The stone huntsman spider genus Eusparassus (Araneae: Sparassidae): systematics and zoogeography with revision of the African and Arabian species
Author
Moradmand, Majid
text
Zootaxa
2013
2013-06-17
3675
1
1
108
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3675.1.1
journal article
110557
10.11646/zootaxa.3675.1.1
253ac560-caad-4129-802d-2094c5cc69de
1175-5326
6422593
7F4D5550-8B85-4694-9482-8A125E9A2650
Eusparassus educatus
spec. nov.
Figs 40–41
,
56a
,
65c–d
Type material.
Holotype
:
male,
NAMIBIA
:
Kunene Region
:
NE of
Juriesdraai
,
Palmwag Lodge
, under roof, S 19˚53.246', E 13˚56.203',
3 March 2005
, DK 378,
D. Kunz
leg. (
SMF
).
Paratypes
(
4♂
,
5♀♀
):
NAMIBIA
:
Kunene Region
:
1♂
, campsite
Warmquelle
, under roof, S 19˚8.299', E 13˚48.830',
2 March 2005
, DK376,
D. Kunz
leg. (
SMF
)
;
1♂
, campsite
Warmquelle
, under roof, S 19˚ 8.299', E 13˚ 48.830',
3 March 2005
, (
DK 377
, SD 341),
D. Kunz
leg. (
SMF
)
;
1♂
,
2♀♀
,
Epupa Falls
, S 17˚0.122', E 13˚14.714',
23 March 2005
,
D. Kunz
leg. (
SMF
,
1♂
, DK 337, SD 530,
1♀
, DK336, SD332)
.
Karasburg District
:
1♂
,
Farm Augurabis
109,
Gaapriver
, S 27˚27'04.0'', E 17˚42'18.9'',
556 m
,
25 August 2005
, TB 05/174,
EduVentures
7
th
Expedition in Fish River Canyon
(
NMNW 47510
)
.
Erongo Region
:
1♀
,
Brandberg
,
Hungarob River
side, S 21˚13.25', E 14˚31.03',
700 m
,
Pitfall
row 2,
27 April 2000
,
K. Meakin
leg. (
NMNW 45421
)
;
1♀
,
Brandberg
,
Numas Plateau
(
NMNW 35237
)
;
1♀
,
N of Keetmanshoop
, W. 1910–11,
Kramer
leg.,
Dr Werner
ded.
28 August 1912
(
ZMH
)
.
Etymology.
The specific name “educatus” is a Latin term (adjective) meaning “to train” or “to bring up a child”. It referrs to “the EduVentures Programme”, an educational program by NMNW aiming to explore and collect the biodiversity data within the remote areas of
Namibia
and educating children who have in most cases disadvantaged lives. One
paratype
male was collected during “the EduVentures 7th Expedition” by these children. This new species is the first species described from their material and named to promote this educational project and support these children.
Diagnosis.
This unique species can be easily diagnosed by strongly elongated palpal structures, especially the slender embolus, which is covered by the similar long EM (
Figs 40a–c
,
41d
); female vulva is uniquely coiled and twisted and has an extra small glandular process (
Figs 41b, c
) [see also diagnosis for
tuckeri
species group above].
Description. Male
(ranges: n=5, single measurement:
holotype
):
Measurements
(
holotype
first). Males medium-sized. Total length 11.1–16.3, prosoma length 6.0–8.2, prosoma width 5.4–6.8, anterior width of prosoma 2.9–3.5, opisthosoma length 5.1–8.1, opisthosoma width 2.3–5.5. Eye diameters: AME 0.52, ALE 0.48, PME 0.42, PLE 0.51; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.20, AME-ALE 0.03, PME-PME 0.43, PME-PLE 0.53, AME-PME 0.41, ALE-PLE 0.28, clypeus height at AME 0.37, clypeus height at ALE 0.48. AME and PLE approximately equal (
Fig. 40d
).
Chelicerae.
Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 to 5 posterior teeth, cheliceral furrow without intermarginal denticles (
Fig. 40e
).
Legs.
Leg formula: II I IV III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 11.3 [3.6, 1.3, 2.1, 4.3], I 36.0[10.0, 4.4, 9.7, 9.8, 2.1], II 41.5 [11.6, 4.7, 11.7, 10.8, 2.7], III 32.4 [9.8, 4.0, 8.6, 7.9, 2.1], IV 34.2 [10.0, 3.7, 9.1, 9.3, 2.1].
Spination.
Palp 131, 000/001, 1111; Legs: Femur I–
III 323
,
IV 322
; Patella I–
IV 001
/101; Tibia
I–IV 2124
/ 2224; Metatarsus
I–III 2024
, IV 3034/3036.
Palp.
As in diagnosis with cymbium approximately 2.5 times longer than tibia; dRTA very slim, vRTA rounded and not well developed; embolus very narrow, covered by hyaline and folded embolus membrane (EM) (
Figs 40a–c
), E and EM loosely connected (
Fig. 41d
).
Female
(ranges: n=5, single measurement:
paratype
MM 52
):
Measurements.
Medium-sized; total length 16.7–19.0, prosoma length 8.1–8.5, prosoma width 6.8–7.4, anterior width of prosoma 3.8–4.3, opisthosoma length 8.6–10.5, opisthosoma width 5.0–7.5. Eye diameters: AME 0.48, ALE 0.50, PME 0.44, PLE 0.56; eye interdistances: AME-AME 0.24, AME-ALE 0.02, PME-PME 0.50, PME-PLE 0.45, AME-PME 0.46, ALE-PLE 0.28, clypeus height at AME 0.38, clypeus height at ALE 0.50.
FIGURE 40.
Eusparassus educatus
spec. nov.
, holotype male from Namibia: NE of Juriesdraai (SMF). (a) left palp, ventral; (b) left palp, retrolateral; (c) embolus tip and conductor, ventral; (d) eye arrangement, dorsal; (e) right chelicera, ventral.
Chelicerae.
Chelicerae with 2 anterior and 3 to 5 posterior teeth, cheliceral furrow without intermarginal denticles.
Legs.
Leg formula: II I IV III. Measurements of palp and legs: Palp 8.3 [2.5, 1.2, 1.3, 3.3], I 26.5 [7.3, 3.3, 7.1, 7.2, 1.6], II 28.5 [8.3, 3.4, 7.8, 7.3, 1.7], III 23.5 [7.1, 3.0, 6.1, 5.8, 1.5], IV 24.8 [7.3, 2.7, 6.5, 6.7, 1.6].
Spination
. Palp 131, 001, 1111, 1013; Legs: Femur I–
III 323
,
IV 322
; Patella I–II 000, III–IV 001; Tibia
I–IV 2024
; Metatarsus
I–III 2024
, IV 3036.
FIGURE 41.
Eusparassus educatus
spec. nov.
, (a–c) paratypes from Namibia: Epupa Falls (SMF). (a) epigyne, ventral; (b) vulva, dorsal; (c) left vulva, anterio-dorso-lateral; (d) male’s bulbus with separated embolus from embolic membrane, ventral.
Epigyne/vulva.
As in diagnosis with EF longer than wide (
Fig. 41a
), MS hyaline and connected to CD in dorsal view (
Fig. 41b
); vulva coiled in series of complex loops (
Fig. 41c
)
Colouration
. Yellowish cream with dark black marks on prosoma and dorsal opisthosoma, legs distinctly with strong black bands (
Fig. 56a
).
Known geographical distribution and habitat.
Relatively widely distributed throughout
Namibia
, collected from desert areas, some specimens under roofs of buildings.