Xevioso, Lehtinen, 1967

Pett, Brogan L. & Jocqué, Rudy, 2020, Description of two new species of Xevioso (Araneae: Phyxelididae) from Southern Africa, with the northernmost localities for the genus, European Journal of Taxonomy 636, pp. 1-18 : 13-15

Key to the species of Xevioso (modified from Griswold 1990)

Note: figures denoted ‘*fig.’ refer to figures in Griswold (1990).

1. Males ................................................................................................................................................. 2 – Females ........................................................................................................................................... 12

2. Metatarsus I without dorsomedian projection .................................................................................. 3 – Metatarsus I with dorsomedian projection (*figs 33, 44) ................................................................. 5

3. Tegulum (*fig. 34a) divided into basal lobe and projecting TA3; TA 1 present; apex of EBS simple ............................................................................................................. X. orthomeles Griswold, 1990 – Tegulum (*fig. 46a) simple, without basal lobe, TA3 not protruding; TA1 absent; apex of EBS tripartite ............................................................................................................................................. 4

4. Modification of Mt I subtle, hardly discernable ( Fig. 4D ); TA3 with two sharp prongs ( Figs 1 C–D, 3A–B), dorsal apophysis of palpal tibia axe-shaped, delimiting rounded invagination with narrow opening ( Figs 1C , 3 B–C, 4A) .................................................................................... X. cepfi sp. nov.

– Mt I clearly narrowed in center ( Fig. 4E ); TA3 with blunt prongs; dorsal apophysis of palpal tibia sinuous, delimiting oval invagination with broad opening ( Fig. 4B ) ....... X. jocquei Griswold, 1990

5. Tegulum ( Figs 6D , 7A ) simple, without basal lobe, TA3 not protruding; apex of EBS tripartite): apophysis of palpal tibia sinuous ( Figs 4C , 7 B–C) delimiting oval invagination with broad opening ................................................................................................................. X. megcummingae sp. nov. – Tegulum (*fig. 34a) divided into basal lobe and projecting TA3 .................................................... 6

6. Palpal tibia with no more than 1 elongate apical process, DA unmodified; embolic spiral much narrower than width of cymbium; conductor without hook; metatarsus I with 1 distinct dorsal process .............................................................................................................................................. 7

– Palpal tibia with 2 widely separated processes (*fig. 37b): an elongate DA and acutely pointed median D process; embolus a broad spiral covering width of cymbium (*fig. 37a); conductor with proximal median hook; metatarsus I with 2 distinct dorsal processes (*fig. 33a) .............................. .............................................................................................................. X. zuluana (Lawrence, 1939)

7. Metatarsus I with an acute dorsal spur (*fig. 40a–d); palpal tibia with DAS produced into a long, sharp point (*fig. 41b); embolus making less than 1 full turn ......................................................... 8

– Metatarsus I dorsal projection broad and triangular; palpal tibia with DA rounded and unmodified (*fig. 29c); embolus making more than 1 full turn (*fig. 29b) ......................................................... 9

8. Palpal tibia with hyaline D reduced to a vestige or lost, DAS extending far beyond margin of hyaline D (*fig. 39b); TA3a very long, pointed (*fig. 39c); TA 1 present, slender; proximal margin of conductor transverse, unmodified (*fig. 39a); metatarsus I with fine spinules ....... X. aululata Griswold, 1990

– Palpal tibia with hyaline D extending for full length of DA, reaching apex of DAS; TA3a short, conical (*fig. 41c); TA1 absent; proximal margin of conductor with an acute, proximad-directed flange (*fig. 41a); metatarsus I with stout spinules ................................ X. colobata Griswold, 1990

9. Palpal tibia with hyaline D broad, margin gently curved or angled (*fig. 45b); apex of EBS bifid (*fig. 42a); embolus with lamella for much of length (*fig. 45a); TAI slender and elongate (*fig. 42c) ....................................................................................................................................... 10

– Palpal tibia with hyaline D having a slender median flange (Df) projecting distally (*figs 29c, 32b); apex of EBS simple (*fig. 29b); embolus with lamella only at base; TA 1 broad (*figs 29e, 32a) ...11

10. Conductor with acute proximal flange (*fig. 45c); palpal tibia with hyaline D angled (*fig. 45b) .... .................................................................................................................... X. kulufa Griswold, 1990 – Conductor without proximal projection (*fig. 42c); palpal tibia with hyaline D evenly curved (*fig. 42b) .......................................................................................... X. lichmadina Griswold, 1990

11. Tegulum with TA3a broad, short, conical, apex bifid (*figs 32a, c) ................................................... ........................................................................................................ X. tuberculata (Lawrence, 1939)

– Tegulum with TA3a narrow, elongate, apex acutely pointed (*figs 36a, c) ........................................ ..................................................................................................................... X. amica Griswold, 1990

