Cicynethus mossambicus sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act: EF8D0370-1C32-4EB9-91DD-97BD0367EBF7

Figs 2 D–E, 12–14, 22

Diagnosis

Both male and female Cicynethus mossambicus sp. nov. are recognized by the uniform dark chestnut carapace and the hairy legs; males are recognized by the shape of the RTA, the simple, not strongly swollen tegulum and the distal tegular protrusion (DTP); females by the epigyne provided with broad procurved scape and the wide but short median septum separating the small copulatory openings.

Etymology

The species name is an adjective referring to the country where it is found.

Material examined

Holotype

MOZAMBIQUE: ♂, Niassa region, Sanga Plateau, 12°24′00.7″ S, 35°20′07.0″ E, montane forest, pitfall with fence, 15 Nov. 2016, L. Geeraert and M. Jocqué leg. (RMCA _ARA_245528).

Paratypes

MOZAMBIQUE: 1 ♀, Niassa region, Njesi Plateau, 12°49′53.3″ S, 35°11′10.0″ E, montane forest, pitfall with fence, 24 Nov. 2016, L. Geeraert and M. Jocqué (RMCA _ARA_245530); 2 ♂♂, same locality as for holotype, Malaise trap, 18 Nov. 2016, L. Geeraert and M. Jocqué (RMCA _ARA_245538).

Description

Holotype (male)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 10.79. Carapace: length 4.76, width 2.77, height 1.14.

COLOUR (Fig. 12 A–B). Carapace dark chestnut brown with small pale brown patch at posterior margin. Chelicerae dark brown; endites brown, with distal half white; labium brown, with distal margin white; legs: tarsi brown with pale ring at base; metatarsi dark brown; tibia I with broad dark ring at base and distal extremity, orange in between, tibia II similar to I but orange part longer; tibiae III and IV: yellow with dark rings at base and distal extremity; trochanters orange with brown parts; coxae dark brown, with large ventral yellow patch; abdomen cream with dark median stripe ending in two triangles followed by interrupted chevrons; sides cream with longitudinal stripe all along; venter pale, with two faint longitudinal stripes; spinnerets greyish brown.

STERNUM. Elongated oval, with sinuous lateral margins, 1.42 wide, 2.13 long.

CHILUM. Two poorly defined triangles, each 0.07 high, 0.25 wide.

EYES. ALE 0.15; AME 0.18; PLE 0.18; PME 0.16; ALE–AME 0.03; AME–AME 0.07; PLE–PME 0.13; PME–PME 0.08. Clypeus 0.12 high.

LEG MEASUREMENTS.

LEGS. T and Mt covered with long hairs. Spination: with distal ventral spines Mt I: d3; Mt II: d2 sd1; Mt III: d3 sd1; Mt IV: d3 sd1; spines almost as long as diameter of segment.

MALE PALP (Figs 2 D–E, 13A–C, 14A–B). RTA a long rectangular prong, distal end tapered to rounded tip; knob ventral of RTA base; tegulum not strongly swollen, with distal tegular protrusion (DTP); embolus thin, slightly curved, originating in centre on prolateral side of tegulum, directed forward; MA directed retrolaterad, thin, straight, with sharp tip; posterior part of tegulum bulging backward.

Paratype (female, RMCA_ARA_245530)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length: 13.14. Carapace: length 5.75, width 2.48, height 1.07.

COLOUR (Fig. 12 C–D). Carapace, chelicerae sternum and abdomen as in male. Legs less contrasted: entirely medium brown except femora yellow with dark rings at base and distal extremity and dark dorsal stripe, broadest on Fe I.

STERNUM (Fig. 12D). Elongated oval with sinuous lateral margins, 1.42 wide, 2.13 long.

CHILUM. Two poorly defined triangles, each 0.07 high, 0.25 wide.

EYES. ALE 0.18; AME 0.16; PLE 0.16; PME 0.21; ALE–AME 0.02; AME–AME 0.12; PLE–PME 0.08; PME–PME 0.13. Clypeus 0.10 high.

LEG MEASUREMENTS.

LEGS. T and Mt covered with long hairs. Spination: with distal ventral spines Mt I: d1; Mt II: d2 sd1, subdistal; Mt III: d3 sd1+1; Mt IV: d3 sd1+1; spines almost as long as diameter of segment.

EPIGYNE (Figs 13 D–F, 14C). Transverse oval sclerotized area with broad procurved scape, copulatory openings separated by thick but short median septum.

Distribution

Known from mountain area in northwest Mozambique (Fig. 22).

Natural history

Specimens were found by sieving forest litter and in a Malaise trap, which indicates that they are moving between the litter layer and the shrub layer.