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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.
Two new species of Phyxelididae are described from southern Africa: Xevioso cepfi sp. nov. (♂♀), from mountains in the Niassa Province of northern Mozambique, and X. megcummingae sp. nov. (♂♀), from urban Harare, northern Zimbabwe and the Viphya Mts in Malawi. They represent the northernmost localities of the genus. An identification key, partially adapted for the new species, is presented. The biogeographical importance of the mountain areas on both sides of the northern part of Lake Malawi is discussed.
Three new species of Pachygnatha, P. bispiralis sp. nov., P. intermedia sp. nov. and P. ventricosa sp. nov., are described from forest areas in western Burundi. The presence of P. procincta Bosmans & Bosselaers, 1994 in Burundi confirms its very wide distribution spanning most of Africa.
Pachygnatha appears to be an important element of the afromontane spider fauna.
The new Southeast Asian genus Cambonilla gen. nov. (Zodariidae, Araneae): 'bis repetita placent'
(2019)
The new genus Cambonilla Jocqué gen. nov. is described on the base of two species, each known from both sexes. A cladistic analysis based on morphology, showed that the new genus is the sister-group of Heliconilla Dankittipakul, Jocqué & Singtripop, 2012 with which it shares the granulated carapace with branched setae and the marbled ventral abdominal pattern, but differs by the abdominal, tubular sclerotized protrusion around the pedicel in males and the absence of posterior ventral abdominal spines in the female. The type species Cambonilla securicula Jocqué gen. et sp. nov. was found in rainforest along the Mekong River in Cambodia and Laos. The second species Cambonilla symphonia Jocqué & Henrard gen. et sp. nov., provided with conspicuous femoral stridulating organs, was recorded from the same localities but in Cambodia only. An illustrated key to the genera of tropical Asia is presented.
A revision of the genus Cicynethus Simon, 1910 (Araneae, Zodariidae), a tale of colour patterns
(2018)
The genus Cicynethus Simon, 1910 is revised. Apart from the type species C. peringueyi Simon, 1893, only known from a juvenile, it contains five species, all of which are here described or redescribed based on adults: C. acer sp. nov. (♂♀), C. decoratus (Lawrence, 1952) comb. nov (♂), C. floriumfontis Jocqué, 1991 (♂♀), C. mossambicus sp. nov. (♂♀) and C. subtropicalis (Lawrence, 1952) comb. nov. (♂♀). The species are characterized by the genitalia, but also by the colour pattern. The distribution of the genus is extended to northern Mozambique. Cicynethus hongfuchui is transferred to Storenomorpha hongfuchui (Barrion, Barrion-Dupo & Heong, 2013) comb. nov. Cicynethus acanthopus Simon, 1910 is considered a species incertae sedis. A key to the species is provided.
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 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.
Cyrioctea (Araneae, Zodariidae) in Africa: temperate Gondwanaland relict, recent radiation, or both?
(2013)
Two new species of the zodariid genus Cyrioctea Simon, 1889 are described: C. sawadee sp. nov. and C. lotzi sp. nov., both only known from males. The genus now contains seven Afrotropical species and this abundance is discussed in the context of its basal situation in the family and its apparent temperate Gondwanaland distribution, which implies a much greater age of the Zodariidae than presently accepted. Unlike most taxa with a temperate Gondwana distribution, Cyrioctea boasts a high number of species with small distribution areas. This points in the direction of a recent radiation initiated after a long period of stasis.