Diphya wesolowskae, Omelko & Marusik & Lyle, 2020

Omelko, Mikhail M., Marusik, Yuri M. & Lyle, Robin, 2020, A survey of Diphya Nicolet, 1849 (Araneae: Tetragnathidae) from South Africa, Zootaxa 4899 (1), pp. 259-279 : 273-278

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4899.1.14

publication LSID

lsid:zoobank.org:pub:1CD410D3-F192-46D0-8BF2-A6E977BEFA33

DOI

https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4450173

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/907487F3-4408-3C29-FF5D-4D32E7A4FE55

treatment provided by

Plazi

scientific name

Diphya wesolowskae
status

sp. nov.

Diphya wesolowskae View in CoL sp. nov.

Figures 1 View FIGURE 1 A–B, 2A, H, 3A–D, 4D, 5D, 6A, 7A, D, 8B, 9C, F–H, 10A–E, 11D, 13H–J

Etymology. The specific name is a matronym in honor of Wanda Wesołowska (Wrocław, Poland) for her contributions to taxonomic studies of African Salticidae and on the occasion of her 70 th birthday celebration.

Diagnosis. The new species can be easily distinguished from the widely distributed D. simoni by the lack of a carapace pattern. Males of D. wesolowskae sp. nov. can be distinguished from other congeners by the relatively long palpal femur (cf. Figs 7 View FIGURE 7 A–D, 8B), distinctly longer than cymbium, the roundly bent and sharply pointed dorsal cymbial process (in lateral view), and the tip of the conductor bent ventrally (vs. not bent, or bent anteriorly). Females of the new species are most similar to those of D. foordi sp. nov., and differ by wider septal stem (ca. 1/3 of septal base width vs. ca. 1/5).

Description. Male (Holotype, NCA 2015/1557). TL 2.8, CL 1.61, CW 1.19. Carapace brown or dark brown, with poorly visible yellow to brown longitudinal band; carapace edges in posterior half with thin yellow lines. Ocular area black; clypeus yellowish, somewhat higher than AME diameter. Chelicerae and mouthparts dark brown; chelicerae with 3 promarginal and 4 retromarginal teeth. Sternum brown, with blackish edges and longitudinal stripe. Femora I–II uniformly light brown; III–IV darker brown dorsally. Patellae I–III brown; IV slightly darker brown. Tibiae yellow, somewhat darker distally; tibiae III–IV darker than I–II. Metatarsi I–II dark yellow; III–IV yellow, gray dorsally. Tarsi I–II dark yellow, III–IV yellow. Abdomen dorsally brown or dark brown, with pair of large black spots anteriorly (two males with lighter abdomen and indistinct pattern consisting of spots and lines), surrounded by white guanine line. Lateral sides grayish (blackish at rear parts), with thin longitudinal yellow stripes. Ventrally dark gray, surrounded by yellowish spots.

Palp and leg segment lengths

Spination of legs I–II

Mt I–II and upper parts Ti I–II with row of prolateral spines.

Palp as in Figs 7A, D View FIGURE 7 , 8B View FIGURE 8 , 9C, F View FIGURE 9 , G–H; tibia long, 4 times longer than wide, ca. 1.2 longer than cymbium; tibia long, almost 1/2 of femur length; cymbium with long dorsal process, appearing as sharply pointed in lateral view ( Fig. 8B View FIGURE 8 ), but rounded in anterior view ( Fig. 9F View FIGURE 9 ); conductor well sclerotized, with tip bent ventrally; embolus and embolic loop relatively short, loop as long as dorsal cymbial process.

Female (Paratype, NCA 2014/3607). TL 3.17. CL 1.60, CW 1.17. Carapace dark brown, with yellow-brown longitudinal band; edge of carapace with very thin yellow line in its rear half. Ocular area dark brown. Clypeus dark brown, lower than AME diameter. Chelicerae and mouthparts brown. Chelicerae with 3 promarginal and 3 retromarginal teeth. Sternum dark brown, with dark edges and longitudinal stripe. Femora light brown. Patellae light brown; III–IV darker than I–II. Tibiae light brown; III–IV darker dorsally. Metatarsi and tarsi light brown; III–IV darker than I–II.Abdomen dorsally light brown, with number of guanine spots, couple of large black spots and several pairs of stripes. Lateral sides dark gray, with yellow spots and stripes. Ventrally grayish.

