Yoruba Rodrigues & Rheims 2020, gen. nov.

Yoruba gen. nov.

Etymology. The generic name is a noun in apposition that refers to Yoruba language, one of the official languages of Nigeria and widely spoken in western Africa, where the new genus was recorded. The gender is masculine.

Type species. Yoruba ibadanus sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Species of Yoruba gen. nov. are distinguished from those of other Prodidominae genera by male palp with a ventral tibial apophysis distinctly separate from the retrolateral tibial apophysis (Figs 58D, 59B, 60B), embolus robust with a membranous base (Figs 59B, 60A), and long and laminar conductor with the terminal part sclerotized (Figs 59B, 60A); female epigyne with wide copulatory openings located medially (Figs 59D, 60E); vulva with copulatory ducts enlarged, with small secondary spermathecae connected, connecting duct slender and convoluted laterally, close to primary spermathecae (Figs 59E, 60F).

Description. Total length males 1.97–2.40 and females 2.12–2.7. Carapace and legs pale yellow, abdomen slightly gray (Figs 54A, B). Carapace longer than wide, slightly narrowed at cephalic region, oval (Figs 54A, B). Fovea absent. Eight eyes, posterior row strongly procurved and anterior row approximately straight (Figs 54C, 55A); PME and PLE irregular; AME dark; interdistance contiguous of AME–ALE, PME–PLE, ALE–PLE. Chilum absent. Chelicerae relatively small (0.22–0.27), without boss or teeth (Figs 55D, E); fang with shaft serrula. Endites slightly convergent anteriorly (Figs 54D, 55B), with few hairs on internal margin (Fig. 55C); serrula absent; labium longer than wide (Figs 54D, 55B). Sternum longer than wide, anterior margin straight, rebordered anteriorly and laterally (Fig. 54D); posterior region strongly protruding between coxae IV, with numerous long and erect setae; intercoxal setae absent and precoxal triangles present (Fig. 54D). Pedicel with ventral sclerite triangular. Leg formula 4123. Femur I and II with dorsal spines; legs III and IV with spines on femora, tibiae and metatarsi. 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; bothrium with 3–4 ridges in proximal plate (Fig. 56D). Tarsal organ capsulate, with oval opening, located dorsally and distally on tarsi (Fig. 56E). Two smooth claws (Fig. 56B); claw tufts composed of slightly widened tenent setae inserted in well-delimited plate; solid claw tuft clasper present (Figs 56B, C). Abdomen oval, longer than wide (Figs 54A, 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 54E, F), piriform gland spigots cracked and elongated, with associated setae (Figs 57A, B), major ampulate gland spigot field on well-defined conical structure (Fig. 57C), male with one major ampulate gland spigot and female with two; PLS and PMS conical and short, PLS larger than PMS (Figs 57A, 58A); PLS in male apparently with one minor ampulate gland spigot and two aciniform gland spigots (Fig. 58B), females apparently with one minor ampulate gland spigot, two aciniform gland spigots and one cylindrical gland spigot (Fig. 57E); PMS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and one aciniform gland spigot (Fig. 58C), females apparently with one minor ampulate gland spigot, one aciniform gland spigot and one cylindrical gland spigot (Fig. 57F). Female palp tarsus with chemosensory patch apical and truncad, without claw (Fig. 56F). Male palp: femur unmodified, with one dorsal median spines; tibia short, with RTA and VTA (Figs 58D, E); cymbium with apical scopula (Figs 59A, 60C); bulb ovoid (Fig. 60A); sperm duct visible ventrally with terminal part narrow; embolus arising prolaterally (Figs 58D, 59B, 60A); conductor with membranous base, slightly twisted and arising medially (Figs 59B, 60A). Vulva: enlarged copulatory ducts; secondary spermathecae small and positioned distally on duct; slender connecting ducts; primary spermathecae separated from each other; fertilization ducts laterad (Figs 59E, 60F).

Distribution. Nigeria and Ivory Coast (Fig. 61).

Composition. Two species: Yoruba ibadanus sp. nov. and Y. toubensis sp. nov.