New species of Cheiracanthium (Araneae: Eutichuridae) from Madagascar and the Comoros Islands Author Lotz, L. N. text Zootaxa 2014 3857 3 301 332 journal article 10.11646/zootaxa.3857.3.1 7c112ae3-5a6b-4410-b413-95533e7166dd 1175-5326 225808 D2A7F86B-7E6C-464A-9935-625C0371E8BD Cheiracanthium africanum Lessert, 1921 Cheiracanthium africanum Lessert, 1921: 411 , figs 41–44; Lessert, 1929: 137, fig. 19; Lawrence, 1947 : 32; Caporiacco, 1947: 194; Caporiacco, 1949: 433; Lotz, 2007a : 10, figs 9–16. Cheiracanthium franganilloi Caporiacco, 1949: 438 , fig. 72. Synonomyzed by Lotz, 2007a : 10 . Cheiracanthium nigropalpatum Schmidt & Jocqué, 1983 : 357 , fig. 3. Synonomyzed by Lotz, 2007a : 10 . Cheiracanthium inclusum (Hentz, 1847: 451) ; Ledoux, 2004 : 187 (misidentified). Lotz, 2007a : 10 , f. 9–16 (removed from synonymy of C. inclusum , contra Ledoux, 2004a : 187). Diagnosis. C. africanum can be recognized by the twisted copulatory ducts of the females, and the bipunctated RTA and the bilobed TA of the males ( Lotz 2007a: figs 12, 15 ). Description. See Lotz (2007a) for description and illustrations of both sexes. New records from material examined: MADAGASCAR : 4♂ 1♀, Antisirana, 7 km N Joffreville, 12º20’S , 49º15’E , I–II.2001 , R. Harin’Hala ( CASC 9002062, 9002079, 9010103); 1♂ , Fianarantsoa, 84 km NE Ihosy, 22º28’S , 45º49’E , IV.1994 , A. Pauly ( MRAC 201962); 1♂ , Toliara, Forêt de Mahavelo, Isantoria River, 24º45’30”S , 46º09’26”E , 28.I–1.II.2002 , Fisher, Griswold et al. ( CASC 9009953); 1♂ , Toliara, Mahafaly nr Eloetse by Lac Tsimanampetsoa, 24º10’S , 43º45’E , 15–16.IX.1992 , V. & B. Roth ( CASC ); 1♂ , Toliara, Mahafaly Plateau, 24º39’13”S , 43º59’48”E , 21–25.II.2002 , Fisher, Griswold et al. ( CASC 9013152); 1♂ , Toliara, Park National de Tsimanampetsotsa, Forêt de Bemanateza, 20.7 km 81ºE Efoetse, 23 km 131ºSE Beheloka, 23º59’32”S , 43º52’50”E , 22–26.III.2002 , Fisher, Griswold et al. ( CASC 9000428); 1♂ , Toliara, Réserve Spéciale de Cap Sainte Marie, 12.3 km 262ºW Marovalo, 25º34’54”S , 45º10’06”E , 11–15.II.2002 , Fisher, Griswold et al. ( CASC 9012670). Distribution. Well represented in southern Africa ( Angola , Botswana , Lesotho , Namibia , South Africa , Swaziland , Zimbabwe ), West Africa ( Gabon , Nigeria ), Central Africa ( Burundi , Democratic Republic of Congo , Zambia ), East Africa ( Kenya , Tanzania ), Madagascar ( Fig. 19 ) and Réunion . Habitat. Collected from a wide variety of habitats, including buildings, gardens, grassland, cultivated crops, shrubs, trees and from under stones.