Revision and cladistic analysis of the Guineo-Congolian spider genus Smeringopina Kraus (Araneae, Pholcidae
Author
Huber, Bernhard A.
text
Zootaxa
2013
3713
1
1
160
journal article
10.11646/zootaxa.3713.1.1
935605ac-a0e6-4963-8264-b4b0ccb8568b
1175-5326
284803
C5F0BC11-92C0-4B30-9DB3-200882AC8950
Smeringopina bomfobiri
new species
Figs. 354–358
,
362
,
378–383
Type
. ♂
holotype
from
Ghana
, Ashanti Region,
Bomfobiri
Wildlife Sanctuary (
6°57.7’N
,
1°11.4’W
),
240 m
a.s.l., among rocks in canyon,
3.iii.2013
(B.A. Huber), in ZFMK (Ar 10236).
Other material examined.
GHANA
:
Ashanti Region
:
Bomfobiri
Wildlife Sanctuary: same data as
type
,
4♂
6♀
1 juv.
in ZFMK (Ar 10237-38); same data, 3♀ 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 130).
Eastern Region
: Atewa Hills, Atewa Atwirebu Reserve (
6°13.8’N
,
0°33.5’W
),
740 m
a.s.l.,
25.ii.2013
(B.A. Huber),
3♂
8♀
1 juv.
in ZFMK (Ar 10239-40); same data, 4♀
1 juv.
in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 133). Near Mpraeso (
6°34.1’N
,
0°43.9’W
),
370 m
a.s.l., degraded forest near road,
10.iii.2013
(B.A. Huber),
2♂
4♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10241); same data, 1♀ 5 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 154).
Central Region
: Kakum National Park (
5°20.9’N
,
1°23.0’W
),
160 m
a.s.l., forest near entrance, day collecting,
19.–20.ii.2013
(B.A. Huber),
10♂
16♀ 2 juvs. (4 vials) in ZFMK (Ar 10242-45); same data but night collecting,
2♂
2♀ 2 juvs. in ZFMK (Ar 10246); same data, 5♀ 5 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 144).
Volta Region
: Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary, Wli waterfall (
7°06.2’N
,
0°36.0’E
), ~
300 m
a.s.l., forest near waterfall,
27.ii.2013
(B.A. Huber), 2♀ in ZFMK (Ar 10247); same data, 2♀ 2 juvs. in pure ethanol, in ZFMK (Gha 162).
Etymology. The name is a noun in apposition, derived from the
type
locality.
Diagnosis. Easily distinguished from
S. ankasa
and other known congeners by distinctive shape of procursus (
Figs. 378–379
), male chelicerae (distal apophyses;
Fig. 380
), and by epigynum with weakly protruding, deeply indented anterior plate (
Fig. 362
,
383
).
Male (
holotype
). Total body length 3.4, carapace width 1.3. Leg 1: 33.7 (7.8 + 0.5 + 8.1 + 15.5 + 1.8), tibia 2: 4.9, tibia 3: 3.4, tibia 4: 5.2; tibia 1 L/d: 65. Distance PME-PME 170 µm, diameter PME 125 µm, distance PME- ALE 55 µm, distance AME-AME 35 µm, diameter AME 95 µm. Carapace ochre with darker median mark and lateral margins; ocular area ochre, clypeus with indistinct pair of dark bands, sternum dark brown; legs ochre, with dark rings on femora subdistally and tibiae proximally and subdistally; abdomen ochre with darker pattern dorsally, laterally, and ventrally. Habitus as in
Figs. 354–355
, ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with very indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; clypeus unmodified; deep thoracic pit and pair of shallow furrows diverging behind pit. Chelicerae as in
Fig. 380
, with lateral proximal apophyses and distinctive distal apophyses, with large and small modified (cone-shaped) hairs. Palps as in
Figs. 356–358
; coxa with rounded retrolateral hump; trochanter with simple ventral sclerotized hump; femur with whitish ventral area bordered retrolaterally by weakly sclerotized flap, without prolateral modification; prolateral femur-patella joint strongly shifted toward ventrally; tarsus with some barely stronger hairs dorsally; procursus with several distinctive sclerotized and membranous processes (
Figs. 378– 379
), distal part appears hinged (most clearly in dorsal view:
Fig. 357
); bulb with weakly sclerotized conical embolus with subdistal branch (
Fig. 381
). Legs without spines and curved hairs, with few vertical hairs, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 2%; prolateral trichobothrium present on all tibiae; pseudosegments barely visible. Gonopore apparently with two epiandrous spigots (not confirmed by SEM).
Variation. Number and position of modified hairs on chelicerae slightly variable even within localities. Males from Kakum N.P. differ minimally in several respects: their palps are almost identical but the shape of the distal sclerotized procursus apophysis is slightly different; the distal cheliceral apophyses are slightly more slender; the legs are more slender and tend to be shorter. Tibia
1 in
11 males
from Kakum N.P.: 6.4–8.4 (mean 7.6); in
8 males
from all other localities: 7.8–9.4 (mean 8.9).
Female. In general similar to male. Tibia
1 in
18 females
from Kakum N.P.: 5.0–6.8 (mean 5.8); in
18 females
from all other localities: 5.8–9.0 (mean 7.2). Epigynum consisting of weakly protruding anterior plate with deep posterior indentation (
Figs. 362
,
383
) and large posterior plate; internal genitalia as in
Fig. 382
.
Distribution. Known from several localities in southern
Ghana
(
Fig. 293
).