Coronarachne neethlingi, Haddad & Lyle, 2024

Haddad, Charles R. & Lyle, Robin, 2024, Three new genera of arboreal dark sac spiders from southern Africa (Araneae: Trachelidae), Zootaxa 5399 (5), pp. 451-504 : 465-466

Coronarachne neethlingi sp. nov.

Figs 67 , 79, 80

Etymology. This species is a patronym in honour of Jan-Andries Neethling, who collected the type specimen of this species and many other valuable specimens that contributed to this paper.

Diagnosis. The male of this species can be recognised by the tuft of dense setae distally on the tegulum cavity behind the embolus, the broadly curved conductor enclosing the embolus, the tips of both being fine and slender ( Fig. 79 ), and by the dorsal RTA originating medially ( Fig. 80 ) rather than distally, as seen in C. denticulata sp. nov., C. setosa sp. nov. and C. unigena sp. nov. ( Figs 75 , 87 , 91 ), or absent and reduced to scattered denticles in C. penicillus sp. nov. ( Fig. 82 ). Female unknown.

Male (holotype, Hogsback, NCA 2012/1678). Measurements: CL 1.19, CW 0.92, AL 1.22, AW 0.76, TL 2.38, FL 0.15, SL 0.71, SW 0.52, AME-AME 0.02, AME-ALE 0.01, ALE-ALE 0.17, PME-PME 0.06, PME-PLE 0.06, PLE-PLE 0.32. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 0.76 + 0.39 + 0.55 + 0.46 + 0.33 = 2.49; II 0.62 + 0.32 + 0.44 + 0.43 + 0.27 = 2.08; III 0.43 + 0.22 + 0.30 + 0.41 + 0.21 = 1.57; IV 0.72 + 0.30 + 0.54 + 0.56 + 0.24 = 2.36.

Carapace deep orange-brown ( Fig. 67 ); surface finely granulate; fovea short, narrow, slightly posterior to ⅔ CL. AER slightly procurved; clypeus height equal to ⅔ AME diameter; AME slightly larger than ALE; AME separated by distance equal to slightly less than ¼ their diameter; AME separated from ALE by distance approximately ⅛ AME diameter; PER strongly recurved, PLE slightly larger than PME; PME separated by distance equal their diameter; PME separated from PLE by distance equal to PME diameter. Chelicerae orange-brown, anterior surface covered with scattered long, fine setae; endites and labium yellow-brown. Sternum orange-brown, darker towards borders. Abdomen elongate-oval, dorsum covered in orange-brown scutum overlaid on mottled grey, with pair of cream subtriangular L-shaped markings in anterior half ( Fig. 67 ); two pairs of large sigilla, first pair at ¼ AL and second at midpoint of abdomen; venter cream with grey mottling and grey ring around spinnerets. Legs I orange-brown, II to IV yellow-brown, all with faint grey mottling; all femora darker than other segments. Palp orange-brown, cymbium with cluster of flattened setae distally on the tegulum cavity behind embolus tip; tegulum pear-shaped, with sperm duct forming U-shaped loop medially; conductor and embolus originating distally, together forming broad coil; embolus emerging retrolaterally from groove in conductor, tip slender, directed prolatero-distally; ventral RTA short, slender in ventral view, thumb-like in retrolateral view, with rounded tip; dorsal RTA larger, originating in middle of tibia, with a few blunt denticles along distal margin ( Figs 79, 80 ).

Type material. Holotype ♁: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: Amatola mountains , 10 km S of Hogsback on R345, 32°39.247'S, 26°54.928'E, 755 m a.s.l., 1.X.2011, leg. J. Neethling & C. Luwes (canopy fogging, isolated tree, roadside) ( NCA 2012 /1678).

Other material. None.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality ( Fig. 85 ).

Figures

FIGURE 85. Distribution of Coronarachne denticulata sp. nov. (red circles), C. neethlingi sp. nov. (blue triangle) and C. penicillus sp. nov. (green triangles) in southern Africa.

FIGURES 65–73. Digital microscope photographs of dorsal habitus of Coronarachne spp. 65, 66. C. denticulata sp. nov. male (65) and female (66); 67. C. neethlingi sp. nov., male; 68, 69. C. penicillus sp. nov., male (68) and female (69); 70, 71, C. setosa sp. nov., male (70) and female (71); 72, 73. C. unigena sp. nov., male (72) and female (73). Scale bars: 1 mm.

FIGURES 79–84. Coronarachne neethlingi sp. nov. male (79, 80) and C. penicillus sp. nov. male (81, 82) and female (83, 84). 79, 81. Left palp, ventral view; 80, 82. Same, retrolateral view; 83. Epigyne, ventral view; 84. Epigyne, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm

FIGURES 74–78. Coronarachne denticulata sp. nov. male (74, 75) and female (76–78). 74. Left palp, ventral view; 75. Same, retrolateral view; 76. Epigyne, ventral view; 77. Same, detail of spermathecae; 78. Epigyne, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 86–89. Coronarachne setosa sp. nov. male (86, 87) and female (88, 89). 86. Left palp, ventral view; 87. Same, retrolateral view; 88. Epigyne, ventral view; 89. Same, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.

FIGURES 90–93. Coronarachne unigena sp. nov. male (90, 91) and female (92, 93). 90. Left palp, ventral view; 91. Same, retrolateral view; 92. Epigyne, ventral view; 93. Same, dorsal view. Scale bars = 0.1 mm.