Drassodella quinquelabecula Tucker, 1923

Mbo, Zingisile & Haddad, Charles R., 2019, A revision of the endemic South African long-jawed ground spider genus Drassodella Hewitt, 1916 (Araneae: Gallieniellidae), Zootaxa 4582 (1), pp. 1-62 : 46-48

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4582.1.1

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:9DC61794-4BD7-4F6D-BB8C-84D9855C8151

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5662632

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/B74F87AB-9E4C-400E-53B3-C9A96660990B

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Drassodella quinquelabecula Tucker, 1923
status

 

Drassodella quinquelabecula Tucker, 1923 View in CoL

Figs 2 View FIGURES 1–4 , 73 View FIGURES 60–77 , 89 View FIGURES 78–92 , 163, 164 View FIGURES 157–171 , 184–187 View FIGURES 184–187

Drassodella quinquelabecula Tucker, 1923: 311 View in CoL , fig. 40A, B (Holotype ♂: SOUTH AFRICA: Western Cape Province: Caledon, 34°13'S, 19°25'E, VII.1910, leg. W.F. Purcell, SAM ENW-X150065—examined).

Diagnosis. Females of D. quinquelabecula are most similar to those of D. purcelli , but can be recognised by their generally lighter colouration and different markings (compare Figs 162 and 163 View FIGURES 157–171 ), and the narrower and strongly recurved anterior hood ( Figs 72 View FIGURES 60–77 , 184 View FIGURES 184–187 ), which is broader and with an almost straight anterior margin in D. purcelli ( Figs 72 View FIGURES 60–77 , 182 View FIGURES 180–183 ). Males have a palpal structure most similar to D. aurostriata sp. nov., but differ in having a curved, retrodistally-directed median apophysis and a broad curved embolus ( Fig. 186 View FIGURES 184–187 ), while D. aurostriata sp. nov. has a prolaterally-directed hook-like median apophysis and a narrow oblique embolus ( Fig. 178 View FIGURES 176–179 ).

Description. Female (De Hoop Nature Reserve, NCA 2016/2820). Measurements: CL 1.72, CW 1.28, AL 2.20, AW 1.00, TL 4.16 (3.16–4.20), FL 0.12, SL 0.84, SW 0.76, CH 0.08, AME-AME 0.05, AME-ALE 0.02, ALE-ALE 0.17, PME-PME 0.06, PME-PLE 0.08, PLE-PLE 0.32, PERW 0.38, MOQAW 0.13, MOQPW 0.16, MOQL 0.21.

Length of leg segments: I 1.08 + 0.60 + 0.88 + 0.84 + 0.74 = 4.14, II 1.08 + 0.54 + 0.78 + 0.80 + 0.68 = 3.88, III 1.00 + 0.48 + 0.68 + 0.88 + 0.56 = 3.60, IV 1.56 + 0.62 + 1.22 + 1.60 + 0.76 = 5.76.

General appearance as in Figs 2 View FIGURES 1–4 , 163 View FIGURES 157–171 . Carapace brown, with dark mottling outlining cephalic region; upsilon marking formed by brown, erect setae and white feathery setae from eye region to posterior margin, diverging behind fovea. Clypeus height equal to 1.60 AME diameter; AME smaller than ALE; AME separated by distance equal to their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance equal to 0.40 AME diameter; PME smaller than PLE; PME separated by distance slightly larger than their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 1.60 PME diameter. Chelicerae dark brown; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest, distal tooth smallest, median tooth closer to proximal tooth than distal tooth; retromargin with two subequal teeth, close together. Endites brown, cream anteriorly, pale at maxillar hair tuft. Labium brown, cream anteriorly, longer than wide. Sternum brown, setae evenly dispersed. Legs pale yellow-brown, with faint black mottling on all segments except tarsi; tibiae I and II with broad white median rings, patellae and tibiae III and IV with narrow proximal and distal yellow rings. Leg spination: femora: I do 1 rl 1, II do 1 rl 1, III pl 2 do 2 rl 2, IV pl 1 do 2 rl 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 1 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I spineless, II plv 1 rlv 1, III pl 4 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 4 do 1 rl 4 plv 1 rlv 2 vt 2; palpal spination: femora do 3; patellae do 2; tibiae do 2 rl 3; metatarsi pl 2 do 1 rl 3 rlv 1. Abdomen creamy-brown medially, black laterally, posterior half with five faint black chevron markings; two pairs of white dorsolateral spots of feathery setae; large white spot of feathery setae above spinnerets ( Fig. 163 View FIGURES 157–171 ); venter light brown. Spinnerets cream. Epigyne with shallow crescentshaped anterior hood, lateral ends terminating abruptly; lateral margins of median septum weakly sclerotised, forming ovoid extension from anterior hood posteriorly to ST I, short posterior section diverging slightly; ST II and connecting ducts yellow, ST I yellow-brown; ST II oval, directed anteromedially, separated by nearly double their width, similar in size to oval ST I ( Figs 73 View FIGURES 60–77 , 184, 185 View FIGURES 184–187 ).

