An overview of the African genera of Prodidominae spiders: descriptions and remarks (Araneae: Gnaphosidae) Author Rodrigues, Bruno V. B. Author Rheims, Cristina A. text Zootaxa 2020 2020-06-16 4799 1 1 80 journal article 21682 10.11646/zootaxa.4799.1.1 432b7d8c-8d5b-4f24-ae3e-28484ed728d3 1175-5326 3896645 E295AAC9-09C8-48A3-8C5F-402117381B80 Kikongo gen. nov. Etymology. The generic name is a noun in apposition that refers to the Kikongo language. According to the Constitution of the Democratic Republic of Congo , it is one of the national languages of the country. The gender is masculine. Type species. Kikongo ruwenzori sp. nov. Diagnosis. Species of Kikongo gen. nov. are distinguished from those of other Prodidominae genera by the robust cymbium of male palp and with the distal end subquadrate retrolaterally ( Figs 49E , 50A , 51A , 52A ), alveolus completely covered by tegulum ( Figs 49D , 50B , 51B , 52B ), and the conductor hyaline, arising distally from tegulum and only accommodating the embolus tip ( Figs 49F , 51B ); female epigyne with wide, C-shaped copulatory openings ( Figs 50D , 51D , 52D ); vulva with secondary spermathecae rounded and connecting ducts enlarged close to secondary spermathecae ( Figs 50E , 51E , 52E ). Description. Total length of males 1.75–2.37, females 1.70–2.46. Carapace and legs yellow pale, abdomen slightly gray (colouration in ethanol) ( Figs 45 A–F). Carapace longer than wide, slightly narrowed at cephalic region, almost oval ( Figs 45A , 46A ). Fovea absent. Eight eyes; posterior eye row strongly procurved, anterior eye row approximately straight ( Fig. 45C ); PME and PLE irregular; AME dark; interdistance contiguous of AME–ALE, PME–PLE, ALE–PLE. Chilum absent. Chelicerae relatively small (0.22–0.31) without boss; without teeth ( Figs 46D, E ); fang with shaft serrula ( Fig. 46F ). Endites slightly convergent anteriorly ( Figs 45D , 46B ), with few hairs on internal margin ( Fig. 46C ); serrula absent; labium longer than wide ( Fig. 45D ). Sternum longer than wide, anterior margin straight, rebordered anteriorly and laterally ( Fig. 45D ); posterior region strongly protruding between coxae IV, with numerous long and erect setae; intercoxal setae absent and precoxal triangles present ( Fig. 45D ). Pedicel with anterior region truncate. Leg formula 4123. All species with spines on femora I and II, and spines on femora, tibiae and metatarsi III and IV. Patella I larger than the others, length similar to tibia I. All tarsi and metatarsi without scopulae. Trichobothria present on dorsal tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, arranged in two rows ( Fig. 47B ); bothrium with 5 ridges on proximal plate ( Fig. 47E ). Tarsal organ capsulate, with oval opening, located dorsally and distally on tarsi ( Fig. 47F ). Two smooth claws ( Fig. 47C ); claw tufts composed of slightly widened tenent setae inserted in well-delimited plate; solid claw tuft clasper present ( Figs 47C, D ). Abdomen oval, longer than wide ( Figs 45A, B ), without scales; dorsum of abdomen anteriorly with long, dark, posteriorly curved setae. Six spinnerets; ALS longer than wide, separated from each other by less than their diameter ( Figs 45E, F , 48A ), piriform gland spigots cracked and elongated, with associated setae ( Figs 48 A–D, 49A), major ampulate gland spigot field on well-defined conical structure ( Figs 45E, F , 48A, B ), male and female with two major ampulate gland spigots; PLS and PMS conical and short, PLS larger than PMS ( Fig. 48A ); PLS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and four aciniform gland spigots ( Fig. 49B ), females with one minor ampulate gland spigot, nine aciniform gland spigots and, apparently, one cylindrical gland