Ajaraneola pajakwandy, Szűts & Maddison, 2021

Szűts, Tamás & Maddison, Wayne Paul, 2021, New species of the monotypic thiratoscirtine genera Ajaraneola and Nimbarus (Araneae: Salticidae: Aelurillini: Thiratoscirtina), Zootaxa 4915 (1), pp. 119-126 : 121

Ajaraneola pajakwandy sp. nov.

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Figs 1–12

Type material. Holotype ♁ UGANDA: Rukungiri district, Buhoma Bwindi Impenetrable National Park , 00.98°S, 29.6°E, 1400 m a.s.l., leg. C. Griswold & G. Mayoba, 20–24.IX.1996 ( CAS, CASENT 9050586 ).

Diagnosis. This species can be differentiated from the type species by the less elongated chelicera (less than half of the carapace length), the visible subtegulum as seen from the ventral side, and the pale opaque tegular area in the 8 o’clock position ( Fig. 2 arrow), contra to 6 o’clock in A. mastigophora ( Wesołowska & Russell-Smith 2011: fig. 15). Male carapace is more quadrangular ( Fig. 7 ) than oval (as in A. mastigophora, Wesołowska & Russell-Smith 2011 : fig. 223). Paturons and femora slightly longer than the carapace length in A. mastigophora ( Wesołowska & Russell-Smith 2011: fig. 223), whereas in A. pajakwandy sp. nov. they are slightly shorter than the carapace. Size of RTA in A. pajakwandy sp. nov. significantly larger, and branches are more pronounced than in that of A. mastigophora . DTA large, blunt, and bent towards the bifid RTA as seen from the dorsal side, whereas small, conical, and pointing outwards in A. mastigophora .

Female: Unknown.

Etymology. The species epithet is two nouns “pająk Wandy” (Wanda’s spider) in apposition, named in honor to Wanda Wesołowska, acknowledging her extraordinary contribution to Afrotropical jumping spider and thiratoscirtine taxonomy.

Description. Male (CAS, CASENT 9050586). Carapace length 2.05; abdomen length 2.14; femur III 1.65; patella + tibia III 1.70; femur IV 1.7; patella + tibia IV 1.75. Carapace dark brown, with white, yellow and red hairs in thoracic area ( Fig. 7 ). Fovea short, tegument light brown around it. Ocular area light brown, black around eyes. Carapace margin below clypeus low, dark brown, with row of white setae ( Figs 5–6 ). Chelicerae slightly elongated (less than half of carapace length), dark brown, with single unident retromarginal tooth. Palp dark brown. Embolus very long, wrapped twice around bulb ( Figs 1–3 , 10–12 ); sclerites fused, covered by opaque top. Pale opaque lobe present in 7–8 o’clock position ( Fig. 2 arrowed). Legs yellowish-brown, with darker rings on ends of segments. First tibia with 4 pairs of ventral macrosetae and 2 pairs of prolateral macrosetae. Abdomen in alcohol yellowish-brown; pale darker markings on dorsum appear as 2 pairs of spots and folium-like pattern.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality in Uganda.

Figures

FIGURES 1–6. Ajaraneola pajakwandy sp. nov. (male holotype). 1–4 Palp, prolateral, ventral, retrolateral and dorsal views. 5–6 Habitus, fronto-lateral and frontal views. Scale bars = 0.4 mm (1–4), 1.0 mm (5–6).

FIGURES 7–12. Ajaraneola pajakwandy sp. nov. (male holotype). 7–9 Habitus, dorsal, lateral, ventral views. 10–12 Palp drawings, ventral, retrolateral and dorsal views. Scale bars = 1.0 mm (7–9), 0.4 mm (10–12).