Revision of the Afrotropical crab-spider genus Parabomis Kulczyński, 1901 (Araneae: Thomisidae)
Dippenaar-Schoeman, Anna S.
Foord, Stefan H.
Zootaxa
2020
2020-12-30
4899
1
161
174
98Z94
Dippenaar-Schoeman & Foord, 2020
Dippenaar-Schoeman & Foord
2020
[151,349,151,178]
Arachnida
Thomisidae
Parabomis
Animalia
Araneae
3
164
Arthropoda
species
elsae
sp. nov.
Figures 4–7
Etymology.Named after Elsa van Niekerk (Pretoria South Africa), the graphic artist at Agricultural Research Council (ARC)—Plant Health and Protection, in recognition of her support for spider research at the ARC.
Diagnosis.Males and females of this species are recognized by their mottled bodies and copulatory organs ( Figs 4, 5). Parabomis elsae sp. nov.females resemble those of P. megae sp. nov.in the shape of the epigyne, but the colour differs by being strongly mottled in P. elsae sp. nov.In males of both species the RTA apex is directed dorsad, but in P. elsae sp. nov.the RTA apex is claw-like ( Fig. 6).
Description. Holotypemale.Measurements: TL 1.8; CL 0.85; CW 0.95. Legs: I 1.42 (0.51, 0.12, 0.30, 0.27, 0.22) II; 1.42 (0.63, 0.21, 0.28, 0.20, 0.10); III 1.08 (0.34, 0.12, 0.32, 0.20, 0.10); IV 1.32 (0.47, 0.15, 0.32, 0.19, 0.19). Carapace fawn, with 3 faint yellowish bands, one medially other 2 radiating from PLE to posterior edge ( Fig. 4); darker patches laterally; integument granulose, with scattered small tubercles, with scattered short, thick, flat-lying setae, more numerous laterally; carapace slightly wider than long. Chelicerae brown; mouthparts paler brown. Sternum pale brown; integument granulose. Legs brown, same as in carapace; femora and tibiae slightly darker; articulation area of joints with strong white rim. Abdomen dorsum shield-like; with dark brown patches, with paler transverse patches in between, sides grey, speckled with white. Male palp with RTA tip claw-like curving upwards; VTA small fused with RTA ( Fig. 6). Female.Measurements: TL 3.36; CL 1.36; CW 1.36. Legs: I 1.93 (0.68, 0.29, 0.43, 0.25, 0.28); II 1.84 (0.60, 0.27, 0.44, 0.25, 0.28); III 1.23 (0.42, 0.24, 0.26, 0.12, 0.19); IV 1.74 (0.56, 0.46, 0.29, 0.31, 0.12). Resembles male. Carapace fawn, with strong mottled appearance; 3 faint yellowish bands, one medially other two radiating; darker patches laterally; clypeus and eye area with three infused medial bands; clypeus paler ( Fig. 5); carapace as wide as long; integument granulose, with scattered small tubercles. Chelicerae pale yellow, mouthparts yellowish brown. Sternum yellowish brown; integument granulose. Legs brown, strongly mottled with white, base of setae brown giving legs spotted appearance; articulation area of joints with strong white rim. Abdomen dorsum creamish white, base of abdominal setae dark, giving abdomen strong spotted appearance, especially anteriorly. Epigyne atrium wider than long, egg-shaped, with lateral edges slightly thickened ( Fig. 7); intromittent orifices uncovered and situated in anterior part; spermatheca with two lobes ( Fig. 8).
