Smeringopus butare, 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 : 103-105

Smeringopus butare new species

Figs. 562 , 576–577 , 596–597 , 647–649 , 663–666

Type. Male holotype from Rwanda, Butare [2°36’S, 29°44’E], vi.1971 (P. Nyalugaka), in MRAC ( 139117 , part) .

Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners by tip of procursus (distinctive membranous flap longer than sclerotized spine; Figs. 647, 648 ), and shape of embolus (very similar S. peregrinus but narrower in prolateral view and without pointed process; Fig. 649 ); from S. peregrinoides also by longer and more downward directed cheliceral apophyses (similar S. peregrinus ; cf. Figs. 614, 615 ) and absence of v-shaped or u-shaped structure frontally in female internal genitalia ( Fig. 596 ; epigynum and cleared female genitalia otherwise similar S. peregrinoides and S. kalomo ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 7.2, carapace width 2.2. Leg 1: 49.5 (13.1 + 0.9 + 13.1 + 19.7 + 2.7), tibia 2: 9.3, tibia 3: 6.8, tibia 4: 9.5; tibia 1 L/d: 55. Habitus as in Fig. 562 . Carapace ochre-yellow with brown median and lateral marks, clypeus with pair of dark stripes, sternum brown with light marks near bases of coxae 2–4 and medially, legs light brown, femora and tibiae with lighter tips and subdistal dark rings, abdomen ochre-gray with distinct dorsal and ventral pattern. Distance PME-PME 185 µm, diameter PME 170 µm, distance PME-ALE 70 µm, distance AME-AME 55 µm, diameter AME 160 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae with pair of distal apophyses as in S. peregrinus (cf. Figs. 614, 615 ; apophyses slightly shorter); each apophysis with one modified hair at tip ( Fig. 663 ). Palps as in Figs. 576 and 577 , coxa with distinct retrolateral apophysis and shallow wide furrow, trochanter barely modified, femur with retrolateral furrow with distinct rim proximally, procursus with distinctive distal elements ( Figs. 647, 648 ), bulb with distinctively shaped prolateral process on embolus (similar S. peregrinus but narrower in prolateral view; Fig. 649 ). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, with curved hairs ventrally on tibiae and metatarsi 1, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 3%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1. Gonopore with two epiandrous spigots ( Fig. 664 ); ALS with eight spigots each ( Fig. 665 ).

Variation. The color pattern is quite constant but variably distinct. Tibia 1 in 17 males: 9.3–18.1 (mean 13.8).

Female. In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 31 females: 10.0–15.7 (mean 11.9). Epigynum a simple plate mostly with poorly defined borders, with large semicircular pockets ( Figs. 596 , 666 ); internal genitalia as in Fig. 597 (very similar S. peregrinoides and S. kalomo ).

Distribution. Known from Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern Congo D.R. (Sud-Kivu) ( Fig. 608 ).

Material examined. RWANDA: Butare: type above; same data, 6♂ 4♀ in MRAC (139117, part); same data but vi.–vii.1971, 6♂ 3♀ in MRAC (140658 part), x.–xi.1970, 2♂ 15♀ + juvs (6 vials) in MRAC (137762 part, 137764 part, 137769, 137783, 137788, 137793); same locality, 23.xii.1979 (A. Vandenberghe), 1♀ 1 juv. in MRAC (153857). Astrida [= Butare, 2°36’S, 29°44’E], 30.vi.1952 (Laurent), 1♂ 1♀ 1 juv. in MRAC (73264–68). Near Lac Ihema [~ 1°55’S, 30°42’E], 14./ 18.vii.1969 (R. Kiss), 1♂ in MRAC (136301 part) .

BURUNDI: Bubanza Prov.: “ Crête Congo-Nil ” [~ 3°S, 29.4°E], 2000 m a.s.l., iii.1967 (S. Ndani), 5♂ 6♀ (3 vials) in MRAC (132768–69, 132778) . Bururi Prov.: Cabara [4°07’S, 29°31’E], Miombo woodland with Brachystegia , 850 m a.s.l., 18.iii.2002 (N. Benoit), 2♀ (2 vials) in MRAC (213925, 214163).

