Drassodella venda Mbo & Haddad 2019, sp. nov.

Drassodella venda sp. nov.

Figs 69, 85, 109, 110, 151–155

Etymology. Named after the indigenous Venda tribe of the Limpopo Province; the species name is a noun in apposition.

Diagnosis. In the D. melana species group, D. venda sp. nov. shares with D. flava sp. nov., D. lotzi sp. nov. and D. melana the absence of dorsal abdominal markings. Among these species, females of D. venda sp. nov. have an epigyne structure most similar to D. lotzi sp. nov., particularly the shape of the anterior hood, but can be recognised by the considerably shorter ST II and the much longer ducts connecting ST II and ST I (compare Fig. 69 with Fig. 62). Males are most similar to D. tolkieni sp. nov. by the dorsal embolic prong being much larger than the ventral prong in prolateral view, but can be distinguished by the lack of abdominal markings (white dorsal spots present in D. tolkieni sp. nov.) and by the triangular shape of the RTA, which has a curved tip in D. tolkieni sp. nov. (compare Figs 155 and 145).

Description. Female (Holotype, Entabeni Nature Reserve, NCA 2008/2873). Measurements: CL 2.92, CW 2.28, AL 4.45, AW 2.90, TL 7.84 (5.06–8.60), FL 0.37, SL 1.56, SW 1.28, CH 0.13, AME-AME 0.10, AME-ALE 0.03, ALE-ALE 0.29, PME-PME 0.14, PME-PLE 0.15, PLE-PLE 0.58, PERW 0.73, MOQAW 0.22, MOQPW 0.27, MOQL 0.30.

Length of leg segments: I 1.76 + 1.04 + 1.40 + 1.24 + 0.92 = 6.36, II 1.68 + 0.96 + 1.16 + 1.16 + 0.82 = 5.78, III 1.52 + 0.86 + 0.96 + 1.20 + 0.76 = 5.30, IV 2.24 + 1.16 + 1.72 + 2.36 + 0.82 = 8.30.

General appearance as in Fig. 109. Carapace dark-brown; broad faint white stripe of feathery setae from PME, diverging behind fovea, extending to posterior margin, forming typical upsilon marking. Clypeus height nearly twice AME diameter; AME smaller than ALE; AME separated by distance equal to 1.43 their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance equal to 0.43 AME diameter; PME smaller than PLE; PME separated by distance twice their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 2.14 PME diameter; Chelicerae dark-brown; promargin with three teeth, median tooth largest, close to small distal tooth; retromargin with two teeth, proximal tooth aligned with space between distal and median promarginal teeth. Endites yellow. Labium black, yellow at anterior margin. Sternum yellow-brown, with short and thin setae. Legs with red-brown proximal segments, patches of orange medially on femora and tibiae, distal segments light brown. Leg spination: femora I do 2 rl 1, II do 2 rl 1, III do 5, IV do 4 rl 1; patellae: spineless; tibiae: III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I & II spineless, III pl 4 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 4 do 2 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; palpal spination: femora do 3; patellae rl 1; tibiae rl 2; tarsi pl 1 rl 1. Abdomen black, without markings (Fig. 109); anterior margin with few white feathery and erect setae close to pedicel; venter light brown; lateral and post-epigastric sclerites absent; two paired rows of tiny sclerites stretching from booklungs to spinnerets. Spinnerets cream. Epigyne with deep anterior hood, anterior margin strongly convex, posterior margin slightly very slight convex, lateral ends tapering to narrow strips; lateral hoods curved, close to copulatory openings; ST I, ST II and connecting ducts orange-brown; ST II larger than ST I, ST II oval (Figs 69, 151, 152).

Male (Paratype, Entabeni Nature Reserve, NCA 2002/65). Measurements: CL 3.30, CW 2.08, AL 4.05, AW 1.70, TL 7.36, FL 0.48, SL 1.74, SW 1.52, CH 0.12, AME-AME 0.08, AME-ALE 0.04, ALE-ALE 0.33, PME-PME 0.15, PME-PLE 0.17, PLE-PLE 0.66, PERW 0.78, MOQAW 0.25, MOQPW 0.82, MOQL 0.34.