12. Ratio of PML length to width greater than 1 .................................................................................. 13 – Ratio of PML length to width less than 1 ....................................................................................... 14

13. Ratio of PML length to width greater than 2 (*fig. 43a) ................... X. lichmadina Griswold, 1990 – Ratio of PML length to width less than 2 (*fig. 43b) ................................ X. kulufa Griswold, 1990

14. Epigynum simple, without paired lobes or secondary depressions; copulatory duct small, straight or curved and horn shaped .................................................................................................................. 15

– Epigynum with paired raised median lobes and shallow paired anterior depressions; copulatory duct very large, spherical, length nearly equal to that of spermathecal capsule (*fig. 38b) ....................... .............................................................................................................. X. zuluana (Lawrence, 1939)

15. Epigynum flat to convex, with lateral margins of PML curved outward posteriorly; spermathecae with spiral duct ............................................................................................................................... 16

– Epigynum with transverse median ridge, lateral margins of PML straight; spermathecae with simple spherical chamber (*figs 12d, 38c) ......................................................... X. aulutata Griswold, 1990

16. Copulatory duct large, hornlike, expanded proximally .................................................................. 17 – Copulatory duct small, ringlike ...................................................................................................... 19

17. Diameter of copulatory duct much greater than that of spiral spermathecal chamber (*fig. 35e) ...... ..................................................................................................................... X. amica Griswold, 1990 – Diameter of copulatory duct about equal to that of spiral spermathecal chamber ......................... 18

18. Spiral spermathecal chamber almost touching medially with anterior bulbus spherical spermathecae ( Fig. 6 F–G). CO far apart ....................................................................... X. megcummingae sp. nov.

– Spiral spermathecal chamber not close to touching medially, without bulbus spherical spermathecae head (*fig. 35d) ................................................................................... X. orthomeles Griswold, 1990

19. Spermathecal chamber with 4-5 turns, copulatory duct small and thin (*fig.39f) ............................. ........................................................................................................ X. tuberculata (Lawrence, 1939)

– Epigyne with copulatory opening with distinct sinuation posteriorly ( Fig. 5A ). Spermathecal chamber with 3 turns ( Fig. 5C ), copulatory duct expanding widely, wider than spermathecae ( Fig. 5 B–C) ... .................................................................................................................................... X. cepfi sp. nov.

Figures

Fig. 4. A, D. Xevioso cepfi sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (RMCA_ARA_245493). B, E. Xevioso jocquei Griswold, 1990, holotype, ♂ (RMCA_ARA_156494). C. Xevioso megcummingae sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (RMCA_ ARA_236654). A–C. Palpal tibia, dorsal view. D–E. Mt I, dorsal view. Scale bars: A = 200 μm; B–C = 100 μm; D–E = 0.5 mm.

Fig. 1. Xevioso cepfi sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (RMCA_ARA_245493). A. Habitus, ventral view. B. Habitus, dorsal view. C. Palp, retrolateral view. D. Palp, ventral view. Scale bars: A–B = 1 mm; C–D = 200 μm.

Fig. 3. Xevioso cepfi sp. nov., holotype, ♂ (RMCA_ARA_245493). A. Palp, ventral view. B. Palp, retrolateral view. C. Palpal tibia, dorsal view. Abbreviations: EBS = basal embolic sclerite; E = embolus; CL = lateral ridge of conductor; TA2, TA3, TA4 = tegular apophyses 2, 3 and 4. Scale bars = 200 μm.

Fig. 6. Xevioso megcummingae sp. nov. A–E. Male holotype (RMCA_ARA_236654). F–G. Male paratype (RMCA_ARA_236655). A. Male habitus, dorsal view. B. MtI, prolateral view. C. MtI, retrolateral view. D. Palp, ventral view. E. Palp, retrolateral view. F. Epigyne, ventral view. G. Epigyne, dorsal view. Scale bars: A = 1 mm; B–C = 0.5 mm; D–E = 200 μm; F–G = 100 μm.

Fig. 7. Xevioso megcummingae sp. nov. A–C. Holotype, ♂ (RMCA_ARA_236654). D. Paratype, ♀ (RMCA_ARA_236655). A. Palp, ventral view. B. Palp, lateral view. C. Palp, dorsal view. D. Epigyne, ventral view. Abbreviations: EBS = basal embolic sclerite; E = embolus; CL = lateral ridge of conductor; TA3, TA4 = tegular apophyses 3 and 4. Scale bars: A–C = 500 μm; D = 100 μm.

Fig. 5. Xevioso cepfi sp. nov., ♀, paratype (RMCA_ARA_245496), epigyne. A–B. Ventral view. C. Cleared, ventral view. D. Cleared, dorsal view. Abbreviations: CO = copulatory opening; PC = posterior chamber; PML = posterior median lobe. Scale bars = 200 μm.