A new species of Corinnomma (Araneae: Corinnidae) from southern and eastern Africa, with taxonomic notes on C. olivaceum and C. semiglabrum Author Haddad, Charles R. text African Invertebrates 2006 2006-12-31 47 71 83 journal article 10.5281/zenodo.7911409 2305-2562 7911409 Corinnomma semiglabrum ( Simon, 1896 ) , comb. n. Figs 1 , 3–9 Apochinomma semiglabrum : Simon 1896: 409 . Diagnosis: This species is recognised by the large, semi-circular depressions in which the copulatory openings are found, and by the U-shaped entrance ducts of the epigyne. The male can be recognised easily by the claw-like palpal embolus, which is distinctively coiled in other species. Redescription: Female . Measurements: CL 2.9–3.5, CW 1.9–2.2, AL 3.6–3.8, AW 2.6–2.8, TL 7.1–7.9, FL 0.18–0.25, SL 1.43–1.65, SW 0.98–1.1. Interdistances between eyes:AME–AME 0.10, AME–ALE 0.07, ALE–ALE 0.44, PME–PME 0.20, PME–PLE 0.16, PLE–PLE 0.74. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 2.30+0.90+ 2.25+1.93+1.30=8.68; II 2.05+1.00+1.75 +1.65+1.20=7.65; III 1.95+0.90+1.35+1.75+ 0.85=6.80; IV 2.45+0.90+2.25+2.55+0.83=8.98. Cephalothorax : Carapace dark brown to nearly black, finely wrinkled, clothed in very short white setae; elongate, broadest at midpoint ( Fig. 3 ); highest at nearly one-third its length ( Fig. 4 ). Fovea distinct, located slightly posterior to carapace midpoint; striae black, radiating outwards from fovea, fused to black markings laterally on carapace. AER procurved, eyes subequal in size; PER very slightly recurved, laterals very slightly larger than medians; all eyes surrounded by black rings; scattered long white setae on clypeus.Chelicerae dark brown, bulging very slightly beyond anterior margin of carapace ( Fig. 4 ); long white setae on prolateral margin, scattered between short white setae; two teeth on promargin, proximal tooth bifid with single base; two simple teeth on retromargin. Sternum dark brown, nearly black, with faint black mottling; surface slightly granular; densely clothed with short white setae medially, and longer white setae near margins; single long black seta on sternum near each coxal base. Legs : Femora I and II dark brown in proximal half, yellow distally; dark brown do stripe extending to end of femora; femur II with second pl stripe extending to three-quarters femur length; femora III and IV dark brown, with yellow marking pl at distal end. Patella I yellow with dark brown rlv stripe; patella II yellow with brown plv and rlv stripes; patellae III and IV dark brown. Tibiae I and II yellow do with brown median stripe, brown vt with yellow median stripe; tibiae III and IV dark brown. All metatarsi brown, with yellow distal tips.All tarsi yellow, brown in do proximal half; black markings on legs comprising plumose setae. Leg spination as follows: femora: I pl 1 do 3, II do 3, III pl 2 do 3 rl 1, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 1; patellae: all with 1 distal dtr ; tibiae: I plv 3 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2; metatarsi: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; all tibiae and metatarsi with numerous dtr , increasing in size distally. Palp dark brown; femur do 1; patella pl 1 do 1; tibiae pl 2 do 1; tarsus pl 2 (basal) pl 1 (median) vt 2. Single small terminal pectinate claw. Figs 3–9. Corinnomma semiglabrum (Simon) : (3) female cephalothorax, dorsal view; (4) female general habitus, lateral view; (5) female (Tembe), epigyne, ventral view; (6) female (Tembe), vulva, dorsal view; (7) female (Lewombo), variation of vulva, dorsal view; (8, 9) male (Bulawayo), left palp, ventral and retrolateral views. Scale bars: Figs 3, 4 = 1.0 mm; Figs 5–9 = 0.25 mm. Abdomen : Oval, slightly globose, integument grey, broadest at two-thirds its length; leathery dorsal scutum present, dark red-brown, quite narrow, extending to two-thirds abdomen length; inframamillary sclerite absent; dorsum densely covered with short white setae; three black bands comprising plumose setae; first at front of abdomen, second at one-quarter abdomen length, third at half abdomen length; first and second bands fusing laterally at second band ( Fig. 4 ). Genitalic area and booklungs dark red-brown to nearly black, strongly sclerotised. Epigyne with copulatory openings situated laterally, anterior to lateral midline of epigyne, situated in semi-circular depression with strong antero-median ridges ( Fig. 5 ); entrance ducts running in a U-shape, initially directed posteriorly, running medially and anteriorly; spermathecae round, with bean-shaped terminal receptaculae that touch or are slightly separated medially ( Figs 6, 7 ). Male . Measurements: CL 2.65–3.60, CW 1.79–2.35, AL 2.60–3.35, AW 1.40–1.90, TL 5.50– 7.45, FL 0.23–0.26, SL 1.28–1.58, SW 0.90–1.05. Interdistances between eyes: AME– AME 0.12, AME–ALE 0.60, ALE–ALE 0.42, PME–PME 0.20, PME–PLE 0.15, PLE– PLE 0.73. Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 2.00+ 0.70+2.15+1.85+1.54=8.24; II 1.80+0.75+1.65+1.55+1.05=6.8; III 1.85+0.80+ 1.50+1.75+0.80=6.7; IV 2.80+0.97+2.50+3.05+1.20=10.52. General habitus similar to female described above; male less robust than female; abdomen more elongate and narrow, broadest at three-quarters its length; dorsal scutum covering entire dorsum; inframamillary sclerite present, rectangular, extending from epigastric furrow to in front of spinnerets. Legs : markings on legs less distinct than for female. Leg spination as follows: femora: I pl 1 do 3, II do 3, III pl 2 do 3 rl 1, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 1; patellae: all with 1 distal dtr ; tibiae: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 1 rlv 2, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2; metatarsi: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 1 rlv 2, III pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3; all tibiae and metatarsi with numerous dtr , increasing in size distally. Male palp lacking retrolateral tibial apophysis; palpal tarsus compact; cymbium uniform red-brown; bulbus red-brown, somewhat square prolaterally; embolus claw-like, curving prolaterally, with a single, indistinct coil ( Figs 1 , 8, 9 ); femur: pl 1 do 2; patella pl 1; tibia pl 2; tarsus do 1 pl 2, plv 1. Holotype : ^deposited in MNHN (examined). Two labels accompany the types: ‘16961 Ap. semiglabrum E.S. / Makapan ! // 16961’. Other material examined: SOUTH AFRICA : Gauteng : 1^Crocodile River, Hartebeespoortdam, 13.xii.1991 , collected from shrubs and trees, A. Leroy (NCA 92/444); 1^Florida, Johannesburg, xii.1918 , R. Tucker (SAMC B6518). KwaZulu-Natal : 1ơ Greater St Lucia Wetlands Park, Hell’s Gate, Block B, 29.xi.2004 , tsetse fly traps, J. Esterhuizen (NCA 2005/2026); 1^Lewombo mission, Zululand, 15.x.1977 , under bricks, P. Reavell (NCA 2000/286); 2ơ 1^Ndumo Game Reserve, Pongola River floodplain, 26º53'S : 32º18'E , 12.ii.2005 , leaf litter with Anoplolepis custodiens and Polyrachis gagates ants, C. Haddad (NCA 2005/48); 1^Tembe Elephant Park, Open woodland-sand, 27º03'S : 32º25'E , 14.i.2002 , under log with Polyrhachis gagates ants, C. Haddad (NCA 2004/480); 1ơ same locality, 20.i.2002 , under log with Polyrhachis gagates ants, C. Haddad (NCA 2004/479). Limpopo : 1^Gunfontein, 2428A2, 11.xii.1979 , Falcon College & C.A. Car (NMZ 1377); 1ơ Klein Kariba, near Warmbaths, 27.xi.1996 , running on ground, A. Leroy (NCA 2004/831); 1^Settlers, Tuinplaas, Springbokvlake (Lodge), 6.ii.2002 , pitfall traps, grass, M. van Jaarsveld (NCA 2003/ 1331); 1^same locality, 6.ii.2002 , pitfall traps, grass, M. van Jaarsveld (NCA 2003/1335); 3ơ Wolkberg Nature Reserve, near Haenertsberg, 21.xii.1994 , leaf litter, J. Leeming (NCA 2004/832). SWAZILAND : 1ơ Lugaganeni, 29.xii.1998 , A. Monadjem (NCA 2004/828). ZIMBABWE : 1ơ Bulawayo , Hillcrest, 2028B1, 12.ii.1991 , L.H.B. Morris (NMZ 8746); 1^Bulawayo , Hillside, 20º10'S : 28º55'E , iii.1986 , J.L. Minshull (NMZ 4341); 3^same locality, ii.1999 , pitfall traps, M. FitzPatrick (NMZ 13838); 2^same locality, iii.1999 , pitfall traps, M. FitzPatrick (NMZ 13863); 4ơ 3^same locality, ii.1999 , pitfall traps, M. FitzPatrick (NMZ 13851); 1^Bulawayo , Natural History Museum, 2028B1, 13.xi.1985 , I. Minshull (NMZ 5384); 1ơ Chiredzi, 2131B1, 16.xii.1979 , S. Higgins (NMZ 809); 1^Nungu Farm, Girls College, 20º30'S : 28º29'E , 9–12.ii.1999 , sweeping, NHMZ staff (NMZ 13712). Distribution: Found in the northern and north-eastern parts of South Africa , Swaziland , and in the southern and south-eastern parts of Zimbabwe . Specimens have also been collected from Harare , Zimbabwe (M. Cumming, personal collection). Biology: The bulk of the C. semiglabrum material examined was collected in pitfall traps or leaf litter, indicating that this is a primarily epigeic species. Observations of the species were conducted in the Tembe Elephant Park and Ndumo Game Reserve in South Africa , where it was found under logs, in leaf litter and in low foliage with the large silver-grey ant Polyrhachis gagates Smith, 1858 ( Hymenoptera : Formicidae ), which it mimics. At Ndumo, this species was also found near a colony of Anoplolepis custodiens (Smith, 1858) ants, with a few P. gagates ants in the near vicinity. The ant-mimicking Apochinomma formicaeforme was also found in association with this ant. Both species appear silver-grey in appearance, an effect which is achieved by silverywhite setae on the abdomens of these species. In C. semiglabrum , the mimicry effect is enhanced by three black transverse bands on the abdomen, which resemble the abdominal segments of their model. In A. formicaeforme , the carapace is much more elongate and the abdomen more globose, creating a better illusion than in C. semiglabrum . A single egg sac was produced by a captured female. It was round, constructed of tough, papery creamy-yellow silk (typical for Castianeirinae ), and was 8.8 mm in diameter. This sac contained 16 oval, cream eggs.