A revision of the endemic South African spider genus Austrachelas, with its transfer to the Gallieniellidae (Arachnida: Araneae)
Author
Haddad, Charles R.
Author
Lyle, Robin
Author
Bosselaers, Jan
Author
Ramirez, Martin J.
text
Zootaxa
2009
2296
1
38
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.191594
6f65b06c-5600-4172-9ee2-854f09ef4455
1175-5326
191594
Austrachelas sexoculata
n. sp.
(
Figs 13
,
76, 77
)
Diagnosis
. This species is unique in the genus by the reduction and absence of the anterior median eyes.
Etymology
. This species is named for the Latin “
sex
” (six) and “
ocularis
” (eyes), and reflects the presence of only six eyes and the absence of the anterior median eyes.
Male. Measurements:
CL 4.43, CW 3.05, FL 0.45, AL 4.35, AW 2.50, SL 2.40, SW 1.60, TL 9.15, ALE–ALE 0.32, PME–PME 0.07, PME–PLE 0.12, PLE–PLE 0.58.
Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 3.20 + 1.75 + 2.30 + 1.80 + 1.05 = 10.10; II 3.00 + 1.70 + 2.18 + 1.70 + 0.95 = 9.53; III 2.55 + 1.28 + 1.48 + 1.82 + 0.92 = 8.05; IV 3.43 + 1.70 + 2.43 + 3.00 + 1.12 = 11.68.
Carapace deep red, paler along midline (
Fig. 13
); AME absent, ALE large, separated by distance equal to 1½ times their diameter; clypeus height equal to 1¼ times ALE diameter; PER straight, laterals larger than medians; PME separated by distance equal to ¾ their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 1½ times PME diameter. Chelicerae deep red-brown, anterior margin with coarse ridges; promargin with three teeth, proximal and median teeth larger, subequal in size, closer to each other than to distal tooth; retromargin with single small denticle close to fang base. Legs all orange-brown, paler distally. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1 do 1, II pl 1 do 1, III pl 1 do 2 rl 1, IV do 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I & II spineless, strongly scopulate, III & IV scopulate in distal half, III pl 6 rl 4 plv 1 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 5 rl 5 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 1. Abdomen dark grey dorsally (
Fig. 13
), cream laterally and ventrally; dorsum and venter lacking scutum or other sclerites. Palpal tibia with spoon-shaped prolateral ventral apophysis and simple triangular retrolateral apophysis; median tegular apophysis broad, hook-like; embolus arc-shaped, with small tooth-like projections prolaterally and retrolaterally on distal margin of embolus (
Figs 76, 77
); palpal spination: femora do 2.
FIGURES 76–81.
Genitalic morphology of
Austrachelas
species. (76–77)
A. sexoculata
n. sp.
: male palp, ventral view (76), retrolateral view (77); (78–81)
A. wassenaari
n. sp.
: female epigyne, ventral view (78), dorsal view (79), male palp, ventral view (80), retrolateral view (81). Scale bars = 0.1mm.
Female
: unknown.
Type
material
:
Holotype
3:
SOUTH AFRICA
:
Eastern Cape Province
, East London [
33°02'S
,
27°55'E
],
V.1916
, Dr Rattray (
AMG
).
Distribution
. Known only from the
type
locality (
Fig. 82
).