Heliophanus debilis Simon, 1901

Wesolowska, Wanda & Haddad, Charles R., 2009, Jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of the Ndumo Game Reserve, Maputaland, South Africa, African Invertebrates 50 (1), pp. 13-103 : 43-44

Heliophanus debilis Simon, 1901

Figs 73–75

Heliophanus debilis: Simon 1901 a: 59 , fig. 12; Wesolowska 1986: 21, figs 148–162.

See Wesolowska (1986) for description of both sexes.

Redescription:

Male.

Measurements: Carapace length 1.5–1.6, width 1.1–1.2, height 0.5–0.6.Abdomen length 1.3–1.4, width 0.9–1.0. Eye field length 0.6–0.7, anterior width 0.9–1.0, posterior width 1.0–1.1.

Small spider. Carapace medium high, dark brown; eye field punctured reticulate, black with metallic shine, brown bristles near eyes; short white hairs form thin longitudinal line on thoracic part and narrow white stripe at carapace margins. Mouthparts and sternum dark brownish, only inner margins of endites slightly paler. Abdomen brownish black, along its anterior and lateral margins white band composed with light hairs, with leaf-shaped yellowish pattern in posterior half of dorsum; venter whitish; spinnerets dark. Legs whitish yellow, femora I brown; spines brown. Pedipalps brown; palpal patella with very long, stout apophysis, two tibial apophyses ( Figs 73–75).

Material examined: 1ơ Crocodile Farm, 26 ° 54.426'S: 32 ° 19.185'E, broadleaf woodland, under rocks, 6.vii.2004 (NMSA 21843); 1ơ Crocodile Farm, Pongola R. floodplain, 26 ° 54.426'S: 32 ° 19.185'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 8.vii.2004 (NMSA 21844); 2ơ 1^same data but 6.ii.2005 (NCA 2008/624); 1^same data but 20.vi.2005 (NCA 2008/627); 1^same data but 24.i.2006 (NCA 2008/633); 1ơ same locality, under tree bark, 12.i.2007 (NCA 2007/3078); 1ơ 4^Eastern shore of Shokwe Pan, 26 ° 52.516'S: 32 ° 12.407'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 24.i.2006 (NCA 2008/1869); 2^Near Nyamiti Bird Hide, Pongola R. floodplain, Ezikebheni, 26 ° 53.362'S: 32 ° 18.892'E, pitfall traps, 15–25.i.2006, C. Haddad & R. Lyle (NCA 2008/1873); 3^Southern shore of Hotwe Pan, 26 ° 52.730'S: 32 ° 18.452'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 7.ii.2005 (NCA 2008/ 646); 2ơ 2 imm. South-western shore of Banzi Pan, 26 ° 53.118'S: 32 ° 16.927'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 17.vi.2005 (NCA 2008/1843); 1ơ 1^same locality but 23.i.2006 (NCA 2008/1850); 2ơ 3^3 imm. Western shore of Nyamiti Pan, 26 ° 53.767'S: 32 ° 16.557'E, A. xanthophloea bark, 6.ii.2005 (NCA 2008/602); 2ơ same locality but 19.vi.2005 (NCA 2008/607); 4ơ 12^2 imm. same locality but 23.i.2006 (NCA 2008/614).

Distribution: Species widely distributed in central and southern Africa.

Habitat and biology: This was the most common Heliophanus species in the reserve and was frequently collected from A. xanthophloea bark along various pans and floodplain habitats, where silk retreats were constructed beneath the bark structure. Adults were occasionally seen foraging on the tree trunks. Specimens were occasionally collected from low-growing herbaceous plants and from rocks and logs on the ground surface. One male specimen was parasitised by an ichneumonid wasp larva, which protruded ventrally from the epigastric fold.