Smeringopus lubondai, 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 : 124-125

Smeringopus lubondai new species

Figs. 747, 751–752 , 759–760 , 774–781

Type. Male holotype from Congo D.R., Lulua Prov., Lubondai [6°54’S, 22°36’E], Mission protestante, date unknown, leg. Rev. Stegall (“T49/3347”), in MRAC ( 65956 ).

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

Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar species with proximal and distal cheliceral apophyses ( S. roeweri , S. carli , S. sambesicus ) by shapes of procursus (only one distal blade-shaped apophysis, Figs. 774–776 ), bulb (processes of embolus, Figs. 777, 778 ), cheliceral apophyses (short proximal apophyses, Figs. 779, 780 ); from S. carli and S. sambesicus also by shorter frontal epigynal plate ( Fig. 759 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 8.3, carapace width 2.6. Leg 1: 56.6 (15.3 + 1.1 + 14.8 + 23.1 + 2.3), tibia 2: 10.4, tibia 3: 7.7, tibia 4: 10.8; tibia 1 L/d: 51. Habitus as in Fig. 747 . Carapace ochre-yellow with brown median and lateral marks, clypeus with pair of brown stripes, leg femora and tibiae with light tips and distinct dark subdistal rings, patellae also darkened, abdomen ochre-gray with distinct dorsal and ventral pattern. Distance PME-PME 195 µm, diameter PME 195 µm, distance PME-ALE 80 µm, distance AME-AME 60 µm, diameter AME 195 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with distinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae with relatively small proximal apophyses and distal apophyses ( Figs. 779, 780 ). Palps as in Figs. 751 and 752 , coxa with distinct retrolateral apophysis and shallow wide furrow, trochanter barely modified, femur with shallow retrolateral furrow with ventrally distinct rim, procursus with distinctive sclerotized and membranous processes ( Figs. 774–776 ), bulb with distinctive embolus ( Figs. 777, 778 ). Legs without spines, few vertical hairs, with curved hairs on tibiae and metatarsi 1 and 2, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 3%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1. Gonopore with two epiandrous spigots.

Variation. Extent and intensity of carapace pattern varies widely. In some males, the membranous flap dorsodistally on the procursus (arrow in Fig. 774 ) is slightly bent towards dorsal. Tibia 1 in 5 males: 12.3–14.5 (mean 13.7).

Female. In general similar to male; tibia 1 in 12 females: 9.1–12.8 (mean 10.7). Epigynum a simple plate, round pockets posteriorly deeper but also anteriorly with distinct rim ( Fig. 759 ), similar S. roeweri but pockets slightly closer together; internal genitalia as in Figs. 760 and 781 .

Distribution. Widely distributed in southern Congo D.R. ( Fig. 718 ).

Material examined. CONGO D.R.: Lulua Prov.: Lubondai: 1♂ type above. Lualaba Prov.: Sandoa [=Sanduwa, 9°41’S, 22°53’E], 1932 (Denis), 1♂ 7♀ in MRAC (26871–79) ; same locality, no date (G.F. Overlaet), 1♂ 1♀ in MRAC (26922–27 part). Kasai Prov.: Tshikapa [6°24’S, 20°48’E], “Tshaka”, 1930 (Fourche), 1♂ 2♀ in MRAC (25681–82). Tshikapa , “Tshemanginda”, 1930 (Fourche), 1♂ 3♀ in MRAC (25683–86). Tanganyika Prov.: Kapona [7°11.0’S, 29°08.7’E], iii.1966 (J. Bafort), 1♂ in MRAC (129785 part). Haut-Katanga Prov.: Lusinga, riv. Ntumbwa [8°56’S, 27°13’E], 9./ 11.iv.2001 ( PNU staff), 2♀ (2 vials) in MRAC (211723, 29). Sankuru Prov.: Komi [=Ekomi; 3°23’S, 23°46’E], 19.i.1930 (J. Ghesquière), 1♂ in MRAC (25691). Haut-Lomami Prov.: Mulongo ( Nyunzu ) [7°50’S, 27°00’E?], v.1930 (P. Gerard), 1♂ 1♀ in MRAC (25671–72) ; same locality, 20.–30.v.1930 (P. Gerard), 3♀ 1 juv. in MRAC (25667–70).

Figures

FIGURE 718. Known distributions of the thomensis and roeweri groups. “?”: unknown type locality of S. roeweri in Rwanda. Squares: further undescribed species.

FIGURES 745–756. Smeringopus roeweri group, habitus and left male palps, prolateral and retrolateral views. 745–746. S. roeweri, male, dorsal and ventral views. 747. S. lubondai, male, dorsal view. 748. S. carli, male, dorsal view. 749–750. S. roeweri. 751–752. S. lubondai. 753–754. S. carli. 755–756. S. sambesicus.

FIGURES 757–764. Smeringopus roeweri group, epigyna, ventral views and cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. 757–758. S. roeweri. 759–760. S. lubondai. 761–763. S. carli. 764. S. sambesicus.

FIGURES 774–781. Smeringopus lubondai. 774. Left cymbium and procursus, retrolateral view (arrow points to variable structure; see text). 775–776. Left procursus, prolateral and dorsal views. 777–778. Left embolus, prolateral and dorsal views. 779–780. Male chelicerae, frontal and lateral views. 781. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.3 mm (777–778), 0.5 mm (774–776, 779–781).