Castianeirodes insulicola (Strand, 1916) comb. nov.

Figs 1, 6A

Castianeira insulicola Strand, 1916: 90

(♀ holotype: D.R. CONGO: Lake Kivu, Kwidjwi Island [Idjwi Island, 02°10'S, 29°03'E], IX.1907, leg. A.F. Herzog, ZMB 27151 —examined); Roewer 1955: 610; World Spider Catalog 2025.

Castianeirodes insulicola Strand, 1916: 91; Petrunkevitch 1928: 179; Bonnet 1956: 972.

Diagnosis. Females can be easily distinguished by the shape of the epigynal ridges, which are comma-shaped and strongly curved vs crescent-shaped and less strongly curved in C. jocquei sp. nov., C. kakamega sp. nov. and C. natalensis sp. nov.. Additionally, the mesal section of the epigynal ridges is broadened whereas it is narrowed in the other three species (cf. Fig. 6A and 6B, 7A, 8A). Male unknown.

Female (holotype, Idjwi Island, ZMB 27151). Measurements: CL 2.20, CW 1.33, AL 2.70, AW 2.12, TL 4.90, FL 0.17, SL 0.98, SW 0.85, AME 0.11, ALE 0.05, PME 0.10, PLE 0.09, AME–AME 0.08, AME–ALE 0.03, ALE–ALE 0.37, PME–PME 0.14, PME–PLE 0.10, PLE–PLE 0.43, PERW 0.56, MOQAW 0.40, MOQPW 0.33, MOQL 0.38. Length of leg segments: I 1.65 + 0.49 + 1.10 + 0.99 + 0.62 = 4.85; II 1.39 + 0.49 + 1.05 + 1.00 + 0.64 = 4.57; III 1.28 + 0.50 + 1.05 + 1.06 + 0.60 = 4.49; IV missing.

General appearance as in Fig. 1A; specimen somewhat faded, colour described based on current condition. Carapace brown, with black mottling and striae radiating from fovea to palps and coxae; eyes with black rings. Clypeus height equal to 2× AME diameter at AME, 4× ALE diameter at ALE; AME separated by 0.71× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.63× ALE diameter; PME separated by 1.5× their diameter; PME separated from PLE by PME diameter; CW:PERW = 2.38:1. Chelicerae yellow-brown, creamy-brown mesally and posteriorly; endites yellow-brown, white along mesal margin; labium yellow-brown, white distally; sternum yellow-brown, with faint grey mottling. Coxae I brown, II–IV creamy-yellow; femora brown, with white patches dorsally and ventrally in distal 1/3; all patellae brown laterally, white dorsally and ventrally; tibiae to tarsi I–III yellow-brown, with faint grey mottling laterally, white stripes along entire length dorsally and ventrally, IV uniform yellow-brown. Leg spination (both legs IV missing): femora: I pl 2 do 3, II pl 1 do 3, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2; patellae: spineless; tibiae: I pl 2 plv 3 rlv 3, II pl 2 plv 3 rlv 3, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2; metatarsi: I plv 2 rlv 2, II plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 2 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2; patellae: pl 1 do 1; tibiae: pl 1 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 plv 1. Abdomen with broad orange-brown dorsal scutum extending to 0.81× abdomen length, covered in black mottling; short white feathery setae covering most of dorsum; venter creamy-grey, with faint grey mottling.

Epigyne with strongly curved, comma-shaped ridges just behind midpoint of epigyne, with copulatory openings situated laterally in ridges; epigynal ridges broadened mesally; in external view, ST II oval, with distinct oblique fold; ST I subtriangular (Figs 1C, 6A); internal structure not examined.

Distribution. Only known from the type locality (Fig. 9).