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
98Z95
Dippenaar-Schoeman & Foord, 2020
Dippenaar-Schoeman & Foord
2020
[151,367,942,969]
Arachnida
Thomisidae
Parabomis
Animalia
Araneae
7
168
Arthropoda
species
megae
sp. nov.
Figures 15 –20
Etymology.Named in honour of Ms Meg Cumming ( Harare, Zimbabwe), in recognition of her contribution to our knowledge of Zimbabwean spiders.
Diagnosis.The species is distinguished from other congeners by the male palp having the RTA straight, with the apex directed dorsally, while directed laterad in others, except for P. elsae sp. nov.It differs from P. elsae sp. nov.by the sharply pointed tip of the apex ( Fig. 18). Parabomis megae sp. nov.resembles the female of P. elsae sp. nov.in the shape of the epigyne, but the colour differs, being uniform in P. megae sp. nov.and strongly mottled in P. elsae sp. nov.( Fig. 19).
Description. Male ( holotype).Measurements: TL 1.90; CL 0.95; CW 1.03. Legs: I 1.44 (0.52, 0.13, 0.30, 0.27, 0.22); II 1.44 (0.63, 0.22, 0.28, 0.20, 0.11); III 1.09 (0.34, 0.12, 0.32, 0.21, 0.10); IV 1.32 (0.47, 0.15, 0.32, 0.19, 0.19). Carapace dark brown ( Fig. 15); eyes circled with black; chelicerae dark brown; mouthparts yellowish brown; palp dark brown; carapace slightly wider than long; strongly granulated, bearing numerous small tubercles, each with translucent seta. Sternum brown; granulose. Eyes as for genus. Legs: coxae, trochanters and tibiae brown, with blackish hue; femora I-IV dark brown, with femora I and II usually darker than rest; patellae yellowish brown; tibiae, metatarsi and partly tarsi of legs I and II clothed with numerous fine erect setae. Abdomen dorsum white with brown hue, shield-like with scattered black spots. Male palp with RTA straight, tip directed dorsally and apex pointed ( Fig. 18). Female.Measurements: TL 3.2; CL 1.1; CW 1.4. Legs: I 1.83 (0.67, 0.29, 0.42, 0.25, 0.27); II 1.84 (0.61, 0.28, 0.43, 0.24, 0.28); III 1.61 (0.41, 0.22, 0.26, 0.12, 0.70); IV 1.71 (0.55, 0.46, 0.27, 0.31, 0.12). Carapace fawn, in some specimens darker laterally ( Figs 16-17); strongly granulated, bearing numerous small tubercles, each with translucent seta; eye region infused with white; eyes sometimes circled with black; chelicerae creamish white. Sternum granulated, bearing tubercles with seta. Legs creamish white, with distinct white bands at joints; femora frequently darker. Abdomen fawn to white, with scattered dark setae giving it spotted appearance; depressions on dorsum darker, bearing two brownish markings ( Fig. 16). Epigyne with atrium oval ( Fig. 19); spermathecae with short ducts ( Fig. 20).
Type material. Holotype³: ZIMBABWE: Doddieburn Dam, Doddieburn Ranch, 21°28’S, 29°24’E, leg. J. Minshull, 12.XII.1985( NMZ/ A4208a). Paratypes: ZIMBABWE: Doddieburn Dam, Doddieburn Ranch, 21°28’S, 29°24’E, leg. J. Minshull, 12.XII.1985, 1♀, 3³, 4imm.( NMZ/ A4208b); Tshowe Riverrapids, Matetsi Safari Area, 18°31’S, 28°40’E, leg. J. Minshull, 6.XII.1988, 1³ ( NMZ A6916); Walmer Drive, Harare, 17°49’S, 31°05’E, leg. M. Cumming, 14. VI .2004 (spider ballooning), 1♀( NCA 2012/327); Samelocality data, leg. M. Cumming, 15.I.2004(sweeping grass and herbs in garden), 1♀, 3imm.( NCA 2012/326); Samelocality data, leg. M. Cumming, 1. III .2004, 1♀( NCA 2009/ 258). FIGURES 15–20. Parabomis megae sp. nov.15 Male habitus, dorsal view; 16 Female habitus, dorsal view; 17 Female habitus, dorsal view; 18 Left palp, ventral view; 19 Epigyne, ventral view; 20 Epigyne, dorsal view. Scales: 1 mm. Other material examined. ZIMBABWE: Humani Ranch, Store Camp, 20°29’S, 32°15’E, leg. Falcon College, 6. IV.1987, 1imm.( NMZ A 5882); Doddieburn Dam, Doddieburn Ranch, 21°28’S, 29°24’E, leg. E. Nyathi, 20. IV.1986, 2 imm.( NMZ/ A4661); Samelocality, leg. J. Minshull, 11.XII.1985, 1 imm. ♀( NMZ 4227); Chelo Farm Homestead, 2029A3, leg. F. Nyathi, 5.X.1988, 5 imm.( NMZ 715), 4 imm.( NMZ/ A7190); Namakukwe, Zambeziconfluence, 17°51’S, 25°23’E, leg. Falcon College, 26.VIII.1986, 1 imm.( NMZ 4794); Sabi-Lundiconfluence, Gomarezhou National Park, 21°23’S, 33°50’E, leg. J. Minshull, 21. IV.1985, 1 imm.( NMZ 3289); Tshowe Riverrapids, Matetsi Safari Area 18°31’S, 28°40’E, leg. J. Minshull, 4.XII.1988( NMZ 6895); KatomboraCampsite, 17°50’S, 25°24’E, leg. Falcon College, 1.X.1986, 1 imm.( NMZ 4720), 1 imm.NMZ 5040, 1 imm NMZ 5079, 1 imm. NMZ 5086); 1.5 kmNW of Kazuma Forestrycamp, 1825B3, leg. Falcon College, 15. IV.1988, 2 imm.( NMZ/ A 6704); Farm 2 km E. Glenmore, 2028C, leg. F.Nyathi, 28.IX.1988, 1 imm.( NMZ/ A 7094); Sengwa Plot, leg. M. Cumming, 2.XII.2002(beating Tricheliastree), 1³ ( NCA 2009/456).