spigot ( Fig. 48E ); PMS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and three aciniform gland spigots ( Fig. 49C ), females with one minor ampulate gland spigot, three aciniform gland spigots and two cylindrical gland spigots ( Fig. 48F ). Female palp: tarsus truncated, with apical chemosensory patch and claw reduced to nubbin ( Fig. 47A ). Male palp: femur unmodified, without spines; tibia short, less than half cymbium length, RTA single ( Figs 49E , 51C , 52C ) and VTA absent, except in K. buta sp. nov. ( Fig. 52B ); cymbium robust, with distal part forming a right angle retrolaterally, and with apical scopula restricted to this area ( Figs 50 A–C); alveolus not visible ventrally ( Figs 51B , 52B ); bulb ovoid, with distal part narrower than basal part ( Figs 50B , 52B ), except in K. rutshuru sp. nov. , which has distal part wider than basal part ( Fig. 51B ); sperm duct with reservoir at center of tegulum, with one retrolateral curve ( Figs 50B , 51B , 52B ); embolus long and slender, arising prolaterally and fused to tegulum ( Fig. 50B ); conductor small and hyaline, arising at 12 o’clock position ( Figs 50B , 52B ), except in K. rutshuru sp. nov. , in which it arises between 1–2 o’clock position ( Fig. 51B ). Epigyne: positioning ridge of copulatory opening C-shaped, well-defined; copulatory duct and secondary spermathecae visible ventrally ( Figs 50D , 51D , 52D ). Vulva: copulatory duct with curves and slender ( Figs 50E , 51E , 52E ); secondary spermathecae rounded ( Fig. 51E ); primary spermathecae lateral and separated from each other ( Fig. 50E ); fertilization ducts laterad ( Fig. 52E ). FIGURE 45. Kikongo ruwenzori sp. nov. , male: (A) habitus, dorsal view; (B) habitus, lateral view; (C) eyes, frontal view; (D) sternum and endites; (E) spinnerets, lateral view; (F) spinnerets, ventral view. FIGURE 46. Kikongo ruwenzori sp. nov. , female: (A) carapace, dorsal view; (B) sternum; (C) endites, dorsal view; (D) chelicera, promargin; (E) chelicera, retromargin; (F) chelicera, fang, shaft serrula. FIGURE 47. Kikongo ruwenzori sp. nov. , female: (A) pedipalp, chemosensory patch; (B) tarsus I, dorsal view; (C) tarsus I, claw, retrolateral view; (D) tarsus I, claw, frontal view; (E) tarsus I, trichobothrium; (F) tarsus I, tarsal organ. FIGURE 48. Kikongo ruwenzori sp. nov. , female: (A) spinnerets, ventral view; (B) spinnerets, apical view; (C) spinnerets, ALS, piriform gland spigots, apical view; (D) same, latral view; (E) spinnerets, PLS; (F) spinnerets, PMS. Ac—aciniform gland spigots; ALS—anterior lateral spinnerets; Cy—cylindrical gland spigots; MiAm—minor ampulate gland spigots; Pi—piriform gland spigots; PLS—posterior lateral spinnerets; PMS—posterior median spinnerets. FIGURE 49. Kikongo ruwenzori sp. nov. , male: (A) spinnerets, ALS; (B) spinnerets, PLS; (C) spinnerets, PMS; (D) palp, ventral view; (E) palp, retrolateral view; (F) palp, detail conductor. Ac—aciniform gland spigots; C—conductor; E—embolus; MaAm—major ampulate gland spigots; MiAm—minor ampulate gland spigots; Pi—piriform gland spigots; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophysis. FIGURE 50 . Kikongo ruwenzori sp. nov. Male palp: (A) prolateral view; (B) ventral view; (C) retrolateral view. Female: (D) epigyne, ventral view; (E) vulva, dorsal view; (F) vulva, schematic course of internal duct system. C—conductor; CD—copula-tory duct; CO—copulatory opening; CoD—connecting duct; E—embolus; FD—fertilization duct; PS—primary spermathecae; SS—secondary spermathecae; RTA—retrolateral tibial apophisys. Scale bars: 0.5 mm. Distribution. Central and East Africa: D.R. Congo and Kenya ( Fig. 53 ). Composition. Three species: Kikongo ruwenzori sp. nov. , K. rutshuru sp. nov. and K.buta sp. nov.