A revision of the crab spider genus Heriaeus Simon, 1875 (Araneae: Thomisidae) in the Afrotropical Region Author Niekerk, P. van Author Dippenaar-Schoeman, A. S. text African Invertebrates 2013 2013-11-14 54 2 447 447 http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5733/afin.054.0213 journal article 10.5733/afin.054.0213 2305-2562 7918661 Heriaeus copricola sp. n. Figs 4 , 22–25 , 59 Etymology: From Latin copros (dung) and colere (to dwell in). The species name was suggested by Dr R.F. Lawrence ( in litt .), who marked the type specimens as being a new species but did not publish its description. Diagnosis: The species is recognized by the combination of long, slender, blunt abdominal setae and the epigyne having a shallow hood over a small round opening ( Fig. 24 ), with the internal organs visible as two light brown kidney-shaped structures below the hood ( Fig. 24 ). The embolus of the male palp is short, winding less than once around tegulum, with the tip slender and straight; VTA broad ( Fig. 23 ); RTA with short distal tooth when viewed laterally ( Fig. 22 ). The male palp resembles that of H. zanii sp. n. ( Fig. 53 ) but differs in the shape of the RTA, having a single tooth and the uniquely shaped abdominal setae ( Fig. 4 ). Figs 22–29. (22–25) Heriaeus copricola sp. n. : (22) male palp, ventral view; (23) male palp, lateral view; (24) epigyne, ventral view; (25) epigyne, dorsal view; (26–29) Heriaeus crassispinus Lawrence, 1942 : (26) male palp, ventral view; (27) male palp, lateral view; (28) epigyne, ventral view; (29) epigyne, dorsal view. Description: Female ( allotype ). Size : TL 4.88, CL 2.31, CW 2.04. Colour : Carapace with two longitudinal brown bands extending to PEs; setae brown; clypeus w ith brown marks; sternum white along edge; chelicerae yellow-brown; eye region white. Abdomen beige, mottled with white, with faint transverse lines posteriorly as well as a number of dark brown markings; venter white with fine hairs, with some brown spots laterally. Legs beige with brown spot on proximal end of tibiae and distal ends of metatarsi III and IV; some white mottling on coxae. Carapace : Eye measurements : AME–AME 0.14, ALE–AME 0.30, PME–PME 0.22, PLE–PME 0.31, AME–PME 0.24, MOQL AME–PME 0.31, MOQAW AME– AME 0.36, MOQPW PME–PME 0.28. Leg measurements : leg I Fe 1.89, Pat 1.04, Tib 1.76, Mt 1.80,Ta 0.51, total 7.0; leg II Fe 1,50, Pat 0.82, Tib 1.23, Mt 1.23, Ta 0.36, total 5.14; leg III Fe 0.92, Pat 0.59, Tib 0.74, Mt 0.74, Ta 0.55, total 3.54; leg IV Fe 1.37, Pat 0.41, Tib 0.94, Mt 0.76, Ta 0.48, total 3.96. Abdomen : Oval, truncated anteriorly, with long slender either transparent or pale brown setae with blunt tips; darker brown setae along lateral edge of dorsum. Epigyne : Hood shallow with small round opening, internal organs visible as two pale brown kidney-shaped structures, touching anteriorly and narrower posteriorly ( Fig. 24 ); copulatory ducts large and bulbous anteriorly, tubular posteriorly ( Fig. 25 ). Male ( holotype ). Size : TL 3.88, CL 1.89, CW 1.70. Colour : Carapace with two longitudinal brown bands extending to PEs and into eye region; setae brown ( Fig. 4 ); chelicerae yellow-brown; clypeus with brown marks; eye region white. Abdomen brown, mottled with white; laterally with some brown marks; setae on abdomen dark brown with dark spots at their bases laterally; venter white, covered with fine hairs. Legs yellow­brown, with white spot on each coxa. Carapace : Eye measurements : AME–AME 0.23, ALE–AME 0.53, PME–PME 0.23, PLE–PME 0.30, AME–PME 0.21, MOQL AME–PME 0.29, MOQAW AME–AME 0.28, MOQPW PME–PME 0.29. Leg measurements : leg I Fe 2.69, Pat 0.76, Tib 2.23, Mt 2.17, Ta 1.06, total 8.91; leg II Fe 2.26, Pat 0.64, Tib 1.76, Mt 1.56, Ta 0.99, total 7.21; leg III Fe 1.31, Pat 0.44, Tib 1.02, Mt 0.71, Ta 0.58, total 4.06; leg IV Fe 1.62, Pat 0.37, Tib 0.97, Mt 0.87, Ta 0.54, total 4.37. Abdomen : Oval, truncated anteriorly, but narrower than that of female. Male palp : Embolus short, winding less than once around tegulum; embolus tip slender and straight ( Fig. 22 ); VTA short, somewhat flattened but variable in shape; RTA broad anteriorly, ending in short distal tooth viewed laterally ( Fig. 23 ). Juveniles. Recognized by long and blunt setae. Holotype : ♂ SOUTH AFRICA : KwaZulu­Natal : Pietermaritzburg ( 29.60°S 30.38°E ), xi.1942 , R.F. Lawrence ( NMSA 3844 a). Allotype : 1♀ same data as holotype ( NMSA 3844 b). Paratypes : SOUTH AFRICA : Gauteng : 1♂ Krugersdorp ( 26.09°S 27.78°E ), 2.xii.2003 , H. Roux , pitfall trap ( NCA 2009 /1552) ; 1♀ 1♂ Krugersdorp , Magaliesberg , Farm Nooitgedacht , 4171Q ( 25.88°S 27.52°E ), 2.xii.2003 , H. Roux , pitfall trap , grassland ( NCA 2010 /2877) . KwaZulu­Natal : 3♀ Pietermaritzburg , Scottsville ( 29.60°S 30.40°E ), x.1943 , R.F. Lawrence ( NMSA 3906 ) . Limpop o : 1♀ 1♂ Polokwane Nat. Res. ( 23.9°S 29.47°E ), 8.xii.2005 , T. Khoza & M. Madiba , hand sampling, false grassland ( NCA 2008 /1792) . Distribution: South Africa ( Gauteng , KwaZulu­Natal and Limpopo ) ( Fig. 59 ). Natural history: Most specimens were collected with pitfall traps in grassland and savanna. Adult females were collected in October and December, and males during November and December.