Crinopseudoa kru Pett & Jocqué, 2024

Pett, Brogan L., Pashkevich, Michael D., Freeman, Benedictus, Timperley, Jonathan H. & Jocqué, Rudy, 2024, Four new species of Crinopseudoa (Araneae: Corinnidae) from West Africa, Zootaxa 5523 (1), pp. 70-82 : 73-75

Crinopseudoa kru Pett & Jocqué sp. nov.

Figures 2 , 3

Type material. Holotype: ♀: LIBERIA: Sinoe County, 05°07’N, 09°05’W, 2 February 2023, leg. J. Timperley & A. Vincent (LIB_ CAM _ BINCO _0001)

Paratypes: 1♂: LIBERIA: Sinoe County, 05°20’N, 09°01’W, 11 February 2023, J. Timperley & A. Vincent leg, (LIB_ CAM _ BINCO _0002) ; 1♀: Sinoe County, 05°05’N, 08°50’W, 21 January 2023, leg. J. Timperley & B. Geninyan (LIB_ CAM _ BINCO _0003) .

Diagnosis. Crinopseudoa kru sp. nov. males are closest to those of C. bongella Jocqué & Bosselaers, 2011 in sharing a moderate spine-like RTA and a relatively large cup-shaped MA ( Fig. 2E, F ; Jocqué & Bosselaers 2011, fig. 50A, B). Males of the new species are distinguished by: (i) RTA completely smooth without excrescences (vs. with an apical ventral excrescence), (ii) proximal part of the tegulum rounded, moderately well projected ventrad (vs. not projected ventrad), (iii) PTA absent (vs. present) and (iv) PAPT projected at 10 o’clock position (vs. larger and directed at 3 o’clock position) ( Fig. 2C–F ). Females share a posteriorly projected epigynal lip with only C. billeni Jocqué & Bosselaers, 2011 . Females of the new species are distinguished from congeners by the posterior margin with a small, triangular, posteriorly projected lip without a concavity (vs. broad-lipped margin with a large central concavity) and the ST about twice as wide as long ( Fig. 3C, D ; vs. roughly as wide as long, Jocqué & Bosselaers 2011, figs 48E, 59A).

Etymology. The specific epithet honours the “Kru” indigenous people who predominate in the Sinoe region; to be treated as a noun in apposition.

Description. Male (holotype; LIB_CAM_BINCO_0001). TL 3.53, CL 1.72, CW 1.60, SL 0.96, SW 0.96, AL 1.81, AW 1.23. Carapace chestnut brown with black mottling, network of small warts feint, fovea narrow but distinct. Sternum smooth, light, concolorous with coxae and epigastric region. Legs orange-brown, with darker patches in distal halves of femora. Abdomen feint greyish with small pale patch at posterior margin, orange-brown dorsal scutum covering about half of abdomen ( Fig. 2A, B ). Pedipalp: RTA moderately short and thumb-like, with rounded tip, excrescence absent, except a minute kink in prolateral edge visible under high magnification in ventral view, RTA directed anteriorly and almost straight in ventral view. PTA very small, rounded and projected at 10 o’clock position, RAPT and CAPT both projected a short way from tegulum and around the same level, both with narrow rounded tips, PAPT triangular, short and with rounded prolateral corner. Embolus broad basally before short sickle-shaped apex that is approximately ¼ distance from apex of bulb, FC longer and narrow, reaching apex of MA. MA quite large and circular in ventral view, cup shaped in lateral view ( Fig. 2C–F ). Leg spination: I: F- d1 pl1, Ti- v7-6, Mt- v4-4. II: F- d1, Ti- v6-6, Mt- v4-4. III: F- d2, Ti- d, v1-1, Mt-, v2-2. IV: F- d2, Ti- d2-2, v1-1, Mt- d1-1-1, v2-2.

Female (LIB_CAM_BINCO_0003). TL 4.20, CL 1.72, CW 1.58, SL 0.88, SW 0.91, AL 2.48, AW 1.63. Carapace reddish-brown with black mottling corresponding to small wart network. Eyes ringed with black, especially posterior and between AME, and between LE. Sternum smooth and yellowish-brown. Legs orangish brown, with very dark brown anterior halves of femora. Abdomen entirely greyish ( Fig. 3A & B ). Epigyne: Twice wider than long, ST visible through integument as broad kidney bean shapes. Small posterior lip slightly projected over post- epigastric furrow ( Figs 3C–F ). Leg spination: I: F- d1 pl1, v1-1, Ti- v7-7, Mt- v4-4. II: F- d1, Ti- v6-6, Mt- v4-4. III: F- d2, Ti- d1-1, v1-1, Mt- d1-1, v2-2. IV: F- d2, Ti- d2-1-2, v1-1, Mt- d1-1-1, v2-2. Note: right leg II missing.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Crinopseudoa kru sp. nov. Holotype male LIB_CAM_BINCO_0001. A. Habitus, dorsal. B. idem, ventral. C, D. Male palp, retrolateral view. E, F. Male palp, ventral view. Scale bars: A: 2 mm; B: 1 mm; C–F: 0.2 mm.

FIGURE 3. Crinopseudoa kru sp. nov. Paratype female LIB_CAM_BINCO_0003. A. Habitus, dorsal. B. idem, ventral. C, D. Epigyne. E, F. Epigyne cleared: E. Dorsal. F. Ventral. Scale bars: A, B: 1 mm; C–F: 0.1 mm.