Revision and cladistic analysis of the Afrotropical endemic genus Smeringopus Simon, 1890 (Araneae: Pholcidae)
Author
HUBER, BERNHARD A.
text
Zootaxa
2012
2012-09-07
3461
1
1
138
http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.3461.1.1
journal article
53629
10.11646/zootaxa.3461.1.1
664d9cee-5b75-4788-a394-6b35a37de652
11755334
6415657
0704C43A-73D8-4A28-915A-7FF8611C8606
Smeringopus lesnei
Lessert, 1936
Figs. 264–265
,
286–287
,
322–326
Smeringopus lesnei
Lessert 1936: 234–235
, figs. 29–30.
Type.
Male
holotype
from
Mozambique
,
Manica Province
,
Vila Pery
[=Chimoio,
19°07’S
,
33°27’E
], date not given, leg.
P. Lesne
, in
MHNG
, examined
.
Note. The type specimen above is in poor condition. It seems to have been dry at some point and the chelicerae are missing. It originates from the type locality but may not even be the actual type for two reasons: first, there are two left (!) palps in the vial (but no further trace of a second male), suggesting that this may (partly?) be material collected later than the
holotype
. Second, a female accompanies the male but Lessert did not describe a female specimen. Either he erroneously considered the female a juvenile or the specimen was collected later than the
holotype
. In any case,
Lessert’s (1936)
good drawings of the bulb clearly indicate that the specimen above is at least correctly identified.
Diagnosis. Distinguished from similar congeners (other species of the
natalensis
group, especially
S. natalensis
,
S. florisbad
,
S. blyde
,
S. koppies
,
S. harare
,
S. badplaas
) by shapes of bulbal processes (
Figs. 324, 325
); from other close relatives by absence of process near palpal tarsal organ (
Fig. 322
), relatively straight procursus (ventrally), absence of prolateral process on procursus tip, and three black lines ventrally on abdomen (versus two).
Male (
holotype
). Total body length ~4.0, carapace width ~1.4. Leg 1: 34.3 (9.1 + 0.5 + 8.8 + 14.0 + 1.9), tibia 2: 5.9, tibia 3: 4.4, tibia 4: 6.3; tibia 1 L/d: 58. Habitus similar
S. natalensis
(cf.
Fig. 243
). Coloration difficult to see in type specimen but apparently very similar
S. natalensis
and other close relatives (cf.
Figs. 243–246
). Distance PME-PME 125 µm, diameter PME 140 µm, distance PME-ALE 55 µm, distance AME-AME 25 µm, diameter AME 110 µm. Ocular area slightly elevated, secondary eyes with very indistinct ‘pseudo-lenses’; deep thoracic pit. Chelicerae missing, according to
Lessert (1936)
as in
S. peregrinus
(with one pair of distal apophyses; cf.
Figs. 614, 615
). Palps as in
Figs. 264 and 265
, coxa without retrolateral apophysis, trochanter barely modified, femur with retrolateral furrow with distinct rim proximally, cymbium without projection near tarsal organ, procursus ventrally almost straight, without prolateral process at tip (
Figs. 322, 323
), bulb with three distinctively shaped processes (
Figs. 324, 325
). All hairs missing on legs, retrolateral trichobothrium on tibia 1 at 3.5%; prolateral trichobothrium present on tibia 1.
Female. In general similar to male; tibia
1 in
2 females
: 9.0, 11.1. Epigynum a simple plate without pockets (
Fig. 286
), not clearly distinguishable from close relatives (
S. natalensis
,
S. florisbad
,
S. blyde
,
S. koppies
,
S. harare
,
S. badplaas
); females from Nova Choupanga and
Zimbabwe
are thus assigned tentatively; internal genitalia as in
Figs. 287
and
326
(also very similar to close relatives).
Distribution. Known from
type
locality in central
Mozambique
and from
two females
that are assigned tentatively from
Mozambique
and eastern
Zimbabwe
(
Fig. 299
).
FIGURES 317–326.
Smeringopus florisbad
(317–321) and
S. lesnei
(322–326). 317, 322. Left cymbia and procursi, retrolateral views (asterisk marks variable detail; see text). 318, 323. Left procursi, prolateral views. 319–320, 324–325. Left bulbal processes, prolateral and dorsal views. 321, 326. Cleared female genitalia, dorsal views. Scale lines: 0.3 mm.
Material
examined.
MOZAMBIQUE
:
Manica Prov.
:
Vila Pery
[=Chimoio]:
1♂
holotype
above, together with
1♀
.
Sofala Prov.
:
Nova Choupanga
[near Chemba?, ~
17°10’S
,
34°53’E
], date not given, leg.
P. Lesne
,
1♀
in
MHNG
.
ZIMBABWE
:
Manicaland
:
54 mi
S Umtali
[=
Mutare
] [~
19°25’S
,
32°34’E
],
560 m
a.s.l.
,
18.iii.1958
(
E.S. Ross
, R.
E. Leech
),
1♀
in
CAS
.