Cheiracanthium boendense, Lotz, L. N., 2015

Lotz, L. N., 2015, New Species of the Spider Genus Cheiracanthium from Continental Africa (Araneae: Eutichuridae), Zootaxa 3973 (2), pp. 321-336 : 322

Cheiracanthium boendense sp. nov.

Figs 1–3

Type material. Holotype ♀, DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: Tshuapa, Boende, 00º13’S, 20º52’E, X.1969, J. Houwaerts ( MRAC 136147).

Etymology. The name is derived from the type locality.

Diagnosis. C. boendense sp. nov. females are most similar to those of C. peregrinum Thorell, 1899 and C. shilabira sp. nov. in having two pockets in the anterior edge of the epigynal depression. C. boendense sp. nov. differs from C. shilabira sp. nov. by the absence of the bend in the copulatory ducts close to the spermathecae, and from C. peregrinum and C. shilabira sp. nov. by the pockets in the anterior margin of the central epigynal depression being shallower (see Lotz, 2007a: figs 3–4, 95–96 and Figs 2–3 , 44–45 ).

Description. Female: (n = 1): TL = 8.3; CL = 3.3; CW = 2.5; OAL = 0.5; OAW = 1.3; CLL = 0.05. Chelicerae: robust with long fangs; fang furrow with six teeth of unequal size, PMT:RMT = 3:3 ( Fig. 1 ). Measurements: AME– AME 0.20; AME–ALE 0.20; AME diameter 0.20; PME–PME 0.20; PME–PLE 0.30; PME diameter 0.20; MOQAW 0.55; MOQPW 0.60; CI (CL/CW) 1.32; LL:CL 4.70; STL 1.5; STW 1.2. Leg measurements: I— 4.1+1.4+4.1+4.4+1.5 = 15.5; II—3.3+1.1+2.8+3.3+1.0 = 11.5; III—2.5+1.0+1.9+2.4+0.7 = 8.5; IV— 3.4+1.1+2.8+3.7+1.0 = 12.0; Palp—1.3+0.5+0.8+1.2 = 3.8. Leg spines: I 0-1p-1p, 0- 2 v-0, 2v- 0- 1 v; II 0-1p1r-1p, 0-0-1p, 2v- 1p- 1v; III 0-1p1r-1p1r, 1p1r-1p1r, 2v 1p1r- 1v 1p1r- 3v 1p1r; IV 0-1p1r-1p1r, 0-0-1p1r, 2v 1p1r- 1v 1p1r- 3v 1p1r. Abdomen: cream coloured with indistinct heartmark. Epigynum ( Figs 2–3 ): depression wider than long with two slight pockets in anterior margin of depression (shaded areas, Fig. 2 ); copulatory openings in medianlateral edge of depression; internally, copulatory ducts proceed medially before curving anteriorly and then laterally and posteriorly before ending in anterio-lateral part of spermathecae; fertilization tubes enter spermathecae medially.

Male: Unknown.

Distribution. Known only from the type locality in DR Congo ( Fig. 52 ).

Figures

FIGURES 1 – 12. 1 – 3 Cheiracanthium boendense sp. nov.: 1 female cheliceral teeth, apical view; 2 epigynum, ventral view; 3 same, dorsal view. 4 – 6 C. falcis sp. nov.: 4 male cheliceral teeth, apical view; 5 male palp, ventro-lateral view; 6 same, retrolateral view. 7 – 9 C. foordi sp. nov.: 7 female cheliceral teeth, apical view; 8 epigynum, ventral view; 9 same, dorsal view. 10 – 12 C. ghanaense sp. nov.: 10 female cheliceral teeth, apical view; 11 epigynum, ventral view; 12 same, dorsal view.

FIGURES 40 – 51. 40 – 42 C. schenkeli Caporiacco, 1949: 40 male cheliceral teeth, apical view; 41 male palp, ventro-lateral view; 42 same, retrolateral view. 43 – 48 C. shilabira sp. nov.: 43 female cheliceral teeth, apical view; 44 epigynum, ventral view; 45 same, dorsal view; 46 male cheliceral teeth, apical view; 47 male palp, ventro-lateral view; 48 same, retrolateral view. 49 – 51 C. tanzanense sp. nov.: 49 male cheliceral teeth, apical view; 50 male palp, ventro-lateral view; 51 same, retrolateral view.

FIGURES 52 – 55. Distribution maps: 52 C. boendense sp. nov. (circle); C. falcis sp. nov. (triangle); C. foordi sp. nov. (diamond); C. ghanaense sp. nov. (square); C. kabalense sp. nov. (star). 53 C. kakumense sp. nov. (circle); C. kakamega sp. nov. (square). 54 C. lukiense sp. nov. (square). 55 C. mayombense sp. nov. (square); C. punctipedellum Caporiacco, 1949 (circle), C. sansibaricum Strand, 1907 (triangle).