A revision of the Afrotropical species of Festucula Simon, 1901 (Araneae: Salticidae) Author Azarkina, Galina N. Author Foord, Stefan H. text African Invertebrates 2014 2014-12-03 55 2 351 351 http://www.bioone.org/doi/abs/10.5733/afin.055.0201 journal article 10.5733/afin.055.0201 2305-2562 7918683 Festucula australis Lawrence, 1927 Figs 14, 22 , 27–44 Festucula australis Lawrence, 1927: 59 , plate 2, fig̹ 44 ( ♀ , examined)̹ Festucula australis : Lessert 1933: 149 , figs 67—69, 71 ( ♀ , Ô description, examined)̹ Festucula festuculaeformis : WesoΙowska 1992 (in part, misidentified): 46, figs 2—21, 23—25̹ Diagnosis: The male of this species is most similar to that of F. lineata , but can be distinguished by the shape of the ventral tibial apophysis that is not bifurcated and has a big apical swelling ( Figs 30—31 )̹ The female of F. australis resembles that of F. vermiformis and can be distinguished by the length of the middle part of the insemination ducts—long in F. australis (Fig̹ 22) and short in F. vermiformis (Fig̹ 23)—and the position of the thin and long accessory glands of spermathecae, which are situated in the middle part of the insemination ducts in F. vermiformis (Fig̹ 23), while posteriorly in F. australis (Fig̹ 35, arrowed)̹ Description: Male . Measurements : Carapace: 1.70–1.90 long, 1.15–1.30 wide, 0.50–0.65 high.Abdomen: 2̹90—4̹20 long, 0̹85—1̹05 wide̹ Eye field: 0̹75—0̹80 long, anterior 0̹95—1̹00 wide, posterior 1.00–1.10 wide. Cheliceral length 0.50–0.60. Clypeal height 0.05–0.10. Diameter of AME 0.30–0.40. Length of leg segments (male from DR Congo , MRAC 139514): I 1̹50+1̹00+1̹60+1̹10+0̹50; II 0̹95+0̹45+0̹55+0̹45+0̹30; III 0̹80+0̹45+0̹40+0̹55+0̹35; IV 1̹30+0̹50+0̹90+0̹75+0̹45̹ Figs 8–25. Festucula spp ̹: (8) palpal tibia of F. leroyae sp. n. , ventral view; (9) ditto, retrolateral view; (10) palpal tibia of F. robustus sp̹ n̹, ventral view; (11) ditto, retrolateral view; (12) palpal tibia of F. australis Lawrence, 1927 , retrolateral view; (13) palpal tibia of F. lineata Simon, 1901 , basalretrolateral view; (14) ditto, F. australis Lawrence, 1927 ; (15) ditto, F. lawrencei Lessert, 1933 ; retrolateral view; (16) palp of F.festuculaeformis (Lessert, 1925) , ventral view; (17) ditto, F.haddadi sp̹ n̹; (18) epigyne of F. robustus sp̹ n̹, dorsal view view; (19) ditto, F. leroyae sp̹ n̹; (20) ditto, F. australis Lawrence, 1927 , ventral view; (21) ditto, F. haddadi sp̹ n̹; (22) spermathecae of F. australis Lawrence, 1927 , dorsal view; (23) ditto, F. vermiformis Simon, 1901 (from Prószyṅski, 1987; with modification); (24) ditto, F. haddadi sp̹ n̹; (25) ditto, F. festuculaeformis (Lessert, 1925) ̹ Leg spination : I: Tb v 0-1-1-1; Mt v 0-2-2ap. II: Mt v 1-2ap. III: Mt v 0-1ap. IV: Mt v 0-1ap. Fig. 26. Distribution records of Festucula spp . (? — exact locality unknown)̹ Coloration ( Figs 37—40 ): Carapace low, flat, dark brown with median and two lateral yellow bands, covered with white adpressed hairs. Clypeus brown, very low, covered with white hairs (Fig̹ 40)̹ Chelicerae and sternum dark brown̹Abdomen yellow-brown, dorsum with two longitudinal brown stripes ( Figs 37—39 )̹ Booklungs yellow, spinnerets brown. Legs I long and robust, brown. The rest of legs and palps yellow-brown. All legs and palps covered