Palp and leg segment lengths

Spination of legs I–II

Mt I–II and upper parts Ti I–II with row of prolateral spines.

Epigyne as in Figs 11D View FIGURE 11 , 13 View FIGURE 13 H–J; epigynal plate wider than long, with transversal septal base; septum with short and broad stem (ca. 1/3 of septal base width), septum lacking distinct pockets; receptacle elongate-oval, 2 times longer than wide, converging anteriorly, spaced (not touching each other).

Type material. Holotype ♁: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Baynesfield , 29°40.620’S, 29°55.320’E, leg. I. Yekwayo, 1.V.2014 (grassland, midlands, pit trap) ( NCA 2015 /1557). GoogleMaps

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: KwaZulu-Natal: Cathedral Peak, 28°56.4’S, 29°11.4’E, leg. C. Uys, 6.I.2005 (grassland, active search), 1♀ ( NCA 2014 /3908); GoogleMaps Injasuthi Forest, leg. C. Uys, 22.VI.2004 (active), 1♀ ( NCA 2014 /3915); GoogleMaps Injasuti Nature Reserve , 29°07.2’S, 29°13.2’E, leg. C. Uys, 22.VI.2004 (forest, active search), 1♁ ( NCA 2014 /3914); GoogleMaps Same locality and collector, 21.IX.2004, 1♁ ( NCA 2016 /1670); GoogleMaps Same locality and collector, 22.VI.2004, 1♀ ( NCA 2014 /3607); GoogleMaps Ithala Game Reserve , Ntshodwe Camp, 27°32.699’S 31°16.911’E, leg. C. Haddad & Z. Mbo, 27.I.2014 (short forest, sifting leaf litter), 1♀ ( NCA 2013 /4945); GoogleMaps Royal Natal National Park , 28°43.8’S, 28°55.2’E, leg. C. Uys, 15.I.2005 (grassland, active search), 1♁ ( NCA 2014 /3902) GoogleMaps . Limpopo: Entabeni Forest, 23°00’S, 30°13.8’E, leg. J. Horn, 17.I.2002 (forest, sweepnet), 1♀ ( NCA 2010 /3451); GoogleMaps Same locality, leg. C. Schoeman, 3.XII.2012 (pit trap), 1♁ ( NCA 2014 /3336); GoogleMaps Entabeni Nature Reserve , 22°59.518’S, 30°15.422’E, leg. S. Foord, 11.II.2008 (grassveld/plantation, sweepnet), 1♁ ( NCA 2010 /1948); GoogleMaps Grootbosch Forest , 23°43.8’S, 30°01.8’E, leg. J. Horn, 22.X.2001 (forest, sweepnet), 1♁ ( NCA 2010 /3949); GoogleMaps Same locality and collector, 9.I.2002, 1♁ 1♀ ( NCA 2010 /3455); GoogleMaps Same locality and collector, 14.XI.2001, 1♀ ( NCA 2010 /3947); GoogleMaps Same locality and collector, 9.I.2002, 1♀ ( NCA 2010 /3456); GoogleMaps Lajuma Mountain Retreat , 23°02.280’S, 29°26.520’E, leg. AFRAS members, 6.II.2008 (hand collecting), 1♁ ( NCA AcAT 2008/3346); GoogleMaps Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve , Farm The Downs, 24°08.4’S, 30°18.6’E, leg. V. Gelebe, 18.I.2009 (grassland, tall forest, active search below knee), 1♁ ( NCA 2013 /1401); GoogleMaps Same locality, 24°08.294’S, 30°11.759’E, leg. V. Gelebe (tall forest with grassland, below the knee), 1♀ ( NCA 2015 /3712); GoogleMaps Same locality and collector, 11.II.2008 (forest, pit trap), 1♁ ( NCA 2009 /1292) GoogleMaps .

Distribution. This species is known from the eastern parts of South Africa only, and has been found in the KwaZulu-Natal and Limpopo Provinces ( Fig 14 View FIGURE 14 ).

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Arthropoda

Class

Arachnida

Order

Araneae

Family

Tetragnathidae

Genus

Diphya

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