Geraesta Simon, 1889

Benjamin, Suresh P., 2015, On the African crab spider genus Geraesta Simon, 1889 (Araneae: Thomisidae), African Invertebrates 56 (2), pp. 309-309 : 310

Genus Geraesta Simon, 1889

Geraesta Simon, 1889: 224 ; Benjamin 2011: 15 .

Type species: Geraesta hirta Simon, 1889 , by original designation.

Diagnosis: Diagnosed by the presence of two to three trichobothria on the dorsal surface of the male palpal cymbiUm ( Fig. 24 ; Benjamin 2011: figs 40d, 42b, 43c, 45e) and the presence of at least one serrated apical tibial apophysis ( Figs 4, 5 , 24–26 ; Ramírez 2014: fig. 151a). Females can be separated by the presence of opisthosomal lobes ( Figs 10 , 17, 18 ). Further, Geraesta can be separated from other African Stephanopinae as follows: from Borboropactus Simon, 1884 by the presence of two to three trichobothria on the cymbiUm ( Fig. 25 ; Benjamin 2011: figs 40d, 42b, 43c, 45e; MarUsiK et al. 2013: figs 1–3). Females can be separated from Borboropactus by the presence of epigynal lips and opisthosomal lobes ( Benjamin 2011: figs 41e, 42c, 44d, 46d); from Epidius Thorell, 1877 by the absence of an elongated male palpal tibia (tibia is longer than the cymbium in Epidius ; Benjamin 2011: fig. 35c) and the absence of 4–6 thicK long spines on the distal margin of the male palpal tibia ( Benjamin 2011: figs 33b, 35c, 36b). JUdging from the illustrations in Ledoux (2004), Prepotelus Simon, 1898 might be a synonym of Geraesta . Description: Geraesta is described in Benjamin (2011).

Distribution: This genus is endemic to Africa and is now known from Botswana, Comoros, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Rwanda, South Africa and Tanzania.

Figures

Figs 24–26. Geraesta octolobata (Simon, 1886), male from CASENT 9057555, left palp in ventral (24), retrolateral (25) and dorsal (26) views. Abbreviations: C – conductor; E – embolus; MA – median apophysis; RTA – retrolateral tibial apophysis; Tr – trichobothrium. Scale bars = 0.2 mm.

Figs 4–8. (4) Geraesta ansieae sp. n. (MRAC 239298) and (5–8) G. congoensis (Lessert, 1943) (MRAC 239299): (4, 5) left male palp, ventral view; (6) epigynum, ventral view; (7) vulva, dorsal view; (8) vulva, ventral view.Abbreviations: C – conductor; CD – copulatory duct; CO – copulatory opening; E – embolus; MA – median apophysis; RTA – retrolateral tibial apophysis; S – spermatheca. Scale bars = 0.1 mm (5), 0.2 mm (4, 6–8).

Figs 9–16.(9, 10, 11, 16) Geraesta hirta Simon,1889 and(12–15) G.congoensis (Lessert,1943), male from Côte d’Ivoire, MRAC 239297 (12) and syntypes, MRAC 239288 (13–15): (9, 10, 12–14) habitus, dorsal; (11) left palp, ventral view; (15) right palp, ventral view; (16) epigynum, ventral view.Scale bars: (11, 16) = 0.2 mm, (15) = 0.5 mm, (9, 10, 13, 14) = 1.0 mm, (12) = 2.0 mm.

Figs 17–23.Geraesta octolobata (Simon, 1886), males from CASENT 9057555 (17, 20–23)and CASENT 9001385 (18,19):(17, 18, 19) habitus,dorsal; (20–23) left male palp in ventral(20), retrolateral (21), dorsal (22) andprolateral(23)views.Scale bars:(20–23)= 0.2mm,(18) =0.5 mm,(17, 19) =1.0 mm.