Distribution.Known only from Zimbabwe( Fig. 32).
Biology/Habitat.Specimens were sampled sweeping grass and herbs. Most of the adult specimens were sampled from December to March.
3023423403
1985-12-12
NMZ
J. Minshull
Zimbabwe
-21.466667
Doddieburn Dam
1264
29.4
Doddieburn Ranch
7
168
A4208
1
holotype
3023423306
[199,977,1986,2013]
Doddieburn Dam
Zimbabwe
Doddieburn Ranch
7
168
1
paratype
3023423317
1985-12-12
NMZ
J. Minshull
Zimbabwe
8
169
-21.466667
Matetsi Safari Area
1264
29.4
Tshowe River
7
168
A4208
5
1
paratype
3023423327
1988-12-06
NMZ
J. Minshull
Zimbabwe
-18.516666
Walmer Drive
1275
28.666666
8
169
A6916
1
Harare
paratype
3023423355
[883,1371,186,213]
VI
M. Cumming
Zimbabwe
-17.816668
1277
31.083334
8
169
1
paratype
3023423363
NCA
Zimbabwe
Same
8
169
NCA 2012
1
1
paratype
3023423376
2004-01-15
NCA
M. Cumming
Zimbabwe
Same
8
169
NCA 2012
4
1
paratype
3023423311
[1173,1241,259,285]
NCA
Zimbabwe
8
169
NCA 2009
1
1
paratype
3023423335
1987-04-06
IV, NMZ
Falcon College
Zimbabwe
-20.483334
Humani Ranch
1268
32.25
Store Camp
8
169
A 5882
1
3023423358
1986-04-20
IV, NMZ
E. Nyathi
Zimbabwe
-21.466667
Doddieburn Dam
1264
29.4
Doddieburn Ranch
8
169
A4661
2
3023423316
[565,1355,1532,1559]
1985-12-11
NMZ
J. Minshull
Zimbabwe
Same
8
169
NMZ 4227
1
1
3023423408
1988-10-05
NMZ
F. Nyathi
Zimbabwe
Chelo Farm Homestead
8
169
NMZ 715
5
3023423362
[1012,1274,1568,1594]
1988-10-05
NMZ
F. Nyathi
Zimbabwe
true
Chelo Farm Homestead
8
169
A7190
4
3023423401
1986-08-26
NMZ
Falcon College
Zimbabwe
-17.85
Namakukwe
1277
25.383333
Zambezi
8
169
NMZ 4794
1
3023423304
1985-04-21
IV
J. Minshull
Zimbabwe
-21.383333
Sabi-Lundi
1264
33.833332
Gomarezhou National Park
8
169
NMZ 3289
1
3023423330
1988-12-04
NMZ
J. Minshull
Zimbabwe
-18.516666
Tshowe River
1275
28.666666
Matetsi Safari Area
8
169
NMZ 6895
1
3023423394
1986-10-01
NMZ
Falcon College
Zimbabwe
-17.833334
Katombora
1277
25.4
8
169
NMZ 4720
1
3023423322
NMZ
Zimbabwe
8
169
NMZ 5086
2
3023423378
1988-04-15
IV, NMZ
Falcon College
Zimbabwe
Kazuma Forestry
8
169
A 6704
2
3023423385
[337,1277,1784,1811]
1988-09-28
NMZ
E. Glenmore & F. Nyathi
Zimbabwe
Farm
8
169
A 7094
1
3023423405
2002-12-02
NCA
M. Cumming & Trichelias
Zimbabwe
Sengwa Plot
8
169
NCA 2009
1