Smeringopus ubicki, Huber, 2012

HUBER, BERNHARD A., 2012, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Afrotropical endemic genus Smeringopus Simon, 1890 (Araneae: Pholcidae), Zootaxa 3461 (1), pp. 1-138 : 81-83

Smeringopus ubicki new species

Figs. 440, 449–450 , 465–466 , 494–499

Type. Male holotype from South Africa, Western Cape Province, Oudtshourn [33°34’S, 22°12’E], at campground, 5.x.1999 (D. Ubick, S. Prinsloo), in CAS .

Etymology. The species is named for Darrell Ubick, arachnologist at California Academy of Sciences.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners by shapes of procursus (distal structures, Fig. 494 ; similar S. lotzi ), bulb (processes of embolus, Figs. 495, 496 ), cheliceral armature (presence and position of proximal humps; Figs. 497, 498 ), and shape of epigynum ( Fig. 465 ; round pockets; wider apart than in S. lotzi ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 5.8, carapace width 1.9. Leg 1: 39.2 (10.5 + 0.8 + 9.9 + 15.9 + 2.1), tibia 2: 7.5, tibia 3: 6.0, tibia 4: 8.4; tibia 1 L/d: 43. Habitus similar S. lotzi (cf. Figs. 428, 429 ). Carapace ochre-yellow with brown median and lateral marks, clypeus with pair of dark stripes, sternum ochre-yellow with brown pattern, leg femora and tibiae with subdistal dark rings, abdomen with dorsal and indistinct ventral pattern. Distance PME-PME 125 µm, diameter PME 175 µm, distance PME-ALE 55 µm, distance AME-AME 30 µm, diameter AME 135 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae with proximal and distal apophyses ( Figs. 497, 498 ). Palps as in Figs. 449 and 450 , coxa with distinct retrolateral apophysis, trochanter barely modified, femur with shallow retrolateral furrow with distinct proximal rim, procursus with distinctive distal processes in dorsal view ( Fig. 494 ; retrolateral view as in S. lotzi ; cf. Fig. 487 ), bulb with distinctive complex embolus ( Figs. 495, 496 ). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, with curved hairs on tibiae and metatarsi 1 and 2; retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 3.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1.

Variation. Sternum in some specimens monochromous; abdomen ventrally in some specimens with distinct pattern. Tibia 1 in 3 other males: 9.1, 12.9, 13.0.

Female. In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 3 females: 10.2, 11.5, 12.0. Epigynum a simple plate with round pockets ( Fig. 465 ); internal genitalia as in Figs. 466 and 499 .

Distribution. Widely distributed in southern South Africa ( Fig. 475 ).

Material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape Prov.: Oudtshourn: 1♂ type above; same data, 1♂ in CAS . Karoo National Park [~ 32°19’S, 22°30’E], in burrow, 4.i.1996 (A. Leroy), 1♂ in NCP. Knysna, Uitzicht Annex (34°00’S, 23°20’E), 28.xii.1988, 6.xii.1989 and 18.xii.1989 (L.N. Lotz), 2♂ 1♀ 1 juv. (3 vials) in NMBA (3134, 3309, 3342) . Eastern Cape Prov.: 22 mi W of Cofimvaba [~ 32°01’S, 27°15’E], 940 m a.s.l., 14.iv.1958 (E.S. Ross, R. E. Leech), 2♂ in CAS . Babiaan River, Bedford [~ 32°41’S, 26°07’E], date/collector not given/ unreadable, 2♂ 2♀ in BMNH (03.6.25-26-29) . Grahamstown [33°18’S, 26°32’E], xi.1900 (Schonland), 1♂ in BMNH . Zebra National Park near Cradock [~ 32°15’S, 25°33’E], web in grass, 22.iii.1989 (A. Leroy), 1♂ in NCP (89/722) . Ecca Pass, 15 km NE of Grahamstown direction Bedford [33°15’S, 26°36’E], under stones, 16.i.1989 (R. Jocqué), 1♀ in MRAC (169731).

Figures

FIGURE 475. Known distribution of the hypocrita group. Squares: further undescribed species.

FIGURES 438–450. Smeringopus hypocrita group, male prosomata, oblique frontal views and left male palps, prolateral and retrolateral views. 438. S. hypocrita. 439. S. sederberg. 440. S. ubicki. 441. S. dehoop. 442. S. atomarius. 443–444. S. hypocrita. 445–446. S. sederberg. 447–448. S. lotzi. 449–450. S. ubicki.

FIGURES 459–474. Smeringopus hypocrita group, epigyna, ventral views and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 459–460. S. hypocrita. 461–462. S. sederberg. 463–464. S. lotzi. 465–466. S. ubicki. 467–468. S. dehoop. 469–470. S. atomarius. 471–472. S. uisib. 473–474. S. tombua.

FIGURES 494–504. Smeringopus ubicki (494–499) and S. dehoop (500–504). 494, 501. Left procursi, dorsal views. 495–496, 502–503. Left emboli, dorsal and prolateral views. 497–498. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 499, 504. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 500. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 424–437. Smeringopus hypocrita group, habitus. 424–425. S. hypocrita, male, dorsal view and female, ventral view. 426–427. S. sederberg, male, dorsal and ventral views. 428–429. S. lotzi, male, dorsal and ventral views. 430–431. S. dehoop, male, dorsal view and female, ventral view. 432–433. S. atomarius, female, dorsal and ventral views. 434–435. S. uisib, female, dorsal and ventral views. 436–437. S. tombua, male, dorsal and ventral views.

FIGURES 487–493. Smeringopus lotzi. 487. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view. 488. Left procursus, dorsal view. 489–490. Left emboli, prolateral and dorsal views. 491–492. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 493. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.