Jumping spiders (Araneae: Salticidae) of the Ndumo Game Reserve, Maputaland, South Africa
Author
Wesolowska, Wanda
Author
Haddad, Charles R.
text
African Invertebrates
2009
2009-06-30
50
1
13
103
journal article
2305-2562
Pignus pongola
sp. n.
Figs 147–151
,
224
Etymology: The specific name is a noun in apposition, referring to the
type
locality.
Diagnosis:A distinctive species. Male recognised by the unique shape of the chelicerae and the structure of the male pedipalp, with a large lobe of the tegulum at the embolus base. Female unknown.
Description:
Male.
Measurements: Carapace length 3.6, width 3.0, height 1.7. Abdomen length 3.4, width 2.4. Eye field length 1.6, anterior and posterior width 2.5.
General appearance as in
Figs 147
,
224
; medium-sized spider. Carapace oval, dark brown, with broad white streaks composed of light hairs along lateral margins; lighter spot in foveal area; reddish scales cover anterior part of eye field and form small patches in front of posterior lateral eyes; some brown bristles on eye field; clypeus very low, with some white hairs; below anterior lateral eyes, on ‘cheeks’, two parallel thin lines. Endites and labium brown with yellow tips; sternum orange; chelicerae very large, longer than in congeners, with long fang; promargin with two teeth, retromargin with single large tooth placed close to base of fang (
Fig. 148
); chelicerae dark brown with metallic lustre. Abdomen oval, brownish grey with irregular lighter band medially; sparse long bristles on abdominal dorsum; venter dark, with four lines composed of light dots; spinnerets light brown. Legs brown, but coxae orange; femora darker than remaining segments; leg hairs dense, dark brown, among them some whitish ones. Pedipalps small, brownish, clothed in long hairs; tibial apophysis narrow and long, tegulum with large semicircular lobe at base of embolus, embolus long (
Figs 149–151
).
Holotype
: ơ Pongola
R
. floodplain,
26
°
54.323'S
:
32
°
19.435'E
, riverine forest, beating foliage,
27.vi.2006
(
NCA 2006
/1221).
Figs 147–151.
Pignus pongola
sp. n.
, holotype: (147) habitus; (148) cheliceral dentition; (149) palpal organ, ventral view; (150) palpal organ, lateral view; (151) palpal organ, dorsal view.
Habitat and biology: The specimen was collected from foliage in riverine forest.
Remarks: The pedipalp structure of the species shows similarities to that in the genus
Philaeus
Thorell, 1869
, but the shape of the body, colour pattern and especially the form of the chelicerae are typical of the genus
Pignus
.