Kituba Rodrigues & Rheims 2020, gen. nov.

Kituba gen. nov.

Etymology. The generic name is a noun in apposition that refers to the Kituba language, a Kikongo-based language considered one of the official languages of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The gender is masculine.

Type species. Kituba mayombensis sp. nov.

Diagnosis. Males of Kituba gen. nov. have the palps with the cymbium tilted retrolaterally (Figs 41F, 42B), embolus long and filiform, curving around tegulum, conductor slightly sclerotized, long and curved around the tegulum (Figs 41A, B, 42 A–C). Females are distinguished from those of other Prodidominae genera by the vulva with copulatory ducts slender and convoluted anteriorly and laterally, with secondary spermathecae reduced to a small lump on the duct, connected to the round primary spermathecae by a thicker, widened connecting duct (Figs 42E, 43B).

Description. Total length males 1.72–1.95 and females 1.58–2.32. Carapace longer than wide, slightly narrower in cephalic region, oval (Figs 37A, B, 38A). Fovea absent. Eight eyes, posterior row strongly procurved and anterior row approximately straight (Fig. 37C); PME and PLE irregular; AME dark; interdistance contiguous of AME–ALE, PME–PLE, ALE–PLE. Chilum absent. Chelicerae relatively small (0.22–0.29), without boss or teeth (Figs 38 D–F); fang with shaft serrula (Fig. 38F). Endites slightly converging anteriorly (Figs 37D, 38B), with few hairs on internal margin (Fig. 38C); serrula absent; labium longer than wide (Fig. 37D). Sternum longer than wide, anterior margin straight, rebordered anteriorly and laterally (Fig. 37D); posterior region strongly protruding between coxae IV, with numerous long and erect setae; intercoxal setae absent and precoxal triangles present (Fig. 37D). Pedicel with ventral sclerite triangular. Leg formula 4123. Spines present only on ventral and prolateral tibiae and metatarsi III and IV. Patella I larger than others. All tarsi and metatarsi without scopulae. Trichobothria present on dorsal tibiae, metatarsi and tarsi, arranged in two rows (Fig. 39A); bothrium with 2–3 ridges in proximal plate (Fig. 39C). Tarsal organ capsulate, with oval opening, located dorsally and distally on tarsi (Fig. 39D). Two smooth claws (Fig. 39B); claw tufts composed of slightly widened tenent setae inserted in well-delimited plate; solid claw tuft clasper present. Abdomen oval, longer than wide (Figs 37A, B); without scales; dorsum of abdomen anteriorly with long, dark, posteriorly curved setae. Six spinnerets; ALS slightly longer than wide, almost tubular, separated from each other by less than their diameter (Figs 37E, F, 40A), piriform gland spigots cracked and elongated, with associated setae (Figs 40A, C, D), major ampulate gland spigot field on well-defined conical structure (Fig. 40D), male with one major ampulate gland spigot and female with two; PLS and PMS conical and short, PLS larger than PMS; PLS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and three aciniform gland spigots (Fig. 40E), females apparently with one minor ampulate gland spigot, three aciniform gland spigots and one cylindrical gland spigot (Fig. 40B); PMS in male with one minor ampulate gland spigot and two aciniform gland spigots (Fig. 40F), females with one minor ampulate gland spigot, two aciniform gland spigots and two cylindrical gland spigots (Fig. 40B). Female palpal tarsus distally truncated, with apical chemosensory patch, without claw (Figs 39E, F). Male palp: femur unmodified, without spines; tibia short, with RTA long, tapering and dorsally curved, with small medial triangular protrusion (Figs 41B, 42B, C); cymbium strongly curved retrolaterally, with dorso-distal scopula (Figs 41E, F); tegulum round (Figs 41A, 42B); reservoir visible ventrally at center of tegulum (Fig. 42B); embolus filiform, arising dorsally from tegulum at 2 o´clock position and curved twice around tegulum (Figs 42 A–C); conductor sheath-like, arising from tegulum at 7 o´clock position and curved little more than once around the tegulum (Figs 41 A–D, 42A–C).. Epigyne: copulatory openings posterior, close to epigastric furrow, with well-defined margins; copulatory ducts and primary spermathecae visible by transparency (Figs 42D, 43A). Vulva: secondary spermathecae reduced, emerging from duct at median part of vulva; primary spermathecae rounded; fertilization ducts laterad (Figs 42E, 43B).

Distribution. D.R. Congo: Mayombe and Langa-Langa (Fig. 44).

Composition. Two species: Kituba mayombensis sp. nov. and K. langalanga sp. nov.