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Ballomma, a new Afrotropical genus in the Cryptothelinae (Araneae, Zodariidae): eyes on the run
(2015)
Ballomma gen. nov. is described in the zodariid subfamily Cryptothelinae. It is characterized by the pairs of adjacent anterior median eyes and anterior lateral eyes and triangular palpal tarsus in the female, the concave tegulum with thin embolus in the male. Apart from the type species B. erasmus gen. et sp. nov. (♂♀), the genus contains B. haddadi gen. et sp. nov. (♂♀), B. neethlingi gen. et sp. nov. (♂♀), and B. legala gen. et sp. nov. (♀). A key to the species is provided. The restricted distribution of the genus is discussed.
The genus name Acanthinozodium Denis, 1966 is considered available and valid, with A. spinulosum Denis, 1966 as its type species. The genus is characterized by the presence of ventral rows of long setae on the femora, large anterior median eyes and a large, dorsal, crater-like pit on the cymbium. Zodariellum Andreeva & Tyschenko, 1968 is removed from its synonymy and now only contains its type species Z. surprisum Andreeva & Tyschenko, 1968. Three new Acanthinozodium species are described: A. crateriferum sp. nov. (♂♀) from Ethiopia, A. sahelense sp. nov. (♂♀) from a wide range in the Sahel region and A. quercicola sp. nov. (♂) from Morocco. The genus appears to have a large distribution in and around the Sahara. The possible function of the cymbial pit is discussed.
The new ctenid genus Afroneutria is proposed to include five species: Afroneutria velox (Blackwall, 1865) comb. nov. (type species), A. immortalis (Arts, 1912) comb. nov., A. erythrochelis (Simon, 1876) comb. nov., A. quadrimaculata sp. nov. and A. hybrida sp. nov., all collected in central to southeast Africa. Afroneutria species can be distinguished from the remaining Ctenidae by the presence of a synapomorphic laminar projection on the embolus tip. The genus can also be distinguished by the presence of the following set of characters: elongated cup-shaped median apophysis and elongated and laminar embolus on the male palp; large lateral projections on the epigynum and the spermathecae divided into two parts, dorsal and ventral, in the vulva.
The new genus Palindroma gen. nov. is described in the Cryptothelinae, Zodariidae. Apart from the type species, P. morogorom gen. et sp. nov. (♂♀), the genus contains P. aleykyela gen. et sp. nov. (♂), P. avonova gen. et sp. nov. (♂♀), P. sinis gen. et sp. nov. (♂) and the somewhat aberrant species P. obmoimiombo gen. et sp. nov. (♂). The four typical representatives of the genus are characterized by the profile of the carapace with a slight dip, the absence of precoxal sclerites and the characters of the male palp with enlarged tibia, large subtegulum and tegular retrolateral knob. The genus occurs in miombo-woodland and coastal forest in East and Central Africa and this peculiar distribution is discussed. A key to the males of the Palindroma species is provided. Specimens of Palindroma have a particularly well-developed tibial process fitting in a shallow metatarsal pouch on all legs in both sexes. Although less conspicuous in some derived taxa, the feature appears to be present in all representatives of the Zodariidae, but not in possible sister-group taxa and is thus an autapomorphy of the family.
The genus Andromma Simon, 1893 is revised. The type species A. aethiopicum Simon, 1893 (♂♀) and the other three known species, A. anochetorum Simon, 1909 (♂), A. bouvieri Fage, 1936 (♀) and A. raffrayi Simon, 1899 (♂♀), are redescribed. The types of the subspecies A. raffrayi inhacorense Lessert, 1936 were not examined. This subspecies is considered a synonym of the nominal species. Nineteen new species are described and illustrated: A. albinovani sp. nov. (♂♀), A. alvoculatum sp. nov. (♀), A. anacardium sp. nov. (♀), A. cyamos sp. nov. (♀), A. cycnotrachelos sp. nov. (♂♀), A. delphiurum sp. nov. (♂♀), A. deogratias sp. nov. (♂♀), A. dicranobelos sp. nov. (♂), A. didrepanum sp. nov. (♂), A. divinagraciae sp. nov. (♂♀), A. elephantactes sp. nov. (♀), A. ghesquierei sp. nov. (♂♀), A. heligmos sp. nov. (♀), A. helix sp. nov. (♀), A. juakalyi sp. nov. (♂), A. katangensis sp. nov. (♀), A. ophiophagum sp. nov. (♀), A. prosopion sp. nov. (♀) and A. velum sp. nov. (♂♀). The distribution of the species and their apparent commensalism with termites are discussed.
Hortipes gigapophysalis (Araneae, Corinnidae) is a new species described from both sexes from montane forest on Mt Nimba, eastern Guinea. The species is remarkable for its long, whip-shaped retrolateral tibial apophysis (RTA) on the male palp. The structure apparently has an insertable function as the epigyne of the female contains a separate set of ducts starting from a central concavity that is unique in the genus. This duct system is apparently meant to receive the supple RTA. This type of structural arrangement has never previously been found in spiders.