Male (De Hoop Nature Reserve, NCA 2016/2820). Measurements: CL 1.64, CW 1.20, AL 1.60, AW 0.88, TL 3.44 (3.12–3.60), FL 0.16, SL 0.90, SW 0.76, CH 0.07, AME-AME 0.04, AME-ALE 0.02, ALE-ALE 0.17, PME-PME 0.06, PME-PLE 0.08, PLE-PLE 0.31, PERW 0.37, MOQAW 0.13, MOQPW 0.16, MOQL 0.20.

Length of leg segments: I 0.96 + 0.56 + 0.88 + 0.78 + 0.70 = 3.88, II 1.00 + 0.70 + 0.68 + 0.76 + 0.62 = 3.76, III 0.88 + 0.40 + 0.64 + 0.80 + 0.54 = 3.26, IV 1.44 + 0.60 + 1.14 + 1.56 + 0.64 = 5.38.

General appearance as in Fig. 164 View FIGURES 157–171 . Carapace creamy-brown, with brown striae; dense white feathery setae cover carapace. Clypeus height equal to 1.40 AME diameter; AME smaller than ALE; AME separated by distance slightly smaller than their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance equal to 0.40 AME diameter; PME equal to PLE; PME separated by distance slightly larger than their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 1.60 PME diameter. Chelicerae brown proximally, paler distally; promargin with teeth, median tooth largest, proximal and distal teeth subequal; retromargin with two closely-positioned subequal teeth. Endites brown, cream anteriorly, pale at maxillar hair tuft. Labium brown, longer than wide, cream anteriorly. Sternum light brown. Legs with orange-brown proximal segments, tarsi pale; tibiae I and II with broad white median rings, patellae and tibiae III and IV with narrow proximal and distal yellow rings. Leg spination: femora: I do 1 rl 1, II do 1 rl 1, III pl 2 do 2 rl 2, IV do 3 rl 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 1 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 do 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I spineless, II plv 1 rlv 1, III pl 4 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 4 do 1 rl 4 plv 1 rlv 2 vt 2; palpal spination: femora do 3; patellae do 2; tibiae spineless; tarsi pl 2 do 1 rl 3 rlv 1. Abdomen orangebrown, dark grey laterally ( Fig. 164 View FIGURES 157–171 ), with five faint chevrons in posterior third of the abdomen; two pairs of large dorsolateral spots of white feathery setae; small white spot of feathery setae above spinnerets; venter cream; postepigastric sclerites present, lateral sclerites absent. Palp pale yellow-brown; RTA long, largely obscured in ventral view by retrolateral heel of cymbium; in retrolateral view subtriangular, directed dorsally but slightly curved ventrally, with narrow base and rounded tip; cymbium quite narrow, 1.92 times longer than wide, narrowed to rounded point distally; embolus originating prolaterally, curved and finger-like, with rounded tip; median apophysis curved, directed retrodistally ( Figs 89 View FIGURES 78–92 , 186 View FIGURES 184–187 , 197 View FIGURES 197–202 ).

Additional material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: GoogleMaps Western Cape Province: Caledon, 34°13'S, 19°25'E, VII .1910 GoogleMaps , leg. W.F. Purcell, 1♂ (SAMC ENW-X 150440 ); De Hoop Nature Reserve, Potberg   GoogleMaps , fynbos, 34°22.237'S, 20°32.482'E, 7.IV .2004 GoogleMaps , leg. C. Haddad (searching, under rocks), 3♂ 2 subadult ♀ ( NCA 2016 /2820); Knysna, Uitzicht Annex   GoogleMaps , 34°00'S, 23°20'E, 19.X.1988, leg. L.N. Lotz (pitfall traps), 2♀ ( NMBA 8617 View Materials ); Swartberg Nature Reserve, Gamkaskloof , 33°21'S, 21°41'E, XII GoogleMaps .1999, leg. Z. van der Walt (on ground), 1♀ ( NCA 2002 /196) .

Other record. A live female specimen was photographed ( Fig. 2 View FIGURES 1–4 ) by Peter Webb in the Aardvark Nature Reserve in the Western Cape (33°49'S, 21°08'E), but was unfortunately not collected. The colouration of this specimen matches live specimens collected by the second author in the De Hoop Nature Reserve; particularly, the pale bands on the legs of this species and the orange-brown carapace distinguish this species from others in the genus.

Distribution. Known from several localities in the Western Cape ( Fig. 188 View FIGURE 188 ).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Gallieniellidae

Genus

Drassodella

Loc

Drassodella quinquelabecula Tucker, 1923

Mbo, Zingisile & Haddad, Charles R. 2019
2019
Loc

Drassodella quinquelabecula

Tucker, R. W. E. 1923: 311
1923
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