Diores similis, Russell-Smith & Jocqué, 2015

Russell-Smith, Anthony & Jocqué, Rudy, 2015, New Zodariidae (Araneae) from Mkomazi Game Reserve, Tanzania, African Invertebrates 56 (2), pp. 455-455 : 456-461

Diores similis sp. n.

Figs 1–17

EtYmOlOgY: The specific name means “similar” in Latin and refers tO the resemblance of this species to Diores strandi Caporiacco, 1949 .

Diagnosis: Diores similis sp. n. belongs to the Diores miombo group (sensu Jocqué 1990) and somewhat resembles D. strandi in the form of the male palp, but differs in the shape Of the bifid RTA, with the dOrsal branch lOnger and pOssessing a thOrn-like pOinted excrescence that is lacking in the latter species. It is alsO significantlY smaller than D. strandi .

Description:

Male.

Total length: 2.62. Carapace: length 1.25, width 0.90. Colour ( Figs 1, 2 ): Carapace golden yellow, paler around margins. Eye region black. Chelicerae orange suffused with black, distal half clothed in black setae. Sternum and maxillae cream. Abdomen dorsally dark purple, with narrow brown scutum extending approximately half its length; ventrally pale cream. Spinnerets cream. Legs pale golden yellow, tarsi somewhat darker. Eyes: a) 1.00; b) 0.80; c) 0.60; d) 0.40; e) 0.60; f) 0.10; g) 1.00; h) 0.40.

Leg measurements:

F P T Mt t Total

I 1.25 0.25 0.90 1.20 0.75 4.35

II 1.06 0.25 0.75 1.06 0.62 3.74

III 1.05 0.25 0.80 1.00 0.62 3.72

IV 1.32 0.32 1.00 1.62 0.80 5.06

Legs: Femoral organ with branching setae ( Fig. 16 ).

Male palp ( Figs 5, 6 , 10, 11 , 17 ): In retrolateral view, RTA divided, dorsal branch longer with rounded tip and short pointed excrescence above, ventral branch shorter, wedge-shaped. In ventral view, tegular apOphYsis sharplY tapering tO fine pOinted tip, directed antero-mesad.

Female.

Total length: 3.65. Carapace: length 1.37, width 0.95. Colour ( Figs 3, 4 ): Carapace as in male. Chelicerae orange, sternum and maxillae cream.Abdomen dorsally pale purple or grey but without scutum. Spinnerets, ventrally cream, dorsally grey. Legs golden yellow. Female palp ( Fig. 14 ) with mOdified pectinated setae and truncated chemOsensitive setae ( Fig. 15 ). Eyes: a) 1.00; b) 0.70; c) 0.40; d) 0.60; e) 0.30; f) 0.15; g) 0.80; h) 0.40. Leg measurements:

F P T Mt t Total I 1.12 0.35 0.80 0.95 0.70 3.92 II 1.05 0.25 0.65 0.65 0.52 3.12 III 0.85 0.25 0.65 0.85 0.52 3.12 IV 1.38 0.75 1.00 1.37 0.62 5.12 Female epigyne ( Figs 7–9 ): In ventral view, central plate with smoothly curved posterior margin. Spermathecae (seen through cuticle) oval, inclined at ca. 40° to gastric fold. Viewed dorsally in methyl salicylate as in Figs 8 and 9 . HOlOtYpe ♂: TANZANIA: MkOmazi G.R., IbaYa , Acacia / Commiphora bushland, pitfall traps, 4–9.iv.1995 ( MRAC 244015 ). ParatYpe ♀: Same lOcatiOn and dates as hOlOtYpe ( MRAC 215725 ). Other material examined: TANZANIA: Mkomazi G.R., Ibaya , Acacia / Commiphora bushland, pitfall traps, 10–20.viii.1993, 23♂ 8♀; same site, pitfall traps, 15–16.xi.1994, 7♂ 1♀; same site, pitfall traps, 4–9.iv.1995, 2♂ 2♀; same site, pitfall traps, 3–8.viii.1995, 4♂ 4♀; same site, pitfall traps, 6–11.ix.1995, 3♂; same site, pitfall traps, 15–20.xi.1995, 2♂ 1♀; same site, pitfall traps, 21–26.xii.1995, 1♂ 2♀; same site, pitfall traps, 23–28.ii.1996, 1♂; same site, pitfall traps, 21–26.iii.1996, 8♂ 2♀; MkOmazi G . R., IbaYa, seasOnallY inundated grassland, pitfall traps, 10–14.viii.1993, 1♂ 3♀; same site, pitfall traps, 4–9.iv.1995, 7♂; same site, pitfall traps, 3–8.viii.1995, 13♂ 2♀; same site, pitfall traps, 6–11.ix.1995, 4♂; same site, pitfall traps ,

15–20.xi.1995, 5♂ 2♀; same site, pitfall traps, 23–28.ii.1996, 2♂; same site, pitfall traps, 21–26.iii.1996, 2♂; same site, pitfall traps, 25–26.xi.1994, 3♂; MkOmazi G.R., between NdeYa & Mbula, in Open Senegalia senegal wOOdland, pitfall traps, 21–24.xi.1994, 9♂ 4♀; MkOmazi G.R., Ubani, Open S. senegal / Vachellia nilotica wOOdland, 12–13.i.1997, 2♂ 2♀ (MRAC 215697 and MRAC 215733).

Distribution: Only known from Mkomazi Game Reserve, Tanzania .

Natural history: This is the most abundant Diores species in Mkomazi. In pitfall traps in both bushland and grassland at Ibaya, it was found sporadically throughout the year and peaks of activity did not appear to coincide with the main rains.Apart from Acacia / Commiphora bushland and seasonally inundated grassland, it was fairly common in traps in S. senegal woodland and a few specimens were captured in traps in S. senegal / V. nilotica woodland.

Figures

Figs 1–4. Diores similis sp. n. male and female, Mkomazi (MRAC 215733): (1) male habitus, dorsal view; (2) idem, ventral view; (3) female habitus, dorsal view; (4) idem, ventral view. Scale bars = 1 mm.

Figs 5–9. Diores similis sp. n. male and female, Mkomazi (MRAC 215733): (5) male palp, ventral view; (6) idem, retrolateral view; (7) epigyne, ventral view; (8) epigyne, cleared, dorsal view; (9) idem, ventral view. Scale bars = 200 μm.

Figs 10–13. (10–12) Diores similis sp. n. male and female, Mkomazi (MRAC 215733): (10) male palp, retrolateral view; (11) idem, ventral view; (12) epigyne, ventral view; (13) D. murphyorum Jocqué, 1991, female, MkOmazi (MRAC 215734): epigYne, ventral view. Scale bars = 200 μm.

Figs 14–17. Diores similis sp. n. SEM views; female, Mkomazi (MRAC 215697): (14) female palp, dorsal view; (15) detail Of previOus shOwing mOdified pectinated setae and truncated chemOsensitive setae; male paratype, Mkomazi (MRAC 215731): (16) femoral organ leg 2, retrolateral view; (17) male palp, tibia, shOwing RTA. Scale bars: (14) = 100 μm, (15) = 200 μm, (16) = 20 μm, (17) = 50 μm.