1.25–1.38, AME–AME 0.13, AME–ALE 0.08, ALE–ALE 0.45, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.18, PLE–PLE 0.75. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 2.43+1.10+1.85+1.55+1.10=8.03; II 2.20+1.05+1.51+1.50+1.00=7.26; III 1.58+0.83+1.10+1.40+0.58=5.49; IV 2.38+0.98+ 1.85+2.23+0.68=8.12.

Carapace reddish brown to dark brown ( Fig. 7 ); first third of carapace rising gradually to highest point, declining gradually in last two thirds; surface slightly granulated, covered in short, fine setae; fovea at two thirds CL. Ocular region dark brown to almost black with black rings around eyes; AER slightly recurved, AME slightly larger than ALE; clypeus height equal to AME diameter; AME separated by distance equal to their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.4 AME diameter; PER recurved, PLE slightly larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal to their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 1.2 PME diameter. Chelicerae reddish brown, dark brown near fang base; anterior surface with scattered black setae, setae longer towards fang base; fang dark orange at base, bright orange at tip; three promarginal teeth, median tooth largest, distal tooth smallest; two retromarginal teeth, distal tooth largest. Sternum dark brown, almost black near border, appearing mottled; surface texture granular, covered in scattered long, dark setae. Abdomen creamy yellow dorsally, with dark grey mottled pattern over entire abdomen; abdomen broader anteriorly, tapering posteriorly; surface smooth, with short fine setae throughout; venter cream. Legs I to IV uniform yellow to brown; anterior legs darker, more robust than posteriors; femora to metatarsi with incomplete grey bands covering almost entire segment on legs I to IV; bands on anterior leg segments grey, light brown on posterior leg segments; tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi with dense scopulae. Leg spination: femora: I pl 2; patellae spineless; tibiae: IV rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: III pl 1 plv 2 vt 2, IV pl 1 plv 2. Palpal spination: tibia pl 1 do 1. Epigyne weakly sclerotised; anterior epigynal hood M­shaped; epigynal ridges funnel­shaped, with copulatory openings extending into bilobed ST II, partly obscured by larger posterior subtriangular ST I ( Figs 56–58 ).

Male.

Measurements: CL 2.30, CW 1.93, AL 2.70, AW 1.63, TL 4.80, FL 0.15, SL 1.40, SW 1.15,AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.05, ALE–ALE 0.38, PME–PME 0.10, PME–PLE 0.13, PLE–PLE 0.63. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 2.10+0.95+1.65+1.55+1.38=7.06; II 1.80+0.85+1.48+1.28+0.90=6.31; III 1.33+0.68+ 0.90+1.15+0.45=4.51; IV 1.90+0.75+1.53+1.75+0.63=6.56.

Carapace reddish brown to dark brown ( Fig. 8 ); first third of carapace rising gradually to highest point, declining gradually until last quarter, declining steeply in last quarter; surface slightly granulated, covered in short, fine setae; fovea at two thirds CL. Ocular region dark brown with black rings around eyes; AER recurved, ALE slightly larger than AME; clypeus height equal to AME diameter; AME separated by distance equal to 0.6 their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance equal to 0.4 AME diameter; PER very slightly recurved, PME subequal to PLE; PME separated by distance equal to 0.84 their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 0.9 PME diameter. Chelicerae brown, dark brown near fang base; anterior surface with scattered black setae; three promarginal teeth, median tooth largest, proximal tooth smallest; two retromarginal teeth, distal tooth largest. Sternum orange­brown, darkening near border; surface texture smooth, covered in scattered long, fine setae. Abdomen creamy yellow dorsally, with dark grey mottled pattern over entire abdomen; abdomen broader anteriorly, tapering posteriorly; dark brown scutum extends over almost entire length of abdomen; surface smooth, with short fine setae throughout; venter cream. Legs I to IV uniform orange to brown; anterior legs darker, more robust than posteriors; tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi with dense scopulae. Leg spination: femora: I pl 3, II pl 2; patellae spineless; tibiae: I plv 11 cusps, II plv 3 cusps, III plv 3 vt 2, IV plv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I plv 9 rlv 7 vt 1 cusps, II plv 11 rlv 6 vt 1 cusps, III pl 1 plv 3, IV pl 1 plv 2; tarsi: I plv 7 rlv 10 cusps, II plv 5 rlv 4 cusps ( Fig. 59 ). Palp brown; embolus originating prolaterally, curving beneath large tapering curved prolateral tegular extension, emerging retrolaterally, curving and extending along retrolateral margin to cymbium tip ( Fig. 60 ); retrolateral tibial apophysis parallel sided, directed dorsally, with sharp anterior point ( Fig. 61 ).

Holotype: ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: De Hoop Nat. Res., De Hoop Vlei , 34°29.425'S: 20°25.762'E, 8.iv.2004, C. Haddad, litter under cut fynbos ( NCA, 2006/1530).

Allotype: ♂ same locality as holotype, 2.i.1951, Swedish South Africa Expedition, Zoological Institute, University Lund, 1950–51, Dr. Brink & Sr. Rudebeck, soon Endan, under fern ( AMG).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape: 1♀ Hermanus, Petshus Park , 21.ii.1902, P. Lightfoot ( SAMC, 11662); 1♀ Cape Peninsula, Kalk Bay Mtn., i.1900, W. Purcell ( SAMC, 8657) .

Distribution: Endemic to the Western Cape Province, South Africa ( Fig. 67 ).

Figures

Figs 1–22. General appearance of Afroceto gen. n. species: A. martini (Simon, 1897) comb. n. female (1) and male (2); A. arca sp. n. female (3) and male (4); A. bulla sp. n. female (5); A. bisulca male (6); A. capensis sp. n. female (7) and male (8); A. coenosa (Simon, 1897) comb. n. female (9); A. corcula sp. n. female (10); A. croeseri sp. n. female (11) and male (12); A. flabella sp. n. male (13) and female (14); A. gracilis sp. n. male (15); A. plana sp. n. male (16) and female (17); A. porrecta sp. n. male (18); A. rotunda sp. n. male (19) and female (20); A. spicula sp. n. male (21) and female (22).

Figs 56–61. Afroceto capensis sp. n. female (56–58) and male (59–61): (56) undissected epigyne, ventral view; (57) dissectedepigyne, ventralview; (58) vulva,dorsal view; (59) schematic representation of cusp arrangement on legs I and II; (60) left palp, ventral view; (61) left palp, retrolateral view. Scale bars (56–58, 60, 61) = 0.1 mm.

Fig. 67. Distribution of Afroceto capensis sp. n., A. coenosa (Simon, 1897) and A. corcula sp. n. in South Africa.