Type material. Holotype³: SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng Province: Roodeplaat Dam Nature Reserve(West), 17 kmNE of Pretoria, 28º22’S, 25º37’E, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 5.XI.1981(beating Vacheliatrees) ( NCA 82/492). Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng Province, Roodeplaat Dam Nature Reserve (West), 17 kmNE of Pretoria, 28º22’S, 25º37’E, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Dippenaar, 27.XI.1979(beating flowering Acaciatrees, spider collected from yellow flowers), 1♀( NCA80/277); Same locality, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 17.XII.1981(sweeping grass), 1³ ( NCA81/1091); Same locality, leg. National Collection of Arachnidastaff, 22.IX.1988(beating Acaciatrees), 1³, 2 imm.( NCA92/607). Other material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Gauteng Province: Enkeldoorn, 25°24’S, 28°40’E, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 6.VIII.1974(sweeping grass), 4imm.( NCA 76/298); Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve, 28º22’S, 25º37’E, leg. M. Stiller, 29.IX.1980(sweeping grass), 1imm.( NCA 1992/608); Samelocality, leg. M. Stiller, 13.VIII.1980(sweeping grass), 1imm.( NCA 1981/862); Samelocality, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 27.XI.1980(sweeping grass), 2imm.( NCA 1999/34). KwaZulu-Natal Province:iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Hell’s Gate, 28º01.2’S, 32º21.6’E, leg. J. Esterhuizen, 1.XI.2004( blue trap), 1³ ( NCA 2020/547); Samelocality data, 3.VIII.2008( blue trap), 1³ ( NCA 2020/548); Samelocality data, 20.IX.2004( blue trap), 2³, 1imm.( NCA 2020/549); iSimangaliso Wetland Park, False BayPark, 27º58.8’S 32º21.72’E, leg. M. Hamer, 6.XI.2004(tree beating), 1³, 1imm.( NCA 2006/58). Limpopo Province: Rust de Winter, 25°13’S, 28°29’E, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 30. IV.1981(beating grass), 1♀, 1imm.( NCA 99/35); Polokwane Nature Reserve, 23º58’S, 29º28’E, leg. T. Khoza& M. Modiba, 3. II.2006(riverine and sweet thorn ticket, tree beating), 1³, 1♀( NCA 2008/2204). Mpumalanga Province: Loskopdam Nature Reserve, 25°46’S, 29°23’E, leg. A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman, 2. IV.1973(sweeping grass), 1imm.( NCA 2009/455).
Distribution. South Africa: Gauteng, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal, and MpumalangaProvinces ( Fig. 32).
Biology/Habitat.Specimens have been mainly collected beating flowering Vachelliatrees and sweeping grass in the Savanna Biome. Adults were sampled from September to December.
3023423382
1981-11-05
NCA
A. S. Dippenaar-Schoeman
South Africa
-28.366667
Roodeplaat Dam Nature Reserve
1232
25.616667
3
164
NCA 82
1
Gauteng
holotype
3023423310
1974-08-06
1980-11-27
1974-08-06
NCA
A. S. Dippenaar-Schoeman
South Africa
-28.366667
Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve
1232
25.616667
Enkeldoorn
3
164
NCA 76, NCA 1992, NCA 1981, NCA 1999
8
Gauteng
3023423354
1974-08-06
1980-11-27
1974-08-06
NCA
M. Stiller
South Africa
-28.366667
Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve
1232
25.616667
Enkeldoorn
3
164
NCA 76, NCA 1992, NCA 1981, NCA 1999
8
Gauteng
3023423395
1974-08-06
1980-11-27
1974-08-06
NCA
M. Stiller
South Africa
-28.366667
Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve
1232
25.616667
Enkeldoorn
3
164
NCA 76, NCA 1992, NCA 1981, NCA 1999
8
Gauteng
3023423349
1974-08-06
1980-11-27
1974-08-06
NCA
A. S. Dippenaar-Schoeman
South Africa
-28.366667
Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve
1232
25.616667
Enkeldoorn
3
164
NCA 76, NCA 1992, NCA 1981, NCA 1999
8
Gauteng
3023423361
2004-09-20
2008-08-03
2004-09-20
NCA
J. Esterhuizen
South Africa
Wetland Park
-27.98
Wetland Park
92
32.362
Hell's Gate
3
164
NCA 2020, NCA 2006
2
KwaZulu-Natal
3023423367
2004-09-20
2008-08-03
2004-09-20
NCA
South Africa
Wetland Park
-27.98
Wetland Park
92
32.362
Hell's Gate
3
164
NCA 2020, NCA 2006
2
KwaZulu-Natal
3023423308
2004-09-20
2008-08-03
2004-09-20
NCA
South Africa
Wetland Park
-27.98
Wetland Park
92
32.362
Hell's Gate
3
164
NCA 2020, NCA 2006
2
KwaZulu-Natal
3023423379
2004-09-20
2008-08-03
2004-09-20
NCA
M. Hamer
South Africa
Wetland Park
-27.98
Wetland Park
92
32.362
Hell's Gate
3
164
NCA 2020, NCA 2006
2
KwaZulu-Natal
3023423346
1981-04-30
2006-02-03
1981-04-30
IV, T, II
A.S. Dippenaar-Schoeman
South Africa
-23.966667
Polokwane Nature Reserve
1253
29.466667
Rust de Winter
3
164
NCA 99, NCA 2008
3
2
Limpopo
3023423323
1981-04-30
2006-02-03
1981-04-30
IV, T, II
T. Khoza & M. Modiba
South Africa
-23.966667
Polokwane Nature Reserve
1253
29.466667
Rust de Winter
3
164
NCA 99, NCA 2008
3
2
Limpopo
3023423392
1973-04-02
IV
A. S. Dippenaar-Schoeman
South Africa
-25.766666
Loskopdam Nature Reserve
1245
29.383333
3
164
NCA 2009
1
Mpumalanga