CONGO D.R.: Sud-Kivu Prov.: Bitale [2°11’S, 28°37’E], ~ 1700 m a.s.l., 30.–31.v.1949 (Laurent), 2♂ (2 vials) in MRAC (66508, 66512). Bukavu, Bitale , 19.iii.1950 (G. Marlier), 1♀ in MRAC (69051) . Uvira [3°24’S, 29°08’E], vallée de lac Tanganika, 700 m a.s.l., “marais herbacé”, viii.1961 (R. Kiss), 1♂ in MRAC (120084) ; Uvira , 700 m a.s.l., vii.1961 (R. Kiss), 1♀ in MRAC (120048) . Uvira, entre Kalundu et Kavimvira [~ 3°22’S, 29°09’E], vi.1961 (R. Kiss), 2♀ in MRAC (119923 part) . Luhoho, Riv. Bunyakiri [2°05’S, 28°34’E], 1100 m a.s.l., 6.ix.1957 (E.S. Ross, R. E. Leech), 1♀ in CAS . Lwiro River , 47 km N Bukavu [~ 2°15’S, 28°50’E], 1950 m a.s.l., 15.xii.1957 (E.S. Ross, R. E. Leech), 1♀ 2 juvs in CAS . Irangi [1°54’S, 28°28’E], Luhoho River , 900 m a.s.l., 10.ix.1957 (E.S. Ross, R. E. Leech), 2♂ 1♀ in CAS. Irangi , vii.1964 (J. Bafort), 1♀ 1 juv. in MRAC (127421) . Terr. Kalche, Maskele, 6 km from Irangi , “dans les creux des arbres vivantes en forêt primaire”, i.1962 (R. Kiss), 1♂ 1♀ in MRAC (121359).

Figures

FIGURE 608. Known distribution of the peregrinus group. S. butare and S. peregrinus are represented by triangles in order to facilitate distinction from S. peregrinoides. Squares: further undescribed species.

FIGURES 558–571. Smeringopus peregrinus group, habitus and male prosomata, oblique frontal views. 558–559. S. peregrinus, male, dorsal and ventral views. 560–561. S. peregrinoides, female, dorsal view and male, ventral view. 562. S. butare, male dorsal view. 563. S. similis, male, dorsal view. 564–565. S. kalomo, male and female, dorsal views. 566–567. S. chibububo, male, dorsal view and female, ventral view. 568. S. katanga, male, dorsal view. 569. S. moxico, male, dorsal view. 570. S. chibububo. 571. S. kalomo.

FIGURES 572–583. Smeringopus peregrinus group, left male palps, prolateral and retrolateral views. 572–573. S. peregrinus. 574–575. S. peregrinoides. 576–577. S. butare. 578–579. S. katanga. 580–581. S. kalomo. 582–583. S. chibububo.

FIGURES 592–607. Smeringopus peregrinus group, epigyna, ventral views and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 592–593. S. peregrinus. 594–595. S. peregrinoides. 596–597. S. butare. 598–599. S. katanga. 600–601. S. kalomo. 602–603. S. chibububo. 604–605. S. dundo. 606–607. S. similis.

FIGURES 647–654. Smeringopus butare (647–649) and S. katanga (650–654). 647, 650. Left cymbia and procursi, retrolateral views. 648, 651–652. Left procursi, prolateral (648, 652) and dorsal (651) views. 649, 653. Left emboli, prolateral views. 654. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.

FIGURES 663–672. Smeringopus butare (663–666) and S. kalomo (667–672). 663. Male cheliceral apophysis. 664. Male gonopore. 665. Male ALS. 666. Epigynum. 667. Male cheliceral apophysis. 668–669. Left procursus, retrolatero-dorsal and dorsal views. 670. Male gonopore. 671. Male ALS. 672. Epigynum. Scale lines: 10 µm (663, 667), 20 µm (671), 30 µm (665), 60 µm (668), 80 µm (664, 669), 100 µm (670), 200 µm (666, 672).

FIGURES 609–616. Smeringopus peregrinus. 609. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view. 610. Left procursus, prolateral view. 611–613. Left embolus, prolateral, dorsal, and ventral (slightly prolateral) views (arrow points to variable structure; see text). 614–615. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 616. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.