Smeringopina ngungu, Huber, Bernhard A., 2013

Huber, Bernhard A., 2013, Revision and cladistic analysis of the Guineo-Congolian spider genus Smeringopina Kraus (Araneae, Pholcidae, Zootaxa 3713 (1), pp. 1-160 : 50

Smeringopina ngungu new species

Figs. 842–855

Type. ♂ holotype from Congo D.R., Bas Congo Province, Thysville [=Mbanza-Ngungu; 5°15’S, 14°52’E, ~ 600 m a.s.l.], in large cave (1500 m), 6.x.1938 (M. Bequaert), in MRAC (1374-82, part).

Other material examined. Congo D.R.: Bas Congo: Grottes de Thysville, 1955 (Elias), 1♀ in MRAC (81948).

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

Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from known congeners by large clypeus projection with subdistal branch on posterior side and huge male cheliceral apophyses ( Figs. 847 , 850 ), by distinctive shape of procursus (slender distal element directed toward dorsally; Figs. 851, 852 ), and by very small epigynum consisting of anterior sclerotized arc and posterior plate projecting into and largely filling this arc ( Figs. 848 , 854 ).

Male (holotype). Total body length 4.5, carapace width 1.6. Leg 1: 12.8 + 0.7 + 13.1, metatarsus broken, tibia 2: 8.8, tibia 3: 6.0, tibia 4: 8.5; tibia 1 L/d: 99. Distance PME-PME 195 µm, diameter PME 135 µm, distance PME- ALE 70 µm, distance AME-AME 45 µm, diameter AME 105 µm. Entire specimen apparently bleached, mostly pale ochre-yellow, carapace, clypeus and sternum without clear darker pattern, legs without darker rings, abdomen with barely visible darker pattern, ventral dark bands without lateral constriction. Habitus as in Fig. 842 , ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with very indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus with very strong and large median apophysis with subdistal branch on posterior side ( Figs. 847 , 850 ); deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in Figs. 847 and 850 , with extremely long lateral proximal apophyses, pointed distal apophyses, without modified hairs. Palps as in Figs. 844–846 , very small in relation to body size; coxa unmodified; trochanter with blunt ventral projection; femur with retrolatero-ventral apophysis directed toward ventrally and distally, without prolateral modification; prolateral femur-patella joint only slightly shifted toward ventrally; tarsus with few slightly stronger hairs dorsally (partly lost); procursus very simple, slender distal part curved toward dorsally, without hinge ( Figs. 851–852 ); bulb with weakly sclerotized conical embolus ( Fig. 853 ). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs (most hairs missing), retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 1.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae. Gonopore apparently with two epiandrous spigots (not confirmed by SEM).

Female. In general similar to male; clypeus unmodified. Tibia 1: 11.5. Epigynum very small relative to abdomen ( Fig. 843 ), consisting of anterior sclerotized arc and posterior plate projecting into and largely filling this arc ( Figs. 848 , 854 ); anteriorly with pair of membranous bulges arising medially and bent toward laterally, each filled with lamellar structures reminding of book-lung lamellae ( Fig. 855 ; book-lungs situated more laterally and apparently not connected to these lamellae); internal genitalia as in Figs. 849 and 855 .

Distribution. Known from type locality only ( Fig. 293 ).

Figures

FIGURE 293. Known distributions of the attuleh and ankasa species groups, and of S. fon and S. ngungu.

FIGURES 842 – 849. Smeringopina ngungu n. sp. 842. Male holotype, dorsal view. 843. Female abdomen, ventral view. 844 – 846. Left male palp, prolateral, dorsal, and retrolateral views. 847. Male prosoma and right palp, oblique frontal view. 848. Epigynum, ventral view. 849. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view.

FIGURES 850 – 855. Smeringopina ngungu n. sp. 850. Male ocular area, clypeus and chelicerae, oblique frontal view. 851 – 852. Left procursus, prolateral and retrolateral views. 853. Left embolus, prolateral view. 854. Epigynum, ventral view. 855. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal view. Scale lines: 0.2 (853), 0.3 (851 – 852), 0.5 (850, 854 – 855).