A revision of the endemic South African spider genus Austrachelas, with its transfer to the Gallieniellidae (Arachnida: Araneae)
Author
Haddad, Charles R.
Author
Lyle, Robin
Author
Bosselaers, Jan
Author
Ramirez, Martin J.
text
Zootaxa
2009
2296
1
38
journal article
10.5281/zenodo.191594
6f65b06c-5600-4172-9ee2-854f09ef4455
1175-5326
191594
Austrachelas kalaharinus
n. sp.
(
Figs 4
,
58, 59
)
Etymology
. This species is named for the Kalahari Desert, which has its southernmost reaches near the
type
locality.
Diagnosis
. This species is closely related to
A. sexoculata
n. sp.
, but the two species can be distinguished by the eight eyes of
A. kalaharinus
n. sp.
(six in
A. sexoculata
n. sp.
) and the presence of denticles on the retrolateral tibial apophysis of
A. kalaharinus
n. sp.
(
Fig. 58
), which are absent in
A. sexoculata
n. sp.
.
Male. Measurements:
CL 3.58, CW 2.58, FL 0.35, AL 3.60, AW 1.90, SL 2.00, SW 1.40, TL 7.20, AME–AME 0.07, AME–ALE 0.02, ALE–ALE 0.37, PME–PME 0.09, PME–PLE 0.12, PLE–PLE 0.54.
Length of leg segments (sequence from femur to tarsus, and total): I 2.45 + 1.37 + 1.83 + 1.40 + 0.90 = 7.95; II 2.35 + 1.35 + 1.70 + 1.33 + 0.85 = 7.58; III 2.00 + 1.03 + 1.13 + 1.48 + 0.73 = 6.37; IV 2.70 + 1.33 + 2.00 + 2.38 + 0.90 = 9.31.
Carapace uniform deep red-brown, black along margins (
Fig. 4
); AER strongly procurved, laterals slightly larger than medians; AME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter, AME nearly touching ALE, separated from ALE by distance equal to ½ AME diameter; clypeus height equal to 1½ times AME diameter at AME, equal to ALE diameter at ALE; PER straight, laterals slightly larger than medians; PME separated by distance equal to ½ their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to PME diameter. Chelicerae deep red-brown, anterior surface with coarse ridges; promargin with four teeth, proximal tooth smallest, second tooth largest; large space before third and fourth teeth, close to fang base and intermediate in size; retromargin with single small denticle, situated close to third promarginal tooth. Legs all deep orange, slightly paler distally. Leg spination: femora: I pl 1 do 1, II pl 1 do 1, III pl 1 do 2 rl 1, IV do 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I & II spineless, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I & II spineless, strongly scopulate, III & IV scopulate in distal half, III pl 6 rl 4 plv 1 rlv 1 vt 2, IV pl 6 rl 5 plv 2 rlv 1 vt 2. Abdomen grey with cream chevron dorsally (
Fig. 4
), cream laterally and ventrally; small anterior dorsal scutum present, venter without any sclerites. Male palp with broad spoon-shaped prolateral tibial apophysis and triangular retrolateral tibial apophysis with two denticles on inner margin; median tegular apophysis hook-shaped; embolus curved in broad arc, with tooth-like prolateral and hook-like retrolateral projections on outer margin of embolus (
Figs 58, 59
); palpal spination: femora do 2.
Type
material:
Holotype
3:
SOUTH AFRICA
:
Free State Province
, near Kimberley, Farm “Benfontein” [
28°53'S
,
24°50'E
],
III.1981
, S. Erasmus (pitfall traps) (NCA 2008/2763).
Distribution
. Known only from the
type
locality (
Fig. 82
).