Ballomma erasmus Jocqué & Henrard, 2015, gen. et sp. nov

Ballomma erasmus gen. et sp. nov.

urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:A6681529-ED54-46CF-B39D-E7862EBED809

Figs 1 A–D, 2A–D, 3A–C, 4A–D, 5A–C, 14

Diagnosis

The male of B. erasmus gen. et sp. nov. is easily recognized by the field of spines in front of the epigastric fold and the RTA with three short elements. The female is characterized by the S-shaped ducts in the anterior half of the epigyne.

Etymology

The species name is a noun in apposition taken from the type locality.

Type material Holotype

SOUTH AFRICA: ♂, Ga-Moraba, Abel Erasmus Pass, 24°27’06” S 30°36’27” E, 4 Oct. 2012, forest, sifting litter, J.A. Neethling (NCA 2015/3485; ex MRAC 241636).

Paratypes

SOUTH AFRICA: 3 ♀♀, same data as holotype (1 ♀ kept in MRAC 241636).

Description

Male (holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.97; carapace 2.63 long, 0.99 high, 1.85 wide, narrowed to 0.85 in eye region.

COLOURATION. Carapace (Fig. 1 A) medium brown without silvery setae; chelicerae medium brown in basal half, pale brown in distal half, sternum brownish orange (Fig. 1 B–C); legs uniform pale yellowish brown, femora with greenish tinge; abdomen (Fig. 1 A–B, D): dorsum and sides pale with complex dark pattern; venter pale, yellowish sclerotized areas in front of spinnerets and in front of epigastric fold; spinnerets pale yellow.

CARAPACE (Figs 1 A, 2D). Smooth, strongly narrowed in front; flat, fovea long, in shallow depression. Chilum double, each sclerite 0.05 high, 0.13 wide; no setae. Sternum shield-shaped, 1.07 long, 0.85 wide.

EYES. AME: 0.08; ALE: 0.11; ALE–ALE: 0.00; AME–ALE: 0.05; PME: 0.10; PLE: 0.12; PME–PME:

0.03; PME–PLE: 0.13. Clypeus 0.21 or 2.6 times width of ALE, strongly retreating.

LEGS. Anterior tarsi shorter than metatarsi and fusiform; hinged hairs on TI and TII.

SPINATION.

F P T Mt I d2 - - v2-2 - 2 II d 3 - v 1 v2-2 dw 3 III d2 d1rl1 pl2d3rl2 v2-2 -2 6dispdw 5 IV d2 d1rl1 pl4d3rl3 v2-2 -2 8dispdw5

LEG MEASUREMENTS.

F P T Mt t total I 1.61 0.63 1.26 1.19 0.77 5.46 II 1.33 0.63 0.84 1.05 0.56 4.41 III 1.33 0.63 0.70 0.91 0.56 4.13 IV 1.68 0.77 1.12 1.54 0.70 5.81 ABDOMEN (Figs 1 A–B, D, 2D). Area in front of epigastric fold with 15 small spines. Spinnerets as for genus.

MALE PALP (Figs 3 A–B, 4A–C). Femur with long ventral setae in distal half; patella without boss; tibia with tuft of long setae along distal dorsal margin; RTA with short sharp hook dorsolaterally, lateral and ventrolateral knobs; cymbium with large curved retrolateral basal flange, seven distal, truncated spines; subtegulum with three curved ridges; tegulum large, distal extremity with ventral knob and dorsal flange; sperm duct conspicuous, slightly sinuous.

Female (paratype together with holotype)

MEASUREMENTS. Total length 4.47; carapace 2.06 long, 1.28 wide, 0.71 high, narrowed to 0.85 in eye region.

COLOURATION. Carapace (Fig. 2 A, C) medium brown with dark margin and faintly delimited triangle suffused with black in front of fovea; chelicerae (Fig. 2 B) medium brown; legs and sternum yellow; abdomen (Fig. 2 A–C): dorsum and sides dark sepia with complex pale pattern; venter pale with few darker spots; spinnerets yellow.

CARAPACE. Smooth. Clypeus with dispersed setae. Chilum poorly delimited. Sternum shield-shaped, 0.92 long, 0.71 wide.

EYES. AME: 0.07; ALE: 0.10; ALE–ALE: 0.0; AME–ALE: 0.04; PME: 0.08; PLE: 0.12; PME–

PME: 0.03; PME–PLE: 0.10. Clypeus 0.15 or 2.0 times width of ALE; slightly retreating.

LEGS. No hinged hairs; preening brush on II–IV poorly developed.

SPINATION.

F P T Mt

I d1 - - - II d 1 - v1 - III d1 - pl2d2rl2 v1-2 -2 6disp dw 6 IV d1 - pl2d3rl2 v1-2 -2 8disp dw6

LEG MEASUREMENTS.

F P T Mt t total I 1.19 0.49 0.98 0.84 0.63 4.13 II 1.05 0.49 0.70 0.70 0.49 3.43 III 0.77 0.42 0.56 0.70 0.49 2.94 IV 1.26 0.63 0.98 1.19 0.70 4.76

PALP. Triangular (Fig. 2 B), slightly flattened ventrally, with row of prolateral short spines; claw with three teeth, not turned inward.

EPIGYNE (Figs 3 C, 4D, 5A–D). Roughly quadrangular; anterior ducts clearly visible, S-shaped disrupting the X-shape; spermathecae fairly small separated by about half their distance.

Distribution

Only known from the type locality in the Limpopo Province, South Africa (Fig. 14).