Castianeirodes jocquei sp. nov.

Figs 2A, B, 5A–F, 6

Etymology. The species is named for Rudy Jocqué, one of the collectors of the type specimens, in recognition of his massive contribution to arachnology over a career spanning more than five decades.

Diagnosis. Females of C. jocquei sp. nov. and C. kakamega sp. nov. share a dorsal scutum that covers the entire abdomen (shorter in C. insulicola comb. nov. and C. natalensis sp. nov.) and have similarly sized and shaped epigynal ridges and copulatory ducts that follow a similar path, but they can be distinguished by the oval rather than rhomboidal ST II (cf. Figs 6B, C and 7A, B). Males have a similar embolus structure to C. kakamega sp. nov., but they can be distinguished by more gradual narrowing of the tegular neck, the relatively more transverse orientation of the mid-section of the embolus, and the almost straight embolus tip (clearly curved in C. kakamega sp. nov.) (cf. Fig. 5F and H).

Female (holotype, MRAC 218289). Measurements: CL 2.30, CW 1.53, AL 2.50, AW 1.78, TL 4.80, FL 0.17, SL 1.00, SW 0.84, AME 0.14, ALE 0.09, PME 0.10, PLE 0.11, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.33, PME–PME 0.13, PME–PLE 0.07, PLE–PLE 0.39, PERW 0.54, MOQAW 0.33, MOQPW 0.32, MOQL 0.38. Length of leg segments: I 1.52 + 0.50 + 1.20 + 1.05 + 0.70 = 4.97; II 1.48 + 0.49 + 1.10 + 1.05 + 0.68 = 4.80; III 1.52 + 0.51 + 1.18 + 1.20 + 0.60 = 5.01; IV 1.57 + 0.41 + 1.21 + 1.35 + 0.69 = 5.23.

General appearance as in Fig. 2A. Carapace dark brown, with black mottling and striae radiating from fovea to palps and coxae; eye region black; clypeus with cluster of erect setae below AMEs. Clypeus height equal to 1.56× AME diameter at AME, 2.9× ALE diameter at ALE; AME separated by 0.42× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.1× ALE diameter, almost touching; PME separated by 1.42× their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 0.7× PME diameter; CW:PERW = 2.83:1. Chelicerae black, creamy-brown mesally and posteriorly; endites black, white along mesal margin; labium black, white distally; sternum dark brown, with reticulated black mottling. Coxae I black, II–IV creamy-yellow; femora I and II black, with white patches dorsally and ventrally in distal 1/3; femora III and IV with white stripe dorsally along entire length, narrow in basal half, three times broader in distal half, ventrally with broad white stripe distally; all patellae black laterally, white dorsally and ventrally; tibiae to tarsi I–III black laterally, with white stripes along entire length dorsally and ventrally, IV uniform black; palp black, except tarsus creamy-yellow. Leg spination: femora: I pl 2 do 3 rl 1, II pl 1 do 3 rl 2, III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 1; patellae: all with do 1 spine distally; tibiae: I and II pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 3 rlv 3, III pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2 rlv 1, IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2; metatarsi: I and II pl 1 rl 1 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 1 rlv 2 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 1 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora and patellae: pl 1 do 2; tibiae: pl 1 do 2 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 rl 1 plv 1. Abdomen with dark brown dorsal scutum extending to 0.75× abdomen length, densely covered in black mottling; short white feathery setae covering most of dorsum; venter mottled black.

Epigyne with crescent-shaped curved ridges just behind midpoint of epigyne, oriented almost 45° to body axis, with large copulatory openings situated laterally in ridges; epigynal ridges narrowing mesally; copulatory ducts directed mesally, bending 90° for a short distance before entering oval anterior ST II on their posterior margin; connecting ducts short and broad, entering broad kidney-shaped posterior ST I (Figs 5E, 6B, C).

Male (paratype, MRAC 218289). Measurements: CL 2.10, CW 1.37, AL 2.35, AW 1.26, TL 4.60, FL 0.14, SL 0.92, SW 0.78, AME 0.14, ALE 0.08, PME 0.10, PLE 0.10, AME–AME 0.06, AME–ALE 0.01, ALE–ALE 0.32, PME–PME 0.12, PME–PLE 0.06, PLE–PLE 0.37, PERW 0.52, MOQAW 0.31, MOQPW 0.32, MOQL 0.37. Length of leg segments: I 1.52 + 0.45 + 1.14 + 1.02 + 0.70 = 4.83; II 1.48 + 0.45 + 1.12 + 1.07 + 0.70 = 4.82; III 1.40 + 0.64 + 1.14 + 1.17 + 0.62 = 4.97; IV 2.03 + 0.58 + 1.52 + 1.87 + 0.72 = 6.72.

Habitus as in Fig. 2B; morphology and markings as in female, except the following: Clypeus height equal to 1.53× AME diameter at AME, 3.13× ALE diameter at ALE; AME separated by 0.45× their diameter; AME separated from ALE by 0.13× ALE diameter, almost touching; PME separated by 1.25× their diameter; PME separated from PLE by 0.6× PME diameter; CW:PERW = 2.63:1. Leg spination: femora: I–III pl 2 do 3 rl 2, IV pl 2 do 3 rl 1; patellae: all with do 1 spine distally; tibiae: I and II pl 2 do 1 rl 1 plv 3 rlv 3, III and IV pl 2 do 1 rl 2 plv 2; metatarsi: I and II pl 1 rl 1 plv 2 rlv 2, III pl 2 rl 2 plv 1 rlv 1 vt 3, IV pl 3 rl 3 plv 1 vt 3. Palpal spination: femora: pl 1 do 2 rl 1; patellae: pl 1 do 2; tibiae: pl 1 do 1 plv 1; tarsi: pl 1 plv 1 vt 2. Abdomen narrower than that of female.

Palp: embolus with narrow basal section directed retrolaterally at ca. 30° to palpal axis, midsection directed prolaterally at ca. 60° to palpal axis, embolus tip very slightly curved, almost straight (Figs 5F, 6D, E).

Type material. Holotype ♀: GHANA: Kakum Forest, 05°20'N, 01°23'W, 22.XI.2005, leg. R. Jocqué, D. de Bakker & L. Baert (canopy fogging, secondary forest) (MRAC 218289).

Paratypes: together with holotype, 24.XI.2005, 4♂ 1♀ (MRAC 218289).

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