with long thin bristles. Palpal structure as in Figs 27–31, 33–34 . Female . Measurements : Carapace: 1.90–2.20 long, 1.20–1.40 wide, 0.60–0.70 high. Abdomen: 3̹75—4̹90 long, 1̹20 wide̹ Eye field: 0̹90—1̹00 long, anterior 1̹00—1̹15 wide, posterior 1.05–1.20 wide. Cheliceral length 0.40–0.50. Clypeal height 0.10. Diameter of AME 0.40. Length of leg segments (female from DR Congo , MRAC 139514): I 1̹30+0̹90+1̹00+0̹80+0̹40; II 0̹90+0̹50+0̹50+0̹45+0̹30; III 0̹80+0̹50+0̹50+0̹55+0̹40; IV 1̹30+0̹50+1̹00+0̹85+0̹45̹ Figs 27–36. Festucula australis Lawrence, 1927 : (27, 33) male palp, ventral view; (28, 34) ditto, retrolateral view; (29) tibial apophysis, dorsal view; (30) ditto, ventro-retrolateral view; (31) ditto, retrolateralapical view; (32) diagrammatic course of the insemination ducts; (35) spermathecae, dorsal view; (36) epigyne, ventral view̹ (27—31, 32—36) from Congo D̹R̹, Kasai; (33—34) from Angola̹ Scale bars: 0.1 mm. Leg spination : I: Tb v 0-1-1-1; Mt v 0-2-2ap. II: Mt v 1-2ap. III: Mt v 0-1ap. IV: Mt v 0-1ap. Coloration ( Figs 41—44 ): Carapace low, flat, brown with median and two lateral yellow bands, covered with white adpressed hairs. Some specimens with median band faded in the ocular area̹ Clypeus brown, very low, covered with white hairs (Fig̹ 44)̹ Chelicerae dark brown. Sternum yellow-brown. Abdomen yellow, dorsum with two longitudinal brown stripes ( Figs 41—43 )̹ Booklungs yellow, spinnerets yellow-brown̹ Legs I long and robust, brown, with dark brown rings. The rest of legs and palps yellow.All legs covered with long thin bristles. Structure of epigyne and spermathecae as in Figs 32, 35–36 . Figs 37–44. Festucula australis Lawrence, 1927 , general appearance: (37) male, dorsal view; (38) ditto, ventral view; (39) ditto, lateral view; (40) male “face”; (41) female, dorsal view; (42) ditto, ventral view; (43) ditto, lateral view; (44) female “face”̹ Scale bars: (37—39, 41—43) 1 mm, (40, 44) 0̹2 mm̹ Type material examined: Holotype ♀ (SAMC, #B6112) South-West Africa , Kunene R̹, C 1712BC, March 1923 , R.F. Lawrence [= NAMIBIA , Kunene Region , Kunene R., c . 17°15'S 12°30'E , iii.1923 , R.F. Lawrence ]. Ɵther material examined: ANGƟLA: 1Ô 1♀ Tschitunda [=Chitundo], 15°46'S 18°16'E , date unknown, A̹ Monard (MRAC 12009-12010); 1juv̹ same data as previous (MRAC 12011)̹ DR CƟNGƟ: 1Ô 1♀ Kasai , on bridge, Lulua R. , 15 km W of Luluabourg [=Kananga], 05°54'S 22°25'E 19.viii.1971 , C. Massin , D. Pierret (MRAC 139514); 1 Ô Kisantu , 05°08'S 15°06'E , 1919, R̹P̹ Vanderyst (MRAC 11813); 1 Ô Faradje [=Orientale, Faradje, c ̹ 03°44'N 29°43'E , date and collector unknown] ( MHNG )̹ Distribution: DR Congo , Angola and Namibia (Fig̹ 26)̹ Comments: Specimens from Angola are smaller in body size than those from DR Congo , but their palp sizes are the same. All exemplars from the west coast of Africa belong to F. australis ̹ These were previously identified by WesoΙowska as F. festuculaeformis on the basis of Lessert̕s erroneous identification of a male from Faradje ( DR Congo ) as Pseudicius festuculaeformis and the suggestion that Lessert̕s drawings are not fully comparable (see WesoΙowska 1992: 50)̹ The shape of the tibial apophysis and the number of teeth on the inner edge of the LTA are species-specific (contra WesoΙowska 1992)̹