An integrative taxonomy of the genus Stasimopus Simon 1892 (Araneae: Mygalomorphae) of the Karoo with the description of nine new species and a Stasimopus maraisi Hewitt 1914 male
Author
Brandt, Shannon
0000-0002-6435-9333
Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa shannon. brandt @ tuks. co. za; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 6435 - 9333 https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 1578 - 0973
shannon.brandt@tuks.co.za
Author
Sole, Catherine
0000-0002-6435-9333
Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, Pretoria, South Africa shannon. brandt @ tuks. co. za; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 6435 - 9333 https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 1578 - 0973
shannon.brandt@tuks.co.za
Author
Lyle, Robin
0000-0002-5279-5306
Agricultural Research Council - Plant Health and Protection, Biosystematics, Roodeplaat, Pretoria, South Africa LyleR @ arc. agric. za; https: // orcid. org / 0000 - 0002 - 5279 - 5306 * Corresponding authors
text
Zootaxa
2023
2023-09-05
5341
1
1
60
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5341.1.1
journal article
265960
10.11646/zootaxa.5341.1.1
94a062b7-8464-4568-ac3b-5a259cb5fa50
1175-5334
8323744
8EFAFE67-8C74-46D4-A4F7-966822C8DEBC
Stasimopus maraisi
Hewitt, 1927: 424
(Dm)
(
Figures 6D
,
12A
,
13C
,
29
,
30
)
Type material:
Holotype
Ô
SOUTH AFRICA
:
Northern Cape Province
, Victoria West, no collection date,
H. James
, (AMGS-5367).
Etymology:
The specific epithet is a Latin adjective ‘malè sociatus’ taken in apposition meaning mismatched. This is in reference to this specimen being incorrectly assigned as the
allotype
to the previously described species
Stasimopus maraisi
.
FIGURE 29.
Male of
Stasimopus malesociatus
sp. nov.
(AMGS-5367). (A) Pedipalp tibia, bulb, retrolateral aspect. (B) Pedipalp tibia, bulb, prolateral aspect. (C) Pedipalpal bulb, ventral aspect. (D) Sternum with fused labium and visible sigilla (as shown by the arrows). (E) Leg I tibia, metatarsus, tarsus. Ventral aspect. (F) Leg IV metatarsus. Ventral aspect. Scale: 1mm.
Diagnosis:
The males of
S. malesociatus
sp. nov.
are distinguishable from other members of the genus occurring in the Karoo based on the following combination of characters. It is differentiated from
S. astutus
,
S. erythrognathus
,
S. schrieneri
,
S. finni
sp. nov.
and
S. maraisi
by the AME being the largest eye. It is distinguished from
S. ignis
as PLE is the smallest eye. The species is distinguished from
S. patersonae
,
S. karooensis
sp. nov.
,
S. dylani
sp. nov.
and
S. palpiger
as
S. malesociatus
sp. nov.
only has 3 cheliceral teeth in the inner row, whereas the others have 4. The metatarsus of legs I and II are less spinous than
S. steynsbergensis
.
Description:
Ô: Originally described in
Hewitt 1927
pg. 425–426. Additional description is given below.
Remarks:
The specimen is in poor condition with various limbs severed or damaged. The spination patterns may be inaccurate due to the removal of a hard clay-like substance.
General:
Ô: (
Fig 6D
) Medium bodied spider, 9.09 total length.
Carapace:
Ô: Carapace length 4.93; width 4.61. Reddish orange colouration, thoracic region with rugose texture. Fovea procurved,
0.77 in
length.
Ocelli:
Ô: (
Fig 12A
) AME diameter 0.23, PME diameter 0.13, MOQ anterior width 1.21, MOQ posterior width 1.68; AME-AME 0.20, AME-ALE 0.12, ALE-ALE 0.87, PME-PME 0.77, PME-PLE 0.16, PLE-PLE 1.29; AER slightly recurved, PER recurved.
Chelicerae:
Ô: (
Fig 13C
) Two teeth rows present, 3 teeth in proventral row,
4 in
retroventral row; 4–5 cuspules in between.
Sternum, labium and maxillae:
Ô: (
Fig 29D
) Sternum length 2.77; sternum width 2.65. Sternum shape has distinct impressions of where the coxa are situated. Sigilla in the shape of a fused arrow, distal end fused, proximal ends 1.0 apart; cuspules on labium absent; maxilla absent.
Abdomen:
Ô: Abdomen length 4.16; width 3.48. Mottled brownish red colouration.
Pedipalps:
Ô: (
Figs 29A–C
) Total length 13.48; Segment lengths 1.39, 4.37, 3.18, -, 4.54. Spination: spines absent. Bulb elliptical, embolus with broad base, tapering into sharp point, curving distally.
FIGURE 30.
Map of the locality where the
Stasimopus malesociatus
sp. nov.
specimen was collected. Map created in QGIS version 3.4.8-Madeira (2019), available at: http://qgis.osgeo.org.
Legs:
Ô: Length order: undetermined. I Total length undetermined; Segment lengths -, -, -, 4.78, 1.98; Spination: spines absent on femur, with sparse setae. Metatarsus
v
(
Fig 29E
)- 13 large spines. Tarsus
v
- scopulate. II Total length 18.31; Segment lengths 5.63, 2.55, 3.96, 4.15, 2.02; Spination: spines absent on femur, with sparse setae. Patella
v
- 1 large spine. Tibia
v
- 12–14 large spines. Metatarsus
v
- 8 spines. Tarsus
v
- scopulate. III Total length undetermined; Segment lengths 3.81, 2.00, 1.78, -, -; Spination: spines absent on femur, with sparse setae. Patella
do
- damaged, 8 red spines, extend
pl
,
v
- 1 spine. Tibia
pl
&
rl
- dense patches of short red spines distally (
7–9 in
each patch),
v
- 3 thin spines. IV Total length 20.68; Segment lengths 5.06, 2.69, 4.26, 5.81, 2.87; Spination: spines absent on femur, with sparse setae. Patella
do
- short dense red spines proximally (approx. 50–60), less dense distally, interspersed with fine black setae. Tibia
pl
/
v
(
Fig 29F
)- 5 spines. Metatarsus
v
(
Fig 29F
)- 9 spines. Tarsus
pl
(
Fig 29F
)- 11 spines along surface.
Distribution and environment notes:
The species is found in the locality indicated in
Figure 30
. The species is only known from the
type
locality near Victoria
West
in the
Northern Cape province
.
The
original description does not describe the area where the specimen was collected
.