Massagris contortuplicata, Wesołowska & Haddad, 2013

Wesołowska, Wanda & Haddad, Charles R., 2013, New data on the jumping spiders of South Africa (Araneae: Salticidae), African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 177-177 : 208-210

Massagris contortuplicata sp. n.

Figs 89, 103–106

Massagris cf. honesta Wesołowska, 1993 : Maddison & Needham 2006: 49, fig. 12 (♀).

Etymology: From Latin contortuplicata (writhed about in many folds), in reference to the complex structure of the epigyne.

Diagnosis: The females of several Massagris species remain unknown, and only the female of M. honesta Wesołowska, 1993 has been previously described (see below for redescription). The female of the new species is recognizable by the long seminal ducts forming several loops, which are clearly shorter in M. honesta . Male unknown.

Description:

Female.

Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 2.5, width 1.5, height 1.0. Abdomen: length 2.5, width 1.8. Eye field: length 1.4, anterior width 1.3, posterior width 1.2.

General appearance in Fig. 89. Carapace oval, moderately high, gently sloping posteriorly; eye field occupies half of carapace length, eyes set on well-developed tubercles ( Fig. 103); carapace brown, vicinity of eyes black, ocular area transparent with silver spots of internal guanine crystals. Fovea long, sulciform. Clypeus low and brown, with some whitish hairs. Labium, endites and sternum yellow. Chelicerae pluridentate, both margins with several small teeth ( Fig. 104). Abdomen oval, greyish yellow, with small brown spots; silver guanine crystals translucent through integument; venter identically coloured. Spinnerets and legs yellow. Epigyne with two widely separate rounded depressions ( Fig. 105). Copulatory openings placed in deep atria; seminal ducts long, forming several loops ( Fig. 106).

Holotype: ♀ SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: Amatola Mtns, Hogsback , 32°35.649'S 26°56.638'E, Afromontane forest, beating shrubs, 9.iv.2010, University of the Free State students (NCA, 2012/1097).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: 1♀ together with holotype (NCA, 2012/1097) ; 1♀ same locality, 32°35.987'S 26°55.880'E, 1140 m, Afromontane forest , canopy fogging Xymalos monospora , 3.iv.2012, C. Haddad, J. Neethling, A. van Rooyen & R. du Preez ( NMSA, 26418) ; 1♀ Kei Mouth, 32°41'S 28°22'E, coastal dune forest, leaf-litter, 6.xii.2005, C. Haddad ( NMBA) .

Distribution: Known only from two localities in south-eastern South Africa ( Fig. 114). Habitat and biology: This species has been collected in the upper and lower habitat strata of Afromontane and coastal forests.

Remarks: This species was included in the phylogenetic analysis of Maddison and Needham (2006), wherein they referred to it as Massagris cf. honesta Wesołowska, 1993 and indicated that it was likely to be new. They also included an illustration of the female epigyne ( Maddison & Needham 2006: 49, fig. 12), which conforms to the figure included in the description of the species here.