Thyenula wesolowskae Zhang & Maddison, 2012

Wesołowska, Wanda, Azarkina, Galina N. & Russell-Smith, Anthony, 2014, Euophryine jumping spiders of the Afrotropical Region-new taxa and a checklist (Araneae: Salticidae: Euophryinae), Zootaxa 3789 (1), pp. 1-72 : 68-69

Thyenula wesolowskae Zhang & Maddison, 2012

Figs 241–249

Thyenula wesolowskae Zhang & Maddison 2012: 76 , figs 95–101.

Material. SOUTH AFRICA, Limpopo Province, Entabeni , afromontane forest, 22°58'S: 30°16'E, 1 male, 11 February 2008, leg. A. Mboyi ( NCA 2012 /2707); same data, 2 females; ( NCA 2012 /2708); same locality, 3 females, 11 February 2008, leg. N. Hahn ( NCA) ; same data, 2 females ( ISEA 001.3936 ) ; same locality, 1 male, 13 February 2008 ( NCA 2012 /2714); same locality, pitfall trap, 1 female, 13 February 2008, leg. S.H. Foord, N. Hahn, M. Muthaphuli, M. Mashau ( NCA 2012 /2710); same data, 1 female ( NCA 2012 /2711); same data, 1 female ( NCA 2012 / 2712); same data, 1 female ( NCA 2012 /2713); same data, 1 female ( ISEA 001.3937 ) ; Tzaneen, Debengeni waterfall, 23°49'S: 30°02'E, afromontane forest, sifting leaf litter, 3 males, 3 females, 7 November 2012, leg. J.A. Neethling ( NCA 2012 /5692); Magoebaskloof pass, 23°52'S: 30°00'E, 1190 m a.s.l., 1 male, 1 female, 6 November 2012, leg. J.A. Neethling ( NCA 2012 /5696) ; Mpumalanga Province, Sabie, Bridal Veil waterfall, 25°05'S: 30°43'E, forest, sifting leaf litter, 1 male, 1 female, 29 September 2012 leg. J.A. Neethling ( NCA 2012 /5697); Graskop area , 24°53'S: 30°53'E, 1 female, 27 October 2012, leg. J.A. Neethling ( NCA 2012 /5669); Graskop , Kowyn’s pass, 24°58'S: 30°51'E, 1 female, 3 October 2012, leg. J.A. Neethling ( NCA 2012 /5698); Mariepskop , 24°32'S: 30°52'E, 1550 m a.s.l., 2 males, 1 female, 2 imm., 17 November 2012, leg. P. Jałoszyński ( MRAC) .

Diagnosis. The male palp of this species is similar to that in T. munda ( Peckham & Peckham, 1903) , but has a clearly wider proximal part of the embolus. The female epigyne is similar to that in T. juvenca Simon, 1902 , but differs in having two-chambered spermathecae (single in T. juvenca ). The latter species is also clearly larger and uniformly yellow.

Description. Measurements (male/female). Cephalothorax: length 1.9/2.0, width 1.4/1.4, height 0.9/0.9. Abdomen: length 1.8/2.2, width 1.3/1.6. Eye field: length 0.9/0.8, anterior width 1.3/1.2, posterior width 1.2/1.1.

Male. General appearance as in Fig. 241 . Carapace brown with darker ocular area, some white hairs on thoracic part. Sternum yellowish brown. Some brown bristles near eyes, scarce white hairs on slopes. “Cheeks”, clypeus and chelicerae brown, cheliceral dentition as in Fig. 242 . Abdomen greyish brown with yellow spots and markings ( Fig. 241 ). Venter light with two brownish streaks. Book-lung covers and spinnerets brown. Femora, patellae and tibiae of legs I dark brown, metatarsi yellow with brown rings at base and tip, tarsi yellow. Femora of legs II brown, with yellow stripe dorsally and yellow patch distally on ventral surface. Femora III and IV and other segments of legs II–IV yellow, with brown rings distally and proximally. Pedipalps yellow, only femora brown. Tibial apophysis long and thin, bulb with large proximal lobe, embolus long, relatively broader than in congeners, embolic spiral partially enveloped by bulb ( Fig. 243 ).

Female. Similar to male, slightly lighter in colour ( Fig. 245 ). Abdomen brownish with darker pattern composed of dense small spots, fused distally into a few chevrons. In some specimens femora of all legs black. Epigyne with small anterolateral depressions ( Figs 246, 248 ). Seminal ducts short, broad in initial part ( Figs 247, 249 ).

Distribution. Known from the Limpopo and Mpumalanga Provinces of South Africa.

Genus Yimbulunga gen. nov.

Type species: Yimbulunga foordi Wesołowska, Azarkina & Russell-Smith Diagnosis. The genus is distinctive in the stout body form, which is shorter and broader than in other Euophryinae genera. They are small spiders, and the carapace is high, relatively short and wide, with a large eye field and convex posterior lateral eyes. The abdomen is small and rounded. The structure of the pedipalp is very similar to that in Euophrys with a thin embolus, forming one coil in the basal spiral. Chelicerae with a fissident retromarginal tooth.

Etymology. The generic name is derived from the Zulu word meaning spherical and referring to the body form of the spider. Feminine in gender.

Composition. Single new species.

Distribution. Only known from South Africa.

Figures

FIGURES 241–244. Thyenula wesolowskae Zhang et Maddison, 2012. 241 male, dorsal view; 242 cheliceral dentition; 243 palpal organ, ventral view; 244 palpal organ, retrolateral view.

FIGURES 245–249. Thyenula wesolowskae Zhang et Maddison, 2012. 245 female, dorsal view; 246, 248 epigyne; 247 internal structure of epigyne, ventral view; 249 internal structure of epigyne, dorsal view.