Veissella durbani (Peckham & Peckham, 1903)

Wesołowska, Wanda & Haddad, Charles R., 2013, New data on the jumping spiders of South Africa (Araneae: Salticidae), African Invertebrates 54 (1), pp. 177-177 : 235-236

Veissella durbani (Peckham & Peckham, 1903)

Figs 176, 177

Portia durbani: Peckham & Peckham 1903: 183 , pl. 19, fig. 2; Lawrence 1947: 36; Wanless 1978: 109,

figs 13a–g.

Veissella durbani: Wanless 1984 b: 190 , figs 27a–g; Wesołowska & Haddad 2009: 95 , figs 205–209.

Wesołowska & Haddad (2009) redescribed the male.

Female.

Measurements. Cephalothorax: length 2.6, width 2.0, height 1.4. Abdomen: length 2.9, width 1.9. Eye field: length 1.1, anterior width 1.5, posterior width 1.4.

Medium-sized spider, carapace high with abrupt slope posteriorly; carapace brown, eyes surrounded by black rings, some short greyish hairs on carapace, denser near eyes.

Eye field trapezoid, its anterior width slightly larger than posterior width; posterior median eyes relatively large, set on low tubercles. Clypeus low, chelicerae with three teeth on promargin and four on retromargin. Sternum brown, labium and endites with slightly paler margins. Abdomen ovoid, brownish, with traces of darker chevrons posteriorly; dorsum sparsely covered with grey hairs. Venter with broad dark median stripe. Spinnerets short, dark. Legs long and slender, brown with lighter tarsi, first pair longest; tibiae I with dense, long, black, feathery hairs on ventral surface. Epigyne with narrow median septum ( Fig. 176); gonopores placed anteriorly; seminal ducts straight; spermathecae large, spherical, strongly sclerotized, thick-walled ( Fig. 177).

Material examined: SOUTH AFRICA: Eastern Cape: 6♂ 4♀ Coffee Bay , 31°58.862'S 29°09.119'E, coastal dune forest, beats, 2.xi.2006, R. Lyle & C. Haddad (NCA, 2007/408) ; 1♂ 1♀ Cwebe Nature Reserve, The Haven , 32°14.497'S 28°54.653'E, hedges near houses, beats, 30.x.2006, C. Haddad (NCA, 2007/161) ; 1♀ same locality, 32°14.588'S 28°54.772'E, coastal dune forest, beats, 30.x.2006, R. Lyle & C. Haddad (NCA, 2007/354) ; 1♂ 1♀ Kei Mouth , 32°41'S 28°22'E, coastal dune forest, beats, 8.xii.2005, C. Haddad ( NMBA) ; 3♂ 2♀ Mazeppa Bay , 32°28.476'S 28°38.873'E, coastal dune forest, beats, 28.x.2006, R. Lyle & C. Haddad (NCA, 2007/423). KwaZulu­Natal : 1♀ Tembe Elephant Park , open woodland/sand, near offices, 27°03'S 32°25'E, sweeping grass and herbs, 12.i.2002, C. Haddad (NCA, 2007/3559). Mpumalanga : 1♂ 1♀ Nelspruit, Schagen Farm , 25°25'S 30°48'E, macadamia orchards, branch beating, 9.xii.1997, M. van den Berg (NCA, 98/824) ; 1♀ same data but 17.iii.1998 (NCA, 98/873) ; 1♂ same locality, Glenwood Farm , 25°52'S 30°59'E, macadamia orchards, branch beating, 4.xii.1997, M. van den Berg (NCA, 98/825) .

Distribution: Species known only from eastern South Africa ( Fig. 178).

Habitat and biology: A foliage-dwelling species often collected in savanna and forests in subtropical eastern South Africa. As for other species of Spartaeinae , V. durbani is suspected to be arachnophagous, but has not yet been subjected to dietary analysis.