Chumma foordi, Marusik & Haddad, 2024

Marusik, Yuri M. & Haddad, Charles R., 2024, A new species and new records of Chumma (Araneae, Macrobunidae) from South Africa, African Invertebrates 65 (2), pp. 329-338 : 329-338

Chumma foordi sp. nov

Figs 1 , 2 , 3

Material examined.

Holotype. South Africa • ♂; Western Cape Province; Cape Town, Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden ; 33°58'54"S, 18°25'19"E; 30 Jan. 2017; Y. M. Marusik leg.; litter in Afromontane forest ( NMBA 19612 ).

Paratype. 1 ♂, same data as holotype .

Other material.

17 juveniles, same data as holotype.

Diagnosis.

Males of the new species differ from all congeners by having a pair of deep round pits (Pi) on the scutum (vs. absent or elongate) and a lateral depression (Ld, lacking in all other species) (see Jocqué 2001; Jocqué and Alderweireldt 2018). The new species also differs by the short embolus, which is somewhat similar to that in C. interfluvialis Jocqué & Alderweireldt, 2018 but has four rather than three tibial apophyses and a round rather than oval tegulum (cf. Figs 2 , 3 with Jocqué and Alderweireldt 2018: fig. 5 A – C). Coloration yellow to light brown dorsally and pale yellow ventrally; carapace with dark radial stripes. Female unknown.

Description.

Male: Total length 2.83. Carapace 1.14 long, 0.93 wide, sternum 0.64 long and wide; chelicera 0.29 long; labium 0.14 long, 0.27 wide; abdomen 1.79 long, 1.19 wide, scutum 1.29 long. ALE ~ PLE ~ PME ca. 0.1, AME 0.06; AME - AME 0.02, AME - ALE 0.01, ALE - ALE 0.19, PME - PME 0.06, PME - PLE 0.05, PLE - PLE 0.41; clypeus near ALE 0.06.

Carapace cream, with yellow-brown radial stripes directed towards palps and legs (Fig. 1 A ). Distal part of chelicerae and maxillae with dense setae; maxillae as long as wide; labium semicircular, ca. 2.3 times wider than long; sternum as wide as long, about round. Abdomen oval, with dorsal scutum occupying ca. ¾ of abdomen length, ca. 1.4 times longer than wide, scutum darker than rest of abdomen (Fig. 1 A, B ), with pair of deep round pits (Pi) in anterior 1 / 3, pair of sigilla behind pits and lateral depressions (Ld); modified setae located only in anterior part of scutum; venter uniformly colored, with pair of scuta at epiandrus, setae on epiandrus shorter than others (Fig. 1 C ); short setae also concentrated anterior to tracheal spiracle (Fig. 1 D ); colulus represented by group of setae; under light microscopy only two spinnerets can be recognized, but three pairs actually present, with PMS and PLS vestigial (Fig. 1 E ); tarsi with three claws (Fig. 1 F ).

Leg measurements of Chumma foordi sp. nov. holotype male:

Legs spineless. Chelicera with two promarginal and three retromarginal teeth.

Palp as in Figs 2 , 3 : femur 3 × longer than wide, as long as cymbium; patella as long as femur wide; tibia cylindrical, 1.3 × longer than wide, with four short apophyses: ventral (VTA), retrolateral (RTA) and two spike-like subdorsal (DTA); cymbium lenticular in dorsal view, twice as long as wide, widest at middle, with proximal extension (Pe) facing towards tibial notch; tegulum round in ventral view, as long as wide, with deep distal tegular furrow (Tf); sperm duct running along lateral margin of tegulum, lacking any loops, originating at ca. 9 o’clock position; conductor (Co) small, almost indistinct; median apophysis (MA) small, membranous, finger-like; embolus (Em) small, with rounded anterior and straight posterior parts, about 4 × longer than maximal width, originating at ca. 9 o’clock position and terminating at about 0: 30; subtegulum (St) exposed prolaterally.

Etymology.

Named after our late friend and colleague Stefan Foord, in recognition of his contributions to the study of spider ecology and biodiversity, particularly in South Africa.

Distribution.

Only known from the type locality (Fig. 4 ).

Figures

Figure 1. Holotype male of Chumma foordi sp. nov., somatic morphology A habitus, dorsal B same, frontal C prosoma, ventral D abdomen, ventral E spinnerets, caudal F tarsus I, dorso-lateral. Abbreviations: Ld lateral depression; Pi round pit of scutum; PLS posterior lateral spinneret; PMS posterior median spinneret.

Figure 2. Holotype male of Chumma foordi sp. nov. A terminal part of left palp, ventral B whole left palp, retrolateral C left palpal patella, tibia and cymbium, dorsal. Abbreviations: Co conductor; DTA dorsal tibial apophysis; Em embolus; MA median apophysis; Pe proximal extension of cymbium; RTA retrolateral tibial apophysis; Sd sperm duct; St subtegulum; Tf tegular furrow; VTA ventral tibial apophysis.

Figure 3. Line drawings of holotype male (A – C) and scanning electron microscope photo of paratype male (D) of Chumma foordi sp. nov. A left palpal tibia and tarsus, ventral B same, retrolateral C left palpal tibia and basal part of cymbium, dorsal D right palpal tegulum, mirrored, ventral. Abbreviations: Co conductor; DTA dorsal tibial apophysis; Em embolus; MA median apophysis; Pe proximal extension of cymbium; RTA retrolateral tibial apophysis; St subtegulum; Tf tegular furrow; VTA ventral tibial apophysis.

Figure 4. Distribution records of Chumma bicolor Jocqué & Alderweireldt, 2018 (circles), C. foliata Jocqué & Alderweireldt, 2018 (stars), C. foordi sp. n. (hexagon), C. gastroperforata Jocqué, 2001 (triangles) and an undetermined Chumma sp. (inverted triangle). Black icons are published records and white icons are new records presented here. Published records are sourced from Jocqué (2001), Jocqué and Alderweireldt (2018) and Dippenaar-Schoeman et al. (2022), with historical misidentifications corrected.