Length of leg segments: I 2.52 + 1.34 + 2.08 + 1.64 + 1.36 = 8.94, II 2.16 + 1.22 + 1.64 + 1.72 + 1.28 = 8.02, III 1.84 + 0.88 + 1.36 + 1.70 + 0.84 = 6.62, IV 2.80 + 1.24 + 2.16 + 2.76 + 1.28 = 10.24.

General appearance as in Fig. 110. Carapace dark-brown, with radiating black mottling; dense white feathery setae around eye region. Clypeus height equal to 1.20 times AME diameter; AME smaller than ALE; AME separated by distance equal to 0.80 their diameter, AME separated from ALE by distance equal to 0.40 AME diameter; PME smaller than PLE; PME separated by distance equal to 0.17 their diameter, PME separated from PLE by distance equal to 0.19 PME diameter. Chelicerae dark-brown; promargin with three evenly spaced teeth, close together, distal tooth largest, proximal tooth smallest; retromargin with two small teeth, distal tooth larger. Endites yellow. Labium yellow, anterior margin paler. Sternum with dense setae across surface. Legs with redbrown proximal segments, distal segments light brown. Leg spination: femora: I do 2 rl 1, II do 1 rl 1, III do 4 rl 1, IV do 3; patellae: spineless; tibiae: III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; metatarsi: I & II spineless, III pl 4 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2, IV pl 4 do 2 rl 4 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 2; palpal spination: femora do 3; patellae rl 1; tibiae rl 1; tarsi spineless. Abdomen grey-brown (Fig. 110), without markings; dorsal scutum extending to third abdomen length; venter light grey, without rows of tiny sclerites; ante- and post-epigastric sclerites indistinct. Spinnerets yellow, with brown mottling. Palp orange; RTA moderately long, largely obscured in ventral view by retrolateral heel of cymbium; in retrolateral view triangular, with broad base and sharp tip, ventral surface slightly concave; cymbium moderately broad, 1.72 times longer than wide, narrowed to rounded point distally; ventral embolic prong very small; dorsal prong spike-like in prolateral view, slightly curved in ventral view; median apophysis very stout, hook-shaped (Figs 85, 153–155).

Type material. Holotype ♀: SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Province: Venda, Soutpansberg, Entabeni Nature Reserve, 22°59'S, 30°16'E, 23.III.2008, leg. S.H. Foord (pitfalls) (NCA 2008 /2873).

Paratypes: SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Province: Lekgalameetse Nature Reserve, Haffenden Heights, 24°06.617'S, 30°10.248'E, 16.I.2009, leg. S.H. Foord, N. Hahn, M. Muthapuli & V. Gelebe (pitfall trapping, grassland and Acacia woodland), 2♀ (NCA 2015 /2004); Venda, Soutpansberg, Entabeni Nature Reserve, 22°59'S, 30°16'E, 9. II.2008, leg. S.H. Foord (pitfalls), 1♀ (NCA 2008 /2870); Same locality and collector as previous, 11.II.2008 (leaf litter sifting), 1♂, together with 1 non-type imm. (NCA 2010/260); Soutpansberg, Thathe Vondo Forest, 22°50'S, 30°21'E, X.2001, leg. J. Swaye (pitfall sample), 2♂ (NCA 2002 /65).

Additional material examined. SOUTH AFRICA: Limpopo Province: Entabeni Nature Reserve, 22°59'S, 30°16'E, 23. III.2008, leg. S.H. Foord (pitfall), 1 imm. (NCA 2008 /2873); Same data as previous but 9.II.2008, 3 imm. (NCA 2008 /4445); Same data as previous but 2.II.2008 (night sampling), 1 imm. (NCA 2008 /4449).

Distribution. Known from three localities in Limpopo, South Africa (Fig. 156).